Hail is the whitest of grains
Published: Sat, 07/02/16
Hail is a very strange phenomenon, grains of ice can fall from a clear sky, even on a warm day. Sometimes the hail can come in big enough lumps to do real damage to buildings, crops or even people. Then, within minutes the evidence will have melted away providing water for thirsty plants. Those subject to a serious hailstorm are left angry at the damage and disruption and, maybe, grateful for the new life which can flourish with the sudden irrigation of life giving water. In ancient Scandinavia hail even became one of the rune names, Hagl. Hagl is associated with Heimdal, guardian of the rainbow bridge between Midgard (our world/reality) and Aesgard (home of the Aesir/higher reality). Heimdal is also the teacher of mankind who comes to Midgard and creates the classes of Trels, Karls and Jarls. This story is told in the Poetic Edda in the poem known as Rigsthula, or the ‘List of Rig’.
I very rarely do rune readings but there are certain occasions when it seems appropriate. Camps such as the Druid Camp are such occasions. Several years ago I was at a camp and I was doing a reading for someone who was very keen to know the outcome of a certain course of action. The rune for the future was Hagl, so I had to say that she was just going to have to take a risk and it would be okay. She persuaded me to draw a fourth rune for clarification, again it came out as Hagl. Confirmation, as if it were needed, that she was going to have to step out into the unknown.
Hagl means the unexpected change in the status quo. Hagl means that the future is un-knowable. Hagl means that we can only grow and learn by accepting uncertainty and being confident that we will discover what we need along the way. A teacher can claim to have all the answers and that all you need to do is follow their instructions. Heimdal just destroys certainty but teaches the principles which enable you to find your answers for yourself.
You may have noticed that there has been a bit of an upheaval over the past week. There is now a lot of fear and argument about what the future holds. Fact is, no one can know and most of the leaders who claimed to have all the answers have either abandoned their posts or actually have no plan to move forward with. Reality is that we are in a learning situation, an opportunity to expand knowledge and test out new ideas of cooperation and relationships between individuals, communities and countries. Wisdom comes not in knowing the answer. Wisdom comes in accepting what you don’t know but still having confidence that the right answer will be revealed at the right time.
The symbol of Stav is the Hagl rune. The Hagl rune shows that, wherever you have come from and whatever paths are open to you for the future, you are always in the here and now. You cannot be anywhere else so just accept it. Stav does not have answers to your questions, but it does show principles with which you can find your own solutions. Stav does not tell you how to live your life but the practice of Stav will enable you to glimpse the web so that your personal destiny becomes clear.
At times of change and upheaval people get angry because no one is giving them answers. Why not just be grateful for the real lesson? We are all capable of finding our own wisdom when we look to ourselves and stop expecting someone else to have all the answers.
Ivar is coming to Crewkerne for the 24th and 25th of September, if you would like to discover Stav directly from the heir to the Hafskjold tradition then join us http://stavcamp.org/ih.html for all the details.
regards
Graham