This week we are looking at the rune known variously as Thurisaz, Thorn, and Thurs. The letter combination associated with it is 'th' and the sound of 'th' as in the beginning of the word 'thing'. Many people of the contemporary sort associate this rune with Thor. I personally do not. It may have become clear as we have worked through the runes, I don't assign gods and goddesses to most of the runes. Other diviners do so, but only if the rune is explicitly about that deity, I see it as a more open ended proposition.
The rune poems that reference Thorn under the name Thurs or Thurisaz are considered to refer to giants (jotuns). They speak of giants as being the bane of women and the cause of misfortune among men. The rune poem that reference Thorn under the name given here simply describes the unpleasantness of literal thorns. In all cases, Thorn is described as baneful and unpleasant, at best. These descriptions lead me to be disinclined to associate this rune with Thor, who is a friend of humanity and the Defender of Midgard.
In the direct association, Thorn speaks of obstacles and difficulties. These are passive resistance against the querent's goals, much like the thorns on a rose bush is a passive defense against that which would take the blossom or the fruit. In the reversed (upside down) orientation, Thorn speaks of more severe restrictions and challenges to activity. This rune equates directly to the five of Staves in the tarot deck, speaking of struggles that can either bring about edification and wisdom as one defeats the challenges (direct orientation) or difficulties that bring about suffering, misery, and blockages on one's path to their goals (indirect orientation).
No comments:
Post a Comment