RUNECRAFT: Six Runes

The Rune Stave: Yr

Number: Phonetic Value: Word: Planetary: Element/s: Deity/ies: Modern Translation: Memory Keys: Word/Concept: Stave: Word/Concept:

13 Y (as in Ye) Yr Jupiter and South Node All (including Ice) Uller Yew   Yew grows in the Grave Yard A Bow made of Yew There are three concepts to this rune. The first one relates to the fact that this tree was traditionally planted in Graveyards to 'stop the dead walking'. It therefore became associated with death, but what is not remembered is that by allowing the dead to rest peasefully it therefore allowed resurrection.  The second concept revolves around defense and is of Anglo-saxon origin. Yew was also grown so that Bows could be made of the wood. The Bow being used as a defensive weapon against horsemen. It therefore came to represent defense and protection.  The third concept links to the death aspect; Yew is hallucinogenic. Some scholars believe that the Yew was the original world tree in the Germanic mythology, and it was taken to undertake shamanistic vision quests; this risked death as Yew is also highly poisonous. The Yew rune has also therefore come to represent the shamanistic journey.

Farrar/Bone 1997