Past: Halagaz, Hail. Our deities are directing our attention now to the past influence we are receiving from Halagaz. This is hail and here there is the image of us arriving where we are, as a result of being driven here by the force of the hail. We have sought shelter here inside from the force of the hail. Another image is that hail can be perceived as frozen water, as water seeds facilitating our growth.

Present: Eihwaz, Yew. This is an evergreen and has associations connected with the specific tree and its evergreen nature. This is a tree seen as a symbol of death and of the continuation of the spirit. There is rebirth and the cycle of life and all that. It is also one indicating change in general. Our present is a time of change.

Future: Othila, Home. This is the rune symbolizing immoveable property, a complement to fehu, cattle wealth on the hoof, in motion. This is an indication of the land, our home, our homeland. It can be taken as a suggestion of our grove, of Ottawa about to be the site of a new provisional grove as we complete the process of writing up our by laws and applying for provisional grove status by Samhain.

Our traditional question, “Our deities have spoken to us; are we satisfied or would we know more?” was answered with a request for further information.

Explanatory Rune: Yera, Harvest. Appropriate for this time of year here is the harvest rune with all its connotations of the cycle of the year, as well as the pattern at this time of year of turning a bit inward, of being inside, of studying, reading, story telling, etc. through the dark time of the year. This could be the amplification we are now given concerning Othila. This is a time for us to consider study sessions, activities at our homes, the life inside the grove.