Runes and the Way. The Third Att
Thus, the Traveler, having overcome the temptation of loneliness, is transformed from Warrior of Light into Warrior of Spirit; a fire of compassion is kindled within him alongside a spirit of self‑sacrifice. This stage is symbolized by the Rune Tiwaz.
If at the Sowilo stage the Warrior’s victories were over himself and abstract forces, then at the Tiwaz stage the struggle becomes concrete and opponents reveal themselves. But alongside the competitive spirit that manifests at this stage, Tiwaz instills a need for mentor and student. If in earlier stages the student was merely led, at the Tiwaz level he begins to learn actively — to learn from the world and the Power, and, if he is lucky, from a Master. At the same time a need arises for the continued flow of power, and this is no longer the “Neophyte syndrome” as at the Ansuz stage; it is a conscious necessity aimed at preventing the stagnation of power. At the Tiwaz stage the Traveler’s discipline reaches its peak: he no longer feels internal friction or contradiction, he is ready for battle and engages flawlessly. Just as Fehu kindled a fire in the soul, and Hagalaz destroyed the old self with that fire, Tiwaz begins to use that fire to warm others, manifesting it outwardly. The danger of the Tiwaz stage lies in the desire to give oneself entirely — excessive self‑sacrifice. Only the understanding that a living warrior can help more effectively than a dead one prevents recklessness. The result of successfully passing this stage is the formation of detachment from battle outcomes, the ability to share those outcomes.
Such awareness gives rise in the Traveler to a need to tend, to shelter and protect, to remove obstacles not only from his own path but from others’ paths as well. In part this is similar to the desire at the Gebo level; however the Rune Berkana, corresponding to this stage, imparts not merely superficial meaning (as it did at the Gebo level) but a deep, primordial significance. It turns out that the desire to shelter and care for someone is a prerequisite for the flow of power, since the possibilities of using it for oneself have already been exhausted, and power grows only through use. The danger of the Berkana stage lies in replacing the desire to care with the desire to patronize; the need to transmit Power can manifest as a condescending, arrogant attitude toward those to whom that Power is given. This danger can be avoided by recognizing the need to care as your own, not the need of the recipient (he may not even be aware that he needs this care). The result of such a harmonious passage through this stage is the emergence of a nurturing force, as one of the necessary forms of manifestation.
The next step leads to the emergence of an equal partnership. The Traveler understands that care is good, but a shared Way is necessary as well. He begins to strive for friendship, mutual generosity, and shared battle. The stage Ehwaz, corresponding to this aspiration, is characterized by the birth of an idea of harmony not only with the world and with himself, but also with another person or Traveler. Trust and cooperation become necessary conditions of the Way. If at Tiwaz the need arises to defend, and at Berkana to shelter, then at Ehwaz there arises the need for a friend’s shoulder, for shared battle. The danger of this stage lies in choosing the wrong companion, and overcoming it is possible only by being convinced of his (the fellow‑traveler’s) loyalty. The result of effectively passing the Ehwaz stage is the development of capacity for communication in the broadest, deepest sense, the capacity for cooperation and balanced harmony.
The ability to cooperate moves the Traveler to the next stage — the stage Mannaz. At this level interpersonal relations split into several circles differing in distance from the center — the personality of the Magus. Ordering surroundings and deciding whom to accompany, whom to care for, whom to protect, whom to show the Way, and whom to avoid allows one to structure the social sphere into which the Magus, reborn in the Second Att, has re-entered. Such ordering requires the development of a special social intuition, understanding the motivations of those around him and seeing their Ways. The danger of this stage consists in forming an egregore around oneself — a vampiric social entity. This can be avoided if one treats the immediate circle as a family, where everyone is connected to everyone not by a single axis of the egregore, but by a mutual flow of power. The result of successfully passing the Mannaz level is the formation of a Magical family — a field in which the Traveler’s power manifests most freely.
