The Four Elements As Elder Futhark Runes

While modern science classifies “elements” as chemical substances that make up the building blocks of matter, our ancestors worked with the primal elements by interacting with nature - and respecting the power that nature’s forces wielded in the material plane.

Cultures throughout human history have always had their own interpretations of natural elements. There is no right or wrong way to work with the elements on an energetic or spiritual level; as long as one brings respect and empathy to the process, our interactions with the natural world are entirely our own.

In this blog I will be focusing on how I work with what are known as the Four Classical Elements - Air, Earth, Fire, and Water - in conjunction with the Elder Futhark Runes. These elements are similar to, but function differently, than nature in the Five Elements Theory in Chinese/Eastern tradition (and I do hope to write a blog outlining runes work with that theory as well).

The classical elements were described in practices and traditions around the globe from ancient times, but became enshrined during the Hellenistic time of ancient Greece. Greek philosophers sought to explain how all of the physical or material world came about through the interactions of these four elements, to the extent of basing medical practice on their philosophical concepts (e.g. the bodily humours).

With the progression of modern medicine, and a deeper understanding of how the physical body works, the four classical elements evolved over time into a more symbolic way to observe nature and interact with the natural world. Individuals who make nature a core part of their spiritual or religious practice often incorporate aspects of the elements into their work, be they symbols, sounds, or other representations.

One of my favorite ways to call upon the elements for support or for deeper understanding is to think of them as a harmonious accompaniment to working with the runes. Each of the 24 Elder Futhark Runes have a connection to at least one natural element, as the runes evolved out of symbols and shapes to describe human interaction with the natural world. And while many runes contain the energy of one or more element, I personally feel it’s best to start with one rune to one element, and work outward from there.

When it comes to working with the classical elements, these are my four favorite Elder Futhark Runes for anchoring into elemental energy work:

Ansuz - ᚨ - is a powerful rune for working with Air energy. It symbolizes a mouth or an opening - something through which intangible materials can flow or be directed - and it contains the energy of communication, divine inspiration, and spoken words, esoteric aspects that have long been connected with the element of air.

Uruz - ᚢ - is a powerful rune for working with Earth energy. It symbolizes a bull, a powerful animal that is incredibly strong and can move heavy objects over long distances, and it contains the energy of physical strength, stamina, and determination. 

Sowilo - ᛋ - is a powerful rune for working with Fire energy. It symbolizes the sun, and specifically the energy of fire before it is contained or controlled. It is a bright, powerful, illuminating rune that brings clarity in bursts or sudden moments of understanding, much like a sunbeam shining through a dark cloud, or a shocking lightning strike.

Laguz - ᛚ - is a powerful rune for working with Water energy. It symbolizes a water reed bent by the flow of a river and contains the energy of going with the flow and finding the path of least resistance, just as water is able to do when it has a path to follow.

Symbolic imagery of the four elements, either in physical form (e.g. a talisman) or illustration (i.e. drawn on paper) is a powerful addition to spiritual practice or ritual work. For those interested in cartomancy, tarot, oracle cards etc. I have four distinct Elemental Energy Card Stands in my online shop that might be of interest.

And for those working with the four elements in conjunction with the runes, a bindrune combining Ansuz, Uruz, Sowilo and Laguz would be especially potent as a talisman! You are free to experiment and combine these runes in a way that feels best to you. But if you’d like me to create a Four Elements Bindrune for your individual use, just click here and let me know.