The above describes many of us who live in this modern world, but as we can see this is not a modern problem. Though it is more pronounced these days. Those of us who have been through hard times and suffering can relate to the above lines. They describe a depressed state, a dark night of the soul. I think that a lot of social problems stem from a lack of having a giving and nurturing home. So many of us could live harmonious lives if we just would listen to the wisdom of our ancestors. Today so many of us have forgotten the true meaning of what it means to give. The act of giving entails liberality, sacrifice and selflessness, a no strings attachment. In our society the act of giving has become a tax write off or a "what do I get out of it" attitude. We live in a society where everything has a price attached to it. Like the rune poem above states giving is help, respect and a beneficial touch to those who are without its presence. Giving gives you a sense of joy and happiness and it is the same for the receiver. Once started the gift of giving comes back to you and your community full circle. This is the power of wyrd, once it makes its revolution around the wheel it comes back threefold. Giving does not just entail monetary goods but it entails helping individuals, be it just by listening or even helping your local homeless shelter. This is how global change can start. Imagine if everyone gave just a few minutes of his or her time in helping those less fortunate then themselves what a wonderful humanity we would be. The shape of Geifu also gives us further insight it its function and character as a rune of balance. Its shape is that of harmony and hence this is the alternative meaning of this rune. Geifu contains within it the power of wryd as an agent of balance, by this I am trying to say that everything within nature, the cosmos and ourselves has its own natural harmony. This is revealed when we look at the forces that are prevalent within the world around us. Take for example, there is winter and winter is cold and very harsh. Winters opposing force is summer and it is the season of warmth and plenty. Another example would be love and hate. These are two of the strongest emotions within human nature, but just as winter has it opposing force so do human emotions. Each force can be destructive and or positive and Geifu symbolizes that mediating energy between all opposing forces. It acts as a buffer so to speak. So in understanding the world around us we have to understand all the facets and emotions within ourselves before we can truly understand what balance and giving entail.

Wynn

Wynn ne bruceth the can weana lyt,

Sares and sorge, and him sylfa haefth

Blaed and blysse and eac byrga geniht.

Joy one cannot enjoy who has few worries,

Suffering and sorrow, and has for himself

Prosperity and bliss and also security at night.

Wynn has much to say as well as to teach us about living in the modern world we live in. If we look at the rune poem above we can see that Wynn is a rune with a lesson attached to it. Just as in the runes, which proceeded this one, there are root words, which help us in uncovering its true identity. So let's start by looking at the meanings of the other variant words. The first variant is Winn and its definition is toil, hardship, profit and gain. The second is Wen and its meaning is belief, hope and probability. It is interesting to see that once we put these definitions into the context of Wynn we will begin to discover what it has to teach us.

The lesson of Wynn is dynamic and direct. This rune poem teaches us that we cannot really have joy unless one knows hardship and trouble. It is interesting that in today's world so many people think that if they have a nice car or a beautiful house that they know happiness, and that those who don't have those things will never know what happiness is really like. This is a false and destructive way of thinking. Happiness comes form the inside and there is nothing that can buy it no matter how much it costs or how nice it is. So many people think that monetary security can protect them form troubles and grief, but little do they know that grief and unhappiness are not something that one can protected against.

Joy can only be known when one has learned from past mistakes and emotional baggage or has turned negative traits into positive ones. Those of us who have been through tough times can really understand what it means to be depressed or down and out, so when we are happy and full of life we can truly understand what that emotion means. Wynn teaches us to find the happiness inside instead of in false securities. Wynn says expose yourself to the cold, resolve painful issues and to truly understand joy.

Wynn has another hidden meaning and this meaning is tumor. The old English word being Wen. There are several Anglo-Saxon charms which reference wen. These charms are used to make the wen or tumor disappear. This was usually the job of the shaman. It may be interesting to add that this word is associated with joy, but if we look at this word in the context of joy it will begin to make sense. When someone is ill with cancer or any serious illness they really understand what it means to be healthy and most of all joyous. So many of us take advantage of what it means to be healthy and happy, but when we get a common cold for instance, we really understand what it means to have those good emotions and health. So I think that Wynn also teaches us to spread joy to those who may have lost hope in life and in living. If we follow the lessons of wyrd we would know that this creates good wyrd for our communities and ourselves. Wynn truly symbolizes hope, pleasure and joy and it is a remarkable rune to use when getting in touch with those creative energies, especially when they are shared.

