jprussell | Divination Offering: Ask the Ogham or the Runes

Thanks for doing this Jeff.
Question. "Will my healing endeavours make a difference?"
Background. I have retired from my mainstream job aged 57 and am receiving a small pension. I am trying using different methods to offer distance healing to friends family and pets. And if successful to the wider community via a website. It is early days yet and in the data collection stage. Hence to question.
Can you use runes please.
Cealin

Hi Cealin,

Thanks very much for giving me the opportunity to practice.

I asked "Will Cealin's healing endeavors make a difference?" For a spread, I used "Setting" (Context), "Work" (the healing endeavors themselves), and "Outcomes" (what will come of it).

Draw
Setting: Raidho "Ride"
Work: Ansuz (Murky) "Ancestral God"
Outcome(s): Gebo "Gift"

My Take on It
The short answer is "yes," but I hope it will be helpful to give some context. It seems like you are in the midst of some kind of "orderly change" - maybe you are moving from one life phase to another, or perhaps you have started a new routine that's good for you, or taken up a course of study (maybe MOE?). Now, for the work itself, Ansuz murky is a bit tough, because Ansuz is one of the main Runes for Magic, as the "Ancestral God" it refers to is Woden, the God of Magic. This indicates some struggle with the work, that it won't come easy or naturally. The other thing that a murky Ansuz suggests is to look out for deception or manipulation, especially of a verbal kind - is there someone involved in the healing work that is saying one thing, but doing another? Maybe giving you bad feedback on how it's going? Or perhaps you are feeling clumsy and "getting in your own way" here. The good news is that the outcome is Gebo, which is extremely positive and also is associated with magic. If you keep up with the work and navigate the difficulties indicated by the murky Ansuz, you will either give or receive a "gift" (or both). Gebo is all about exchange, and the bonds between people they build, and the good things that come of it.

Please let me know any follow-up questions you have, and I'd certainly appreciate hearing if this rings true at all.

Hello Jeff. What do you mean by Murky in this context.
Cealin

D'oh! I thought I had explained that, but I realize I did not. "Murky" here is just a bit of jargon that means "the Runestave landed face down" and it's roughly equivalent to drawing a card "reversed" (upside down) in card-based systems like the Tarot. In the system of interpretation I use, it means either that the force/concept/archetype represented by the Rune is manifesting in some unbalanced or unhelpful way (for example, with Ansuz, the Rune of language, consciousness, and Magic, that could be lies or manipulation) or else that it is blocked somehow (again, with Ansuz, that might mean dullness or inability to express things).

Does that help? Did you have any follow-up questions based on that being unclear?

If I was interpreting that reading I would say wow that's good because I don't do reversals in tarot and pick my runes out of a bag by hand. Yes many changes with leaving my employment after 34 years, yes I have been doing JMG's healing stuff but it has morphed into a Heathen 3 cauldron visualization thing. The murky Ansuz may be because I don't feel the Gods even though I know they are there. I don't feel energy but I believe it's working. This makes thing a little difficult sometimes. I have 3 new clients and 2 say it's working. My biggest issue is lack of confidence in my abilities and this reading is very helpful in that regard. Raido is very appropriate as I see it as a ride with the Gods. And Woden is my patron
Cealin

Hi Jeff. Thank you for your kind offer.

I've never gotten a reading in runes before, so I'm very curious to try it out!

Recent events have had me thinking it'd be best if I relocate from the South back up to my native Northeast. I'd like to ask you and your runes if my current plans - destination and timeline of relocation - are good ones for me.

Thanks very much for giving me the chance to practice!

I asked "Are IVN66's current plans on when and where to relocate good for him/her?" and for a spread I used "Setting" (context), "Work" (the plan and the move itself), and "Outcome(s)" (what is likely to come about if you go through with it).

Draw
Setting: Isa "Ice"
Work: Berkano "Birch Goddess"
Outcome(s): Sowilo "Sun"

My Take on It
Wow, this is a rather straightforwardly positive reading, so the short answer is "yes, it would be good." Isa indicates that you have been isolated, maybe concentrating on yourself, whether for good or ill. The move itself would be something of a "Rebirth" for you, in a positive sense, but of course that only comes after some parts of your life (like what you would leave behind) have "died". For me personally, Berkano is associated with Spiritual Awakenings, so there's a possibility the move could feature one of those. For the outcome, Sowilo is literally the "victory" Rune - it represents the goal of striving, but also the guide and path to that goal. So, it indicates that the move would indeed get you what you're looking for, but there's a subtle undercurrent of movement, rather than settling - which means that maybe this move would be a stop on the way to where you'll end up permanently rather than the end point (I cheated a bit on this last part by reading JMG's take on your Geomancy reading and going "oh, right, that's why it's Sowilo instead of Othala (homeland)" :)).

Please let me know any follow up questions you have and I'd love to hear if this rings true at all.

Jeff,

Wow! I'm impressed - happy to give you the practice but it seems like you've already had quite a bit of that.

So, as far as Isa goes (btw, did you know that Isa is also the Arabic name for Jesus? In that light, your notions of letting something die and be reborn are rather interesting...) I have indeed been isolated. It seems to me the whole backdrop of this reading is my recently-begun affiliation with the Thelemic order A.'.A.'.: I began my Probationer year back in January, precisely when I moved down here. I did so with the idea of getting some proper solitude, "peace and quiet", so to speak, thinking it'd be more congenial to my Work; but as soon as I settled in I've been stricken with, and haven't been able to shake, the feeling of really not belonging here at all. I'm a musician, and I find myself really sorely missing the professional caliber of my colleagues back in NYC, a city and a scene which I thought I hated and had had enough of. But this year so far has been teaching me to more fully accept what a crucial part not only the music plays in my Will, but the lifestyle of musicians in the New York scene - namely touring, sort of Wandering through the world (a slowly growing relationship with Wotan, the Wanderer, and Mercury too would seem pretty in line with this), quite in contrast with the more grounded and easy living so prominent down here in the South. Plus, a lot of the mundane problems I thought I'd be escaping by leaving NYC seem to have followed me faithfully down here, meaning they have much more to do with me than with any particular setting. So, it seems to me the part of me which Isa says must "die" is the part seeking out comfort, seeking on some level to run from the difficulties which come with my Will - and the part that is still generating these troubles I thought to escape.

Since moving would symbolize an acceptance of this Will and a continuity of the A.'.A.'. Work, the "spiritual awakening" element you mentioned is rather on the ball. The spot I have my eye on, too, is very well situated for this: small, almost monastic, but with just room enough for both a music practice and a magick practice. It's not in the city proper, and so retains some element of seclusion and quietude favorable for magick practice, but it's close enough that I can get in and out with ease and at relatively small expense.

Since the Thelemic current is a Solar one, the final card is quite fitting. In addition, the apartment is so sparse that it won't lend itself to feeling like a permanent or solid "home" - more like a simple base of operations, where I also happen to sleep and eat. Part of the Will I've been learning to accept seems to involve an acceptance of this idea - that, stressful or no, I feel most at home when *not* at home, when I am simply passing through, whence the appeal of touring. I think, given this, the element of transience (rather like the transience of the Sun itself) which both you and JMG touched on makes perfect sense.

Thanks again - I often feel so invested in this that it's hard to trust my own readings on the subject. I'm predictably elated to see what the Runes had to say about the matter. Much appreciated, Jeff!

Good morning Jeff,
I'm a long time reader on JMG's site and never comment! But I really enjoy what you put forth. I'd like to take you up on your offer of Rune reading. I have two questions:

1) I want to pursue a specific certification course, with which I have some familiarity of the subject matter. Will this course assist me in my long range goal of teaching and practicing outside the USA.

2) I'm interesting in working in one of six countries for the summer of 20224 in my chosen field and am prepared to do the "legwork", Does this venture look promising?

I don't have a dreamwidth account, so I'm hoping this will post. Thank you jeff

Thanks very much for giving me the chance to practice!

For both questions, I used this spread: "Setting" (context), "Work" (doing the actual thing, so pursuing the certification or working in one of the countries), and "Outcome(s)" (what's most likely to come about if you go through with it).

Asking 1 - "Will pursuing this certification help anonymous in his/her long-term goal of teaching and practicing outside the US?"
Draw
Setting: Algiz "Elk" or "Protection"
Work: Jera "Year"
Outcome(s): Fehu (Murky) "Fee"

My Take on It
This is a rather mixed reading, but it seems like there's something about this certification course that doesn't line up with what you're after. There seems to be some kind of risk in your situation, but it's the kind of risk that you can potentially use to your benefit. Think of reed with sharp edges - it can keep out unwanted folks, if you handle it carefully the sharp edges can be useful, but if you reach out and grasp it, it will cut you. This is what's going on in your life around the certification. Pursuing this certification course would give you the skills and know-how you're looking for - you would find the work itself rewarding in equal measure to what you put into it. That being said, the outcome is not so good, especially since this is a professional question - Fehu is the Rune of money first and foremost, and getting it Murky as the outcome for a professional questions suggests this would not work out well financially. The other possibility is that it could lead to burnout, to overuse of whatever energies you're putting into this work.

Taken all together, what this suggests to me is that this certification course is somehow going in slightly the wrong direction - maybe it's in the right field, but the wrong specialization, or else it pushes you to emphasize the parts of the field other than what draws you to it in the first place. Or it might be that this particular course wouldn't provide you with the same opportunities that another one for the same certification might.

