Hagalaz

Umbrae

Hagalaz:
“haw-gaw-laz” (Laterally, Hail), looks like the letter H.

Divine seed of change; the single cell from the Gods, Hailstone=Cold Grain.
It is the unity of organic and inorganic (Ice Crystal vs. Quartz Crysta). Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs are all based on six sided figures (from this root).
Hagalaz is the focus of wild chaotic energies; it is about perfect and unchanging energies.
It represents a force of change within nature.
This is the passive form of Thurisaz, and yet its direct opposite. Thurisaz mixes fire and ice to create the form, which holds and guides force. Thurisaz is active, like fire. Hagalaz is unmoving, like ice, perfect and yet unchanging in structure; both Thurisaz and Hagalaz are destructive for the sake of regeneration.

It usually indicates crisis or trauma beyond control; be prepared. Seek inner harmony and use (event/issue) as a springboard for good change.
Forces beyond your control; delays, and setbacks.
As a merkstave it represents natural disaster, catastrophe, loss.
As a person it represents a cleric or a mystic.
 

Mermaid

Hey Umbrae, can I ask you a question?

You say that Hagaldaz is a wild, chaotic force of change, but also that it is unmoving and unchanging.

I feel like a bit of a cabbage to say it but, erm, I don't get it! :( How can something be unchanging yet changing at the same time? And how could you interpret that in a reading?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Thankyou!
 

Umbrae

Good Question!

It certainly does appear problematic (you are not a cabbage, although perhaps a bit of a broccoli-lol).

Hagalaz is the FOCUS of the wild and chaotic energies.

Stand out in a hailstorm (ouch!).

On one hand, it is wild and chaotic, destructive even. The “hail unit” itself is a perfect crystal. A seed.

In and of itself, it is beautiful, yet deadly.

In divination, it indicates crisis or trauma beyond control (Think of it as “The Tower”, with an element of danger thrown in for good measure); be prepared (should the element of danger present itself). Seek inner harmony and use (event/issue) as a springboard for good change. FORCES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL, delays, and setbacks.

Does this help at all?
 

Kiama

In keeping with the 'Hail' translation of this Rune, I have alays sen it as a challenege... A storm to be weathered... Something that you wil be hurt during, but will come out feeling right as rain. (No pun intended) :p

Kiama
 

Mermaid

Hmmm, OK let me work this out...

I'm still a bit confused about the differences in meaning between Hagalaz and Thurisaz. So far I'm thinking that Hagalaz is a 'random' destructive force, whereas Thurisaz is more of a directed destructive force. And Thurisaz stands for something you can avoid if you have the foresight, whereas with Hagalaz you just have to weather it out. :)P sorry, more puns!)

Am I on the right track here, or have I gotten lost again? :)
 

Kiama

Mermaid: IMHO, You've got it! I think of Thurisaz as representing Thor's Hammer, Mjollnir... It is directed by His will to destroy or break down... So yes, it is one of those Challenegs which is organised and has to be stood up to... Whereas Hagalaz is a Hailstorm, so is random, chaotic, and you can only get through it by weathering it out... There's nothing you can do to stop it hailing, unless of course you have magickal powers!

Kiama
 

Kaz

there is one thing you can do, maybe, the hail is coming and falling because you need to change something. change it and that's the end of the hailstorm, like, you learned the lesson.

or am i completely offtrack?

kaz
 

Mermaid

Yay, I get it! Thankyou!
 

Umbrae

Here is another way to differentiate the two.
Thurisaz is a reaction to what you do (you throw Mjollnir).
Hagalez is weather-like. It is coming. There is nothing you can do, except find shelter from the storm.
Both are chaotic and unpredictiable.
You cause one, the other is caused by…
 

zorya

some other thoughts on hagalaz...

(o.k. i know this has been pretty much said already, i just wanted to try out my vision.. see if it works... so humor me. ;) lol )

hail comes unexpectedly and so can be quite a shock. hail is frozen, rigid, unyeilding, and as said before, destructive. when it thaws, all is changed. but now the earth can grow agrain, fresh with new green.