The Protective Power of the Teaching

Sedge grows in marshes
usually in water
and wounds painfully
draws blood from anyone who tears it.

Receptivity at the level of the Second Atta manifests as the ability to anticipate danger, which is sometimes even more important than being strong.

The rune Algiz (Sedge, Elhas — the Elk, sometimes Eolh) continues the runic sequence, developing the flow of power, and in a sense complements Perthro by conveying that excessive growth of luck is dangerous because it makes a person too conspicuous and thus more vulnerable.

The first mythological correspondence of this rune is, of course, the guardian of the gods Heimdall. The White Aesir not only marks the boundaries between Worlds while ensuring their connection, he also embodies the instinct for survival present throughout nature.

It is precisely this instinct — manifest in the elk’s wariness (which, as is known, “harmless but dangerous when angry”), in the sharp points of sedge leaves, in Heimdall’s vigilance, and in the agility of the warrior — that allows the world as a whole and its parts to remain secure (being protected is better than defending).

Naturally, in relation to Heimdall, the rune Algiz is also associated with the power of the interworld; however, if at the level of Eihwaz the union involved mainly the Lower and Middle, then at the level of Algiz it links the Middle and Upper.

In this aspect, Algiz also corresponds to the Valkyries (“choosers of the dead”), who embody this aspect of the connection by carrying dying heroes to Valhalla. It should be noted that this transition also expresses survival, since it secures the continuation of a more or less full “life after death,” compared with the prospect of a miserable existence in Hel.

The symbolic field of Algiz also includes invocation magic as a whole, and the graphic representation of this rune can correspond not only to the sedge spikes or the elk’s antlers but also to a person with raised arms calling on the gods.

The rune Algiz is one of the most widely used in magic. This “protective mark” can be found on the ornamentation of clothing, dwellings, etc., where it was of course applied with protective intent.

At the same time, Sigrdrífa apparently assigns Algiz to the Runes of the Waves since it can “save ships at sea“, also manifesting in its protective aspect.

Algiz was also employed in battle magic, applied to shields, and used for protection in magical rituals.

Graphically, Algiz is related to Fehu (since it also expresses patronage and care) and to Gebo, expressing the power of friendship.

At the same time, clumsy use of the rune Algiz makes a person excessively isolated, insensitive not only to negative but also to positive influences. Therefore, the use of this rune requires not only great wisdom but also great strength, which must ensure the selective permeability of the boundaries created by Algiz.

In this aspect, Algiz corresponds to Sigrdrífa’s sleep beyond the Ring of Fire, which only a great hero has the power to break.