Asking 2 - "Does it look promising for anonymous to work in one of six selected countries in Summer"
Draw
Setting: Wunjo "Joy"
Work: Raidho "Ride"
Outcome(s): Tiwaz "Tiw/Tyr (name of the God)"

My Take on It
This is a more positive one, but it also has a bit of a warning to it. It seems that your context, perhaps your social context, for wanting to do this travel and work is good - you have what you need to support you. Wunjo can also indicate ideals, so I'm guessing that maybe this work has some kind of basis there. Assuming these two questions are linked, this might cast some light on the funkiness with the certification above - maybe it's not in line with the ideals pushing you in this direction? At any rate, getting Raidho for the actual travel itself is a very positive sign - it seems to indicate that yes, going to these places would be exactly the kind of change and growth that you think it would be. The outcome, though, is less than ideal. I'm seeing two possible options here: one reading of Tiwaz is related to "analysis paralysis" - always thinking, never acting. This is very nearly the opposite of Raidho, which is basically "get on your horse and ride!" So, one possible reading is that you are maybe putting more effort into thinking about the choice than in making it happen, which might lead you to not actually take the trip.

I'm not entirely satisfied with that, though, because of Tiwaz (Murky)'s placement in "Outcome". I wanted to bring it up in case it strikes a chord, but what I find a slightly more compelling reading is that if you do this, you might have to check a tendency to "give too much" (Tiw was, after all, the God who let his hand get eaten by Fenris!). If this reading is right, then as you approach the trip, make sure not to lose sight of what you will get out of it, and how to establish appropriate boundaries on your time, energy, and care.

Please let me know any follow-up questions and I'd certainly appreciate hearing if any of this strikes you as helpful or true.

Hello,
I think your take on my second question is spot on, particularly with the analysis/paralysis hit. I have Jupiter and Saturn in my 5th house together. So while I am expansive in ideas, there's a lot of contraction there as well. Additionally, yes, there are the questions of boundaries that do need to be spelled out before work is undertaken. This is very helpful Jeff, Thanks. Regarding the certification class I'm thinking about, I'm going to have to ponder your answer a bit. I appreciate you and your work.

-M

Do the runes say that I will be able to go visit my former co-worker R in Kelowna this summer? I'm already doing a four day mini vacation in Edmonton, but I owe the government a lot of money and I'm in hot water at work.

Thanks for the chance to practice! Rather than simply asking a yes/no question, I took the liberty of asking in a way that gets a bit more context. So, I used a spread with "Setting" (context), "Trip" (the trip itself), and "Outcome(s)" (what is most likely to come about if you take the trip).

Asking - "Will Jeremy be able to visit R in Kelowna this summer?"
Draw
Setting: Kenaz (Murky) "Torch"
Trip: Laguz "Lake"
Outcome(s): Berkano "Birch Goddess"

My Take on It
Not only does it seem you'll be able to go, it might be more important than it now seems. Your context seems to be either stifling you creatively or else things are "coming apart" in an unwanted way (maybe the "hot water" at work?). The trip itself will bring challenges of some kind, but these are likely to be tests of some kind. Laguz is also the Rune of "the Deep," and so it might suggest that there's more going on with the trip than there seems on the surface. The outcome indicates a "Rebirth" of some kind, which is very positive, but it also implies some amount of "Death" - things that might need to be let go. For what it's worth, for me, Berkano has connotations of Spiritual Awakening, so it's possible that that has something to do with it.

Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions, and I'd very much appreciate hearing whether this rings true at all.

Thanks for the reading Jeff. I'd be surprised if I ended up moving out there, as it's not walkable and it's a much smaller city. But I think I could get a job there easily. Don't have any serious romantic intentions here either. A spiritual awakening would be cool. Really, I'll just have to see what I can see. It's ice that they have a lake there and it's warm there. I'd just be happy to get away from Vancouver. Not sure what I can do if anything to fix my work situation, but I have a feeling that I'll at least stay in this field for another year and a half or more.

Thanks for doing this, Jeff!

My question for you is:

I've been battling for many years now with what should I do to live a more meaningful life and would like to see what the oracle of your choice has to say about it.

For one, I ended up trapped in a job I hate in a place that doesn't fulfill me and I frankly abhor.

What do I need to change or focus on to start moving in that direction?

What would be the outcome of me going back to México vs staying here in the US?

I did my first round of divinations earlier today, but I will get to your questions either this evening or tomorrow.

Any preference for Runes versus Ogham?

Not in particular, the one you feel more proficient on. I know you are particularly interested in Heathenry.

Alrighty, these "feel" more like Rune questions to me, so I'll go with them.

Many thanks! :-)

Replying to the original question to avoid too much nesting.

A bit on my method, in case you're interested as a fellow practitioner. I opened a sacred space on my portable ritual altar (folding tray), made a drink offering to Woden and Frige, and prayed for their help and guidance. I then got all 24 of the Runes out, called upon the Wyrds (Norns) to help, and shook the staves vigorously while concentrating on the question before dropping them into a large-ish dice tray. Without looking, I drew them one each for each position in the spread - "Setting" (your overall context), "Work" (doing the action contemplated by the question), and "Outcome(s)" (what is most likely to come about if going through with the action contemplated). I then looked at the Runes in each spot of the spread and interpreted. If the Rune landed face-down, I consider it "Murky," which is roughly equivalent to a card being reversed in Tarot. In my system of interpretation, it means either that the qualities embodied by the Rune are manifesting in an unhelpful or harmful way, or that they are somehow blocked and not manifesting enough.

Asking 1 - What does open_space most need to focus on to move toward a more meaningful life?
Draw
Setting: Inguz (Murky) - "Ing (the God's name, most believe to be the same as Frey)"
Work: Kenaz (Murky) - "Torch"
Outcome(s): Gebo - "Gift"

My Take on It
I'm not sure if this reading is telling you all that much that you don't already know, but let me walk through it in case some part of that helps. This indicates that your general context is that you are somehow "bottled up" - either you are withdrawn into yourself and "holding still" when you should be either gathering strength or moving forward, or else "moving" in a way that doesn't actually accomplish what you're after. I'm getting a sense of "hiding" from something rather than either facing it or truly resting/recovering from it.

The work that this reading says you need to focus on is addressing a murky Kenaz. Kenaz, the torch, is the Rune of creative drive and passion - the urge to make something, but it is also the Rune of breaking things apart, as that is often a necessary step in the creative process. To have it murky in this position indicates that you are either feeling stifled creatively (which seems likely from your question and other discussions we've had) and/or that something is "breaking up" in a way you find harmful or unwanted - maybe relationships, maybe social positions or expectations, or maybe your view of yourself and where you fit in all this. Overall, given what I know about you and the challenges you're facing, the image that comes to mind is that of a welding torch - you've got the fuel and the spark, but it needs the right nozzle to be focused into something powerful (and a bit dangerous) that will let you get the real work done.

The good news in this so-far murky reading is that the Outcome is rather positive - Gebo, the gift, is an almost purely positive Rune when it comes up bright (face up). If you're familiar with the ancient Greek concept of Xenia, the sacred relationship between guest and host, which is re-affirmed by mutual gift-giving, that's the kind of energy Gebo indicates. So, if you are able to fix what's going on with Kenaz, this indicates that you will get and/or give a "gift", or else engage in some kind of positive exchange. This Rune can sometimes have sexual and/or magical overtones, as can Kenaz, so there might be an element of that there, but I'm seeing that more as one aspect of the wider vitality/life question than the specific focus of the reading.

A phrase that popped into my head as I was wrapping up this interpretation, that I can't "back up" otherwise: "Make something great, and then give it away to someone who's worth it." Do with that what you will.

Asking 2 - What does open_space most need to understand about moving back to Mexico?
Draw
Setting: Gebo - "Gift"
Work/Move: Laguz (Murky) - "Lake"
Outcome(s): Kenaz - "Torch"

My Take on It
Now, this is very interesting and very weird. Between readings, I took up all of the Runestaves and again shook them thoroughly before dropping and picking with my eyes closed, and two of the same Runes came up! This tells me that the Runes really want you to focus on Kenaz and Gebo in your life, at least in the part of it that these two questions touch. It's also suggestive how they have changed positions in the spread - the Outcome of asking 1 is the Setting for asking 2, and the thing to do the work on in asking 1 is the Outcome of asking 2.

Now, this reading is also somewhat the inverse of the first one. At first glance, it seems fairly positive and like it's exactly the answer to the first asking - this move would be within a context of some kind of beneficial exchange - maybe bringing things back to your community in Mexico that you picked up in the States, maybe being able to better introduce things from Mexico to the folks you've met up north. And the outcome of this would be precisely the Kenaz energy that it seems you need to find - you'd likely find the drive to start creating and making stuff. It's the "Work", though, which comes up as Laguz (murky) that gives me pause, especially as this is a questions specifically about taking a course of action.

Laguz, though it literally means "Lake," is better understood as "the Deep" - it touches on the archetype of vast, primordial waters. "Lake" in proto-Germanic was the word for any large body of water, including the sea. As such, everything Jung might draw your attention to in symbolism of deep, dark waters might be appropriate here, and it coming up murky suggests the downsides or blockage of those archetypal energies. Specifically, the word that seems most relevant here is fear. Laguz can have a meaning of "challenges" or "tests", and drawing it murky suggests an avoidance of such tests and the psychological or spiritual growth they might bring.

So, my takeaway from this is that moving back to Mexico, at least at the time/in the way you're thinking about it now, would be "the easy way forward" - it would indeed give you what you're looking for, but perhaps not what you most need. I might recommend thinking about or meditating on what it is you would be leaving/avoiding/sidestepping by moving back to Mexico in the way you're contemplating, and what lessons or tests might be there.

Okay, those were a bit longer since I know a bit more about you and your situation, but do please let me know what seems on/off about the reading and any follow-up questions you have.

Thanks so much for this!

I really liked the reading you gave me. It felt good. And also, I like the "rune feeling" of it. Somehow I feel the Heathen side of it warm and wise. I don't recall exactly how much I told you about my situation last time but either way, I feel that you tapped into the situation really well.

