Jan
Feeling the Elk Rune
This week we do the Elk Rune exercises. The more you work the exercises in earnest, the better your results. Elk is a Rune which is very easy to appreciate and experience.
Exercise 1: The Scandinavian Elk is one and the same as the North American moose. This is a territorial animal of great strength. (I have seen video footage of an enraged moose attacking a human. This animal can do terrible damage quickly.) It defends its territory fiercely. This is why the Elk Rune is used for protection.
The Elk Rune protection is primarily defensive. It can work much like a fence to ward off trouble. You can get a feeling of the defensive capacity by visiting places dedicated to keeping people out. The simplest of these would be fences, such as those topped with barbed wire or electrified. The defensive bastions of a fort serve the same purpose. (There are many of these in the Eastern states. Some date from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.) You will not find the Elk essence in places devoted to keeping people in, such as jails. You are trying to feel that essence which is aimed at keeping people out. It is best if you can work from both inside and outside the position.
Exercise 2: The Elk Rune is also a symbol of dignity and regal bearing. Its power helps to uplift and exalt. This is a thinking exercise. Get a pen and paper ready. Now, sit and relax. Think of things that bring out your better nature. What makes you want to do better? Dignity is characterized by self-respect and respect for the feelings of others. A colloquial phrase is “showing some class.” What brings out the dignity in you? Think about it for a few minutes and then write down examples. Take no more than five minutes for the actual writing. Try to list at least eight things. When you are done, put the list away for 24 hours.
Take out your list and look it over. Look for items that are connected. You will find that underlying these things is a common thread. What is it? What is it about you that responds to the things on your list? Take your time. It may be one thing, it may be more. Write notes if it helps. Often, people doing this exercise discover something new about themselves. That thing that evokes your dignity and better nature is your personal link to the Elk Rune.
The writing exercises are excellent tools. I have taught them for over 25 years with good effect, for everything from Rune study to self-improvement. The trick is that you must write them down by hand, and follow all instructions. No short-cuts!
Alternate exercise: The Elk Rune is considered a symbol of Man reaching to the Gods. The shape of the Rune is very much like the posture used to invoke. Assume that pose and image golden light streaming to you from above. Image it filling you and flowing through you. Keep the image of the Elk Rune in your mind as you do this exercise. Do this for a few minutes. You will appreciate the results.
Mobile defense: One aspect of Elk’s defense is the “mobile defense.” The defense of Bastogne in 1944 is an example. The town was surrounded and defensive resources were limited. Rather than form a line, a mobile defense was planned Wherever the enemy attacked, resources were moved to defend that point. The same resources would be moved to any point of the line that was under attack. This is similar to an elk defending its territory from intruders on any side. If you have access to military history, take time to read on similar examples of mobile defense by an encircled force.
Magick circle: in conventional magick ,the circle is cast at the beginning of a ritual. Its purpose is to protect sacred space. Heathen magick has its own circle. As you meditate, imagine that a shell forms around you. It gets brighter and stronger with each breath. Do this for a few minutes. Practice this exercise at least once a day for six months or longer. If it helps, image an Elk Rune while you do this exercise. The result is that you are your magick circle. You carry it with you wherever you go. There are many legends and myths that allude to this, such as Thor’s belt of strength,. A belt is a circle, after all.
Listing Good: As with the writing exercise described as Exercise 2, get a pen and paper ready. Relax and think of times when your behavior was especially regal. This would include spontaneous acts of courtesy, consideration, and the kind of behavior that inspires the same in others. There is a feeling of grandness to it. One description might be “behaving as the Gods.” Try to list at least eight examples. Put it away for at least 24 hours. Do this in conjunction with Exercise 2.
Take this list and look over it. Now compare it with the list and the results of Exercise 2. You will see correlations between items on both lists between things that inspire and things that you do. This will reveal incidents of the Elk Rune at work in your experience. It makes the Rune much more personal to you.
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Uncle Thor
