The Twentysecond Rune

The creative force
springs from within
bearing the fruits of the future

Names - INGWAZ - the god Ing, INGUZ - the god Ing or a man, ING - the god or the hero Ing, YNGVI - the god Ing (a title of Freyr)

Pronunciations - "ing waz" "ing ahz" "ing" "ng vee"

Phonetic Value - "NG" as in "long"

Symbolism - The Gift of the Gods

Keywords - Creativity


The symbolism of this rune can be found in the juxtaposition of two individual representations of Gyfu which, together, result in the act of creation rendered through a mutual exchange of gifts. In a word, sex.

It has been said that this pictogram is intended to represent the birth canal or a vagina.

Phonetically, "Ingwaz" is only carried through the evolution of human language by the names of the ancient creator or fertility gods Ing and Yngvi.

There is little else to link this sound to the concepts of potency, family, or creativity unless you choose to consider that the sound of "ng" is found as a suffix modifying many words from pasive to active tenses. Create to creating, build to building, love to loving. These may serve as examples of the power of Ingwaz in action, but they are not a likely actual link to root meaning of this rune.

Ingwaz is associated with Nerthus as well as Ing. The circuitous route of the wagon that was associated with their respective worship represented the "king's circuit", the walking of the boundaries, or the circuit of the sacred wagon, which ensured fertility to the land through careful attendance by the clan or tribal leaders to the greening crops.

It is, therefore, a rune of ritual embodying action on behalf of the earth and mankind. Just as the greening of the earth follows the northerly progression of the sun, and retreats in it's wake, this rune is one of deliberate movement to ensure fertility as well as action and reaction.

Not only is Ingwaz a rune of invocation and action, it is a rune of family as well as the accompanying responsiblity. What is created must be cared for. In this way Ingwaz is a representation of family, and the duties and responsibilities one must shoulder for the benefit of both present members and future generations

It is a rune of warmth and inner fire. It reflects the sacred sexual fires and can be used to stimulate the growth of slumbering abilities into full arousal, awakening, and greater potency.

Magically, Ingwaz can be used to summon the creative and sexual drives. The most potent magic of the sexual union is the creation of new life, and so with Ingwaz the essence of the magic is in the creative impulse that results in conception.

This rune may also be worked to enhance potency as in male potency, but also in conjunction with other creative or procreative impulses.

Ingwaz may also be used in ritual or in conjunction with other workings to greatly increase the power and effectiveness of the ritual.

In divination it reflects a creation or an adherence to ritual or ceremonial responsiblities and can be represented in any of the following forces.

INGWAZ UPRIGHT: Male fertility, gestation, internal growth, common virtues, common sense, simple strengths, family love, caring, human warmth, the home, rest stage, a time of relief, no anxiety.

INGWAZ MERKSTAVE (Ingwaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Impotence, weakness, dilution, movement without change, no production, toil, labor, or work without result.


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