Rune Study Group: Raidho

Umbrae

Raidho
“rye-trow” ( Wagon or chariot.) This Rune looks like the letter R.

It represents Wheel (or wagon), or riding. In essence it means a journey; in both physical and life directions. It is the process of the long ride of a long journey of growth.

It represents the cycle of change, but as a spiral as opposed to the cyclical (and seasonal) of diurnal, or circadian rhythm.

Ordered Change (must do ordered ethical deeds), the movement through space and time, and the relationship between the two. Modern authors tend to ignore the time aspects of this rune. It being related to the ‘Sun Wheel’. We tend to think of distance and direction in our modern western methods. The Norse thought of distance and direction in terms of moving people between two points (as was space measured). The principal unit of measure was how far you could ride (which varies depending on the land, and time of year). So space/time is relative.

On one hand we have a Rune of journey and movement (spiritual and physical). But it is ALSO a rune of space and time. Thus, it also deals with social boundaries…ethics, and legal customs.

One must be aware of both rhythms in the natural world and your own world. There are times for social actions and journeys and all actions. It deals with law, justice and social harmony.

Preparation leads to action (action must be taken) and the practice of what Ansuz has inspired.

Seeing a larger perspective. Personal rhythm, world rhythm, dance of life. Good counsel.

Pragmatic issues are important.

Merkstave: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Stuck in an eddy.

A person in the fields of legal or transportation.
 

Mermaid

That's like the Nepali concept of distance, Umbrae. If you ask someone how far away a village is in Nepal, you'll always get told how long it would take to walk there, not how many miles away it is. So the distance between places varies with the weather conditions, the season, whether it's up or downhill and how fit they think you are... :)
 

Umbrae

I have often said that linear space and time is a sensible human invention, established by western man.

It is quite silly how some folks get 'hung up' with their kilometers and miles. "You can't walk that far" folks always tell me...The automobile and television has both seriously dumbed us down…and…

I feel a rant coming on…I will sign off.
 

Rhiannon

Umbrae, I'm confused today

Dearheart,

I really have a problem with interpreting this with the time thingy. So would we say "this is about taking a journey, it's time to start yours" or what? Is this about your time being different from everyone else's time? Like "good things come to those who wait"? This is a confusing concept for me. Does it mean moving on in the next cycle of our journey?

Ok, and when you say "spiral" do you mean that the journey will have an end? or is it like the so-called Fool's Journey, which we just repeat over and over, starting at different points, stopping sometimes, etc.?

Forgive me for not understanding.
R :)
 

einhverfr

Raidho Analysis

Although Thorsson suggests that the pictogram in the rune is that of a chariot, I suspect that it is simpler and more in line with the Rune Poems to assume that it is a pictogram of a person in a riding position as if on a horse (though the horse is not depicted).

The associations with social aspects come largely from List. I see very few reasons to associate this rune with these things which are more likely to come under Tiwaz (more on this later).

There are two more areas that deserve further study though. The first is that many have associated this rune with the wagon of the sun. The main reason for this is that the angular portions of the rune make a Sowilo rune. I.e. one can see Raidho as a bindrune of Isa and Sowilo. In this aspect, it would refer to the motion of the sun. Hence the motion can either be linear (riding a horse from one place to another) or circular (the path of the sun).

The second area is that the soul or spirit in many Indo-European traditions has been associated with a chariot or similar vehicle (see Bagavad Gita, Plato's Phaedrus, and others). In general, there is an aspect of the self that is seen as the rider/charioteer. This duality between Ansuz (accepting Polome's derivation as "Holder of the Reins" and *Raidho as "riding" is important. One can see Thurisaz->Ansuz->Raidho (there is more to Thorr than meets the eye-- see Alvismal) in the figure of Thorr and Ansuz->Raidho->Kenaz in the form of Odhinn's self-sacrifice. Note again that Yggdrassil means "Horse of Ygg" and "Ygg" is another name for Odhinn.
 

