Dynamic Harmony

The horse before the earls, joy of the atlings; when it is spoken of, the warriors — worthy men — speak while mounted; he is always solace to the restless.

Passivity at the level of Forms manifests as an instrument aligned with the operator’s will, allowing the operator to change interaction mode (his position) with the environment.

The rune Ehwaz (Horse, sometimes Aihos) expresses the balance and control attained in movement toward a goal.

Mythologically this Rune corresponds to Sleipnir (the Slipper) — Odin’s eight-legged steed, which is in fact inseparable from its Rider and forms a single whole with him. As is known, Sleipnir is a child of Loki (and of the builder’s horse that built Asgard’s wall), which associates him with the chthonic monsters Jormungandr and Fenrir; however, the fact that Loki in this instance acted not as father but as mother points to a fundamental difference manifested in the very manner of movement: if Fenrir and Jormungandr move from the Lower Worlds (and the Ocean) to Asgard, on Sleipnir, Hermod travels from Asgard to Hel to beg the release of Baldr.

Another point important for understanding the peculiarities of Ehwaz’s energy is Loki’s change of sex, which emphasizes the decidedly sexual character of this Rune and, in essence, the erotic attraction between the Moving and the Moved principles.

Like other Passive Runes (Thurisaz and Isa), Ehwaz in its manifestations is entirely subject to the will of the Active principle. Therefore the adaptability of Ehwaz’s forces to the operator (as in the breaking in of a horse) ensures the fusion of the spirit of the Horse with the spirit of the Rider, forming a single being racing through the worlds.

The symbolic field of Ehwaz also includes the notion of kinetic interaction; as mentioned, the harmony of Horse and Rider is dynamic, therefore the forces of the Nineteenth Rune do not tolerate stagnation, nor do they tolerate a weak hand.

Friendship, cooperation, and fidelity (whether at the level of people, forces, or other manifestations of being), which are the result of Ehwaz’s operation, constitute precisely a shared Way, a quest in which each participant realizes their aims only insofar as those aims are common, uniting the companions.

Mobile vortices are another element that execute the will of the Magus, whether ministering spirits of the Summoner or temporary whirlwinds created by the Conjurer; nevertheless, it is easy to understand that it is these very forces of the Rune that make the bond between the Magus and the Agents strong, allowing reciprocal interactions as well (for example, counterattacks).

Graphically, Ehwaz corresponds to the bend in Hagalaz’s line (which precisely corresponds to the emergence of new points of force application) and may also be regarded as the sum of two Laguz, which shows that the Rider must adjust to the Horse, that is, it corresponds to the binary’s fullness in which the poles ideally mirror each other, expressing the harmony of duality. Connections can also be found with Uruz and Raido.

It is clear that the magical application of Ehwaz included its assistance in journeys, as well as its use as a means to direct magical action, an enchantment. Sigrdrifa apparently assigned Ehwaz to the “Runes of Beer,” considering its helpful, mobilizing character, and the Head of Mimir testified that this Rune adorned “Sleipnir’s teeth.”

At the same time, unskilled application of this Rune makes movement undesirable, and devotion turns into obsession.

In this aspect, Ehwaz corresponds to the Wolves that chase the Solar chariot, which, although they ensure its motion, do so in a decidedly unfriendly way.