Today’s poem is actually one of my favorite songs to listen to when life seems bleak and hopeless. You don’t have to like country music to appreciate this sweet, simple tune about the comforts to be found in daily life, and it ties nicely to today’s draw.

Wishing you a comfortable and blessed Equinox.

It’ll Shine When It Shines
~John Dillon and Steve Cash

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Today’s Draw:Hreidmar & Ottar/Five of Coins; Eihwaz; Laufey/The Empress.

Today, on the Equinox, Eihwaz appears to remind you of the need for balance in your life. Eihwaz can be seen as a symbol of Yggdrasil, a means of moving energy between the worlds. From above to below, from below to above, Eihwaz asks you what energies you need to shift to raise your awareness, to heal your wounds, to be more grounded in your authentic self.

Hreidmar & Ottar speak of grief and loss, while Laufey brings comfort. You must take time to mourn your loss, to acknowledge it fully and process the feelings. Incomplete mourning will come back later to create problems emotionally and/or behaviorally, so give yourself the time you need to feel and release the grief in all its forms.

Laufey, the earthy Mother figure, offers you comfort in its myriad forms. The physical reassurance of a soft blanket and a warm meal, the emotional reassurance of someone to hold your hand and make sure you have a clean handkerchief to dry your tears, the grounding in certainty that, no matter how painful and awful things are right this very moment, this, too, shall pass.

Take care of yourself today in truly nurturing ways. While you may be tempted to isolate and binge on sweets, today is probably the day to confide in a trusted friend over tea and soup. Dress comfortably, stay warm or cool, and be kind to yourself.

Othala, Inguz, Fehu

If you are new to working with bindrunes, I suggest you read the introductory bindrune post here, then return to this post to read about this specific bindrune.

Despite the fact that we’re constantly being told how the economy is booming, not everyone is benefitting equally from the current phase. This bindrune can help you channel your energies into creating prosperity and material increase.

The photo shows two versions of the same bindrune. The version on the bottom is a more compact combination. Try them both, and see which one feels right for you.

Othala (far-left tile; rune drawn in dark blue as the base of the bindrune) calls in the energy of inheritance and ancestral gifts. Even if your ancestors did not leave you material wealth, they have passed to you characteristics of personality, family luck, and innate wisdom. Othala helps you tap into the hamingja, the family blessings that are yours to use and develop. Othala also represents ancestral lands and the family home. Even if your ancestors didn’t have a fancy country estate with acres of forest, there is some notion of land and home that has been passed to you. Use Othala to create a solid foundation of material security.

Inguz (center tile; drawn in green as the middle of the bindrune) represents Ing or Freyr, the God of fertility and harvest. This rune represents the material gain resulting from the wise use of resources, especially natural resources. Inguz encourages you to step back and review your situation to identify resources you may not have previously recognized as being available to you, or may not have understood how to incorporate them into your plans. Inguz tells you to tap into those resources to replenish your energies.

Fehu (right tile; drawn in a light blue-green at the top the bindrune) is the rune of wealth and material prosperity. In Norse times, wealth was measured in cattle—a great herd meant great riches. Decide what defines wealth for you. Is it the ability to pay your bills on time without stress, and saving part of each check? Is it having enough money to indulge in regular small treats, with the occasional grand indulgence? A permanent comma in your bank account balance? Defining your goal makes it easier to achieve. Fehu draws the energy of material abundance and ongoing prosperity. After all, once you have financial peace of mind, you want to maintain it.

Magic alone won’t cure a lean purse—you must still take action on the material plane to create what you seek. However, using all available tools will increase your possibilities and improve the odds for the desired outcome. Magic is a part, but not the entirety, of the plan.

The bindrunes on the left were done in colored pencil. The ones on the right were done with calligraphic marker. They are the same bind rune, shown in two different media to give an idea of how the same bindrune looks different depending on how it is created.

You could also put a drop of sage oil on the bindrune to ground the energy, or something spicy, such as cinnamon or clove, to boost the energy.

Wishing you all manner of prosperity!

Today’s poem for Hela is one of my favorites poems, from one of my favorite poets.

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

~William Butler Yeats

There’s a lovely version on YouTube, read by Tom Hiddleston. It’s even better with headphones.