Othila

[Heartsong]

Hi all!

I just thought I'd share some of my notes on a rune that's been sticking in my mind recently. Please feel free to share your own experiences with Othila and discuss!

I’ve been doing a good bit of reading and meditating on Othila (sometimes spelled Othala):


The Nature of the Rune

While there does not exist a specific rune poem in the Hávamál for this rune, an Anglo-Saxon poem that I have has this to say about Othila:

An estate is very dear to every man
if he may there rightly and peacfully
enjoy the hall's frequent harvest

Othila (also known as Ethel in Anglo-Saxon) is used in the Elder Futhark alphabet of runes, and is placed in the third aett. According to Freya Asywwn in her book, Northern Mysteries & Magick, the third aett can be summed up thusly:

Whereas the first aett describes the gods and all other being coming into existence, and the second aett describes the necessary antagonistic forces, the third aett gives an overview of the human condition...In this aett we examine the changes and development of human evolution under the guidance of the gods through Ragnorok and beyond. This aett can therefore be thought of as the aett of transformation. (Page 91)

I believe this to be a very important component when working with Othila. As many of you already know, Othila is the rune of inheritance, specifically, the inheritance of ancestral or familial land. In terms of the Northern European concept of inheritance, land, and therefore the community itself, was inherited through either direct descent (father to son, for example) or the most likely candidate that would be able to ensure the safety and prosperity of the community. It can thus be safely said that inheritance in the minds of the Germanic people was indelibly linked with ideals of nobility, honor, loyalty, and a sense of kinship. As the rune poem suggests, land, and more specifically communal or familial land, was very important to the Northern European way of life. People depended on a successful harvest, which depended on everyone working together on the land, which in turn depended on being able to do that safely. This meant that the owner of the land, or leader of the tribe residing on the land, had to be someone that could be relied upon, and upheld the values that the people believed would bring security and, again, prosperity.

It can also be thus inferred that Othila comes to represent the idea of "home", a safe haven, if you will. I've frequently come the association of Othila with what's been called a "sacred enclosure". Based on what I've read and my own experiences with the rune, I take this to mean nearly the same thing as home, in that Othila represents a space in which one is not only secure, but also where one has a sacred or clean space in which to commune with either one's ancestor's or deity. Mythologically speaking, Othila is known as a rune that is closely linked to Odin. One of his alter egos is Ve, whose name roughly translates to "sacred space" or "enclosed", which I associate with safety and protection. I find that even the shape of the rune could suggest an enclosure, or safe space, with the interlocking points, for lack of a better term, appearing almost as a crossed guard against unwanted entry :estaterune: . It reminds me very much of a fenced in village that once populated much of Stone Age Europe. I also found a comparison of Othila to the walls of Asgard, further cementing, for me, this idea of being safely enclosed.

Another really interesting facet of Othila goes back to the concept of inheritance. Many of the qualifications embodied in the person that the community desired to inherit the land are virtues that would be desired in humanity as a whole. These virtues ( honor, nobility, loyalty, kinship) are what many of us strive towards, and what many of us hope others strive for. In this sense, I believe Othila can also be a symbol of a future home, or sacred space, in which humanity can eventually share across the globe, the peak of civilization. When looked at through this lens, Othila can be seen as the inheritance of the greatest aspects of our ancestors, and eventually us, in order to achieve our greatest potential. It transcends time, moving both forward and back to encompass humanity's spiritual growth.

Othila in Spellcraft

There are a variety of uses for Othila in one's spellwork, but here's a bullet list of several of them I've compiled in my notes.

~Can be used in spells to strengthen family ties, recover the family's cultural inheritance, help access wisdom and power from one's heritage.

~Can help with the acquisition of possessions and "immobile" property (such as land or a family home)

~Can be used in spells that involve the protection and strengthening of family

~In a bindrune with Elhaz :elkrune: , wards the threshold of the home or sacred space

~When used with Mannuz :manrune: , can strengthen and fortify one's community

~When used with Annuz :ashrune: and Dagaz :dayrune: , can stimulate rediscovery of ancient lore and ritual, open our eyes to or spiritual heritage

~Can be used to invoke the wander/teacher aspect of Odin

[Xiao Rong]

Hi Heartsong, thanks for sharing! I especially like your association of the "safe haven" with the shape of the rune itself - I hadn't thought very much about the way it resembles a medieval village. I'll be jotting down in my runes notebook the part you wrote about the virtues that Othila embodies and how it represents the peak of civilization - the common human heritage that we all add to and aspire for.

