[Vilturj] 23 - Daghoz

[moonvoice]

Dagozh (DA - goz) - Also known as Dagalaz, Dagaz, Dagal, Daeg, Daguz, Dags, Dagr, Dusgadh

Value - D

Numeric Order - 23 or 24

Traditionally Represents - Day. Dawn.

Represents - Day. Dawn. Gateway. Newness. Beginning. Birth. Broader Scale Awakening. Communal Awakening. Clarity. Break-through. Self-Started Change. Hope. Happiness. Security. Certainty. Idealism. Optimism. Opposites Reconciled. Crossroads. Heimdall. Masculinity. Day Cycle. Light. Opportunity. Gift. Spruce. Illumination. Butterfly. Metamorphosis.

'the magnificent king
triumphs over the mountain
brings sun-spear and shaft
to the birth of days'

- Vilturj Rune Poem

Daghoz is connected to the brilliant, and sometimes quite distant light of the Source, 'God', Sky Gods and Sun Gods. It is a masculine light, despite Vilturj having a female Sun deity - Karajiana. It is being touched by the golden light of the divine after a time of darkness. It is the dawn after the night. The dawn seems all the more brilliant because it reminds us that the sun will renew again and again. Daghoz is the day rune, the God rune, and the rune of birth.

This dawn also lets us know that days are precious. We may only have one precious day to live a divine life, and the God is good to us, and usually gives us multiple or hundreds of opportunities to do this. Every time we make a mistake, we may go into crisis, or we may fall into crisis anyway as is the nature of life, and everytime the conscious divine gives us the light again to wash away the shadow, and re-connect. This is a precious gift, and can represent a broad-scale awakening or enlightenment, when one realises that life isn't just unfair and full of misery, but also full of opportunity, gifts and beauty.

Daghoz is the merging of equal opposites, two triangles meeting each other at their topmost tips. These triangles, which meeting represent a cross that is bordered by two lines, show this meeting of opposites and also indicate a true four-directional crossroads. It is the night and the day meeting, and the middle ground is the dawn, where the real energy of Daghoz lies.

Much folklore is associated with the concept of going through a crisis of darkness in the underworld before meeting the dawn, and come across most clearly in the story of Vasilisa and Baba Yaga (Vasilia and Vavale), and in the rebirth stories of goddesses like Persephone, Osiris and Inanna.

Many rune-casters prefer this rune to lie last in a Uthark, as the 'dawn' after all the other runes. However in the Uthark I am familiar with, Daghoz lies second-to-last, with Fehu at the end. This makes chronological sense. Daghoz represents the day, celebrating the dawn and appreciating divine wealth. Fehu follows, as people implement this divinity and richness into their lives, and bring the light into their everyday life to create a truly inspiring wealth. Daghoz brings the means to create a comfortable and secure time of prosperity, Fehu is the solidification of that prosperity - a prosperity of the spirit and the flesh.

If the querent is having a real problem making a decision on the issue, Daghoz suggests many things, but one of them is 'go to bed and sleep on it, tomorrow is a new day.' Literally, even a small cycle of 24 hours can bring about great change.

Daghoz indicates a time where the querent is in a perfect position to embrace and celebrate the shadow in their life precisely because the dawn or 'day' is immanent. It also tells the querent that it is time to really make sure one has learnt from the crisis, so that the 'day' can be appreciated more fully. It is far more rewarding to connect with the glorious divine after one is truly aware of what one has gained and lost in the process.

Daghoz asks the querent if they actually enjoy making a division from opposites, and suggests that it's time to stop dividing everything and let opposing forces meet regardless of consequences. The energy of Daghoz suggests this meeting certainly won't be catastrophic (unless next to Haurgl, Uruz or Thurisaz). Daghoz indicates a need for balance to see through projects, and to not move to excesses. A reconciliation of opposites creates balance, but first one must recognise what the dual opposites are and then decide on how best to reconcile them so that they may actually meet and create balance. From this balance we create for ourselves a crossroads and from there can decide our path.

The querent may also be in possession of a great deal of wisdom and knowledge, Daghoz encourages the sharing of this knowledge with the community in order to bring day, enlightenment and realisation to others. Accepting the gift of teaching along with the dangers is a part of acknowledging balance and embodying the positive aspects of this rune.

If Daghoz is in a 'future' position, it indicates the breaking dawn. No matter what runes come before it, hardship is easing and a connection to the divine will be established. It is the sun that spills over a mountain, bringing a valley into light. It is a rainbow at the tail-end of a storm, when the sun refracts over the droplets of water. It is a thawing of ice and lets us see what is in front of us to be enjoyed.

This is largely a very positive and joyous rune, and lightens very serious readings. People with Daghoz in a reading will be looking forward to (or will have had) sudden illumination realisations that increase quality of life, inspire and bring not only hope, but reward. It also lightens the way for an easier journey, and an unhindered path.

Merk - Daghoz cannot be reversed but it can lie in opposition. In these instances it often indicates the end of something, sometimes before it is ready to be ended. It might be a project that is 'completed' in failure and disappointment, or reaching a limitation before achieving a goal. In this sense Daghoz is the rune of disappointment and hopelessness. People who receive this rune Merked often have lost, or are losing all hope, because of let downs and limitations. It is a falling into the night, without proper appreciation of the day. Or a falling into the night before one feels it's time.

Daghoz Merked can sometimes represent the damaging effect of being surrounded by too much light and brilliance. It is the 'blinding' sun, it overwhelms and burns, and it shocks the gentle soul that might be adapted and accustomed to living the in the night and the darkness. People who are used to hiding from their faults and the faults of others, or who aren't ready to confront personal issues, may find all of these forced under the like of a Merked Daghoz. This is perhaps where the phrase 'a rude awakening' is very appropriate.

People who embody this energy might be very afraid of bringing things into the light in general, and may also hide from opportunity because of the dangerous risk it can bring. These people need to understand that the challenge is balancing risk, with opportunity, and understanding that the two need each other to create the dynamic of power that sits in the middle of the Daghoz rune.

In Ritual - Avoid using Dagozh as a solitary rune, or wearing it on the person. There is a saying that goes 'you won't know up from down,' which is particularly appropriate when one is using this rune without the grounding influence of other runes in ritual. It is best avoided by beginners. This is ironic, because it's one of the more positive runes, but despite this, its energy can be overwhelming and 'too' much. Consider grounding it with Algiz.

Daghoz tends to work quickly in spell-work, and can sometimes be effective in a matter of days, as its cycle is traditionally only 12-24 hours. This is another reason as to why it can be incredibly overwhelming. It is especially effective when used a dawn, midday, mid-summer and in the hours before dawn.

It is a good rune for people who wish to heal others (as long as grounding runes are used) or who wish to bring a 'crisis of the soul' to a healthy end as soon as possible, ensuring that the person is not too drained that they can't appreciate the end of the dark or night cycle in their lives.