I have a few questions if that is okay, particularly about the first question. I definitely do feel like I am "bottled up" and holding still. I feel stagnant and that I am not moving much. These past weeks I've felt like I've trickled but it is still not a lot of movement. Just like the feeling of depression, like things are stagnant. For me this comes from the fact that my life right now doesn't motivate me a thing and walking it feels "wrong", like I am wasting my time and I don't want to do it. What I am faced with is, what should I do about this feeling. Might it be that I am not in the right place and that is what makes me feel like that or is it that I need to outgrow something are things that I ask myself. I know something is off, and I know that something needs to change but I am stuck with knowing if it is me that needs to change and suck it up with the situation or I need to change the situation into something that is more congenial with me.

when you should be either gathering strength or moving forward, or else "moving" in a way that doesn't actually accomplish what you're after. I'm getting a sense of "hiding" from something rather than either facing it or truly resting/recovering from it.

It is the moving in a way that doesn't actually accomplish what I am after what I find challenging in the extreme. It feels like I am wasting time of doing something with my life that I actually like or enjoy. "or else moving in a way that doesn't actually accomplish what you are after". Is something like that what you mean with the quoted bit?

I want to revisit this more closely later again as I think there is much in here but, even though this was more a brain dump than actual questions I hope it is useful for the conversation.

Moving to Mexico in the way that I am thinking right now, or back when I asked, definitely feels like the easy way forward... What I think I am avoiding is well, just facing life by myself and going back to my parents home, even if it is helpful, shouldn't be from a mindset of getting back in time but with a sense of responsibility. I think that is what the runes are trying to tell me. Here I feel scared, definitely --very-- and the test and lessons that I need to learn I can do them here or there so perhaps that is some of that.

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

1. On what to do about being "bottled up": well, without drawing further runes (which I can look to as a follow up, if you like), what comes to mind is taking some definitive action, preferably with a tangible outcome, that is for you. It sounds like right now you are alternating between being busy with crap you don't care about or "doing nothing" and feeling depressed. For example, maybe carve out half an hour, or even just 10 minutes, daily to enjoy some art, or work on a personal project. If you're not already, maybe you could pursue your daily magical work as part of a larger program - for example, instead of "just" doing the LBRP+MP, Meditation, and Divination daily, maybe follow the course of instruction in CGD. I have found that even when I'm struggling with motivation or feeling like I'm accomplishing anything, it helps that my daily habit I've stuck pretty doggedly to is toward a worthwhile goal (finishing DMH and the Dolmen Arch).

Oh, and the other super common piece of advice here, one that I've found pretty helpful as well, is don't focus on making yourself happy/feeling meaning - focus on helping someone else/others in a way consistent with your values. Not "be a doormat" or "only care about others," but rather, maybe look for some ways you can use your skills, expertise, or even just resources to help others get more of what you think they ought to have. Teach, volunteer, donate, invite friends to do something you'd both enjoy, surprise someone with a gift, whatever it might be.

2. On "moving in a way that doesn't actually accomplish what you're after": Yes, exactly. Have you ever put off tackling a real problem at work by answering emails, or organizing your files, or updating some software? That's the kind of "movement, but not toward your ends" that I mean. Of course, in a wider sense, if you are in a job that you feel is meaningless, or that doesn't align with your higher goals, you might feel that way even about the "real" work of the job.

3. On going back to Mexico: Fair enough! There's a lot of scary stuff in life in general, and especially right now. I think here, Gebo coming up twice might also be speaking to the mystery and fear of sacrifice - you give up or share something now, with no guarantee you'll get something back for it, but with the faith that it's worth the effort. Whatever is scary in your situation, I think you have something valuable to share.

Thanks for the rune reading!

Much like you, I'm trying to prepare for the long decline and specifically, towards figuring a trade or skill that'll be useful down the road. My history of office work has not exactly lead to a lot of options that really stick out as possibilities though, so divination would be appreciated.

Q- What trade/skill would I be both good at and would bring in enough resources/money for my family and I to live on?

Thanks,

Tamanous

Hmm, this one ought to present an interesting challenge to get to an interpretation that tells a specific trade/skill, or at least hints toward one. I'll get to your reading either tonight or tomorrow and share what I find then.

Alright, so to ask this, I opened a sacred space, prayed to the Gods that I ask for help with divination, called upon the Wyrds (Norns), and then shook the Runestaves vigorously while thinking of your question, dropped them in a dice tray, and then picked one for each piece of the spread without looking. I said a prayer to the same Gods to help me understand what I was seeing and then did the interpretation. In this case, I drew a follow-up Rune from the remaining 21 without re-shuffling to clarify the last Rune drawn in the normal spread.

Asking - "What trade/skills sould Tamanous be good at that would bring in enough resources for his family to live on?"
Draw
Setting: Algiz - "Elk" or "Protection"
Work: Ansuz - "Ancestral God (Woden)"
Outcome(s): Othala (Murky) - "Homeland"
Follow-Up Asking - "What does Tamanous most need to understand about the Outcome(s) drawn above?"
Follow-Up: Laguz (Murky) - "Lake"

My Take on It
Okay, given the context you gave for your question, I had to chuckle a bit at some parts of this reading, as the short version is that this reading says "do some thinking/talking work" of the sort it sounds like you're trying to get away from, but I think there might be more going on here that has to do with what question(s) to ask than that simple answer implies. So let's step through it.

Algiz is a bit of a tough Rune, with different commentators attributing fairly different meanings to it, but the feeling I'm getting here, in Setting, is that something about the world around you, your life, your context is risky/dangerous, but that the risk is double-sided. There's an opportunity in it if you know how to handle it well. Given the question, it seems likely to point to something about how the trouble and disruption created by the Decline will create opportunities for those who know how to spot them.

For the Work, I drew Ansuz, which is the Rune of Woden and all that he stands for, but most of all his links to speech, thinking, consciousness, and magic. When it indicates a profession, it indicates an intellectual or a priestly sort of person. For this reading, then, it seems to be saying that the work that best answers your question is some kind of brain-work, likely of the "talky" kind. More on this in a moment.

So far, so good, but then for Outcome(s), I drew Othala (murky), which means that it landed face down. "Murky" is roughly equivalent to drawing a card "reversed" in card-based systems, and in the system of interpretation I use, it means either that the qualities represented by the Rune are manifesting in an unhelpful or unwanted way, or that they are somehow blocked and not manifesting enough or at all. Othala is the Rune for "homeland," whether the small scale (your family's household) or the large (your nation), and it emphasizes the kind of "freedom" you have from orderly and positive relations and interchanges with those around you, guided by appropriate boundaries. For this to come up murky in this question for the Outcome is concerning. It implies that pursuing this course of action would lead to something bad or unbalanced in that sphere.

Because I was troubled by this, I asked "what does Tamanous most need to understand about Othala (murky) as the outcome for this question?" and I got Laguz (murky) - "Lake". Laguz has come up a lot in these readings I've been doing, and it's been murky most times, which is interesting. Laguz is the Rune of "the deep," and pretty much anything that Carl Jung would bring up about the symbolism of deep water applies here. There's also a connotation of "challenges" or "tests", and when it comes up murky, the idea that these challenges are being avoided, most likely out of fear.

As I was trying to work out what to make of this seemingly contradictory reading, it struck me: maybe we are asking the wrong question. Perhaps the qualifiers of "both be good at and would bring in enough resources/money" is drawing your attention in less helpful directions. The interpretation I'm leaning toward is that your (very much understandable) concern with the "practical" side of this question - where do you already have skills to make the transition easier, what will be fairly easy to start making money with - may be drawing your attention away from what you most need to be focusing on. It might be that some amount of "being bad at it" and/or not getting "enough" money/resources are a necessary step. Or perhaps your assumptions about what "good at" and "enough money/resources" mean are artificially constraining what you're considering.

I'm sorry I don't have a more immediately concretely useful answer, like "go start a drywalling business," but that's what I got. Happy to do some follow up questions if any of that strikes a chord and brings some to mind.

I have a choice between two different pantheons to move forward with, we'll call them option G and option I (after my entry points to each). For whatever reason, I can not worship both, I have to pick one.

Can I get some idea of the direction each would take me in, and how it would work out long term?

I will do another round of readings either a bit later this evening or tomorrow, and I'll share my results then.

If it works for you, I will ask two questions:

"What does anonymous most need to know about worshiping Pantheon G for the long term?"

and

"What does anonymous most need to know about worshipping Pantheon I for the long term?"

If I don't get a clear-cut answer from those, I'll further clarify.

Also, any preference whether I ask the Runes or the Ogham for one, the other, or both? I will likely default to the Ogham if not.

That sounds good, thanks. As for runes or ogham, I'll defer to you, whichever you think would work better.

My technique here was similar to those I did for Runes above, but slightly different, since I have a deck of cards I use for the Ogham. After establishing a sacred space and praying to the Gods that help me with divination, I shuffled the deck while focusing on the question. When it "felt right" I drew three cards, in the order "Setting, Outcome(s), Worship" and placed them in the spread. I then said a prayer and looked at the cards to interpret them. Between questions, I reshuffled the cards to use the whole deck (as will become rather obvious). "Reversed" means a card was drawn "upside down" as I look at it on the table, and it is not necessarily a bad thing - for example Nuin - "Ash" is the few of connection and communication, so drawing it reversed means some kind of isolation or lack of communication, but that can be a good thing if you need it.

Asking 1 - "What does anonymous most need to know about worshiping Pantheon G for the long run?"
Draw
Setting: Quert - "Apple"
Worship: Nuin (Reversed) - "Letter"
Outcome(s): Gort (Reversed) - "Field"

My Take on It
For setting, you got Quert, which is a Few of fulfillment or reward. It seems this pantheon has brought some kind of "gift" - maybe healing, or the fulfillment of something long hoped for, or maybe it's just opened up your life somehow. As I drew Nuin (Reversed) for the worship itself, it would somehow be isolating - again, not necessarily a bad thing. A monk or a hermit is "isolated" by his form of worship, but it's not bad for him. For the outcomes, though, I drew Gort (Reversed), which implies getting wrapped up in circumstances or in your own ego - in short, more focus on the kind of "here and now" things the Personality cares about, rather than the "higher" things the Self might focus on. Might this pantheon, or the "gifts" it has already brought you, appeal to you in such a way? For example, being drawn to the Norse pantheon over, say, the Egyptian because it's more metal/what my ancestors did/has already done so much good for me.

