Thurisaz (ᚦ)

The thorn: pause before the gate.

Literal meaning: giant (Old English: thorn) · Freyr's aett, the first group of eight

In the old rune poems

The Old English poem speaks of a thorn, sharp and painful to grasp. In the Norse poems the rune is a thurs, a giant, linked with torment and sickness.

Light side

A sharp boundary that protects: the moment you stop, feel the resistance and choose consciously before going further.

Shadow side

Reacting in haste, or pushing through pain you could have heeded, turns the thorn against yourself or others.

Drawing Thurisaz in a game of Leela

In Leela Atlas you can draw a card from the Elder Futhark runes when you land on a square. A bridging question links the card to the square, so the card speaks to your own question:

• Where in your question is there a thorn, and what is it protecting?
• What does "Thurisaz" show you about your square?
• If "Thurisaz" were advice for your question, what would it say?
• Where do you meet "Thurisaz" in your life right now?