Down times, Yggdrasil and Richard Burton

Do you ever hit those times where it’s hard to believe in anything? “All will be well,” “Justice will be served” and related platitudes cease to have meaning except as an unrealistic take on evil forces which sometimes seem to be gathering before our very eyes. These times of isolation where hope is a distant memory can be hard to shake and sometimes lead to depression and/or hopeless inaction. If you have had this experience, perhaps you might consider a meditation on the Rune Eihwaz. I pulled this rune for my morning meditation which was aided by Richard's presence and voice leading the meditation, intoning “Yggdrasil” which is the companion to Eihwaz. Gotta say, I feel a lot better now.

"Our trials can be severe, darkness can parade its power before us,

but Yggdrasil, our center, our staff and our comfort,

will hold us steady if we let it."

Eihwaz is an ancient rune stave which, according to Eldred Thorsson in his book, “A Handbook of Rune Magic,” is, in addition to initiation into the mystery of life and death, a powerful stave of protection from and banishment of evil. Per Thorsson, Eihwaz in the vertical axis of the world that defines the central column of Yggdrasil, the cosmic tree, symbolized by the yew. Its uses include:

· Development of spiritual endurance and hard will

· Spiritual creativity and vision

· Protection from detrimental forces

· General increase in personal power

· Communication between levels of reality - the worlds of Yggdrasil

· Memories of former existences in the ancestral stream.

Wanting some clarification, I asked Richard for his take:

Ann: Richard, would you talk to me about this rune as it relates to these dark periods that sometimes come upon us?

Richard: Certainly, my love. I suffered in significant measure from the dark forces that beset us all and and still today want to avail myself of the energy which is provided to us by the Rune Eihwaz and its companion Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil is the centralizing force, the center of gravity that allows the balancing of dark and light so that one informs the other and allows darkness to be held at bay even in our loneliest times.

The yew tree takes us on a journey, worlds of darkness and light, and leaves us to choose our direction. Never are we abandoned, but we are left to choose for ourselves where we want to make our home. Our trials can be severe, darkness can parade its power before us, but Yggdrasil, our center, our staff and our comfort, will hold us steady if we let it.

I joined the little Madame in her journey with Yggdrasil this morning, yes, to help and support her for she was a little down and confused. But I also wanted to remind myself of the power of the light and the help from Holy Spirit that is available to us all from our Creator. And, yes, I still need help, for death brings us but to a new location to continue growing in health and in spirit.

As one of us takes in this light which is reflected off darkness, so does it grow in every other living being, be they in human form or not, and the world expands accordingly. I commend Yggdrasil to your notice. It is not an easy journey, but it is the one we must endure in fortitude and joy to reach our accustomed place of celebration.

All blog entries are works of the imagination and are for spiritual and entertainment purposes only.