Asking 2 - "What does anonymous most need to know about worshiping Pantheon I for the long run?"
Draw
Setting: Huath - "Terrible"
Worship: Coll (Reversed) - "Hazel"
Outcome(s): Gort - "Field"

My Take on It
The juxtaposition of Gort (Reversed) in the first question and Gort in the second, both for "Outcome" is striking, especially for an either/or question like this. Also striking is that the Ogham Fews have elemental attributions, and both readings brought up a lot of Fire. In this second reading, literally every card is some kind of Fire (I can explain all that more if you find the Four elements useful and meaningful symbolically). This suggests to me that a key issue in this decision is your Will and/or Passion.

At any rate, for this second asking, for setting I got Huath - "Terrible", which is a few of patience and waiting, gathering your strength, not acting rashly. So this suggests that you have had some reasons to hold back on Pantheon I, maybe you're unsure about what worship here would mean for you. For the worship itself, I drew Coll (Reversed) - "Hazel", which indicates a hesitancy or withdrawal, maybe a fear of failure. Taken together with the Setting, this seems to say that you have gotten some invitations/indications to worship here, but you have been some combination of prudent and worried about what engaging would mean. At least starting out, the worship would likely be somewhat hard/scary/challenging. The outcome, though, is Gort (upright), which is the Few of slow, patient, indirect progress. Think of Ivy slowly climbing up the highest tower, or of water finding its way around obstacles to flow on its way. This suggests that determination in the face of your initial difficulties would lead to success.

Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions, and while it's not required, I find it very helpful to get feedback on what strikes true, what seems off, and the like, so I'd welcome that if you're willing to share.

Thanks for doing this. Interesting outcomes, it almost seems to provide a straightforward answer.

The point about isolation. If I went that route, it would be blending a pantheon with JMG's traditions/practices that I don't think many other people are doing. I'm not looking for community either way, but it is easier when others have laid more of the groundwork, something I can check my own assumptions against if nothing else. The reading I did myself also pointed to a gradual diminishing of interaction with the gods ending with a focus on the self, which seems to line up with what you said. I have no idea what that might mean, both pantheons are too new to me, no ancestral connections or cool image attached. Doesn't mean there isn't something that will trip me up later.

The second one's very rocky beginning is accurate. I probably should've focused on a different god I had less ambiguity about.

I would like the hear the elemental breakdown here, if you don't mind. The point about will is something I know I need to hear. :)

Sure thing!

So, if you're doing material from one of JMG's traditions, some or all of these ideas will likely be familiar, and it's just their application to the Ogham that might be new if you're not doing the Druid Magic Handbook or Druidry Handbook. The Ogham has 25 "Fews" (letters), grouped into five "Aicme" of five Fews each. Each Aicme is associated with an element - Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Spirit, in that order (which may sound familiar if you do the SOP). Within each Aicme, each Few is further assigned one of the elements, but in a different order: Spirit, Fire, Air, Water, Earth. What this means is that each Few can be described as "[Element] of [Element]" - so, for example, Gort is the "Fire of Water," which means that in some sense, it represents whatever is "Fiery" about Water.

From your first reading, Quert is the "Earth of Fire," Nuin is the "Air of Air," and as mentioned, Gort is the "Fire of Water". From your second, Huath is the "Spirit of Fire," Coll is the "Water of Fire," and again, Gort is the "Fire of Water."

Most systems of Western esotericism make use of these traditional elements, but they have slightly different connotations and correspondences in different systems. In JMG's Druid Path that I am currently walking, Air is the intellect, Fire the passion/will, Water the emotions, Earth the body, and Spirit, well, the Spirit, that which integrates the other four. The reason I called out the double meaning of Fire is because it is all about what drives you to act - the default state is to be driven by your passions, which just happen to you. As you develop your will, though, you can define what your will is, and so come more and more to drive yourself.

Given the prominence of Fire in both questions, but especially the second, I suspect the worship of these pantheons will interact with that part of your personality rather strongly.

Hi Jeff,

So I don't know how to put this type of question to the oracles. I have 2 job offers: F or B? So I want to know which will be better. F is boring infrastructure and B is consultant, which I've always done, but in this case pays less and I have to come back to the place I just left, only in this new company. So I guess the question is which job will treat me better?

Thank you!

Hi Anonymous,

I will try to do your reading this afternoon or evening and get it posted by tonight, but the way my last week or so has been going, it might be tomorrow before I'm able to write it up and post it.

Here's what I propose:

I'll ask the Ogham, as your phrasing "treat me better" seems to imply an emotional/spiritual angle that I think the Ogham might give better guidance on. I'll ask two questions:

"What does anonymous most need to understand about how job offer F will treat him/her?"

and

"What does anonymous most need to understand about how job offer B will treat him/her?"

For these, I'll modify the spread I've been using for most of these slightly and use "Company, Work, and Outcome(s)" - where "Company" will focus more on the organization and the people and the like, and "Work" will focus more on the actual tasks and projects you'll be doing.

Let me know if you think I ought to modify any of that (like using the Runes instead of the Ogham), but otherwise, I'll get the reading done and posted soon.

Okay, in case you didn't see my description for other folks who asked, here's my method: I opened a sacred space and called upon the Wyrds (Norns) and the Gods that help me with divination to help me. I shuffled the cards until it "felt right," and then drew them in the order "Company" (what will the company overall be like), "Outcome(s)" (if you take this course of action, what is most likely to come about as things stand now), and "Work" (what would your actual experience of the work and how it treats you be like). I then re-shuffled and repeated with the whole deck for the second question.

Asking 1 - "What does anonymous most need to understand about how job F will treat him/her?"
Draw
Company: Phagos (Reversed) - "Beech"
Work: Muin - "Back"
Outcome(s): Tinne - "Iron"

My Take on It
Okay, for Company, we got Phagos (Reversed). Phagos is the Few of wisdom and knowledge, especially that gained by long experience and handed down from the past, so getting it reversed implies that this company is somehow failing to learn from experience, or is acting in some kind of ignorance, maybe especially trying to do the "new thing" when it would be better off doing what's tried and true. I have some guesses about what direction that might take in today's world, but I'll set that aside for now. The Work itself, for you, though, is Muin, which is a somewhat complex Few, but has something to do with being enabled by "wider" or "higher" factors, whether spiritual or communal, such that you can you do and get what you want. It implies that you would have the support or freedom or insight to do some work that you really find interesting or worthwhile. For outcomes, Tinne is the few of conflict, struggle, and decisive action, though since it came out upright, there's an implication that you can win said struggles, if you respond to them with appropriate decisiveness and aggressiveness - think the positive side of "martial" values. Given the other two Fews in this draw, it's not crazy to me to guess that the conflict might come out of the company's misguided overall direction and the insight you have into your own work.

Asking 2 - "What does anonymous most need to understand about how job B will treat him/her?"
Draw
Company: Nuin (Reversed) - "Letter"
Work: Tinne (Reversed) - "Iron"
Outcome(s): Ur - "Earth"

My Take on It
Hmmm, one thing that jumps out at me about this one that didn't for the first asking is that all of these Fews are some flavor of Air, which may or may not mean much to you, depending on how familiar you are with the traditional Western esoteric four elements. Nuin is the "Air of Air", Tinne is the "Air of Fire," and Ur is the "Air of Earth." What this means is that Nuin is whatever is "Airy" about Air, and Tinne is whatever is "Airy" about Fire, and so forth. Air is the element of intellect, abstraction, communication, and beginnings.

Now, onto the spread. For Company, I drew Nuin (Reversed). Nuin is the Few of communication and interchange, and so drawing it reversed implies isolation of some kind. So, this company is somehow "cut off" from the outside - maybe it is not following the trends of its industry, maybe it is privately held and so insulated from market dynamics, or maybe it is "out of touch" with what's going on in the world, for better or worse. For work, I drew Tinne again, but this time reversed. Tinne (Reversed) implies all of the conflict, but without the implication that decisive action by you is favored. Instead, it says that there is something about the work that you do not understand or are not ready for, that you need to better understand or prepare for. Again, this is in a context of some kind of "conflict," so it might not be a matter of lacking the raw skills for the work, but instead it might be challenges around applying it - maybe your boss, maybe clients, or maybe the overall "mission" might in some way be "against" you. All of that being said, the Outcome(s) of this job would be Ur, which is the Few of things coming together to make something new, passion, power, and creation. The ability to take ideas and concepts and to make them real somehow. Possibly relevant considering what community we're both a part of, but it's also a Few magic. I can't quite say why, but I'm getting a bit of a feeling that the creativity spoken of here might be, hmmm, outside of or in reaction to the work, rather than the direct result of it - something like "doing this work will give you the insight and motivation needed to do something else creative." But that last bit is a vague hunch, take it or leave it.

Please let me know any follow-up questions you have, and I'd especially find it helpful if you share what out of this (if anything) strikes a chord or makes sense of something in your situation, so I can further calibrate.

I haven't read it yet, but I want to thank you for taking all this effort. Many thanks!!!

Hi Jeff

Just saw your comment on ecosophia; thanks for offering divinations. The one question I have on my mind at the moment is: What should we do about Mama Bunny? Not sure whether Ogham or Runes would be better - I have no experience with either.

I will do your reading today and post here when I get the chance to write it up!

If it's alright, I propose asking "What does anonymous most need to know about what to do with Mama Bunny?" with the spread "Setting (context), Deed (the thing to do), and Outcome(s) (what is most likely to happen if you go through with the proposed deed)." Also, this feels a bit more like a Rune question to me, so I'll go with those.

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), Deed (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.

