EIHWAZ

/AY-hahz/ Old Norse: Yr – pine Old English: Ēoh – yew Gothic: Eiws – yew

Eihwaz is a rune of transition, one of the most perplexing runes of Elder Futhark. 

Traditionally, Eihwaz has been linked to Yggdrasil, the tree on which the nine worlds of Norse cosmology existed. It's odd that the world tree should be a yew, but none of the rune's translations mentions it. The reason for that probably lies in the fact that Yggdrasil has never been unanimously classified as a certain botanical species. 

EIHWAZ is a rune of transition, of borderline, which makes it extraordinarily complex. On the one hand, a border is something that divides. But on the other hand, it is the common part of two separate things. It becomes the only feature two different entities have in common, so it unites. 

As a rune of transition, EIHWAZ is sometimes linked with death. Because death is a kind of transition, too. A person is transitioning to another world, crossing the border.  

EIHWAZ has a profound meaning. It's the border, but what is there beyond it? It's the rune of the unknown, but, unlike PERTHRO, it's not unknown like the results of a lottery. EIHWAZ tells you about a grand, palpable, and real world that we can't know or experience until we cross that border. It's a rune of mystery, of initiation. 

The transformation it brings is uneasy. But do you have to take it personally? The answer is: you don't because this transformation affects the universe in general. It's a transition into another world. Should you take the rules and laws of the current world into the new one? Or does the transformation concern us, too, and we will have to leave the present world behind? Only EIHWAZ knows the answer.

The rune establishes a connection between the past, the present, and the future. It protects you from the world of evil and provides help from your ancestors. It gives you a chance to intuit your way through a puzzling situation.

The direct position of the rune is the same as the reversed position

Seeing EIHWAZ in your runic reading indicates an obstacle, an irritating standstill, a danger of losing a battle. 

It's the rune of quarrels. One may even be disgusted with one's own self for creating the fix and getting into it, but one is also very eager to make things right.

Be patient and understanding. Do not try to push forward but stay persistent. 

EIHWAZ cannot be reversed, which means that it always carries two aspects of meaning that can contradict but also complement each other. The difficulties you may be going through can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The irritating standstill may turn into a magical kick in your rear side that will help you find the right solution. Rely on your intuition, and do not expect a quick answer. Your powers may not be enough. You need to allow the universe to show you the best way, you need to feel it on the intuitive level. And if you do so, you may even avoid some really unwanted consequences.

EIHWAZ forecasts or indicates certain obstacles or annoying delays. However, it also promises a favorable outcome to the difficulties you may be experiencing. In other words, the storm will be over before you even know.

By going through trials, you'll find it in yourself to overcome more prominent obstacles and turn defeat into your victory. You also develop disgust for that sort of human behavior that creates difficulties. What seems like an obstacle that will delay you will only do you good as the delay will be necessary and even beneficial. Do not put the carriage before the horse. It's not the time and the place for showing how significant an impact you can produce. EIHWAZ advises that you should stay patient. You'll need foresight and persistence. Stave off the difficulties that you expect to crop up with the help of thoughtful actions. You are not the doer now, you are the decision-maker. When your decision is clear, your move will be effortless because the universe itself will support and enhance it. 

Runic advice

You are fighting for a just cause. And you will win. 

If a person you know is behaving in the way described below, pay close attention to this part of the reading:

The person is on the verge or in the process of making a life-changing decision. Their thoughts are profound and pivotal. They are very likely to be assessing the world in general and you in particular. 

Tip: Do not stand in their way. They need to make a decision on their own, without any tips from the outside. Do not become yet another of their problems. The decision they are trying to take is aimed at solving all their problems at once. Just be there for them.