A few questions I'd like to get your opinion on:

- Is Othila or Dagaz last in your version of the Elder Futhark? I typically choose Othila to be the last rune, because in my analysis I see the Elder Futhark as a version of the hero's journey, and the very last two stages of the journey are when the hero becomes master of both worlds, and when the hero is granted the freedom to live and returns home. The former I associate with Dagaz (a liminal time, with mastery over day and night) and the latter with Othila, where the hero returns home, stronger and wiser than before, and she can choose to use her experience to better her home world. That's just me, though, and I'm curious to know what you choose! I know Freya Aswynn writes some really interesting things about how Dagaz should be last because it complements Jera as the turning point.

- What do you think about Othila as a bindrune in itself? Elisa/Kassandra showed me this really neat video some time ago about how Mannaz is a bindrune of a bunch of other runes like Isa and Kennaz, and some time ago, someone else pointed out to me that Othila is a combination of Ingwaz (the seed/family) and Gifu (the gift), which put together make inheritance.


While we're comparing notes, some other observations I've made about Othila:

- Othila is land, which used to be inherited. It is the wealth that you cannot give away or sell, because it is a part of you. Sort of following in my hero's journey perspective of Othila, Othila represents the core parts of you that you can never lose. Some of that comes from your family and your heritage, but some of that core comes from your past experience, and that gets added to your inner wealth. So it represents to me strength, and the sense of security in that you can never lose that strength.

- For those of you looking for elemental associations, Othila is an earthy rune if I ever saw one.

[Heartsong]

Firstly, I want to say that was an amazing video, thank you for pointing it out to me and thank you Kassandra for posting it! That was so interesting!! I got goosebumps when she was talking about how the shapes of the runes are based on the primordial force runes of Isa (Ice) and Kennaz (Fire).

- Is Othila or Dagaz last in your version of the Elder Futhark? I typically choose Othila to be the last rune, because in my analysis I see the Elder Futhark as a version of the hero's journey, and the very last two stages of the journey are when the hero becomes master of both worlds, and when the hero is granted the freedom to live and returns home. The former I associate with Dagaz (a liminal time, with mastery over day and night) and the latter with Othila, where the hero returns home, stronger and wiser than before, and she can choose to use her experience to better her home world. That's just me, though, and I'm curious to know what you choose! I know Freya Aswynn writes some really interesting things about how Dagaz should be last because it complements Jera as the turning point.

I really like how you look at the runes as the hero's journey, and having Othila last in that regard makes sense to me. But, in the version I use, Dagaz is last. I chose to use this version because, to me, it comes down once again to the shape of the rune itself, and to time. I'm sure the comparison has been made before, but Dagaz closely resembles (in shape), the hourglass, which is also the basis for the symbol for eternity:

Where Othila in many ways represents the potential for humanity, the eventual peak that we strive towards, Dagaz is the endless cycle, and to me, is irrevocably linked to the timelessness of that struggle. That's not to say that we will always be reaching for the unattainable. Rather, for me, it is an indication that just as one hero comes home renewed, strengthened, and wiser for her journey, there will always come another will will undertake the same journey. (Now I'm really going to have to do a post on Dagaz, because there is just so much more to say about this rune! )

- What do you think about Othila as a bindrune in itself? Elisa/Kassandra showed me this really neat video some time ago about how Mannaz is a bindrune of a bunch of other runes like Isa and Kennaz, and some time ago, someone else pointed out to me that Othila is a combination of Ingwaz (the seed/family) and Gifu (the gift), which put together make inheritance.

I believe Freya Aswynn makes the same point about Othila. I know I wrote that down because it intrigued me. And I think Othila could absolutely be used as a bindrune in and of itself. If you look at it as the video you shared points out, with the basis of its structure being Isa and Kennaz, it looks very much to me as if Isa has been crossed beneath Kennaz, almost as if to contain it, to keep it safe. That corresponds in my mind with the idea of keeping one's home (safe haven), or sacred space well fortified against unwanted entry. In that sense, I would think it could be an excellent bindrune for protection of the home, but also for an individual. Othila is, to me, a rune representing the internal, the important haven that resides within, and on one level, I can see that as meaning the soul, or as you've pointed out Xiao, "the core parts of you that you can never lose". It is our refuge, the one thing no one wants to have taken away or a price placed on. Someone who is willing to "sell their soul", to use the colloquialism, someone who would betray their internal inheritance (we are made up of the genetic material of our ancestors, and some point to the soul being reincarnated, thus inherited from past selves), potentially would have no qualms relinquishing their external inheritance, such as the community. I see the same idea reflected in the composition of Othila from Ingwaz and Gifu.

- Othila is land, which used to be inherited. It is the wealth that you cannot give away or sell, because it is a part of you. Sort of following in my hero's journey perspective of Othila, Othila represents the core parts of you that you can never lose. Some of that comes from your family and your heritage, but some of that core comes from your past experience, and that gets added to your inner wealth. So it represents to me strength, and the sense of security in that you can never lose that strength.

- For those of you looking for elemental associations, Othila is an earthy rune if I ever saw one.