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about what to do with Mama Bunny?"
Draw
Setting: Naudhiz (Murky) - "Need"
Deed: Gebo - "Gift"
Outcome(s) Jera (Murky) - "Year"

My Take on It
Hmm, this one is a bit tough to put together. For the Setting, I drew Naudhiz (Murky), which speaks to some kind of "friction" outside of yourself - maybe you are constrained by outside forces, or you are forced to deal with mundane practicalities rather than focusing where you would prefer. As for what to do with Mama Bunny, I drew Gebo, which is a Rune of hospitality and generosity. This would seem to indicate that you should do something kind for her. Unfortunately, the Outcome is Jera (Murky), which implies that you will not get the outcome you hope for - maybe the timing is wrong, or you are caught up in repetitive/cyclical behaviors. If you can find some way to get "in sync" with larger, healthy patterns, you might be able to mitigate this somehow.

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

Hi Jeff! I'd be interested. My question is, should I make my goal relating to generating income once this year from my business idea in 2023 more ambitious?

For background, I am in a PMC type role and over the past 3 years (wonder why), I have gradually made major shifts in myself and worldview part of which includes dabbling in my own divination (Coelbren alphabet), disentangling myself from influences I view as malign, and generally putting myself far more out in the world. During this time, I realized I didn't know what I wanted to do, so decided to just focus on developing discipline.

A few weeks ago my mind clicked and multiple areas seemed to coincide into an idea that I have been gradually developing and executing on with I hope an ambitious but realistic goal for myself with the long term vision of being self-employed. One aspect of my idea which really stuck with me was that I feel it would help bridge communication divides in truly positive ways, while also giving a path to freedom of my time and energy that I don't feel I have ever really had in hindsight.

I suppose this question is more for the Runes too.

Thank you for your help, I won't ask for any refunds ;) Let me know if some other information would be helpful too.

I think that likely gives me enough to get going on, so I'll do your reading today and post once I have a chance to write it up. Here's how I propose wording it:

"What does dabilahro most need to understand about making his/her 2023 business goal more ambitious than generating income once this year?" with the spread "Setting (context), Work (setting a more ambitious goal), and Outcomes (what is most likely to happen if you do set the more ambitious goal)."

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.

Asking - "What does dabilahro most need to understand about making his/her 2023 business goal more ambitious than generating income once this year?"
Draw
Setting: Mannaz (Murky) - "Man"
Work: Othala (Murky) - "Homeland"
Outcome(s): Naudhiz (Murky) - "Need"
Surprise Stave: Sowilo (Murky) - "Sun"

My Take on It
This reading is. . . pretty rough. It strikes me as a warning that the change to your goal you are contemplating might be riskier than you realize. For Setting, I drew Mannaz (Murky), which implies either that you are feeling depressed or hopeless about your situation, or else that you are deliberately blocking things out and not seeing things for how they really are. I would venture to guess that might be what's motivating you to want to take more ambitious action - maybe you find your context intolerable as is. Unfortunately, it seems that setting the more ambitious goal would somehow disrupt proper group functioning - either too much focus on the group and over-controlling it, to a "totalitarian" extent, or else being cut off from properly functioning as a contained, defined group, but one with some amount of interaction outside it's borders. Lastly, the Outcomes of your considered changes would be Naudhiz (Murky), which means some kind of outward "friction" - either being resisted or controlled from the outside, or avoiding that friction by trying to take the easy way.

As I was picking up the Runestaves after the reading, I found I only had 23, so I went looking for the missing one, which had jumped out of the dice tray and out of sight. I've found that when a stave draws attention to itself like this, it often works as an overall commentary on the reading, something to cast a light on everything else. Well, that stave was Sowilo (Murky). Sowilo is the Rune of goals and their successful pursuit, so getting it as a murkstave on this question is, shall we say, concerning. It implies that you are somehow aiming at the wrong thing - maybe you are listening to some bad advice, maybe you are contemplating the wrong means to achieve your ends, or maybe you are mistaken about what you truly want or why.

I'm sorry for what seems like such a downer reading! Given the context in your question, it sounds like the discipline and disentanglement has been getting you to a good place, and I would point out that the question was specifically about making your goal more ambitious, not about the work you're doing itself - perhaps something is coming down the line that will make it hard to even achieve your less ambitious goal, or maybe focusing on making more money too soon would stop you from developing the idea to its full potential.

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

Thank you Jeff, I am not discouraged and it was I who asked so no worries!

I am taking this not too negatively whatsoever. When I thought of the question my specific area was in more ambitious targets. Which maybe would be like trying to reach 2 places at once, or planning my next stop before I know what I will find at my first.

For myself currently I don't feel depressed and my ambitious drive was rather to see if I could push myself more or if I may have set the bar too low, which I don't think I did.

I am definitely due to my "PMC" environment in a balancing act of obligations so this is a long term goal I have put myself on and am always mindful that I do not have the luxury at this time of taking a risk so major it risks my existing livelihood.

Of course, I may never see how things really are, but I would say the part which did feel off to me is depressed or hopeless as I feel very far from that. I do anticipate friction as with all risks.

Regardless, I very much appreciate you taking the time and effort to do this for me and would be happy to have you practice more for others if that is something you plan on continuing to offer.

Sometimes too when I do my own divinations I feel a sense of oh no what have I drawn, but I always am reminded of the timeframe or conditions I am asking of. Sometimes it is just a weekend, or a tiny sliver. I tend to stay away from grand questions as they are incomprehensible to me. Here I've really asked, should I up my goal from generating income ONCE this year from my idea, and to be honest, I think that is plenty ambitious and if I surpass it then I will have earned within myself the right to set the next goal and the next, as it should be. Like a ship going from port to port, one at a time.

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for doing this. I can see you are already swamped!

I want to take all of the old, unused buildings in my town (and other towns in my state) and get the civic leaders to help me make them available for struggling craftspeople: weavers, glassmakers, blacksmiths, etc. Sort of a "hotspot" for crafts and art. It's a state with lots of old mill towns with run down buildings.

So my question is, will creating this society of arts and crafts be successful?

Edited 2023-05-24 20:56 (UTC)

Well, before doing the reading, that sounds like a lovely idea! I'll do the reading today and post it once I get the chance to write it up.

That being said, here's what I propose to ask: "What does betwixtworlds most need to understand about the plan to create an arts & crafts society?" I'll use the spread "Setting (context), Work (following through on the plan as currently conceived - creating the society, convincing civic leaders to get on board, securing the spaces, and so forth), and Outcomes (what is most likely to happen if you pursue this course of action).

This seems more like a Runes question to me, so unless you'd prefer otherwise, I will ask them.

Thanks, Jeff. I will leave it in your very capable hands on how to properly approach and ask the question.

Edited 2023-05-25 23:24 (UTC)

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.

Asking - "What does betwixtworlds most need to understand about the plan to create an arts & crafts society"
Draw
Setting: Hagalaz (Murky) - "Hail"
Work: Laguz (Murky) - "Lake"
Outcome(s): Kenaz (Murky) - "Torch"

My Take on It
Ooof, a whole lot of murkstaves with this second batch of readings. For your Setting, I drew Hagalaz (Murky). Hagalaz is the Rune of sudden change or difficulty, but also the growth and opportunity that comes out of it. To get it murky implies either a sudden difficulty for which you are not prepared, or else an undesirable amount of stasis. Either way, things are not growing/developing around you as would be ideal. For the work itself of creating the society, I drew Laguz (Murky). Laguz has been coming up a for a lot of the questions on this post, often murky. It is the Rune of "the deeps," so any Jungian-style archetypal images or forces that go with deep, dark water apply here, but especially the idea of a journey into/across that water. To get it Murky implies that there might be some challenges in the work that you balk at - maybe wishing for it to go smoother, or certain aspects of the work you find unpleasant or distasteful, or perhaps even simply the fear of possibly failing. Unluckily, the Outcome also doesn't look great, especially given the question, as Kenaz is the Rune of craftsmanship and creativity, so to get it murky is not ideal. It implies either an unwanted breakup/dissolution of some kind, or else a stifling or blockage of creative energy.

As with dabilahro's question above, I am sorry to have such a bummer of a reading for you! What I might offer is that all of the Runes were very relevant to what you're trying to do - the crisis/opportunity of derelict buildings, the difficult journey of trying to make something happen, the torch of creative handicraft. This suggests to me that you are looking at the right problem, but that your current plan might not be the best solution. Maybe the focus on civic leaders is wrong, or the focus on physical spaces, or on forming a society rather than some other approach to bring people together and help them find opportunities.

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

Thanks, Jeff! Ouch, for sure. It makes a heck of a lot of sense though and I wonder if it means my plans are not very exact yet.

I have approached two city officials and I never get a reply. I always get their voice mail and they never follow up. I'm learning as I grow older that people in government (and in most institutions, private and public) really do not want to put any effort into anything, even if it is for their benefit. So this reading strongly reflects that.

I don't want to give up on the idea, though and I'll let you know if anything happens. But you may not hear from me for a year or two!

Thanks again. I really appreciate the time you took to help me.

Hello and thanks for doing this. It's always fascinating to see how someone else approaches readings.

My question: Is my selective dating approach the right one for myself and my son?

Background: I'm going through a horrible divorce, and am years into it but getting close to the end. I've decided to seek a new relationship but I'm finding myself limited in who I'm interested in pursuing. I'm only interested in single mothers of children near my son's age, who are interested in merging families eventually, who I otherwise find attractive. This severely limits my pool.

I don't have a preference for what system you use, and leave that up to you. Thanks!

Hmmm, normally I would use the Runes for this question, but I'm getting the feeling the Ogham might be more helpful, so I'll go with that.

I propose asking "What does anonymous most need to understand about his current approach to dating?" with a spread "Setting (context), 'Work' (following through on the plan to use these criteria), and Outcome(s) (what is most likely to happen if you follow this proposed plan).

I'll do your reading today and post when I get the chance to write it up.

