Ancient letters, wild wisdom, and the sacred language of beasts
The runes aren’t just symbols — they’re stories. They hold the energy of the Norse and Germanic peoples who used them not only to write, but to divine, invoke, and connect with the unseen.
Each rune is more than a sound or shape — it’s an archetype, a movement of energy. And in many rune traditions, each one is also connected to an animal spirit — a creature whose energy mirrors the essence of the rune itself.
When you bring animals into the runes, you don’t just read them.
You feel them.
You walk with them.
Why Animals Matter in Rune Work
In ancient times, animals were seen as kin, guides, omens, and protectors. They lived alongside the people who cast the runes — in body and in myth. Associating an animal with a rune can:
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Deepen your understanding of its meaning
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Add intuitive, instinctual layers to your reading
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Help you connect to the rune’s energy in a visceral, grounded way
So let’s meet some of these wild companions…
ᚠ Fehu – Cattle
Symbolising wealth, nourishment, and prosperity, Fehu is linked to cattle — a symbol of status and survival in early societies. This rune speaks to material gain, but also asks: Are you tending what you already have with care?
Animal energy: Abundance, stewardship, grounded strength.
ᚢ Uruz – Aurochs (Wild Ox)
Uruz brings the raw, untamed power of the wild ox. It represents vitality, instinct, and primal endurance. This rune calls you to reclaim your strength and stand solid in your truth.
Animal energy: Wild willpower, resilience, ancient masculine force.
ᚦ Thurisaz – Thorn / Giant / Goat
Connected to the primal force of giants (and sometimes the stubborn goat), Thurisaz is about boundaries, challenge, and the sacred force of destruction. This rune protects, but it also provokes.
Animal energy: Fierce defence, sacred provocation, brute power.
ᚨ Ansuz – Raven
Ansuz speaks the language of the gods — and is often linked to Odin’s ravens, Huginn and Muninn. This rune is about communication, insight, and divine inspiration.
Animal energy: Thought, memory, divine messages, watchful wisdom.
ᚱ Raidho – Horse
The rune of the road. Raidho represents travel, rhythm, and right timing, and is linked to the horse — a symbol of partnership, progress, and sacred movement.
Animal energy: Momentum, synchronicity, soul journeying.
ᚲ Kenaz – Torch / Cat / Snake
Kenaz is the rune of fire, creativity, and illumination. Sometimes associated with cats or serpents — creatures that move through darkness with grace — this rune is a light in the dark and a spark of transformation.
Animal energy: Mystery, insight, inner fire.
ᚷ Gebo – Hawk
A rune of gift, exchange, and sacred balance, Gebo is linked to birds of prey, especially the hawk — focused, honourable, and far-seeing.
Animal energy: Honesty, reciprocity, vision from above.
ᚹ Wunjo – Swan
Wunjo means joy, harmony, and bliss. The swan represents emotional depth, beauty, and the grace that comes from inner peace.
Animal energy: Emotional healing, elegance, soulful joy.
ᛉ Algiz – Elk
Algiz is a rune of protection, divine connection, and guardianship. The elk — tall, proud, sacred — holds the energy of spiritual authority and the space between worlds.
Animal energy: Shielding, higher sight, sacred leadership.
ᛟ Othala – Wolf
Othala symbolises ancestry, inheritance, and homeland. The wolf represents loyalty to lineage, the wisdom of the pack, and knowing when to walk alone.
Animal energy: Ancestral connection, survival, deep knowing.
Reading the Runes Through Animal Eyes
When casting or drawing runes, pause and ask:
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What animal walks with this rune?
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What qualities does it lend to the message?
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Is this energy wild, protective, solitary, or social?
Let the animals in. Let them speak. Let them guide.
Because the runes were never meant to be read like letters.
They were meant to be felt like footsteps in the forest.
With deep roots and an open heart,
Sarah x