Uncle Thor's Lessons, Anecdotes and Humor

The motion of the Isa Rune is no motion at all. Isa stops motion. Everything is brought to a screeching halt. Just as scientists postulate on the concept of anti-matter, so we can think of Isa as anti-motion.

Isa brings a halt, be it a momentary pause to a stopping of much monger duration. There is a feeling that this is a temporary state of things. They will eventually return to their normal state, whether it takes minutes or hours, days or months or even years.

There is one possible motion resulting from Isa. This is a crushing and holding type thing. It is not a downward or upward motion, but a lateral movement. It is much like being surrounded by encroaching ice.

If Isa could talk, it would say, “I stop everything!”

The motion of Naud is a strong downward push. In effect, it is pure strength that forces down. There is an arcane lesson here. Urus, which is above Naud in the Elder Futhark order, is pure strength. Naud is strength headed down and inward. Bjork is the other Rune in that column. Bjork is strength growing up and out.

Naud’s secondary motion is inward as it forces downward. This is constriction. Indeed, a good symbol of the inward pressure would be a python. anaconda, boa or other constrictor snake. Words with the root term “press” give an idea of Naud’s motion: pressure, compress, depress, etc. It is amusing that a Latin root word is so very indicative of a German / Nordic Rune.

If Naud could speak, it would say, “I press down.”

The usual motion of the Hagal Rune is downward, cutting in at an angle. In this mode, it is not a single fall, but a staccato peppering. I would liken it to a machine gun, although it is usually over a wider area. The motion is quick and hard. There is nothing soft with Hagal! Think of a hailstorm. Those with a military background might think of the Vulcan minigun or cluster bomb unit.

Take a handful of pebbles and throw them at the ground with all your might. That is the Hagal motion.

A second motion attributable to Hagal is a singular downward blast. It covers a wide area, much like a hard, sudden downpour. This kind of motion is sure to make anyone underneath it run for cover!

If Hagal could talk, it would say, “I pelt with impact!”

The Wunjo Rune has a motion that may seem like that of Ase,. However, Wunjo’s rising movement is due to its spinning. As it rises, it expands outward. I would liken its shape to a cone of cotton candy. Ase rises straight up and expands. Ase does not spin. Wunjo spins at its own speed and rises and expands. The difference is not as subtle as some may think. Ase tends to be mostly uplifting, and Wunjo is more expansive.

Wunjo’s spinning is like the spinning of an axle rather than that of a wheel.

If Wunjo could talk, it would say, “I spin and spread.”

The motion of Gyfu is twofold. Just as it is said that Giving and Receiving are a two-way street, so Gyfu’s motion is dual. In fact, there are two dual motions that can be attributed to Gyfu.

The first motion is an expanding outward, and then a retraction inward. It is as if it first extends itself outward in all directions, then pulls all into itself. This is a “give and take” kind of thing. One might view it as an exchange of gifts: giving followed by receiving.

The second motion is also twofold. It begins by extending outward, and then retracting back. The extension and retraction may be linear or an arc. Were it to be explained as a gift, the extension would be a giving out followed by a taking in. Perhaps we can think of the up and down motion of a piston as an example of the Gyfu motion. It is much like reaching out your hand, and then drawing it back. The first motion is an expansion and retraction. The second is an extension and return.

In Gyfu could talk, it would say “I give and take.”

Motion of the Ken Rune

The Ken Rune seems to be a very stable thing. However, its motion is subtle. Just as Raido spins on its axis, so Ken IS the spinning axis. Ken spins in place. Unlike the speedy Raido, Ken moves slowly and deliberately. I like to think of the rotating beacon in a light house as an example. The Ken Rune rotates on itself.

If the Ken Rune could speak, it would say: “I spin slowly.”

This has been a very busy week for me. Today, I participated in a small ceremony at the municipal building in Freehold Township. Several of the local veterans groups sent a color guard, including my Legion post. A National Guard lieutenant colonel who had recently returned from Iraq gave a short speech. He was honored for his many years of service.

After the ceremony, we headed for our Post. Small ceremonies like this are held across the country. November 11 was originally chosen because it was the day that the armistice was signed which ended fighting in World War I. Today it is known as Veteran’s Day. It is a day we honor those who serve today and those who served in the past.

Service to the people is an honorable thing. While we commemorate military service today, there are many other ways to serve. It can be said that for each of us, Life is a balance of Me and We. There is the individual, and there is the community. Those who contribute to the well-being of the community are doing honorable work. Our society and our world would be a much worse place without people who do things for the collective good. All service is honorable.

One of the members of the old train club was killed last week. He and another worker were cutting down trees. A tree fell on Deny (pronounced Denny), hitting him on the head. Deny’s sojourn on this world lasted all of 36 years. Deny was a big, good-natured man. He had been a member of the club for many years.

The wake and services were held today. The funeral home was packed. There were many people who had worked with Deny. Most of the train club members were there, too. This was on a weekday in the middle of the day. There were more than 60 people in the room, with more coming!

We like to talk of reputation. How many of us could pack a room like that, if we were to have our funeral tomorrow? Reputation is not just what people think of you. Reputation is what you do. You do not get a good one unless you do good things.

A good reputation is an admirable thing. It must be earned. What are you doing to earn yours?

The Motion of the Raido Rune

Raido has a dual motion. There is the spinning motion of a disk on its axis. There is also the spinning motion translated to a linear motion, as a cart moving across the ground. Raido is a Rune of speed. Within it is the matter of translating circular to linear, and vice versa.

Many years ago there were “friction” toy cars. The car would “revved” by pushing it on the floor while holding it. Then it would be released, and it would continue to go. The linear motion made the wheels turn, and these transferred the energy to the motor.

Raido blends the continuous cycle with the forward-moving motion. It is both a continuous route and a drive from Point A to Point B. Raido is true to its axis, and yet is also able to traverse distances.

Raido would say: “I Spin” and “I Move.”

The motion of the Ase rune is upward. It is like an updraft or the rising column of water in a decorative fountain. At its apex, the energy begins to flow outward. Unlike a fountain, it does not drip downward. The Ase motion expands in a semicircle to both sides and up. I dare say that in some ways it resembles the rise of a mushroom cloud.

Were you to rise, hands upward as in a “jumping jack”, you might feel the motion. Once you are standing as tall as you can, allow your arms to arc to the side until they are parallel to the ground.

The feeling of Ase motion is uplifting and expanding. It is the same as if you are inspired and drawn into that expansive flow.

Ase would say: “I rise and expand.”