Alrighty, to do this reading, I opened a sacred space, called upon the Wyrds (Norns) and concentrated on your question while shuffling my deck of Ogham cards. when it "felt right," I drew three cards, using the spread "Setting (context), Work (following your current criteria for dating), and Outcome(s) (whatever is most likely to come about if you keep using this approach). If I drew the card right side up, it is "upright," and if I drew it face down it is "reversed." Reversed in Ogham is not necessarily a bad thing, the way it generally is in Tarot - it varies a lot from Few to Few (each Ogham letter is called a 'Few').

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about his current approach to dating?"
Draw
Setting: Straif - "Sulphur"
Work: Saille - "Willow"
Outcome(s): Ioho (Reversed) - "Yew"

My Take on It
Okay, so for your Setting, I drew Straif, which is the Few of necessity, hard realities, and the consequences of our past actions. I think it's pretty clear that you're in this situation because of the divorce, so this is no surprise! I think what it's drawing attention to, though, is that you are very much operating in a constrained environment - what would work for a young, childless guy is not what will work for you, which you seem entirely aware of. For the "Work" (following through on the current approach), I drew Saille, which is the Willow, and as you might expect, stands for flexibility and "going with the flow," and somewhat pointedly "letting go of fixed ideas." For Outcomes, I drew Yew (Reversed). Yew is all about that which lasts and carries over from the past - and when it is reversed, it implies the past as a lingering burden, things better let go that are still holding on.

So, putting these together, what I would take from this is that you're already facing a tough situation with its own constraints, but if you impose too many more restrictions on yourself, you will find it harder to move on. I might suggest looking at what's motivating the criteria you're imposing on yourself and ask "can I get what I want another way?" For example, presumably the reason you're looking for single mothers is because you want someone demonstrably committed to being a parent and who will treat your son right. A single mother with a kid near your son's age willing to merge families would very likely fit that, but maybe someone else would too. Lastly, this is a bit of intuition on my part, as I have some personal associations with the Willow Few, but I'm getting a feeling that you might need to let yourself be swayed by love, and not just practicalities. That's likely very hard with the rough divorce and with your appropriate concern for your son, but the "softness" wedged between two very hard Fews speaks to me here.

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

Thank you for offering this. I enjoy reading your posts on MM.

I am about to start a new job and am wondering what you see on that subject.

Blessings to you.

Rooby

Thanks very much! I worry sometimes I come across as over-eager over there :)

I will ask "What does roobyalien most need to understand about his/her new job?" with the spread "Setting (context), Job (the job itself), and Outcomes (what is most likely to come about due to starting the job)."

I think this sounds more like a Runes question, so I will ask them, unless you'd prefer otherwise.

I'll do the reading today and post it when I get a chance to write it up.

Excellent. Thank you.

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.

Asking - "What does roobyalien most need to understand about his/her new job?"
Draw
Setting: Algiz (Murky) - "Elk" or "Protection"
Job: Sowilo (Murky) - "Sun"
Outcome(s): Uruz (Murky) - "Aurochs"

My Take on It
Oof, again, this batch of readings had a heck of a lot of murkstaves. This is not exactly an easy reading. For the setting, Algiz (Murky) implies that there is some kind of hidden danger in your life, perhaps with a spiritual/archetypal dimension. It implies that subconscious forces (yours or others) threaten to overwhelm you. Also, if you are a spiritual or magical practitioner, you may be cut off from an important source of your power. For the Job itself, I drew Sowilo (Murky). Sowilo is the Sun as shining beacon and source of orientation. To draw it murky implies that this job is not on the path to your true goals. Perhaps you have taken it on the advice of others, or out of a lack of more positive direction. For Outcome(s), Uruz is the Rune of raw, vital power, and to draw it murky implies either that power being wielded somehow unhelpfully (at the wrong time or by the wrong person or to the wrong ends), or else a blockage of that power, bringing lethargy and ill health.

It is striking to me that all of these Runes have to do with power and attainment, especially of a spiritual kind, and yet all came up murky. This implies to me that this job might be some kind of barrier to you expressing your full power in the best way.

I'm sorry for such a bummer of a reading, and I could be over-estimating its severity. 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

Dear Jeff, Thank you for the reading despite that fact that it is not joyful. Here is some insight that may help you to make sense of the reading. I am hesitant to start my new job because I prefer to be a gardener and mother-but they do not pay the bills. My new job is with my best friend and I am nervous because she has high expectations of me and I can see that she will not have the time to help me get started in an industry where I do not know much. (I will be selling vending machines to EMS and Hospitals and Agencies that provide harm reduction services). As for the Algiz, I have to admit I have spent the last three years in a state of panic after I realized that the governments all around the world are trying to kill as many of us as possible. It has been a horrible realization that most of what I believed to be true is false. I think this threatens my well-being regardless of my job which is the reason I spend most of my extra time in the garden! So, if the runes where sensing my hesitation they were correct. I will start the job and see how it goes. My main sales objective is always to help and to meet interesting people. I am intuitive and curious and have been able to make a difference to people through the mundane work of selling. I am not surprised that this job is not my true path. However, I am a skilled and talented sales person and I would like to spend more time with my best friend.

Please let me know if this provides any clarity to your interpretation of the reading.

Hmmm, okay, that does help. What that suggests to me is that the new job is likely to pull you into putting more time and attention toward it than might be best for you - whether on the advice of your friend, or because you start making good commissions or the like. You mentioning that you're good at sales and that you main goal is to meet and help interesting people suggests to me that there might be some other ways you could meet those goals and use those strengths that might be better in the long run.

Of course, as you say, you have to do what you need to take care of your family, and the world is a mixed up place right now, so we all have to make some calls that might not be our favorites.

Good luck!

Dear Jeff, I agree with you and I thank you for your insight. This reading has inspired me to draw the line on the gloom porn and to spend the same amount of time in prayer, meditation and gardening.

Hi Jeff- Could you please ask (whichever oracle is best) about quitting my job? “Should I…” questions are rarely given useful answers… so how to frame the question…. “What would be the consequences if quitting my current job?” might be a better way to phrase it. I don’t know. I’ve tried doing my own divination, but having difficulty interpreting the answer….perhaps because of my emotional involvement in the situation? Thanks much

Howdy,

I propose asking "What does anonymous most need to understand about quitting his/her job?" with the spread "Setting (context), Deed (the quitting itself), and Outcomes (what is most likely to happen if you go through with quitting)." I'm getting the feeling the Runes are better suited to this one, so I will ask them, unless you feel otherwise.

I'll do your reading today and post when I have the chance to write it up.

Cheers,
Jeff

That sounds like a good way to phrase it. Thanks very much! I will be looking forward to 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), Deed (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.

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about quitting his/her job?"
Draw
Setting: Mannaz (Murky) - "Man"
Deed: Inguz (Murky) - "Ing" (Name of the God, usually thought to be the same as Frey)
Outcome(s): Ansuz - "Ancestral God"

My Take on It
Hmm, this reading is a bit nuanced, so I may have to give you some alternatives to see which bits make sense in your situation. First off, for Setting, I drew Mannaz (murky). Mannaz is the Rune of embodied human consciousness, and so to get it murky implies that either missing or being misapplied in your context. This tends to either take the form of hopelessness and depression (too much focus on material difficulties, not enough on the capacity to handle them) or else being somehow out of touch (too much focus on capacity, and not enough on the difficulties!). Either way, it suggests that your understanding about what's going on around you, presumably what is driving you to consider quitting your job, is off somehow - maybe seek some other opinions from those you trust. For the deed of quitting itself, I got Inguz (murky). What's interesting here, is that Ing is exactly the Rune of cutting yourself off as a step toward future growth, which if bright, would be perfect for quitting your job. Unfortunately, it came up murky. This seems to imply that quitting your job, at least in the way/on the timeframe you are currently considering, is not truly getting in touch with the potential that it might be, but instead is "movement without consequence" or a false sense of "I've finished." Now, what makes this weird is that the Outcome, Ansuz, is rather positive. Ansuz is the proto-Germanic word that developed into Áss, as in Aesir, the main tribe of Gods for the Norse, and the pre-eminent Áss is, of course, Woden. So, anything that comes to mind about Him and His myths is appropriate to this Rune, but most of all the powers of speech, consciousness, and synthesizing intelligence. A transformational spiritual experience might be indicated, but lest that sound too fun, remember that Woden' most famous "transformational spiritual experience" was sacrificing himself to himself by hanging and stab wound!

Now, trying to put this together, there is a lot here about consciousness and transformation, especially of a divine sort, but the first two Runes suggest that your understanding of the situation and what to do about it might be mistaken. If you go ahead and quit as/when considered, you will likely still learn something and it might ultimately be to the good, but likely not in the way you think, or as easily as you might hope. I might recommend looking at what you are hoping to get/leave/solve by quitting and ask what other ways you might achieve those ends, and/or consider re-assessing your plan about what to do after quitting, maybe with the input of someone you trust.

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

I’m sitting here laughing as I read this. You, sir, are the real thing. I deliberately provided no information beyond asking the question, not wanting to influence the outcome. So there is no way you could have known…

First, your dadgum runes must be in cahoots with my i-ching. The time is not right, it says. The way is not ready. Not what I wanted to hear, obviously. Wanted to hear that I was justified in quitting etc etc etc

I suppose it is possible that I am misunderstanding the situation. It seems to me that I have caught the 2nd in command of the company taking some shortcuts that are potentially deadly (literally: we deal with hospitals). I sure hope I’m misunderstanding anyway.

