(Uruz) 
I am the Wild Hunt and
its quarry
The courage to fall
and rise again
I bring to you the
strength of the high mountain
When you think I have
left you,
Seek me within.
Letter/Sound: U
Translation: The Aurochs
The Rune of Strength also represents an animal, this time a species of ox called the Aurochs, which once populated the European wildlands. The Aurochs was driven into extinction by overzealous hunting, and the last one was killed in the early 17th century. It was a large animal, powerful, and its Rune serves as a counterpoint to the domesticated beast of Fehu. The shape of the Rune is reminiscent of the horns of the ox; here in my home state we have a similar animal, the Longhorn, and if the Aurochs was at all bigger it must have been a formidable animal indeed.
Uruz is a masculine Rune to Fehu’s feminine, but more than that, it is the Call of the Wild. We begin our journey at home, in mundane life, becoming secure in ourselves and our situation in the world. At some point, however, we pause and look around, perhaps asking, “Did anyone else hear that?”
Something has to lead a seeker into seeking. In the case of many would-be Pagan practitioners, it is a feeling of connection to Nature, a realization that there is spirit and energy in every living thing. When we first begin to see and sense there is more to life than work and sleep, we catch sight of the hoofprints of Uruz.
At this point, however, we aren’t quite ready to leave behind all that is familiar and safe to go haring off into the unknown. Uruz isn’t the journey itself, but the knowledge that a journey is coming, and soon. What the Rune symbolizes in essence is that which we must find in ourselves in order to take that first step: Strength.
The Rune of Strength is also the Rune of Will. Your Will is not the same as a whim, not simply a desire; your Will is the soul-deep understanding of the path before you, the choices you must make, and the lessons you are slated to learn in this walk around the Earth. Your Will comes from a grounded place and is carved out of stone; the usual plethora of wants and “needs” we get so entangled in is no more substantial than the wind, and changes just as readily. Your Will does not take the easy way out, and as such, it is hard to follow--especially when you’ve gotten so comfortable with your life.
Think of Fehu as the homestead, and Uruz as the far horizon that beckons. At this point in the Spiral you aren’t ready to go chasing after the second star on the right, but you can feel something you never felt before, a pull, drawing you away.
The Rune of Strength
in Divination
When you see Strength in your readings, there could be several forces at work in the situation. First, and most likely, it indicates that in order to be successful and to triumph in whatever part of life the reading describes, you must look to your own inner Strength and call upon your true Will to make the right decisions. Determination is called for here.
Another thing Uruz can sometimes speak of is an actual person, either one in our lives or one that will be, almost always male. If you draw Uruz and Fehu together it’s possible the two are speaking of a couple, no matter what combination of actual genders is involved. The two are complementary. The man in question is likely a strong figure, one with definite ideas about what he wants and how the world should be; occasionally he can be a bully or have what my friends and I call “testosterone poisoning.” Uruz is almost stereotypically masculine in energy, but can be harnessed by women just as well to help with situations where we need to stand up for ourselves.
There is an undercurrent of sexuality to the energy of this Rune--not love, but purely physical, often intense, red-hot monkey sex. If Uruz appears with the Rune of Love (X) you may see a sudden inrush of sexual activity that could very well yield up a lasting relationship. On its own, however, Strength has no emotional attachment to its partners, and is in it for the enjoyment of the moment with no strings. If you are in a situation that feels stuck, or have a creative block, and Uruz appears, you might try spicing up your sex life a little to get your energy flowing again.
In fact, another difference between the two opening Runes of this Aett is one of embodiment; while both are symbolic of manifest reality, Fehu represents the material world, our life situation; Uruz is more in tune with our bodies themselves, our very physical existence. Drawing Uruz can indicate you need a more literal kind of strength, and that you should turn your attention to your body's health and needs.
What to Think About When Strength Appears in a
Reading
1. Am I following through on my plans, or am I procrastinating?
2. Is there something I know has to be done that I am afraid to do?
3. What about this situation am I genuinely afraid of?
4. Is there a person in my life who is exerting too much influence over my decisions?
5. What is it that I truly want?
6. Am I willing to do what it takes to achieve my dreams?
7. Have I been dreaming of a different life lately? What about my life could I change?
Hola Sylvan!
Just wanted to let you know that I love the Runic Wednesday posts! I'm learning a lot and they're very interesting.
Posted by: Nadia | July 10, 2008 at 08:53 AM
I can't believe I missed this on Wednesday!
Uruz has been 'my Rune' since about this time last summer. I saw it and went *bing!* Something inside me just KNEW.
Posted by: Danmara | July 11, 2008 at 03:34 PM