Jeff Russell

Runes
Asking - "What does Dave most need to understand about getting unstuck in the year to come?"
Draw
Setting: Kenaz
Work: Raidho (Murky)
Outcome(s): Thurisaz
Other (Landed Outside of Tray): Tiwaz
My Take on It

Alrighty, to do this reading, I opened a sacred space, called upon the Wyrds (Norns) and concentrated on your question while shaking the Runestaves vigorously. I then dropped them in a dice tray, said a prayer to the Gods who help me with divination, and then drew three staves without looking, using the spread "Setting (context), Work (doing the thing you're considering), and Outcome(s) (whatever is most likely to come about if you do what you're thinking about). If I drew the stave right side up, it is "bright," and if I drew it face down it is "murky," which is roughly equivalent to drawing a card reversed in systems like Tarot. In the system of interpretation I use, "murky" means either that the forces represented by the Rune are manifesting in an unhelpful or harmful way, or else that they are somehow "blocked" - not manifesting fully or at all.

Okay, for the reading itself, for "Setting," what's going on around you and within you relevant to the question, we have Kenaz, which means "Torch," and stands for creativity, passion, and will. For "Work," what you need to focus on for the work to get unstuck in the coming year, Raidho (Murky), which means "Ride," as in upon a horse or cart across open ground, and stands for rhythmical or repetitious movement, and thus for things like ritual or the passage of time. For "Outcome(s)," we got Thurisaz, which means "Thurs," the always bad kind of giant in Norse myth (/jotnar/ are more ambivalent), and stands for aggressive, violent strength or passions. Interestingly, when I opened my eyes to look at the three staves I had drawn, I saw that one stave had landed outside of the tray when I cast them, and I've learned to take such "coincidences" as part of the reading, providing some kind of overall flavor or commentary, and this time, that Rune was Tiwaz, meaning "Tiw (the God known to the Norse as Tyr)," which stands for law, justice, careful thinking or planning, and sacrifice for the greater good.

Putting these together is rather interesting - we have two Runes linked with passions, even dangerous passions, and two linked with restraint and order, which implies that the overall thrust of this reading is about learning to harness and turn your creativity, drive, and passion to worthwhile ends. It seems that the reason you're feeling "stuck" at all is due to creative drive, either within yourself or around you - without that drive, you wouldn't feel "stuck," you'd be fine with the lack of change. Raidho (Murky) is kind of on the nose for the work - basically, it says that you are not "in rhythm," which, if you're feeling stuck, yeah. What might help here is that in my experience, Raidho often has connotations of religion and ritual - not just rhythmical/repetitious movement, but movement in sync with a "higher order," the way the sun rides across the sky each day, and to different parts of the sky through the year. As such, this suggests to me that your work for getting unstuck might center on building rituals into your life - maybe literally religious/spiritual rituals (especially given that you found me via Magic Monday!), but perhaps more mundane - daily routines, incremental goals, scheduling your time, that kind of thing. Thurisaz in the "Outcome(s)" is interesting here, and a bit tricky given all that - at Its most basic, this Rune means something like "force" - used for good or ill. Think of both trolls and Thunor (Thor) - both mighty, but the one using his force for violent, grubby ends, the other to protect and make safe. I think what this suggests to me is that if you resolve the murkiness of Raidho in your life, you will find it a source of strength and drive, but that you'll need to be careful what you do with it - it is likely to be strong enough to "unstick" you, but where will you go? All of this is then tied together by Tiwaz, which further reinforces the idea of discipline, and especially discipline in service to "higher" goals or good. As you set out into the year, and throughout as you do your work, reflect on "what is this for?" If the answer is something "low" or "selfish," you might not be aiming right, and you're less likely to have the result you're looking for.

Please let me know if you have any follow up questions, and if you're willing, I'd very much appreciate hearing whether this struck a chord or felt off, and if so, in what ways.

Cheers,
Jeff