Original Publication: Pagan Chronicle – Issue: 06 – IMBOLC 2024
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAGAN CHRONICLE TODAY
The start of this year I want to begin the wheel with the Runes. Walking the Runic path can be intense, but it can also lead to knowing yourself better and gaining knowledge of things that you may not otherwise have found without them. Within Northern tradition Woden sought continuous knowledge and wisdom; he even went as far as to hang himself upside down from the Norse tree Yggdrasil in search of understanding, essentially sacrificing himself unto himself in order to glimpse into the Void and pick the runes up, or master their knowledge. With that I am dedicating each month to a Rune and how it coincides with Yggdrasil and other sacred days of the year. Within mythology, in the Eddas, the Tree of Life – or Cosmos – is named Yggdrasil. Ygg has variously been translated as message, or as “eternal”, and or rather ageless. Odin (Woden) is called Yggjun, “ Old-young”, Yggdrasil with equal logic is his gallows; as spoken above, his own divine sacrifice. Yggdrasil holds many secrets, among them are the runes and how they cycle in and out of our lives, sacrifices we give in order to become the higher version of our old selves. Both the tree and the runes will leave you forever changed as you embark on the path to understanding.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAGAN CHRONICLE TODAY
With the cycle of the year beginning anew, I felt that Berkana (Berkano, Beorc, Bairkana, Bjarkan) was a good rune to begin with given that the overall meaning is of rebirth, regeneration and purification. Berkana can be found within the Elder Germanic Futhark but is also found within Younger Norse Futhark, The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, and the Gothic Rune set. Across all runic sets Berkana, and the other names mentioned, are represented by the Birch tree. Berkana is the womb, she is the mother that births a new cycle or self into this world after the old self or tree has been transmuted; like the rune of fate Perthro, we see Berkana cycling through stages of healing, exploration and renewal in the world and within ourselves. Berkana is the Mother, Maiden and Crone, we can not have one without the others, birthing new life into Spring, growing in Summer and seeing the rest in Winter. In divination practices, Berkana may signify a period of growth or renewal in one’s life. It can indicate the need for nurturing oneself or others and embracing new opportunities.
The intricate life system of Yggdrasil, much like the birch tree, contains both facts of natural history and cosmological information which may be gleaned in regards to the Runes. Take the roots of the tree, the first root of Yggdrasil springs from Asgard, the realm of the Aesir; watered by the well of the past, it maps the “fate” of all. In this well an idea of fate forms a cause and effect for all within existence, and the gods are no more exempt from fate anymore than we are. Yet, every moment is changed upon the course of destiny as each being acts upon their own free will and cycles and truths within the limits of our own self-created condition. During the first half of its life, Yggdrasil, the mighty Ash tree, is named, “Mjotvidr” (measure increasing) while in the process of its growth the tree gathers its energy that flows from the spiritual roots into creation of the worlds that are becoming. After reaching maturity the tree then becomes “Mjotudr” (measure exhausting); its energy is then given back to the root system, creating what we would see as autumn. While in this state, seeds and fruit are produced in order for those future seeds to take the place of its former self; dormancy prevails during the ensuing frost giants- or rest cycle.
The relationship between Yggdrasil and Berkana can be understood by examining the symbolic meanings and associations of each. Both the world tree and the rune represent the interconnectedness of life and the importance of growth and nourishment in maintaining balance and harmony. In this sense, the relationship between Yggdrasil and Berkana can be seen as a reflection of the interplay between the cosmic order and the individual actions that contribute to that order. The world tree symbolizes the larger cosmic structure, while the Berkana rune represents the individual’s role in supporting and maintaining that structure. While Yggdrasil may refer to a whole universe with all its worlds, each human being is a Yggdrasil with its own measure. Each is rooted in the divine ground of All-being and bears its Odin or birch tree; omnipresent spirit of rebirth, sacrifice but with root and reason of all living things.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAGAN CHRONICLE TODAY
The metaphor of a tree is widely used in many myths and scriptures to depict the cosmos within. We know with every spring the flow of forces infuses their power into each limb and leaf, creating and giving beauty; blossoms grow, and in time create fruit which bears seeds for future trees. The same is said for the opposite: when the year draws to a close, the sap returns into the root system, nourishing and providing a firmer foundation for the growth of next year. We see this in human life as well: the baby who is soft and delicate but increases in weight until middle age; thereafter the process reverses itself, culminating in the fragility of becoming old. The layered cosmos expands from within, branching through grades of matter until the limit is reached for that phase of its cycle, whereupon life retreats back into the spiritual realms or next self as the divine root receives into itself the essence of the experience. Yggdrasil and the Birch are not immortal, much like we are not. Our lifetimes are coeval with the hierarchy the tree is used to represent. Changing forces are always at work and will lead to our eventual decline of the life or the life we are growing from; when it has lived its span, the mighty Ash is overthrown. This teaches us the temporal nature of the life cycles within existence and the impermanence of matter.
Within Berkana we see this reflection of the Rune of the Mother along with a healing journey; we also see the emotions that lie within and out of us. Berkana is about renewal and transformative; it also is the rune of the Divine feminine and of emotions. We can look at Berkana as the parent rune, the rune of decision, but also how much we are basing our decisions on the emotions that we experience. Berkana asks us how much we rely on our emotions within our daily life and the balance of how much we allow them to take control; can you discern a situation without your deep feelings coming to the forefront? We as humans deal with a great amount of stress, life, love, understanding etc.; there are times when our base, strong emotions get in the way of what life can throw at us. If we allow ourselves to trust in our healing process of renewal and constant change, we can also rely on the roots that lie within us in our inner self in that moment to discern what is the best path to go within that moment. Berkana asks us to be present in the moment, to consciously participate in what we want to create, and to actively question whether or not you have the space to create and renew in your life, or if you need to take time to better understand how you connect to the present world around you.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAGAN CHRONICLE TODAY
Purchase the full Issue (physical copy mailed to your residence):
Past Issue: IMBOLC 2024 – Pagan Chronicle
Past Issue Imbolc (Feb-Mar) 2024 – One printed copy mailed to your residence. Discover more from Mountain Pagan Media Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe
Discover more from Mountain Pagan Media
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
