Rune #24 - Dagaz

[Flar's Freyja]

Dagaz means "day" and symbolizes the interplay and balance between polarities, light and dark in particular. Dagaz is also the rune of midday and midsummer, times of power, strength of mind and well-being. It also represents the sunrise and sunset and is the rune of total awakening and dawning of a new day. In magick, dawn, noon and sunset are regarded as power times when the veil between the worlds opens for an instant and then closes again. It refers to the shamanic state when polarities of energies come together in a time of enlightenment and awakening. The god Odin is associated with Dagaz. He was a powerful magician, sorcerer and healer as well as the forefather of most of the noble families of the north. His watch-wolves, Geri and Freki were always at his feet. Wolves are predators that often hunt at dawn and dusk - Dagaz times. At these times the light is dim and prey is at a disadvantage.

[Silver Venus]

:boing: the last of our first round on rune disscussions! I just wish I had a little more time and peace of mind to write my thoughts on dagaz ~ i will soon :)

Here a piccie of this powerful final rune

[Rick]

If Dagaz could be drawn as it exists magically, the two halves would never quite meet... there would always be a tiny gap between them... some might call this the 'between & betwixt'... it's the place that's outside time & space, that touches all world's, but isn't a part of any... it's the 'twilight'... Dagaz can be used to become invisible by invoking this twilight state; tranversely, Dagaz can be used to be bright & shining by invoking it's 'sunrise' aspect... the best way to explain the 'feel' of this Rune is to picture the Earth from space... one half is day, the other night... where the two halves meet is at the asimuth, the dividing line, the place where it's always twilight...

In a reading, Dagaz can indicate new beginnings ('a new day dawning')... it can indicate big changes, changes so radical it will feel like walking out of the darkness into the light... likewise, it might indicate a need to scrutinize things more closely, as one might be seeing things in the twilight...

[manstranger]

Hmm. The place i got most of my rune info from had this as the 23rd and Othala as the last.

Well, here i go :). My first try.

Dagaz is sort of like the equivelent of a Yin Yang sign, although perhaps not as wavy ;). It symbolises to opposites, often light/dark or day/night and also the point where the two meet, or the boundary between the two, where it is neighter light nor dark, but a perfect balance between the two. As rick said, twilight.

I think that it can be used either to bring things into that balance or sort of tip the scales, as "the twilight zone" of the rune isn't all there is to it. It could resonably be used to symbolise the relationship between two people, i think. It could also be used to show whats lacking in a relationship, balance. It would depend on the context you where using it in.

Well, some of it may not be considered right by some off you folks, but i'm just starting (at the end, go figaure). Do you think my impressions where accurate?

[Flar's Freyja]

:lol:

Don't feel alone, Manstranger, one of my sources said the same thing and you missed the Otilla fiasco where I posted it and had Chary confused and believing I was playing tricks on her :woah: and Rick had to come in and straighten it out......

Thanks for not being afraid to post anyway!

[Rick]

It's somewhat debated amongst the 'experts' in which order Othila & Dagaz go... in my experience, Othila as #23 & Dagaz as #24 in the Elder Futhark is the most widely accepted... Aswynn (and others) makes a plausible argument for these two Runes to be interchangable in that it doesn't change the cosmology of the Runes (the Runes of the Elder Futhark, in Futhark order, tell a story, beginning with Creation & ending with Ragnarok & re-Creation). Most surviving complete Rune Rows (& you can count 'em on two hands) are etched into things like swords, horns, & memorial stones... if the Runecarver made a 'typo', it probably wouldn't be worth the effort to recast a sword, or quarry another monolithic memorial stone, etc, just to change it. And it might also have had to do with local custom or dialect...

[Rick]

Manstranger, you did just fine... :thumbsup:

[Silver Venus]

well I learnt lots of things new today :) I never thought about the twilight side to Dagaz before ~ thanks, and never knew about the gap in the middle.. very interesting...

