[Vilturj] 02 - Thurisaz

[moonvoice]

Thurisaz (THER-i-sahz) - (also known as: Thurs, Thor, Thorn, Donar, Thur'r (goblin)

Value - TH or DTH or Þ

Numeric Order - 2 or 3

Traditionally Represents - Thorn. Thunder. War. That Which Opposes.

Represents - Thunder. Thorn. Lightning. Death. Phallus. Male fertility. Threat. Thor's Hammer. Fate. The Gate of Gold and Misfortune. The number 3. Yellow/Red. Goat. Power. Rowan. Thursday. Burdock. Cursed Women. Demons. Air. Giants. Hrum. Lesavny

'Thorn is the lightning that shatters
all, and opens wounds for illness.
Few are cheered by Hrum
but the warriors that thunder.'

OR

'Thorn strips the flesh from all
spears the babe in the womb
or to the village boundary protects.
Dweller in the rocks and trees.'

- Vilturj Rune Poem

Thurisaz has been known as 'the thorn that aggressively attacks.' It can be quite a vicious or malicious energy, and in Vilturj is represented by the thunder and lightning god Hrum. While often quite benevolent, this god is often overcome with tempers and violence, and can take joy in the pain of others. Thurisaz is also represented by the more malicious aspects of the forest god Lesavny, as well as the forces of his brambles, thorns and all parts of nature which tear out our physical boundaries.

The thorn rune represents a cursed woman and responds poorly to women medicine unless the woman in question has fully accepted her Animus, or masculine self. Once past the idea of the cursed woman, the thorn rune can actually be a rune of great defence, the thorn representing an outward threat to those who would try to breach one's defences.

The thorn can also be turned inward to wound. As such, the pain is a reminder to be alert and vigilant, and to never be complacent.

Thorn is sometimes thought as a creator of energy. Personally I find it not so much a creator of energy, but a conditioner of energy and a container for it. For there is space within it's 'thorn' on the stave to contain, and a point by which to expel. It's energy is cold and bright, and works well with Isa as a stabilising force. The thorn energy, as well as being cold and bright, is the most forceful and violent of all the runes. It is the sudden snap of the dead tree that will no longer stand upright, the crack of a whip, the crunch of jaws.

Thorn warns against hastily trying to grapple against a thorny branch, or the energies of a giant. It tells us to always scrutinise and to not - as the old adage states - take a bull by the horns.

Thorn, because of its phallic nature, carries with it the message of the spark of creativity, that which is contained and released in order to create a specific form of life. It is personified in intense erotic expression, the searing passion of a kiss, the sharp point of orgasm, the moment of ejaculation, or the fiery spark of conception, like lighting a match. This rune, if used carefully, is actually an effective aphrodisiac, though it should be balanced with a rune such as Berkana.

Much of what I have stated may seem negative on the surface, but Thorn is a rune of power, and as such its violence and suddenness may simply seem jarring in a world where we seek consistence and stability. Never fear, for where the thorn is present, there is always some form of rose.

Merk - The thorn as Merk is the dagger in one's back. It can represent betrayal and many forms of treachery, even theft from friends if associated with Fehu. It is defenselessness in the face of the power of a giant or the sting of a thorn. It can also come to represent hastiness without thinking, and a lack of mental awareness. In association with Uruz merked, or Oathola, it can represent amnesia and sometimes Alzheimers'. In general, a Merked thorn-rune is a sign of imminent danger.

In Ritual - Woman's Curses. In a meditation utilise the stave of Thurisaz like a laser beam, to coldly cut away that which is no longer needed. This stave echoes the energy of Loki and the Giants, or Lesavny and his k'acze (elves). Used by a skilled practicioner it can fine-tune the energies of many of the other runes. It can also be used as an aphrodisiac, especially when balanced with the healing and mothering energies of Berkana.

This energy is not of itself either good nor evil, but I will explicitly recommend that people mentally or psychologically (and physically) prepare themselves for working with this rune. Like Uruz, it (and much of the first aett) is NOT recommended for beginners.