Haegl byth hwitust corna, hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte,

Wealcath hit windes scuras,

Weortheth hit to waetere syththan.

Hail is the whitest of grains,

Its outlet is from the clouds in the heavens,

Whirling winds shower it,

Afterwards it becomes water.

Haegl is the first rune of the second aett and is a continuation of the practical spiritual lessons of the previous runes. On its most basic level this rune represents hail and the power held within this natural phenomenon. Hail can cause great destruction to everything that is in its path. Crops can be devastated, windows can be smashed and even bodily injuries can be a result of being caught in a hailstorm. In the old days of our ancestors a hailstorm could destroy a whole crop for the year and that could mean not enough food for the tribe and their livestock. Hail can also have a positive effect as well and this aspect has been overlooked by many. When hail falls to the earth it then melts and in turn nourishes the earth with water. This in turn allows grass to grow and makes the soil fertile reviving the earth. Everything in nature has its place and nothing happens without a reason connected to it. The same applies to all life on the earth and we are by no means an exception to this rule.

When we apply the phenomenon of the hail shower in our own lives we can view this force as a disruptive energy that reaks havoc with our whole being, family or household. The Haegl influence can be seen as any sudden change that may impact our lives. This change usually sweeps into our lives and can lead to great hardships. An example of this kind of energy is when one might lose a job or have an unexpected bill arrive in the mail which might be more than you can afford. This can of course be detrimental to a person's well being and cause a myriad of other problems, which can lead a person to great suffering. But if we keep in mind that everything has a lesson attached to it we can overcome any hailstorm that might blow into our lives. Just by realizing whatever lesson that is attached to a problem we can take control of our lives so the same thing will not happen again.

The other aspect of this rune is one of negative emotions. This is reflected in the rune poem above. It states that hail is whirled from the heavens. Emotions can be viewed as a whirling force if they are unchecked. These emotions can have the same kind of impact on our lives as outside influences can. Take for example anger, this emotion can come from nowhere and have detrimental effects on those who it is focused on. Anger can lead to abuse, self-destruction, jealousy and even physical harm. As with most problems any negative emotion stems from the past and if we look to the past we can find the root of the problem and begin to heal ourselves. This view is expressed by some of the runes in the first aett primarily Ur. We must also keep in mind that any emotion surfaces for a reason and is trying to tell us something. If any emotion is left unbridled it can lead to grave and uncertain consequences. It is up to us to make the move and to try to find the root of the problem. We must keep in mind that we need our emotions and that they are there for a reason, but we must have control of them. Having control over ones emotions is one of the steps along a spiritual path. In doing so we can enjoy and be in control of our selves.

Haegl is connected to the Germanic goddess Holda. She was the goddess of winter weather and it was said that when it snowed she was shaking her feather bed. Fog was seen as smoke from her fire and she was also said to have taken part in the Wild Hunt with Woden. This Wild Hunt was a time when the gods rode through the skies reaping all the lost souls on earth. As they rode across the sky it was said that one could hear their horse and the howling from their hounds. In a passage from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the year 1127 it was said that people saw the Wild huntsmen and their dogs and that many people were frightened from this sight. Even up to as late as 1127 this belief still lived among the people. This is proves the association of Holda and hence Hagol as being connected with the realm of the underworld and winter weather. Since it is the first rune of the three winter runes it is fitting with this connection. Winter is a time when all life on earth dies and even goddess herself is dead, it is only in spring that she is reborn and brings life back to all living things.

A darker aspect of Haegl is its connection with Hel, the goddess of the underworld as stated above. She was one of Loki's children and rules Helheim. This is the realm where those who have died from disease and old age reside. Wise seers also reside here and the gods have had many quests to the underworld to have future events foretold to them. These seers were called Volvas in Old Norse and they were mostly wise women. But all those in the realm of Helheim were not aged or diseased, Balder the fairest god and his wife Nanna also reside there. Balder was killed by his brother Hoder with a sprig of mistletoe and was sent to Hel's land where he will remain until the end of the worlds. It is my belief that Helheim is where we all go and are judged by our deeds that we have done in life. From Helheim we are sent to whatever realm best suits us based on what we have done in our lives.

Haegl and the other two winter runes, which follow it, stand as beckons for us to learn from. They represent the darkest time in a person life but also remind us to learn from our situations and to make ourselves strong from them. For it is only in the dark night that one can really see the light that shines in the darkness beckoning us to have hope.