Dancing Bear

I chose this Rune when i first encountered my Husband to be. October, by February the next Year we were married, 4 months. Being in Australia these months were the summer months. It is also a Rune of communications, and of new beginings You will no longer walk alone. a journey taken.I visualize a path going through a mountain when I draw this rune, Why? (unknown)

I have never picked up another rune since for personal guidance. I now just share them with others.

Dancing Bear
 

einhverfr

Dancing Bear said:
I chose this Rune when i first encountered my Husband to be. October, by February the next Year we were married, 4 months. Being in Australia these months were the summer months. It is also a Rune of communications, and of new beginings You will no longer walk alone. a journey taken.I visualize a path going through a mountain when I draw this rune, Why? (unknown)

I have never picked up another rune since for personal guidance. I now just share them with others.

Dancing Bear

I don't see this as having that much to do with communication. Certainly not in the way either Ehwaz (non-verbal) or Ansuz (verbal) would.

However, there is one more piece of lore that is worth bringing up. In many Scandenavian women's names, you see a -rid suffix. This is generally taken to mean "She who rides with...." So Ingrid means "She who rides with Ing," Thorrid means "She who rides with Thorr," Sigrid means "She who rides with Victory" and so forth.

Sigrid is also the name of my Valkyrie as she appeared in a vision to me while I was in college.

So, while I am not inclined to see this as a rune of companionship per se, it may sometimes have such an aspect.
 

FaerieStorm

Raidho & VIII Strength

I've been trying to incorporate the Runes into my readings, and one thing that I've noticed is that Raidho has been "following" me lately. For instance, I recently did an elemental spread for myself (E/A/F/W/S)--which included both Tarot and the Runes. And Raidho showed up in my Earth position in conjunction with Strengh. Futhermore, the next day, I pulled Raidho as my "daily" Rune.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what this means? I know Raidho has much to do with travel and journey, but I am definitely not doing any of that. The only thing I can think of is starting my last semester of college.

Thoughts? Thanks, FS
 

calligirl

FaerieStorm
Sometimes when I think of this rune, I think of the word pilgrimage rather than travel or journey. Perhaps that might fit your situation right now, the ending of one (school) and the beginning of another (unknown at this point)? Just a thought...
 

einhverfr

FaerieStorm said:
I've been trying to incorporate the Runes into my readings, and one thing that I've noticed is that Raidho has been "following" me lately. For instance, I recently did an elemental spread for myself (E/A/F/W/S)--which included both Tarot and the Runes. And Raidho showed up in my Earth position in conjunction with Strengh. Futhermore, the next day, I pulled Raidho as my "daily" Rune.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what this means? I know Raidho has much to do with travel and journey, but I am definitely not doing any of that. The only thing I can think of is starting my last semester of college.

Thoughts? Thanks, FS

Hmmm....

I would immediately suggest you read the Old Norwegian Rune Rhyme for this section. You have two images here. These include the difficulty that horses have with riding and hence the strength they need, and possibly more importantly the image of Reginn (the dwarf) reforging Sigurd's sword.

I tend to think of Ansuz as being more closely related to that quiet strength usually described by the Strength card ("The sheath is for swords") but Raidtho could be seen as such too. As the *provider* of the sword, this could be seen as a connection to the concept of the Valkyrie (esp with the fact that the -rid suffix often found in women's names in Scandenavia comes from this root). One could connect this (along with Elhaz) as a Rune that has quite a bit to do with feminine strength. In essence, this could represent the provider of the sword and Elhaz could be seen to represent the power of the Valkyrie/Sword itself.

One thing to consider is that the Chariot as a symbol for the soul is a very old Indo-European concept. Here Ansuz represents the holder of the reins and Raidho is the rider. So this duality and partnership is important here: Ing and Ingrid, Sigr and Sigrid, Thorr and Thorrid, etc.

Of course any two tarot cards can be related to eachother. Any two runes can be related to eachother. So any combination of two tarot cards and/or runes could be related to eachother as they come from separate but related traditions.