Twelfth Night Divination for 2021

(I started this on 1/2 and then the world went kerblooey again....) 

Once again, I was happy to host a Twelfth Night Celebration and Sumbl at our house. Well, it was via Zoom.  And there were a LOT more oaths this year, so we'll see :) The toasts were moving, the boasts were worthy, and the oaths were S.M.A.R.T.  Because of the pandemic, it was all on line. I really hope we can be all together next year.

I don't know why I can never center these!

Throughout the Twelve Nights, I took an omen each night for the coming year, each one a rune to describe the energies for a month. So on the first night it was January, second night February...you get the idea.  I used Taren Martin's Anglo-Saxon deck, so some of the names may be different that you may be used to (and some don't appear in the Elder Futhark systems). 

My mind has been all a-jumble with all things pandemic and politics, and I don't see either of those ending any time soon. 2021 will be as challenging a year as 2020, although the specific challenges will be different, as will the bright spots...and there will be some.

Without further ado:

January: Feoh (Fehu)...I always try not to be too literal, but as many of us found stimulus payments on January 1, this is spot on.  Feoh can refer to wealth that is movable...and should be.  Times will be tough and those who are able to help should. Not everyone got that aid, and it's not enough for many that did.  It makes sense the focus in the early part of the year is on those immediate, practical concerns.

February: Ing (Ingwaz)... Ing's poem makes interpretation hard for me. Connected with Freyr, it has connotations of all that god represents, but none of those feel quite right here.  I'm interested that some variants of this rune look a little bit like a double-helix of the DNA strands. something all of humanity (all of nature?) shares.  A time to look at the common humanity and unite behind it?  I'll check back in Februrary. Also could be an intervention of some sort.. maybe a great discovery or solution?

March:  Eoh (Eihwaz) Ur (Uruz)...Both of these cards popped out at the same time.  It feels to me that they are in opposition as opposedto working together. The groundedness of the world tree for Eoh as opposed to the wild uncontrolled energy of Ur. This may be a month of great challenge to hold the center.

April:  Tir (Tiwaz)... The guiding star! Ways out of the difficulties become clear and paths forward make themselves know. Those may be different for different people and different contexts. Politically? Pandemically?  Can't really get a sense so maybe both? 

May:  Gear (Jera) ... Often translated as "year" and thus a harvest kind of thing.  A reckoning as at hand, with rewards or not depending upon what kinds of seeds have been sown.

June:  Mann (Mannaz) ... I always see this as a hopeful rune, one of community and togetherness.  Even so, the poem reminds us that our time here is short, and not to take each other for granted.  Many have lost loved ones in this time... even though it's not from the poem, I'm feeling attention to memorializing those losses.

July: Calc ... This rune has no poem attached to it, but means "chalk"or "lime."  Chalk is useful to mark, but it isn't permanent and can be washed away.  I'm feeling like some structures in place are temporary...whether they are good or bad isn't really clear to me right now.  Either way, it's a transition.  

August:  Eohl ... The elksedge is defense, but passive defense.  One only gets cut if one goes dashing through it.  I get a very strong "get ready" from this in August.

September:  Ior ... This is only in the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, and translates as "beaver" or "river-fish." Despite being a mammal, it swims and lives mostly in the water. It's adaptable, changing its environment as the need arises, and so too should we embrace this energy now.

October:  Thorn (Thurisaz) ... I often see this show up for difficulties or obstacles that can be overcome, with care and caution.  So if we saw to our defenses in August, and adapted ourselves in September, we can overcome whatever we need to....carefully.

November:  Nied (Naudhiz) ... I can definitely see a trend in the fall of the year.  More energies associated with being prepared and ready, as we are not out of the woods yet.  A focus on what we need (to again take things literally) as opposed to what we want is kind of auspicious as the Yuletide shopping season silliness begins again.

December:  Wynn (Wunjo) ... I'm not going to lie. I was really relieved to see this on 12/31 given the way the fall was going.  Joy is not necessarily elation or ecstacy.  Joy can be "having enough" as the rune poem suggests. I feel a sense of relief here.  Might have to see what happens, and then also what January 2022 brings!