Thurisaz, the Rune of Personal Destruction

Thurisaz, the Rune of Personal Destruction

Meaning: Thorn   Phonetic equivalent: 'th'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

The thorn is exceedingly sharp,

an evil thing for any knight to touch,

uncommonly severe on all who sit among them.

Norwegian Rune Poem

Giant causes anguish to women;

misfortune makes few men cheerful.

Icelandic Rune Poem

Giant

torture of women

and cliff-dweller

and husband of a giantess.

Thurisaz

Cala Gobraith, 2009

Thorn devil, thurses' curse,

torrential tribute of

temper's raw fury.

Thurisaz is thunder in the blood,

the tantalizing potential for personal destruction,

the bane of the ego-self;

transformer of the alchemic Tyrant King.

Galina Krasskova sees Thurisaz as destruction, a destroyer of illusions and a boundary breaker. She feels Thurisaz energy is good for uncovering underlying conflicts and for self-examination and introspection.

Aswynn considers this rune one of destruction (natural forces), physical fighting and destructive tendencies. She sees it as being akin to Thor's hammer, in that it can be used to protect as well as attack.

For Melville, Thurisaz has connotations of thorns, protection, formidable obstacles, facing up to one's own short-comings, difficulties, stubbornness, pride, vanity, deflating false ego, spiritual courage and protection of sacred. Associations: deity- Thor, tree- blackthorn, plant- briar/thistle/bramble, animal- snake, bird- albatross, zodiac/astrology- Mars, color- red, element- earth/fire.

To Oswald, Thurisaz's aspects include magickal power, the forces of chaos or 'evil' and temptation, Associations: deity- Thor, tree- blackthorn, plant- house leek, zodiac/astrology- Mars, color- bright red, element- fire, stone- sapphire.

Paxson sees this rune as a destruction that can be used to harm or heal and as potential energy catalyst.

To me, Thurisaz is personal destruction and working with dense emotions such as anger, fear and sadness. I see this rune as having a beneficial, protective aspect, mainly because our 'destructive' emotions are signals to guide and protect us, if we know how to dance with them properly.

Meditation associations: Loki as one who can teach the balance of this rune, self-attacking negative emotions- anger, fear, rage, the things that make you feel such emotions, trapped and helpless, burning, sharp pain, moth wings beating, fury.

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