Eihwaz -- Yew -- I like to note trends in The Weekly Rune series, as patterns in casts can inform us on a Rune, as much as its meaning. The last time Eihwaz was cast for the week, of note was jarring interaction between Uranus and Pluto. So, of course, this week that same interaction is highlighted again, coming out of its tight November alignment, and ever encouraging change through crisis. Not exactly gentle nudging toward self-hood.
Appropriately, Eihwaz arrives at the end of something. Of course this dance between Uranus and Pluto doesn't close until 2015, though picking up the pieces after their latest interlude glides right along with presenting Eihwaz.
The 13th and middle Rune in the Futhark, this stave represents the turning point. As the yew is both sweet and poisonous, so its teaching will either make or break us -- likely both. Yes, there has been a wearing down of what we think we want, compared to what we need, over the last few weeks. The deeper consideration is, what will we do with what we've learned? How do we move forward having seen our True Selves?
One of the hardest things in life to do is change. We live in a fast-paced culture that demands we keep up to survive. Ironically, we also skate along spiritual paths that require slow steeping in mindful awareness in order for us to affect deep transformation. How do we accomplish both, when they seem in opposition to each other? How can we change amidst forces that want us to stay the same? Better yet, how do we deal with the guilt of not changing, once we've glimpsed our power?
This conflict exacerbates the gap between knowing what we most need, and sacrificing to make sure we have it, that we become it. Such a hinge point is the crux of Eihwaz. It is the mirror image of self we can't look directly into, yet crave most deeply.
Through Eihwaz we learn that we are not the extremes, but some balanced place between, some point of power we want to attain without realizing we're already its center.
Originally published at Soul Intent Arts.