Rune meanings: the 25 runes and how to interpret them

Personally, I practice with cards: I find them easier and better suited to me than stones. Rune cards are also generally cheaper than rune stones. I find runes fascinating, but their meanings are fairly hard to remember, since the symbolism doesn’t appear on the card.
There are 25 runes, divided among several deities: Freyja, Heimdall, and Tiwaz.

Freyja’s runes and their meanings

I. Feoh-son:
money, acquisition, possession. A synonym of WEALTH. You have everything, but remember to give back what you were given, and to let some of the people around you share in your good fortune. You are protected and loved by the gods.

II. Ur-son:
lack of control, danger, fertility. A synonym of STRENGTH. You have strength to spare and power to gain. Once again, the gods protect you.

III. Thorn-son:
physical danger. A synonym of PROTECTION. You hold all the cards to act, but be careful: don’t charge in headfirst. Consider every possibility and every obstacle that may come your way. So don’t lower your guard, even if your project (or anything else) looks easy to you.

IV. Os-on:
luck, the bond with the gods, work that is rewarded. A synonym of WISDOM. You are intuitive, receptive to messages from the gods, or quite simply from your family. You listen, and people often confide in you. Your word is considered wise.

V. Rad-son:
new periods, change, transformation. A synonym of JOURNEY. Live your life, make your dreams come true, and don’t live in an imaginary, utopian world. In a few words: own who you are, move forward, and sometimes make your own luck when fate gives you the chance.

VI. Ken-son:
light, the end of the tunnel. A synonym of ILLUMINATION. You are just as receptive to the messages and signs sent your way. Light will be shed on a problem that weighs on you, one you thought you’d never get out of. You’re at the end of a tunnel that is about to light up on its own.

VII. Gyfu-son:
giving of oneself, hospitality, sacrifice. A synonym of GIFTS. You receive gifts, and you should thank everyone who gave them. You also make sacrifices for the good of others. Every gift you receive is a mark of love, tenderness, and affection.

VIII. Wynn-son:
a synonym of JOY. A great positive transformation is coming. You’ve come a long way. You can look forward to joy, happiness, and some respite.

Heimdall’s runes and their meanings

IX. Hoel-son:
boredom, frustration, blockage, delay. Bad weather is here, and it upsets your plans. Anticipate every eventuality and every obstacle. You’ll have to wait: the time hasn’t come to make big decisions. Use this time of reflection to move other projects forward.

X. Nyd-son:
strength, courage, the fulfillment of every desire, unexpected success. You can do anything, but you need to temper yourself. You want to have it all: calm down, put things in perspective, think.

XI. Is-son:
struggle, conquest, the difficulty of winning. You are blocked for now, or on hold. Be patient. The difficulties are real, of course, but success lies at the end of the road. Persevere.

XII. Ger-son:
the harvest of your efforts, growth, abundance. You are born or reborn. You enjoy the fruits of your efforts and harvest them with joy. After a long stretch of effort, you get the results you’ve waited for. At last!

XIII. Eoh-son:
limits, the end. You are reaching the end of a project you cared deeply about. It’s over, a thing of the past. But don’t let it bring you down: keep going, and turn this negative into a positive. It’s time for another stage in your life.

XIV. Peorth-son:
failure, loss. You can ask wise people for advice. Look for your own wisdom deep within things, sometimes even where you didn’t expect to find it.

XV. Eohl-son:
protection, defense. There are dangers on the road, and you absolutely must guard against them. Make peace with your loved ones and build better relationships.

XVI. Sigel-son:
light, birth, creation. A new time is beginning: renewal, transformation. It’s the power of light. A new start is on its way.

Tiwaz runes and their meanings

XVII. Tyr-son:
victory, will, courage, the strength to fight. Love can overcome anything. With strength and courage, you can succeed at anything and fight anything. Don’t let go.

XVIII. Beorc-son:

forgiveness, inner renewal, a fresh start, fertility. This is growth. You can call on Mother Nature to help you.

XIX. Ehwis-son:
others, sociability, friendship. You need to know how to keep yourself in check.

XX. Manu-son:
man or woman, life, the role to play. A new cycle is also on its way. Know when to leave what is profitable and comfortable for you, to go further, toward another shore, more dangerous, where you’ll have to fight.

XXI. Lagu-son:
movement, water, leaving for another place, the shore. You are open and available. You need to know how to master nature.

XXII. Ing-son:
society, fruitfulness. The project you imagined for so long is starting to take shape, and you’re happy. Its fruits will come to you in the future.

XXIII. Odel-son:
the past, heritage, nostalgia. It is illumination, or evening, the end. You are waiting for a new illumination.

XXIV. Daeg-son:
luck, understanding. Yesterday’s projects still reach into the present. What you learn today, you’ll be able to use again tomorrow to help bring your projects to life.

The last rune, the 25th, is special: it belongs to no group and to no deity.

XXV. Wyrd-son:
it reminds you that everything is written. There’s nothing to change, and nothing you can do about it. In a few words, it is your destiny.

Recommended deck and book for rune divination