But as for timing and talking it over, I brought it up with one of the other employees who I usually don’t confide in just this morning and while he agreed he had seen the same thing I had seen, he said forthrightly he couldn’t afford to go on attack. He needs this job. We talked some more, and I learned he has additional concerns about the way we (as a company) do some other things too. Anyhow, there is a conference next week, at which we will both be doing presentations. He said he is presenting his concerns as a sales pitch, and had some useful suggestions that calmed me down a bit (not easy to do: I’ve been keeping my mouth shut about this guy for a couple years and seething at this most recent, potentially deadly transgression, for almost 3 weeks). His advice (perfectly reasonable now that I’ve calmed enough to hear it) present it as a class on how to handle a situation such as I had witnessed (as if it were a theoretical situation) and let the discussion unfold from there. I can always quit later if things don’t improve. I agreed and promised in any case I’d do my best to limit collateral damage (ie NOT get him in trouble too).

Oh, and the career change I’m considering? Serving an ancestral god: I had already (two months ago) begun the process of application to holy orders, which if I am accepted would mean leaving here and going off to seminary in 2024. (Wtf? a potential christian priest asking a heathen for a divination? Yep. Sometimes I don’t hear so good and my god has to ask one of the other guys to do him the favor of shouting at me a bit).

Hah, wow! Thanks for the praise, but if anything, this convinces me even more that I'm tapping into something else here and just reporting what I found. Wherever it's coming from, I agree it sounds like someone wanted to reiterate the message. Whatever you decide to do, good luck, and I hope this has been helpful.

P.S. That sucks with your boss, a lot. We've all got a lot of different things to balance, and very few choices are easy.

Hi Jeff, many thanks indeed for offering this service!

I recently had a divination done that advised me starting a devotional practice to Loki would be beneficial to me. This was done by a respected Heathen diviner. I'm not Heathen myself so the choice of pantheon (and, particularly, divinity!) was very surprising...

So I wouldn't mind a second opinion, something along the lines of whether taking up some sort of devotion work with Loki would be beneficial to me. I guess Runes would be more appropiate given the context, but I leave it to your discretion.

Many thanks again!

Huh, now that's an interesting one! I'm going to have to get my daughter up from her nap soon, so I'm not sure I'll be able to get to this one today, but I will do the reading soon and post when I have the chance to write it up.

First, a caveat: I know that for one diviner to ask a "second opinion" from another oracle or just to ask again can lead to some less-than-ideal results, and I don't know if the same rule applies in asking another diviner, so take anything I come up with more salt than usual.

Secondly, I propose asking "What does anonymous most need to understand about starting a devotional practice to Loki?" with a spread of "Setting (context), Worship (how the worship itself will go), and Outcome(s) (what is most likely to come about if you do start the practice)." I agree that Runes seem more appropriate here, so I'll go with those.

Cheers,
Jeff

In all earnest, the initial divination was a generic one, with no question, so I'm not sure if the same rule would apply here, but caveat accepted! and thanks again!

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), Worship (actually doing the devotional practice), and Outcome(s) (whatever is most likely to come about if you do begin such a practice). 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.

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about beginning a devotional practice to Loki?"
Draw
Setting: Eihwaz (Murky) - "Yew"
Worship: Berkano - "Birch Goddess"
Outcome(s): Ansuz (Murky) - "Ancestral God"

My Take on It
Hmm, this reading is something of a mixed bag, perhaps unsurprisingly, given the subject. For "Setting," I drew Eihwaz (Murky). Eihwaz is the Rune of the World Tree, of the vertical unifying pillar of the universe that brings together the darkest depths with brightest heights. It is a Rune of initiation, inspiration, and disciplined striving for enlightenment. Drawing it murky implies either that this Rune is manifesting inappropriately, perhaps too early, or in the wrong directions, or else that it is somehow blocked, leaving you cut off from deeper/higher sources of meaning. Given the question, my guess is that this indicates some dissatisfaction with your current spiritual life, and a desire to take up some practice to deal with that. For the worship itself, I drew Berkano, which is the Rune of Birth, Death, and Rebirth. It is associated with the "Mother Earth" archetype. Personally, I especially associate this Rune with spiritual or religious awakenings/rebirths, as it played an important role in my own. So it seems that this devotional practice would indeed be a kind of renewal for you, though "rebirth" of course implies some amount of "death" - parts of yourself that need to be let go and left behind, and that's not always fun. As for Outcome(s), I drew Ansuz (Murky), which represents Woden, and most especially his skills with language, intelligence, and magic. To draw it murky implies lies and manipulation (surprise!) or else dullness and and an inability to speak.

I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that the Runes drawn for both "Setting" and "Outcome(s)" are closely associated with Woden, and are murky. This is perhaps fitting for Woden's murkier blood-brother. It suggests to me that such a devotional practice might sour any relationship (or potential for one) you might have with Woden, so consider that possibility as you make your decision.

Altogether, I would synthesize this as saying such a devotional practice would indeed address the spiritual dissatisfaction in your life and would lead to your "rebirth" as a new person in some way, but down the line you would be subject to some kind of manipulation or control through deceit. As I said, a maybe unsurprisingly mixed bag, given the subject matter of the question, which I think you'll have to decide on for yourself.

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

Many thanks Jeff!

Interesting that you got Berkano, with its associations with Loki!

More to ponder yet, I think... I´m certainly not one willing to end on the wrong side of the Allfather, though my original divination was made by a long-standing devotee of both Loki and Odin, and Odin was not in the picture (though Frey was).

Hello! I saw your comment on ecosophia and I’d be grateful for your time. I was wondering—what would help my relationship to improve?

Howdy!

I propose asking the Runes "What does anonymous most need to understand about improving his/her relationship?" with a spread of "Relationship (the context of the overall relationship), Work (the action or change that would cause the improvement), and Outcome(s) (what's most likely to come about if you follow this course of action)."

I will likely not be able to get to this tonight, but I'll try to do the reading tomorrow and then will post a write up when I get the chance.

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Jeff

Thank you! I am excited/nervous to see what it shows.

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 "Relationship (the context of the overall relationship), Work (where to focus your efforts to improve things), 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.

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about improving his/her relationship?"
Draw
Relationship: Algiz (Murky) - "Elk" or "Protection"
Work: Eihwaz - "Yew"
Outcome(s): Berkano - "Birch Goddess"

My Take on It
For the overall relationship, I drew Algiz, which is Rune dealing with archetypal forces and mankind's links with them. When drawn murky, it implies that there are hidden dangers, perhaps that you are in danger of being overwhelmed by archetypal forces. Algiz also sometimes is linked with the "roots and branches" of a question - the less obvious, more twisty parts of a situation that are nevertheless important. What all this suggests to me is that your relationship might be look like everything is fine, but perhaps there are hidden elements causing tension that you and/or your partner might not be fully aware of. I'd look especially to anything to do with archetypes, which here might mean traditional gender roles, and any tensions that might be around those. The work suggested to improve thing is Eihwaz, the Yew, which stands for the World Tree and calls to mind Woden's self-sacrifice upon it. It implies cultivating inner strength through tough, flexible discipline. Given the context and the question, this suggests to me that you might paradoxically need to work on yourself to be a better partner in the relationship - maybe it is your own views toward those archetypal forces and how you relate to them that need to be worked on? In some ways, Woden's act was supremely self-focused - he sacrificed himself to himself and was utterly alone in order to gain the Runes for his own knowledge and power. And yet, he then taught those Runes to the wise among mankind. Lastly, for Outcome(s), I got Berkano, which is the Rune of birth, death, and rebirth. It has a "Mother Nature" kind of vibe, and in my own personal experience, I associate it especially with spiritual/religious awakenings/rebirths. Since this is about a relationship, I feel like I should point out that this is the Rune of literal birth and motherhood as well, so it could indicate a child (please, please do not take this to mean "go make a baby to fix a relationship you're not sure about"!). Given the spiritual nature of the other two Runes, though, I'm inclined to think it's more in keeping with those.

So, to sum up, it sounds like there are hidden risks related to archetypal forces in the relationship as is, the work you need to do is disciplined transformation of the self, and the outcome of such work is likely to be a "birth" or "rebirth."

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

Interesting! Yes, our relationship is troubled. I think my partner has mentioned me needing to be more disciplined financially. I was wondering more about the archetypes? I don’t quite understand what they are or how they could present a problem.

Sure thing. Archetypes are a major part of a Jungian understanding of psychology, and folks of a more occult/esoteric bent have also found them tremendously helpful. Basically, an archetype is a pattern that you see over and over again in human psychology, stories, and behavior. Occultists argue that you see them in non-human places as well. These archetypes are very deeply rooted in the subconscious. If you have more of a materialist way of looking at things, you might say they are evolved instincts of the kind evolutionary psychology talks about. If you are more esoterically-minded, you might say that they exist in some state outside of any given human mind where they can be reached by all of them.

So, what does this mean in this situation? It might mean literally the archetypes Jung talked about, or it could mean the kinds of behavior we expect from ourselves and each other in certain roles. Here, since you mentioned being more disciplined financially, that could be linked to "archetypal" (now using the term more loosely) behavior, such as if you're a man, your partner might expect you to provide resources, and financial discipline is seen as part of that. On the other hand, if you're a woman, your partner might see your spending as part of the "frivolous with my money" stereotype some folks have about women partners.

The archetypes don't only have to do with gender roles, and not even every gender-related archetype applies equally to every member of a gender. For example, Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette in King, Warrior, Magician, Lover talk about how each of these four archetypes is an important component of healthy masculinity, but each brings different qualities (and pitfalls) to understanding the world. I've emphasized them here since gender is so likely to have a lot to do with relationship questions.

So, basically, in this reading, it suggests that you, your partner, or both, are in danger of getting caught up in one or more patterns of behavior that feel extremely compelling or even automatic in the moment, but are not to the good of the relationship. An example: have you ever known someone who is interested and engaged with some topic or behavior in private, but belittles it or pretends not to know about it in public because it doesn't fit who they're trying to be in public? Think of a guy who cries during Steel Magnolias but then makes fun of the movie to his guy friends, or a gal who cheers passionately for a football team and then acts like she knows nothing about sports in front of the guys. Those examples aren't perfect, because there's likely a conscious element to them, whereas getting caught up in an archetype is often unconscious. A man who doesn't realize his way of "being masculine" is wrapped up in what his abusive dad was like. A woman whose way of "being feminine" includes nagging and belittling her partner, despite her desire to be fair and rational.

