My latest Bind rune I crafted as a representation of Life’s journey. It contains the runes Isa, Perthro, and Raidho.
- Isa: For knowledge of the self, centering the carrier of the charm, calming force
- Perthro: The laws of nature as represented by the Norse concept Orlog. This is not fate, but the laws by which fate is determined and involves a formula of one’s hamingja (actions/luck) and wyrd (life’s direction)
- Raidho: This is the journey itself, both a physical motion-towards as well as a deeper understanding of the spiritual aspects of such a physical trek
I believe that life is the process by which we move through time or by which we let time move past us. We can be a rudderless craft within the swift-moving current or we can use the current’s energy to guide our own directions within it. The rune above represents the latter, which is how I try to live.
The first requirement is to understand where you stand: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. This is Isa. It’s a standstill: but a kinetic type, not a static type. It is centering and forming, not paralyzing — especially when combined with Perthro and Raidho.
Once you know what Isa means for you, gain a solid understanding of Orlog, of the rules by which your future is determined. The gist of this is that your future is determined by your actions — positive and negative. This is the concept of the combination of Orlog, Hamingja, and Wyrd. This is what Perthro represents.
With knowledge of yourself and your position in your future, you are ready to take the journey itself. Raidho comes into play here: movement forward while knowing what processes are right and how you fit into those rhythms.
The bind rune strengthens the concept of each rune by folding them together. The three have shared components and do fit in a way that makes sense. Also, the bind rune fits my concept of what life is and may not apply for you. While the historic representations of each rune are established, there are subtleties within them that each person may feel differently about especially when bound.
My plan is to carve this rune into a charm out of a type of wood that makes sense for it. Within the Norse view of the world this would more-than-likely be yew: the literal tree of life.