Naudhiz: the Power of Your Heartbeat

Naudhiz (Necessities)

Meaning: the Ego, Determination, Independence, Individuality, Needs, the Self, Uniqueness

Affirmation: I have all I need to be uniquely myself.

Associations: Chores, Self Inflicted Drama, Life's Lessons, Self Reliance, Tasks, Work

Naudhiz resembles, to me, a human figure with its arms outstretched, dancing in a circle, celebrating the beauty and unique energy its life and vitality. When I envision the energy of Naudhiz, I am met with a breathless desire to seek whatever the heart wants. This is a need to fulfill the call of fate, which Naudhiz is very much ruled by. It is through the gateway of Self that we continue to be reborn, after all, in order to garner the many important lessons that life has to offer. The energy of Naudhiz drives us to fulfill the deep set, unique desires of our spirit, if for no other reason than to feel the satisfaction of having completed a job well done.

While many of the runes focus on our connections with our community, friends, and family, Naudhiz is one of the few Elder Futhark that focuses on the individual. Most of its aspects are positive, and involve each of us doing as we desire, in our own personal way. There is the edge of ego, however, that Naudhiz also warns us of. If we do not hold ourselves in high enough esteem, we will be used by the energies around us. In some cases, the energies around us won't even mean to be taking advantage of us at all. They will just be filling up the empty space that we have left available for them to fill. In other cases, our ego might overrun us, becoming the energy that reaches to fill the space others have abandoned or left void. Learning the appropriate balance of self respect is pivotal to achieving our proper place in the larger picture of the universe.

The primary rune forming Naudhiz is Isa. I think this is poignant, because when we come from the realm of spirit into this physical one, we are breaking free from a place that is eternal, steady, and unchanging, as it exists beyond time. That Isa crosses itself, breaking the stagnation and stillness its energy represents, is representative, to me, of our emergence from this place of stillness into the exciting, ever-changing physical world.

Isa is also present in the energies of Naudhiz in that moving forward towards our own unique, true self requires breaking free from certain molds and expectations. Understandably, society attempts to work each of us into a particular type of person. This makes us easier to manage and take care of, because we are more predictable. While we should all do our best to fit into society in a way that is positive and beneficial to those around us, sometimes society asks us to become someone or something we are not. Naudhiz urges us to break these rigid systems when it is healthy and true to who we are, but also to remember that our own sense of self does not undermine or overrule the desires and wants of others.

I also see Kenaz. Self awareness and wisdom are very, very important in understanding who we are, and our own unique role in the world. Turning our torches or lanterns inward to observe ourselves is an important step in knowing how to move towards our destiny and dreams. When we are focused on the wrong things, or are misinformed about the reality of ourselves, it is easy to feel lost or confused about who we are, or how to move forward. Kenaz urges us, when working with the energies of Naudhiz, to be sure that we are clear and informed about who we are, and where we are going.

The last rune I see when I look at Naudhiz is Gebo. While it is somewhat condensed and tilted, the energies of the Gift are still present here. Life itself, in ways, is a gift, being that it is an opportunity to gain wisdom and knowledge about the ultimate truths of the universe. The ability for the universe to observe and care for itself through our life is also a blessing, as is the universe's decision to care for us in return. If we become truly open to this divine connection with the abundance and love of the universe, we become unstoppable as individuals. There are no blockages standing between us and the vast amount of energy that the universe has to channel wherever it is needed. As such, mastering the energies of Gebo are especially important in the art of manifesting. Gebo is also present in the mastery of the ego, knowing when to give of ourselves, and when to take.

The following spread is called The Mirror, and is one of several spreads featuring the wisdom of Naudhiz to be found in my upcoming book, Runic Wisdom. I would love to see any pulls or results you get using this spread! Please tag #RunicWisdom or #RunicWisdomNaudhiz to make sure I get a gander at it. There is an easy to share version of this spread available on Instagram, as well!