It's Islendingadagurinn weekend (the day of the Icelanders – or Icelandic celebration). When we were young Monday of the long weekend was the ONLY day of the Islendingadagurinn, the parade, the races, the pavilion and the famous program. Now it is spread out over the whole weekend with lots of activities and transforming a town of 1500 that grows to 10,000. My mom and aunt's favorite refrain rings in my ears, “Can you stand it!” Today we are headed to the park pavilion in the hot and humid heat of a Manitoba summer to see Dilla in her Icelandic costume behind one of the booths. We do the rounds of all the “Icelandic” booths inside the pavilion, suffering in the stagnant heat and I see her – a young woman sitting at a small table advertising Rune Readings. Rose Goossen isn't Icelandic but has absorbed the culture in Gimli and a fascination with Runes. After reading a book that “jumped” out at her last year at the library, getting a set of runes as a gift from a friend, studied the mythology and started doing readings a few months ago. Her fee was a suggested “donation” of $5 and my curiosity was peaked. I sat down to hear what she would have to say. What insights would she give me? Her warm smile and complete passion for her new-found calling made me feel completely at home and I became absorbed by the process.
I chose the “Eight-Point cycle of the year” reading. She gave me the bag of runes, told me to pick one at a time and place them in a circle of eight points starting with the south-western point which represented August 1, today. I chose eight runes and placed them in the circle clock-wise ending at the southern tip. I had come full circle and she began with the present and moved forward through the coming year for me.
The first rune was Isa and represented Ice, stillness. This is to be a time for me to not act quickly but to be still and patient, to wait and see where things lie. That made me sweat – PATIENCE may be a virtue, but not one that I easily embraced. I could hear the gods laughing in the background. On to Oct 22nd, the next rune which was Laguz and represented water, flow. This made sense, the ice will thaw and start to move, my life flowing where it chooses to and I need to let it go, to trust in the direction and the journey. Control freak Edith is starting to hyper-ventilate…the gods are definitely having fun with this.
The next was Nov. 1st and the rune was Teiwaz, representing the warrior and challenge. Oooh, this is getting good. I am flowing towards the light (from a nuclear warhead??). At least Rose was saying that I have the tools to deal with the challenge, the strength of the warrior. The northern tip is Dec 22nd, Yule, and I have chosen Ansuz, which is awareness, signals/signs. I will need to be open to the signs and messengers I am being sent to guide my path. I know, I so easily listen to advice!
On to Feb 1st and Jera representing harvest, the cycle of one year. Whatever I have nurtured in that year will be ready for harvest. My efforts will have its reward at this time – I am curious about what this might be. Things are definitely picking up in this 2nd half of my “year” and for Mar. 22nd I have chosen Wunjo, which symbolizes joy and prosperity – I am liking this one. May 1st is Sowulo, solar energy leading to rejuvenation and creativity. The final one at the southern tip is Fehu, for midsummer, June 22nd and is giving me a message of material and spiritual prosperity – I guess I am buying a lotto ticket next June.
Rose smiled as she gave me my card explaining the runes I had chosen and drew a diagram of my “circle”, where each rune was on the circle and where my cycle begins. I thanked her and gladly gave her my donation. I don't know if it will help me this year or not, it hasn't really told me anything I don't already know — yes, I need to be patient, I need to let “life” lead the way and flow with it, I need to trust that God has given me the tools I need to meet the challenges of living in harmony with others and creation, I need to be aware of the wonderful teachers that show me the way, I need to take time to harvest and be thankful for all my blessings, I need to let joy fill me to overflowing so I can share it with others, I need to take a breath and allow love to rejuvenate me and creatively let that love flow through me and finally realize that God is all, abundant, and fully present in every moment – INFINITE LOVE. God has given all, now it is up to me to turn and accept this wondrous gift. So thank you Rose for being that messenger that reminds me of what is already present.
Coming soon — Day 3, the big day of the Islendingadagurinn, the parade, the races and for Karina — the food.