THERE ARE moments in life when the unconscious seems to reach out ahead of us, sketching symbols of what is yet to unfold.
During a particularly stressful period of my life — one that would soon culminate in a nervous breakdown — I created a stave rune charm; one to carry with me in my pocket — I have it with me right now.
At the time, I thought the runes I chose were random. Only later did I come to see how each one spoke to what was happening beneath the surface, and to what was about to unfold.
STAVE RUNES — or galdrastafir (incantation staves) are symbols of magic and protection found in Icelandic pagan tradition. Each stave is a unique combination of runic shapes and lines rearranged into complex sigils to channel intent.
Of the many recorded examples, two are widely familiar:
Ægishjálmur: The ‘Helm of Awe.’ This was used to impart invincibility, courage, and protection in battle.
Vegvísir: The ‘wayfinder,’ was said to guide one safely through storms or hardship.
For my own Stave Rune, rather than employ stylised geometric shapes, I opted to use six Runes of the Elder Futhark.
The runes (clockwise from the 8 o’clock position) were:
Algiz, Ansuz, Laguz, Pertho, Berkana, and Ingwaz.
But, of the twenty-four runes in that Futhark, why did I choose those? Moreover, in displaying them on the stave, what prompted me to adopt the sequence that I used?
LOOKING BACK, it feels as though my deeper self was preparing me for the journey ahead:
Algiz, the rune of protection, stood guard over my spirit, holding chaos at bay.
Ansuz, rune of divine inspiration and the voice of spirit, whispered that there was meaning in the storm.
Laguz, symbol of flow and emotion, reminded me that healing often begins when we surrender to the currents rather than fight them.
Pertho, rune of mystery and fate, represented the hidden turning of my life — a throw of destiny’s dice that would change everything.
Then came Berkana, rune of growth, healing, and renewal — the tender shoots that appear after devastation.
And finally Ingwaz, the seed within the earth, silent yet potent with new life.
Together, these runes traced a spiritual road map:
Protection → Awakening → Surrender → Fate → Healing → Renewal.
PERHAPS WHAT I created was more than a charm. Perhaps it was a message from my soul; a premonitory language written in ancient symbols, offering guidance and hope for what lay ahead; for what I did not yet understand.
We often think we act randomly, but sometimes intuition writes its own script — one our conscious mind only learns to read in hindsight.
RAVEN MOON 