Ehwaz, the Rune of Status

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Meaning: horse    Phonetic equivalent: 'e (e with a line over)'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

The horse is a joy to princes

in the presence of warriors.

A steed in the pride of its hoofs,

when rich men on horseback

bandy words about it;

and it is ever a source of comfort to the restless.

**This rune has no Norwegian or Icelandic rune poems.

Ehwaz

Cala Gobraith, 2009

Ehwaz is status,

earned carefully, though an

encumbering responsibility at times.

Essence of esteem, of elevation,

entrusted with wealth, with power,

Ehwaz is the essence of the

elite and a target for the envious.

Galina Krasskova associates this particular rune with Sleipnir, Loki's son and eight-legged steed of Odin. To her, this rune is a rune of journeying, forward movement to a better situation, communication in the temporal world as well as with spirit allies, totems, ancestors and deities and rapid change. In addition, Krasskova associates Ehwaz with possessory work, as the relationship between the possessing deity or 'rider' and the receptive 'horse'.  

Aswynn sees Ehwaz in terms of horses as sacred creatures, the persona, marriages/partnerships, persuasion, status, cooperation and adjusting to a situation and making the best of it.

For Melville, Ehwaz represents travel, partnership, marriage, self-control, inner journeys, astral projection, cooperation and mutual trust and respect. Associations: deity- Odin, tree- ash, plant- ragwort, animal- horse, bird- albatross, zodiac- Gemini, color- white/yellow, element- air.

Bob Oswald sees Ehwaz as representing horses, speed of movement, momentum, speed of thought or deed, quick-wittedness, purposeful motion, confidence and loyalty. Associations: deity- Frey, Freya, tree- ash, plant- ragwort,  zodiac- Gemini, color- white, element- earth, stone- Iceland spar.

Among the associations Paxson has for Ehwaz are horses, connotations of 'horse' as channeler and 'rider' as a possessing spirit/deity, harmonious partnership, change and movement of relationships/situations.

I consider this rune one of status in all its forms, partnership, and an association with channeling and shamanic journeying.

Meditation associations: Associated with the Celtic god Arawn, warrior elite, status, horses, vykyr warriors, peace and protection, color grey, pounding hooves on the broad plain, fog, howling wind and grey earth.

Runes: Theory and Practice, Galina Krasskova

Power and Principles of the Runes, Freya Aswynn

The Book of Runes, Francis Melville

Discovering Runes, Bob Oswald

Taking up the Runes, Diana Paxson