Today’s affirmation comes from the third rune of the first aett (or “family”) in the Elder Futhark, Thurisaz. Its traditional meaning comes from the Rune Poems, the oldest of which translates as follows:
The Thorn is sorely sharp for any thane
Hurtful to hold
Uncommonly severe
To every man who lies among them.–The Anglo-Saxon rune poem, Verse III
In the mid-70’s author Michael Crichton wrote a book called The Eaters of the Dead based on the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. In 1999 it was made into a movie starring Antonio Banderas and Omar Sharif. Though an abysmal failure at the box office, the movie remains one of my favorites. A line from the film stuck with me, one I feel succinctly conveys the meaning of Thurisaz: “Fear profits a man nothing.”
At a deeper level, this rune speaks to the power of anger as a catalyst for positive change…a “thorn” we can use to cut ourselves free from relationships and circumstances that don’t empower us. However it also speaks to the danger in holding on to anger after it has served its purpose. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all personally experienced (and observed in others) the damaging effects of anger that stays around longer than it should.
Yet another facet of Thurisaz is a warning to be cautious of temptation. To put it another way, be cautious of thorns when you reach out to pluck that ripe, sweet berry from the vine.
And so the affirmation for Thurisaz is,
Today I choose peace, and release fear. I trust in my innermost self to give all the guidance and strength I need.
A note about this affirmation (and any written by someone other than yourself): if the words presented don’t ring true for you, feel free to change them. Make the affirmation something that feels good to you. For example, some may want to replace “innermost self” above with the name by which they address their Higher Power (God, Goddess, Buddha, etc.). The words don’t do the work on their own…it’s words + repetition + personal intent and emotional connection that make affirmations such powerful catalysts for positive growth. Make the affirmation your own!
Click here to see other affirmations in this series.
Affirmations inspired by Orin and Sanaya Roman
Source material: Oswald the Runemaker
I’ve been a runology student for 20 years. See the About page or click here to learn more about my work with the runes.
Today’s rune is Wunjo. It’s commonly known as “joy,” but its meaning runs deeper than simple happiness on a personality level.
A sister in spirit got in touch with me yesterday and asked about the significance of the rune Gebo. She is searching for her next home, and saw this rune in two trees nearby while praying about the issue.
= Ansuz;
Under a Violet Sun 