Hagalaz: the Beauty of the Beast

Hagalaz: the Hailstorm

Meaning: Catastrophe, Loss of Power, Major Changes, Unpleasant Surprises, Upheaval

Affirmation: I can withstand any storm.

Associations: Chaos, Natural Disasters, Silver Linings, the Uncontrollable

Hagalaz is the Hailstorm, and is associated with everything winter storm: cold, blustering, and relentless. Like winter storms, however, Hagalaz is not all chill and disaster. The upheaval and change that it generates space for, and creates, new energies, and provides a lot of nourishment and energy into what is new to come, as well.

Like tarot and other divination tools, some runes have more negative meanings. Hagalaz is one of those runes. It's easy to let your heart catch in your throat whenever the Hailstorm appears in a reading, as a result, especially considering the energies it heralds. The important thing to remember, however, is that all storms have an end, and that the clouds Hagalaz casts in your life always have silver linings.

When I look at Hagalaz, I see, first (and not surprisingly!) Isa. Isa brings about the cold nature of Hagalaz, which is necessary for this rune to do the work it does. If Hagalaz was worried about our feelings or immediate well being, it wouldn't be able to bring about the massive and important changes that spirit has deemed necessary for us to undergo. Isa may allow for its normalcy and steadiness to be broken, but works just as hard to restore that steadiness once Hagalaz has done its work.

I also see Laguz. Laguz reminds us that what we are asked to watch while things unravel are not the things, but the way those disasters make us feel. When we lose something we love, we are taught the value of what love is. When we are made afraid, we are taught the value of feeling safe. When our homes or other things are destroyed or taken from us, so too are we taught exactly how we feel about those things, and their true value to us. Through Laguz, Hagalaz becomes meaningful, and not just calamitous: a reminder that, while physical things are temporary, our emotions, memories, and thoughts around them are much more permanent.

Lastly, I see Uruz, flipped onto itself, even! Uruz takes the endurance of things away for the Hailstorm to destroy them, but also teaches us that we have the ability to endure these disasters. It is from Uruz that Hagalaz gets its great strength and ability to cause such upheaval, but it is also from this steady, ancient energy that we will be able to draw the fortitude to make it through whatever Hagalaz throws at us.

My followers on Instagram are brave! They voted for a path through the storm, rather than a shelter from it, and so that is what today's featured spread from my upcoming book, Runic Wisdom, is going to discuss. If you'd like to get to vote on future editions of Futhark Thursday like this one, give me a follow on Instagram, and keep an eye on my stories there! Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this spread, titled, "Rain Dance." If you decide to share this spread on social media, please give me a tag, or use the hashtags #runicwisdom or #runicwisdomhagalaz to make sure I get a peep!