At this stage the Warrior’s potential is realized to the fullest. Now the task is to draw the last hidden enemies from the subconscious. Having formed his external field, the Traveler plunges once again into his depths to restore order there. This state is symbolized by the Rune Laguz. In his immersion, the Traveler encounters archetypal structures living deep in the Unconscious and brings them to the surface. One could say that the task of this stage is the extension of mind over the whole area of the Unconscious. The danger of such immersion lies in the final attack of Darkness, desperately striving to regain domination, if not on the surface, then at least in the depths of the Magus’s being. The destructive forces, threatened with total expulsion, realize they have nothing to lose and, like a mighty tsunami, strike at the mind. Defeat in this battle can result in either the loss of reason or the Magus falling into chaos at the threshold of victory. If this is successfully overcome, the Magus attains full control over himself, his motives and his driving forces.
The use of these driving forces brings to the surface a new source of manifestation, welling up like a fountain from the depths of the Traveler’s being. This “spiritual climax” is symbolized by the Rune Ingwaz. In the Magus a desire for a new transition begins to ripen — to transcend the human, transformed but still limited existence. It is precisely the inner energy brought forth at the Laguz level that serves as the springboard for this leap. The Magus reaches a state of godhood, for now a terrestrial god, and prepares for the crossing. He is already “ripe” and ready to continue beyond the known. However, the danger of this stage consists, paradoxically, in the previous stages that have tied bonds which may begin to become ballast; compassion for those who cannot go further may slow the transition. Therefore the Magus must decide whom he will take with him, and whom he will have to leave behind — that is, to form his own, now closed, circle.
This circle, the “own field,” is symbolized by the Rune Othala. This Rune, Rune of safeguarded freedom, requires firmly establishing boundaries of his own universe. At the same time, the Magus realizes himself as a link in the global Chain of Travelers, some of whom follow behind and some who have already left this world, and his advancement is a condition (and, simultaneously, a manifestation) of the movement of the whole Chain. Therefore the Magus prepares for those who cannot continue the Way with him an inheritance — Power, knowledge, advice and methods accumulated by him. This transmission is a necessary condition. Without it the Way is not realized; the Magus is obliged to leave an inheritance, to add a new link to the chain; otherwise it will break, dragging both himself and those with him into the abyss of chaos. The danger of this stage is the division of the Magus’s estate caused by errors in choosing heirs and leading to a weakening of the Magical Chain. Successful completion of this stage leads to the final establishment of the form of this Magus’s law of being, his own contribution to the Manifestation of Power.
This turn of the Spiral of Being concludes with the Passage symbolized by the Rune Dagaz, the beginning of a new day, a new turn on levels beyond the human mind. The complete transformation of the Magus’s being, his transcendence beyond dense being, is another victory in the endless war of Light and Darkness, mind and chaos.
Of course, the runic scheme interpretation offered above is not the only one possible. Rather, it is only an example of how universal this structure is, how fully it describes processes occurring everywhere. Other interpretations can help deepen this understanding and suggest new nuances of the endless wisdom of the Runes.
The passage of the Runes cycle can be considered on a larger or smaller scale: stages, Runes can be seen as whole lives, they can be seen as large stages of life, or they can be viewed as separate phases of becoming. Nothing changes from this. Inside the spiral there is always a spiral – and by going through the Great cycle life after life, you go through a smaller cycle in one life, during which even smaller cycles repeat several times. The main thing is to understand where you are at the moment, what opportunities are open to you, and which are closed.
Does any system or situation develop spirally under the influence of the energies of one of the attas or simultaneously all three? After all, one who embarks on the Path (1 att) is simultaneously subjected to the laws (2 att) and enters into connections (3 att). Of course, this is rough and approximate, but still?
The influence of the attas can be considered both sequentially and in parallel, depending on the purpose of the description.
Does a person who has never heard of runes still exist under the influence of their energies? I.e., are the energies of the runes “spilled” everywhere?
Yes, of course, they are, they just name these energies differently.
Is it correct to say that I can lay out my entire path in attas (like in a pattern), find where I am now and “try on” the next rune as a point ahead on my path, activating some of its components?
Yes, relating the Path to the Futhark can be very productive.
“He starts to strive for friendship, mutual giving, and joint battle.” It turns out that both travelers, each playing their part, are interested in quickly passing through the stages. Must they both be aware of the passage of stages in dependence on each other, or is it enough for just one to be guided?
Bra: It only takes one striving for friendship. The striving of one will speed up the passage of this stage, revealing the dependency of the follower and the leader.