The Fifth Rune

For I shall journey swiftly
on a horse no man can ride
upon eight legs it bears the spirits

Names - RAIDHO - Wagon, RADH - riding, a riding path, RAIDHA - wagon or ride, REIDH - wagon or chariot, RAD/RAED - wheel or vehicle

Pronunciations - "ray tho" "rayth" "rayd"

Phonetic Value - "R"

Symbolism - The Chariot of the Sun

Keywords - Advancement


Raidho can be represented as a symbol of the chariot of Thor or Freya or any other cosmic "transportation". Much as the chariot is a primal force controlled by conscious thought, Raidho is conscious effort toward advancement.

The pictogram seems more evocative of a person striding forward than a chariot, however, because individual stave placement is as important to the evolution of the rune as the ultimate image presented it is good to remember that without the forward slanted stave, this is also a pictogram similar to "Wunjo" or joy. This implies the joy of the journey, or more accurately, that joy is an essential first step to advancement.

It is the wheeling of stars around the cosmic axis.

It is the spiral journey of the sun on it's annual course from North to South and back, as in the journey of Nerthus and Freyr's processions.

It can mean a possible or necessary journey in a reading, or transportation.

It can mean a path or road, a way through a dilemma.

It can be a journey in consciousness, or a change in viewpoint.

When scientists make a new and important discovery the influence of Raido is at hand.

Phonetically this rune is said to be the root from which, ultimately, ride is derived. Maybe so, maybe not so much. Even if this little attempt at linguistic etymology is incorrect, it will not necessarily be so incorrect to think of "Rad" and "ride" in some similar ways, particularly in any way which serves to reminding you that you advance faster and farther if you have a ride because the essence of this rune is the concept of a vehicle for advancement.

Rhythm and movement are important to the concept of Raidho both pictorially and phonetically. The similar sounds of the words "Raytho" and "rhythm" can easily evoke images of the dance of the ecstatic traveler who is carried on a circular journey.

Magically this rune can be used to encourage advancements of all kinds and also represents a profound change in the self, or in new ways of seeing or doing things. This then implies that the advancement may not always be personal and is indeed often invoked for the greater or common good.

It is also important to note that because the core meaning of this rune incorporates the concept of "a vehicle for advancement" this rune is often associated with herbs, drugs, or trance-inducing experiences as they were often seen as the "vehicle" from which many spiritual journeys began.

Just as an association with altered states of consciousness is associated with Raidho, so will you also find references to this as the rune of shapeshifting. It is not so difficult to see the connection, if you need the perspective of the hawk, what better vehicle for gaining that perspective than to become a hawk?

In divination it can represent any of the following forces.

RAIDHO UPRIGHT: (R: Wagon or chariot.) Advancement, travel (both in physical terms and those of philosophical direction), journey, vacation, relocation, evolution, change, perspective, personal rhythm.

RAIDHO MERKSTAVE: Crisis, rigidity, immobility, losing ground or backsliding, stasis, injustice, irrationality, disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.


To Return to the Midnight Moonchild Rune Page, please select the Runes icon to your left. For more detailed information on the meanings of each individual rune, please select the individual Rune icons to your left