Ihwaz                                             “yew” / “life&death”

                                         Element: Earth/Air/Fire/Water                               Herb:
Lilac

                                         Astrological: Scorpio                                             Tree: Yew

                                         Color: Magenta                                                        Crystal: Topaz

Ihwaz: “Yew-was”

Literally: “Yew”

Key concepts: “The
axis or process of spiritual becoming.” Upper and lower worlds meeting in
Midgard (earth). Rune of the mysteries of life and death.

Psi: death mysteries, the timeless

Energy: axis of
heaven-earth-hell, secrecy, encoding, immortality, the chakra/magic system

Governs:
          -Initiation into the wisdom of the World Tree (Yggdrasil)
          -Liberation from the fear of death.
          -Development of spiritual endurance and hard will to gain initiative
          -Spiritual vision
          -Communication between levels of reality – the Worlds or Yggdrasil

Element: Is harmonious with
all elements; powerful stabilizer for communication with the dead

Astrological: Scorpio is in the
sky from October 24^th till November 22^nd ; the time of
Samhain

Herb: Lilac is often used
in life rituals; such as exorcisms, reincarnation, exploration of past lives,
increased clarity and evolution of the soul. It is also associated with sleep,
long life, peace, protection, purification, visions, and clarity; is burnt at
the celebration of Litha as an offering.

Tree: Yew represents
immortality and eternal life. It is used to enhance magical and psychic
abilities as well as be a material for scrying mirrors and other divination
tools. Additionally, druids of the past used yew to make their longbows and
used yew as one of the nine sacred trees in the Beltane fire.

Crystal: Topaz is a stone
full of energy; it bestows confidence and charisma upon the user to help them
overcome limitations. It is also used to ward against dark magic.

       Eihwaz
begins the second half of the 24 rune Futhark and represents the vertical axis,
whereas Jera represents the horizontal. It is also indicative of the
verticality and energy of the human spine. The spine has 24 vertebrae, which isn’t
a coincidence in the case of the elder futhark. The spine is the channel for
one of the most powerful energy flows in the human psyche.

       The
needle of the yew is poisonous, containing a toxin that affects the central
nervous system. The vapors from the toxin can become concentrated in close
proximity to the tree. As a evergreen tree, it is associated with immortality
and the mysteries of life and death. Death is understood as the Great
Initiation into the mysteries of life. To die before you die is to discover
what in life is truly important. In psychology, this often happens as a result
of near-death experiences.

       The
fear of physical death is one of the great inhibitors of humankind’s potential
for total freedom of mind and spirit. Eihwaz gives you the power to recall your
past lives, in short fragments or in more complete segments, and as a result
confirm your death in this life as only one stage of a greater journey. Invoke
Eihwaz as you conduct a meditation or dream exercise for the purpose of
discovering past life patterns in the present. The answers lay not in memory,
but in the clues of your here and now.

       Eihwaz
can be invoked for communication with the underworld and the dead. It is wisest
to remain within your own ancestral stream when doing this, as your ancestors
have reason to respond to your inner call. There should be sufficient reason to
invoke such dark workings, but it is not an ‘evil’ exercise.