Description

Hagalaz is a force of nature, a powerful energy of necessary change, it can’t be bargained with, denied or ignored, it can’t be placated with excuses or trivialised.

“Hagalaz is the beginning of the Hunter entering the wildness of Heimdall’s Aett… When the Hunter has learnt the skills of Freya and Frey’s Aett, they have attuned a sensitivity to themselves and their environment. Through sensitivity the hunter feels and sees the signs of the internal and external landscapes, which become a heightened state of awareness.” Duncan White – Author of Dartmoor Rune Lore

To channel the energy of Hagalaz on the moor we go high. There are two places where this energy is very much in your face and both sites have cairns on the top of the tors, an honoured connection with the ancestors for the beginning of the journey through this Aett.

The first site is the highest point on the moor called High Willhays where the weather comes roaring in and storms can be seen from miles around, the landscape harsh, exposed and unforgiving. The environment and the elements continuously change, fair conditions can flip in a moment to harsh winds, driving rain and zero visibility, as is often the case on the moor. From calm to chaos, no control, the energy of Hagalaz.

The second site is called Rippon Tor and very close to my home. It is a long ramble across grassland and rock outcrops to the top where there is a panoramic view from the sea to the interior and crowned by two ancestral cairns.

We climbed Rippon tor at full moon as I entered into Hagalaz earlier this summer. We held ceremony as the sunset and the moon rose, and in this liminal time and space we thanked the spirits of the land for holding the energies of the runes, so we can learn their wisdom more deeply, and we asked blessings from the gods with our sacrifices, and offerings. Drawing from this experience and the energy in the land I created this piece.

As Heimdall’s Aett begins the hunter grounds himself, stoic and all his senses heightened and attuned to the environment around him. He opens and extends his awareness aided by knowledge (the Ravens), farsight (Buzzard) and survival and resilience (wolf)… with all his acquired skills and knowledge he is equipped to meet the coming storm.

Because even when we can see the storm and prepare for shocks there is no stopping the storm and like Ragnorak, impossible to avoid. It must be experienced. So here we sit with the Hunter and watch the storm approach, and even prepared Jörmungandr will come out of nowhere with a sting in its tail. All we can do is trust in our skills and ourselves to weather the storm.

The lesson of Hagalaz for me is about enduring shocks, and coming out the other side more resilient, adaptable and creative.