Ansuz

First Ætt – Freya's Ætt
Phonetic Value: A
Pronounced: AHN-sooz
Other Names: As, Os, Ansus, Ansur
Color: Dark Blue

Herb: Fly Agaric
Gemstone: Emerald
Tree: Ash
Deities: Odin
Meaning: A God, Mouth, Message

Keywords: Communication, signals, receiving a message, truth, wisdom gained and wisdom earned, inspiration. Also misunderstanding, manipulation by others, delusion, lies.

When Interpreting Upright: When you've pulled Ansuz for a reading could mean you are soon to be the recipient of a message from the divine or that there is a lesson to be learned from your current situation. Maybe there is some truth in your current situation that you haven't seen or are refusing to see. Are you overlooking something important? You could be about to have a bout of inspiration and creativity or someone could be trying to tell you something so take a hard look at those around you. When you ask a question of the Divine, are you keeping an eye out for signs? Sometimes life's biggest lessons are where we are least expecting them. This is a rune that reminds us that we have a lot left to learn, that communication is one of the most important avenues for learning and sharing wisdom with others.

Ansuz is associated with Odin and the knowledge he gained from the mead of poetry, from hanging on the tree to win the knowledge of the runes and from sacrificing his right eye to gain wisdom. He teaches us that wisdom and knowledge can sometimes be won through sacrifice and hardwork. This could mean that the path ahead of you will be a tough one but the lessons you'll learn along the way will be well worth the cost and you might find yourself willing to take that next step.

When Interpreting Merkstave (Reverse or Upside Down): If you find Ansuz to be Merkstave, take a moment to consider those around you and your dealings with them. Have you misinterpreted their actions towards you? Are you being lied to or lying to yourself? Are you being manipulated? Just as Ansuz can show us the truth, it can also show us that our current situation is not one that is good for us. When you find Ansuz reversed, it's time to look at everything. Have you misunderstood something? Has someone else? Someone could be using their words to guide you falsely. Has the line of communication disappeared completely?

Take this time to try and better communicate with those around you. Try to clear up any misunderstandings. Think about what it is that you want to put forward and work towards that. This is a time to find the truth, reconnect with yourself and others and discard those who mean to do you harm.

For using Ansuz in magical workings or everday actions you can hold the rune in your hand while you pray to the Divine in hopes that your message will be well received and that a message will also return to you. Put it under your pillow to help with prophetic dreams. Carve it into a writing utensil to help you create when you draw or write. Carry it in your pocket to help you see signs or to help communicate when you talk to others. There are so many uses, I'm sure you can come up with some. Comment and share them below!

Disclaimer: This is not the end-all only interpretation for runes of the Elder Futhark. This is a learning guide written by me for teaching purposes. Each rune guide is a compilation of information that I’ve put together over the years. It is, by far, not the only source for runic meanings and I encourage everyone to research the runes further. Find out what each rune means to you.