Does this help any?

Hi Jeff, thanks for offering this. I am starting the process of job hunting. I would like to know if I should concentrate my efforts in any particular area, above and beyond just the normal steps of polishing up my resume and applying for positions that fit my skill set. Suffering from burn out from my last job, really hate job hunting in general.

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.

Asking - "What does Candace most need to understand about her job hunt?"
Draw
Setting: Algiz - "Elk" or "Protection"
Work: Sowilo - "Sun"
Outcome(s): Thurisaz - "Thurse" (a "Giant" - a wicked semi-divine being, "thurse" tends to have a more explicitly negative meaning than "Ettin" (Jotun))
Surprise: Raidho - "Ride" and Ansuz - "Ancestral God"

My Take on It
For the context of your job search, I drew Algiz, which implies that there are risks, but that if you are crafty, you can turn them to your advantage. This has come up for the context of other job-related questions on this post, so I take it as a commentary on the state of the economy/world right now - things are topsy-turvy, but that presents opportunities for those willing and able to spot them and act on them. For the search itself, I got "Sowilo," which is the Rune of goals and the guidance to reach them. Pay attention to any "steering" you might be getting, whether from within yourself, or from the outside, about your goals and how to reach them. This Rune can also be associated with sailors or teachers, so if anything in your job search speaks to those areas, they might be indicated. This is a very positive Rune, though, and it implies that your search will be successful. That being said, for "Outcome(s)," I drew Thurisaz, which is a somewhat harsh Rune. It is the primal force of aggression, either your own or that of others toward you, and so it suggests that though your search will be successful, there will be some kind of risk associated with that success. Your answer to that risk should be controlled aggression - "fight" for yourself and your loved ones, but with care and wits rather than brute force.

As you may have seen from other answers on this post, sometimes Runestaves "make themselves known" to me through seeming coincidence - they land outside of the tray I drop them into, or bounce onto the floor, or the like. When that happens, I have found it helpful to see them as an overall commentary on the rest of the reading. You got not one, but two of these "surprise Runes, as one bounced out onto the floor, and another kept falling out of my hand as I tried to pick it up after the reading (seriously, like three times, and I was like "okay, I get it, I'll put you in the reading!")

So, the first of these was Raidho, which is the Rune of ordered, rhythmical movement or change. This implies that your search will involve "change" or "movement" of some kind - maybe a literal move, or maybe moving on to "the next step" in your career path or the like. This will take discipline and ethical action, though - especially given the indications of risk and attack we already talked about, you need to take care to do everything right, so as not to open yourself to any more dangers. This Rune can also indicate people or jobs involved in the Law or Transportation, so those may be relevant to your search.

Lastly, the Rune that refused to be put away until I noticed it was, fittingly, Ansuz, which is the Rune of the God Woden and all that he stands for, but most of all language, synthetic intelligence, and magic. This suggests to me that the "ordered change" implied by Raidho may be intellectual in nature - maybe you need to put disparate ideas/skills together, or perhaps "speak up for yourself" in some way. In any case, this further reinforces the strong message in this reading of striving for excellence - that which is "higher," but not easy.

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

Thank you! I left a job working in the county family services office working as a child support officer due to burn out. I will keep the ideas you have given me in mind especially while contemplating the areas I’m submitting my resume. I’ll also make sure to give you an update as I go through the process.

Thank you so much for taking the time!

Sent from my iPhone

Ah! Thanks for this, and I will certainly appreciate hearing how it goes.

I might be over-stretching here, but learning that you're leaving a job due to "burnout," and one that is so likely to be associated with the "mission" or "cause" it is meant to fulfill gives me a few ideas. (Again, I could be way off, but my assumption when I hear "quit working as a Child Support Officer due to burnout" is that you believe deeply in helping vulnerable children who are the most in need, but that some combination of bureaucratic nonsense and families/children that refuse the help they so clearly need is what led to the burnout).

Anyhow, what this new information makes me think is that perhaps the goal, ordered change, and use of synthetic intelligence that came up in the reading are saying that it might be best for you to reflect on what led you to become a child support officer and what about the job did you find rewarding/believe in, and then ask "how can I achieve these things in a totally different way?"

Hi Jeff, Update on my job search. I have gotten a job the is “provisional”. Initial appointment was through December 29, 2023. That has been extended to December 31, 2024. So fits with what you were seeing. Thought that might be useful feed back for your future interpretations.

Thanks for your help! Hope you have a good holiday season. Candace

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Thanks very much for the update, always useful to get feedback!

And I wish you a happy holiday season as well!
Jeff

Greetings, Jeff. Thank you for offering this service. I understand it's new for you to try divinations for others, but it appears your intuition has keyed in a lot of people's situations quite effectively so far.

I am seeking to move out of my current apartment into a cohousing or shared apartment situation, in response to a reduced budget. I sense this is a bit of a karmic trial for me, as I didn't take one great housing opportunity I had and now am choosing among more mediocre options. I'm less interested in identifying the best place to move into at this time, so much as understanding what I should understand about this housing search as it relates to me - what about me is being tested by this search? The way you've been phrasing question has been helpful - let's go with similar phrasing: "what does Anon need to know about his current housing search?" You can adjust the question as needed.

Thank you in advance!

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), Search (the actual search itself), 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.

Asking - "What does anonymous most need to understand about his housing search?"
Draw
Setting: Hagalaz (Murky) - "Hail"
Search: Isa - "Ice"
Outcome(s): Raidho - "Ride"
Surprise: Kenaz - "Torch"

My Take on It
So, for "Setting," I drew Hagalaz (Murky). This is the Rune of sudden change or crisis, but also the growth that comes from that - hail is destructive, but it turns to water. Drawing it murky implies that some kind of change or crisis has come upon you that you were not ready for, or else that you are trying to force a stasis where it is inappropriate. Given some of the other Runes here, I suspect it's more the latter. For the search itself, I drew Isa, which is the Rune of contraction or focus, especially on the self, which is what I think it stands for here - I think it suggests that for your search, you will need to look within and work out what you most need, and to draw on your own, deeply personal resources to make it happen. Anything that you have spent time and concentration developing might be especially relevant to your efforts here. For "Outcome(s)," I drew Raidho, which is the Rune of movement and ordered change. For this question, the most obvious interpretation is that you will end up moving somewhere, maybe farther than you're currently contemplating. But it might also mean a more metaphorical movement/progression, such as stepping up/into a new role, transitioning into new responsibilities, or the like.

As with some of the other readings, one Runestaff drew some attention to itself as I was putting them away, which I've learned to take as a commentary on the overall reading. It was Kenaz, which is the Rune of focused, creative energy and craftsmanship, but also of needed dissolution - think of a welding torch for a good image. This suggests to me that your search either needs to be "creative," or else that what should guide it is your ability to express yourself creatively (maybe a skill or craft that you can put to work that you haven't before?). The other possible interpretation is that there is something that needs "breaking up" or "cutting apart." Given the other Runes that came up, I'm inclined to think this latter interpretation might apply - maybe there are some ties that are holding you where you are that might be better cut?

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

Hello with the current changes in politics and government control I find myself endlessly anxious about the future of my family. Particularly growing children.
My question is about my family situation over the years to come, what to look out for and what's likely

Alrighty, I propose asking the runes "What does anonymous most need to understand about what his family will deal with over the next few years?" with the spread: "Setting (context), Happenings (the stuff your family is likely to deal with), and Outcome(s) (what is currently most likely to come from those happenings).

I'll try to get your reading done this weekend and post it by early this week.

That's amazing I'm very grateful Ann onimous :) 😀

I'm very sorry for taking so long to get this written up for you!

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.

Asking - "What does 'Ann' most need to understand about what her family will deal with in the next few years?"
Draw
Setting: Sowilo
Happenings: Tiwaz (Murky)
Outcome(s): Ehwaz (Murky)

My Take on It
Okay, this reading indicates that you may be picking up on some likely challenges. First off, for "Setting," which is your general context, I drew Sowilaz, which is the Sun Rune. It is very positive - it indicates the goal you strive for and the guidance to reach that goal. So, something in your life is, or will be, showing you the way forward, if you can keep your eye on it. Think of a sailor fixing his route on the sun despite the wind and waves he's dealing with. For "happenings," I drew Tiwaz (Murky), which is the Rune of the God Tiw/Tyr, best known for putting his hand in Fenris's mouth as a pledge so that the Gods could bind the wolf. Coming up murky here, this suggests that you are at risk of "giving too much," going for self-sacrifice beyond where it is helpful. It also might suggest "analysis paralysis," where you spend more time working out what to do/how to do it than on actually getting things done. In other words, you are likely to deal with situations where it will be hard for you to identify the right action to take and then execute. I think Sowilo suggests how to deal with this: keep your eye on "higher" guidance - maybe your beliefs, maybe a long-term goal, maybe moral or ethical standards. If you do not thread this needle, the Outcomes indicated are Ehwaz (Murky). Ehwaz means "horse," and it is the Rune of partnership, so coming up murky means either too much partnership, such as losing yourself in the identity of someone else, or else a blockage - disharmony, strife, and so forth. Given the murky Tiwaz, the former seems a bit more likely to me.

So, to sum up: it looks like you will face challenges that tempt you to give too much of yourself, maybe in service of a partnership or marriage, which could lead to a loss of self in that partner, but if you keep your eye on higher goals, you can find a way through.

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

Divination Offering: Ask the Ogham or the Runes

A reading

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Runic reading

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Rune Reading

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Visit

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Which job to take?

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Will my arts and crafts society be successful?

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Relationship question

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New Job

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Thinking of quitting my job

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Starting Devotion work with Loki

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My relationship

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Divination

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