Thank you for adding this information, I'd completely forgotten about the elemental aspect of Othila! And I agree, it is very earthy.

[Xiao Rong]

But, in the version I use, Dagaz is last. I chose to use this version because, to me, it comes down once again to the shape of the rune itself, and to time. I'm sure the comparison has been made before, but Dagaz closely resembles (in shape), the hourglass, which is also the basis for the symbol for eternity. Where Othila in many ways represents the potential for humanity, the eventual peak that we strive towards, Dagaz is the endless cycle, and to me, is irrevocably linked to the timelessness of that struggle. That's not to say that we will always be reaching for the unattainable. Rather, for me, it is an indication that just as one hero comes home renewed, strengthened, and wiser for her journey, there will always come another will will undertake the same journey.

That's also a really good point, and that's changed my mind a lot about putting Othila at the end. I'm still kind of torn between the two, but you're right - it may not be the best idea to view the hero's journey as a static, one-time thing but a journey we embark on multiple times throughout our lives, or collectively throughout history.

Plus, it was pointed out to me (can't remember by whom) that if Dagaz comes last, then each of the three aetts ends with something fire-related, and each time with increasing strength (the first with Kennaz, the torch - which I guess isn't the last one, the second with Sigel, the sun, then the third with Dagaz, the day), which has some nice symmetry to it.

(Now I'm really going to have to do a post on Dagaz, because there is just so much more to say about this rune! )

Yes please!

If you look at it as the video you shared points out, with the basis of its structure being Isa and Kennaz, it looks very much to me as if Isa has been crossed beneath Kennaz, almost as if to contain it, to keep it safe. That corresponds in my mind with the idea of keeping one's home (safe haven), or sacred space well fortified against unwanted entry. In that sense, I would think it could be an excellent bindrune for protection of the home, but also for an individual

Ooh, yes! And not to mention, that you need both fire and ice (fire to warm the home, ice and winter to fertilize the land and grow crops) for a good home. (sort of - I wonder if that's a bit of a stretch!)

[Heartsong]

That's also a really good point, and that's changed my mind a lot about putting Othila at the end. I'm still kind of torn between the two, but you're right - it may not be the best idea to view the hero's journey as a static, one-time thing but a journey we embark on multiple times throughout our lives, or collectively throughout history.

Oooh, very true! Just as one chapter of our lives ends, another begins. And I'm also thinking about how we don't always succeed in our journeys. At times, we have to undertake it again, because we missed a turn, or were forced back by an obstacle that was just too intimidating for us to overcome at that time.

Plus, it was pointed out to me (can't remember by whom) that if Dagaz comes last, then each of the three aetts ends with something fire-related, and each time with increasing strength (the first with Kennaz, the torch - which I guess isn't the last one, the second with Sigel, the sun, then the third with Dagaz, the day), which has some nice symmetry to it.

I hadn't even realized that, but you're right! Gah, it just always amazes me how the runes just flow together so beautifully!

If you look at it as the video you shared points out, with the basis of its structure being Isa and Kennaz, it looks very much to me as if Isa has been crossed beneath Kennaz, almost as if to contain it, to keep it safe. That corresponds in my mind with the idea of keeping one's home (safe haven), or sacred space well fortified against unwanted entry. In that sense, I would think it could be an excellent bindrune for protection of the home, but also for an individual

Ooh, yes! And not to mention, that you need both fire and ice (fire to warm the home, ice and winter to fertilize the land and grow crops) for a good home. (sort of - I wonder if that's a bit of a stretch!)

I don't think it's too much of a stretch, especially if you consider that ice and fire are needed to be in balance (in more ways than one) in order for us to be in balance. In that sense, to me, you once again come back around to the concept of home being well-fortified, most importantly against anything that could threaten that balance (safety, for example).

[Isis3Anubis]

I read in Lisa Peschel's guide to runes that Othala contains the power of all the other runes? I am trying to understand this as she only goes into how Othala is the inherited traits of our ancestors. Does Othala contain all the ancestral wisdom of humanity?

[-Dark-Moon-]

I sometimes read it as the situation that we have inherited such as our 'lot in life', our Kharma/dharma, and influences coming from the past.

[Xiao Rong]

I am trying to understand this as she only goes into how Othala is the inherited traits of our ancestors. Does Othala contain all the ancestral wisdom of humanity?

Yeah, I think that's pretty accurate. As I understand the runes (which borrows heavily from the Hero's Journey), each reflects some aspect of what we encounter in life; put together, the entire runic alphabet suggests a pretty complete human experience. As Heartsong and I were discussing, this human experience is cyclical in nature - each generation has had to wrestle with some really deep, fundamental truths and engage in the same primal conflicts, and through these journeys they pass on to us their collective wisdom. So in that sense, I think Othila can very well represent the collection of human wisdom, yet also "the potential for humanity" (as Heartsong puts it).