Sol, nothing is invulnerable
Published: Mon, 07/01/13
Several of the runes can be seen as warnings. Fe warns about the
dangers of conflict over wealth, Thor reminds us of our
vulnerability, Hagl, that we must be ready for the unexpected, Nod
of not letting the winter (or any other predictable event) catch us
unprepared. Sol is about taking protection for granted, about
being so sure of our situation that we believe ourselves to be
invulnerable. Sol represents the mid-summer sun. The days have
been getting longer for six months and it seems that light and
sunshine rule everything, but after the longest day darkness claims
a little more of each subsequent day and we slide inexorably
towards mid-winter again.
Baldur was made invulnerable by his mother, or at least she thought
she had done, the only thing that could harm him was the mistletoe,
an insignificant plant that does not even have its own roots.
Because of his own supposed invulnerability Baldur took the most
absurd risks, allowing any one who wanted to to throw spears at him
or shoot arrows. This became a great game because nothing could
harm him, until Loki arranged for an arrow tipped with mistletoe to
be loosed at Baldur, then the game suddenly wasn't so funny.
Companies with seemingly unassailable monopolies, governments with
overwhelming military superiority, and totalitarian internal
security, workers with 'secure' jobs, benefit claimants
with guaranteed entitlements. All tend to get complacent and even
arrogant in their security. The Sol rune reminds us that no
situation can be guaranteed and arrogance in assumed superiority
and guaranteed security may be the fastest route to destruction.
A warning to us certainly, and a source of hope when we consider
forces at work in the world that seem unassailable in their
arrogant assumption of power and control.
Check out Alex Fell-Bowers demonstrating self-defence here
http://www.stavcamp.org/alexfb.html if you haven't done
already.