The Ladder To Ascent Begins With Knowledge!.. Wisdom Is Only Possible Through The Use Of What We Learn!.. Ansuz Is The Embodiment Of Godhood!!!
Unlike most of the other runes Ansuz is one of the more unreferenced ones. Having only a single rune poem and a very vague translation one of the runes secrets reflects its own irony. At its core this rune is the essence of knowledge, wisdom and godhood. Ansuz or in other languages Ōs and Óss translate into a few different things. The first translation of Ansuz is God. Now while God which by most is a reference to Odin. Other that its translation simply to god it can also be translated into oak however “god” seems to be a more dominant one. In my first glance this translation spoke to me a rune of ascension. A rune symbolic of the climb to godhood. The rune of the Gods and of the practitioner’s path to self-divinity
Icelandic Rune Poem
“Óss is aged Gautr
and prince of Ásgarðr
and lord of Vallhalla”
In the Icelandic rune poem regarding Ansuz it seems to suggest a strong relation to Odin. During my meditations my mind was fixated on the idea that the god of knowledge Odin and Ansuz were tied very close together. It became clear to me what this runes purpose in my pathworking was. Ansuz is the key to new knowledge but also of new experiences. On one side its presence presents new opportunities to gain new knowledge, be that simply by revealing new enlightenments or any given subject and increasing my personal awareness. However, it also has a side of chaos that needs mentioning. We learn most from our mistakes and our failures, and this is a realization very hard for most people. Ansuz is like a mirror that shows us ourselves, and like a reflection it does not hide the things we try not to see. The first lesson of Ansuz is know thyself, but also the realization that we are imperfect.
One Of The Great Things About The Viking Gods Is Their Human Like Nature!.. They Are Imperfect And They Do Not Hide From It!!!
The Viking Gods are far from perfect and all of the Gods have their flaws. It is for this reason I have so much love for Loki who is not afraid to call out the flaws of others. This is a truth that Ansuz has reflected to me. I have had to look in the mirror at myself and not just see the things I despise about myself but accept them. On the ladder to Ascension it is vital that the practitioner does not fool themselves into a reality that does not exist, and so burying the things we do not wish to see is simply casting an illusion over ourselves. All things begin with self and so if we are to ascend, we must first look within ourselves.
With these ideas in mind where does Ansuz best fit within the application of the practitioner? The first application is its ability to provide new opportunities to gain new knowledge and self-awareness. Meditation with this rune is a key example on how to apply this. Visualization techniques, meditation, chanting are all great applications. But there are more subtle ways of using this rune. If you want to gain new knowledge in a particular area putting the rune on the books you read, or on your fingertips as you read are good ways to subconsciously let this runes magick come into the self. Additionally, when travelling out of the home placing the rune on the back of the neck will subconsciously have your mind become more aware of things you will come across while out that will lend to this pursuit of new knowledge. These are only a few examples.
However, even with its strong relation to knowledge there is one more thing to focus more solidly on. The specific God aspect that the translation leads to. Ansuz is a symbol of the god self within. It is a symbol of godlike mind and as such its insights into ascent is invaluable. It embodies lessons akin to not just learning new things but applying that knowledge, to gain experience and then wisdom. As much as this rune is a present application it is also a sign of the future, a symbol of a desired goal. This goal is wisdom. Odin, is the god of wisdom, but also the god of poetry. In this sense Ansuz is not only a symbol of knowledge but a symbol of magick in that all sound both in the word and in song has a magickal undertone that manifests our reality. In sound, word and song we communicate with others. This is another lesson of Ansuz. It is a rune of communication. Be that communication be with Odin, the Gods, or our own god self. The very embodiment of the exchange of words, ideas and of course, knowledge. It is clear with all these little insights where the core of this rune is. The essence of Godhood and Wisdom.
For a ritual format I feel that it is best when evoking Ansuz into the circle to also evoke Odin. This is not necessarily an essential aspect to the ritual but one that I feel enforces the ritual greatly. Bring to forces intimately linked into the same space. Most rituals with Ansuz I would say will focus around being imparted new knowledge, enlighten and perhaps opening up to new experiences and self-awareness. How the practitioner decides to craft the ritual is up to personal preference. All in all, this rune is one of the trickier ones to explore with its very loose references and need for much deeper inspection. It is scattered in its mysteries, but such is the knowledge we so eagerly seek.
If you would like to discuss the runes with me further you can book a consultation with me at: https://gumroad.com/l/dDsxl
Additionally, if you would like to explore the runes further you can pre-order my upcoming book “Beyond Prophecy: A Practical Guide To Rune Magick” at: https://gumroad.com/l/xljLN
Stay True & Stay Awesome!!!
Asbjorn Torvol
