Rune Study Group: Thurisaz

Umbrae

Thurisaz: “thoor-ee-saws” Giant or thorn. This rune appears as an upright, with a triangle ‘sticking out’, like a thorn. It is emblematical of the both the race of Thurses, and their foe, Thorr (who is both a God of crops, and a warder [his wife is Sif, embodiment of ripening grain]).

In ancient Germanic lore, to prick a person with a thorn could cause enchantment “and by pricking both my thumbs, something wicked this way comes…”. Numerous Germanic children’s stories still speak of thorns used with spells (Sigrdrifa, Sleeping Beauty…The thorn of phallus waking the maiden).

It is the rune of aimed, or directed might. It bodes of weal and/or woe. Similar to taking up a thorned branch in hand; if you are skilled and use with care, you may use it well; if not, you may do damage to yourself.

Thurisaz may betoken the breaking down of mental barriers for new thought or ideas.

Thurisaz is the force that destroys barriers, making way for growth and rebirth.
An erotic (male) vital force, a catalyst (for good or ill) of change, purging, cleansing fire.

Sudden stroke of good fortune.

Response to your behavior can be uncertain. Do not undertake the tasks involving others without forethought, use caution.

Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies a thorn in the side.

May indicate an unskilled brutal person.
 

Mermaid

The meaning of this rune sounds kind of like a cross between the Emperor and the Tower, Umbrae. Do I have the right kind of idea, or am I hopelessly wrong?

(edited to say - I was going to ask what Merkstave was, but I just found out from the previous rune lesson! :) )

Thankyou!
 

Umbrae

Tough question, but excellent question…It is difficult to transfer meanings here, This is more like…

If you accidentally poke yourself with a thorn, you will draw your hand back quickly and knock the glass off the table.

If you stop and think, you will notice the thorns, and behave accordingly.

Notice the thorns, fail to notice the thorns. Both are “Clearing” actions. One through a reaction to your action, and one is the result of your forethought (action).

So it has the element of the Emperor of the careful discipline (perhaps) and the sudden reactions causing danger (perhaps) like the tower, but not really.

Catastrophic divine change comes in a later rune, as does, controlled change (a later rune also).

For most runes, they are different in concept, and culture, than tarot.
 

Kiama

Something I find useful to liken this Rune to is Thor's Hammer... It looks very much like a hammer itself, and the idea of it representing that hammer would fit in well with the Rune's meaning...

Kiama
 

Kaz

passing a gateway, transformation.
those are words that come to my mind when reading the description above.

kaz
 

Malachite

The reference Umbrae made to 'giants' shows the relation of this rune to the 'Thurses', or Trolls, of Norse heritage.
These were one of the three groups of immortals, besides the gods, who reflect the same kind of energies as the ancient Hindu trinity of Gods...
THe Giants are sources of fertility, witting or not...
The Ettins are manipulators of what is, and changers of what will be...
The Thurses or Trolls are the blind destroyers. All things created must eventually be destroyed, and it is the Trolls that do it..

On the other hand, it is the god Thorr who opposes the Thurses, and this rune can also represent his conflict in defence of order and stability.

As the Thunder can be felt long before it hits, so Thorr is the forewarning of conflict, storm and destruction.

However, it must also be remembered that the thunder-storms bring the fertile rains that will nourish the rebirth.
Birth follows death follows birth, in the endless cycle of life.

As a rune of Freya's Aett, Thurisaz can be seen as representing the conflicts of passion and life that tear us all apart periodically, but continually allow us to become newer, stronger people...
 

Alissa

Umbrae said:

In ancient Germanic lore, to prick a person with a thorn could cause enchantment “and by pricking both my thumbs, something wicked this way comes…”. Numerous Germanic children’s stories still speak of thorns used with spells (Sigrdrifa, Sleeping Beauty…The thorn of phallus waking the maiden).

WHOA! I dug up this thread to read about what Thurisaz meant, after reading Rhiannon's recent post and was struck by this sentence.

This correlates directly to the "unicorn and maiden", which I remember from a literature class ages back. Only the maiden, symbol of sexual purity, can catch the unicorn, who then will "lay his head on her lap" ... a kinder image referring to the deflowering of the virgin.

The union between the mystical (unicorn) and physical (maidenhead) is a subtext of this theme.

Umbrae said:
An erotic (male) vital force, a catalyst (for good or ill) of change, purging, cleansing fire.

I can't get my head any clearer as to why these seem *so* linked to me, but they do. Any thoughts or ideas from the Runes' regulars out there?

-- Alissa (who is slowly, slowly learning about runes)
 

skytwig

Not a rune regular, yet, but the sexual references might be difficult for those who are of 'other' persuasions.

Is it possible that Patriarchy lurks in the crevices of archetypal musings?
 

Umbrae

Perhaps it the, "Thurisaz may betoken the breaking down of mental barriers for new thought or ideas."
 

WillieHewes

The Nordic cultures that used the runes were very male-dominated, skytwig, so I wouldn't be surprised. (Although women were offered a role as oracles, if that makes you feel any better. And the mediators of peace.)

Willie - who knows little of runes, but more than average about Anglo-Saxon culture and its roots.