Dagaz means day, dawn and light to me and marks infinity for me, Ive always thought it is the infinity eight symbol just a bit more linear than the curvy normal symbol :)

It symbolises a new begining, a new awakening, a breakthrough from the old, a completley new start/change to a cycle.
Peace, light, harmony, a balanced new start.
With its light it reveals new truths and allows you to really explore yourself, from the dark to the light ~ in the light of day! Its light is very healing and energising I feel.

It is a very positive end to the aett's and a new promise, a new light for you to progress with your runes and go out and make new discovery's I think.

When it comes up, I always think about new future plans, change and new posibilites first and then the light element of this rune and how that ties in with the other runes in the reading ~ most times it really ties in with the light pattern of the reading and really relates to the other runes!

Ive also heard that Dagaz is a guardian rune, a defense rune ~ and was wondering it it can be used for protection too?

[Flar's Freyja]

Sound: "D" or "Th" (voiced)
Depiction: Balance between night and day
Original meaning: Light of the day
Key words: Light, enlightenment, polarity, awakening, intuition, well-being
Tree: Spruce
Herb: Clary Sage
Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, sodalie, amazonite, azurite, blue zircon, sapphire
Color: Blue
Hour of the Day: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Other Names: Germanic: Daaz; Norse, Norwegian: Dagr; Anglo-Saxon: Daeg; Icelandic: Dagur
God/Goddess: Odhinn
Power Animals: Wolf, raven, horse, eagle, bear
Element: Fire
Numerological Value: 24
Astrology: Waxing and Waning Moon
Tarot: Temperance



From: The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Runes, Sirona Knight

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by Freyja
Tarot: Temperance



Its interesting that Dagaz corresponds with Temperance in tarot as this card in my decks features a lot of light and I never thought of this aspect with the card before ~ thank you!

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by Silver Venus
Ive also heard that Dagaz is a guardian rune, a defense rune ~ and was wondering it it can be used for protection too?

In Northern Mysteries and Magick, Freya Aswynn states that Dagaz can be used to hide things from view. She says that those who are well-trained in visualization can envelop themselves in Dagaz and be "invisible." That seems to be one way of using it for protection.

[Silver Venus]

O thats really interesting, using light as a shield to make oneself invisible, Ive heard about that in many different ways before. Thanks for the info Freyja :)

[Flar's Freyja]

:) You're welcome. I was hoping that Rick would have the answer to that one.....

[Rick]

Um, OK...

Re: using Dagaz as protection... Dagaz is sometimes associated with Heimdal, the God that guards Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge that connects Asgard (heaven) & Midgard (earth)... Since Heimdal is the Guardian, by extension his Rune would 'guard', as well...

Re: using Dagaz to become 'invisible', that one's easy... Dagaz incorporates the aspects darkness & light, & the twilight between them... you simply project whichever aspect that accomplishes your end... you can project light to be 'illuminated', & stand out in a crowd, or project light so brilliant that you can't be seen for it... you can project the half-light of twilight, & blend into the crowd, becoming inobtrusive & indestinguishable... you can cloak yourself in complete darkness...

When I use Dagaz for 'light-altering', I envision myself inside a box with a Dagaz on each face of the box... hey, it works for me... :D

[Silver Venus]

Thanks Ricky :D Thats really interesting, Ill remember it for next time dagaz comes up in a reading and for if I need protection :)

These rune discussion have been great! Ive learnt so much :)

[Flar's Freyja]

Bump

[Flar's Freyja]

Along with Othila and Fehu, Dagaz is associated with the festival of midsummer, or Litha. Othila represents Odin, Fehu represents Freyja and Dagaz represents the slaying of Baldur, the decline of the sun and the shortening of the days. A ritual employing these runes and constructed around the myth of Baldur's death can be designed in which Odin, Baldur and Freyja are incorporated.

From: Northern Mysteries and Magick by Freya Aswynn

[Flar's Freyja]

I'm always encouraged when Dagaz comes up in a reading. To me, it's an indication that the outcome will be good even if there are obstacles or struggles to be overcome first.