Going with the flow
Published: Fri, 07/05/13
Due to another of Loki's escapades the Aesir had to kill a
furious giant called Thiassi who was in the form of an eagle. It
began with a barbeque, led to theft and kidnapping and escalated
from there, long story. After Thiassi, which means storm bringer,
had died the people of Aesgard found themselves confronted with a
furious giantess by the name of Skathi who was out for vengence for
the death of her father Thiassi. Skathi was however open to
compensation and demanded that Baldur should be her husband and if
this wish were granted she would not wreak havoc on her
father's killers. Odin negotiated with her and it was a agreed
that she could chose a husband but the available men would stand
behind a curtain and she would have to choose by looking at their
bare feet. Why this arrangement? I have no idea. Skathi accepted
the deal and chose Njord. Okay, so it wasn't Baldur but as a
senior Vanir Njord was fabulously rich, good looking and probably
virile too, so Skathi was happy, at first.
The problem was that Njord had a hall Noatun which is by the sea.
There Njord could carry out his activities of fishing, trading and
ship building. It was a place of constant activity with the sound
of the sea and the seabirds in the background. Skathi was a child
of the mountains and the seashore irritated her beyond endurance.
Her home was Thrymheim, a place of ice and located high up in the
frozen wilderness. Skathi loved the cold, the silence and the
solitude. But for Njord there was nothing to interest or occupy
him. They tried spending nine nights in one place and then another
nine in the other's home. But no matter how much they loved
each other the arrangement could not continue for long. Eventually
they went their separate ways.
The Laug rune means water, especially riches which can come from
working with the energy of water. Following the flow of water can
seem to be an easy way to get where we want to be. The problem is
to remember that water is not static (unless it has become ice in
which case it should be regarded as a different substance). So
when life has carried us to some place, no matter how wonderful it
may seem, we may still find that moving on and continuing our
voyage is called for. Laug in a rune reading often means that
wherever you are you are not going to be able to stay there for
ever. Life is change and movement and Laug reminds us of this.
regards
Graham
PS If you are one for grasping opportunities then I would like to
remind you that there is still one place left for the Summer Camp
in Norfolk in early September. http://www.stavcamp.org/ and we
will be looking at using runes in many different ways.