The Othala Force

ו' בכסלו תש"ע
Shamash 7

Tonight's motzei shabbat rune drawing is othala, the O-rune of sacred enclosure, the 18th rune of my personal runerow. Edred Thorsson (Runelore) writes on the othala force:

Othala is the sacred enclosure. In it is embodied the central concept of Midhgardhr and the whole idea of "in-sidedness" and "outsidedness" so prominent in Germanic (and Indo-European) thought. The O-rune describes the ring-wall, the symbol of the enclosed land separated from all that is around it and thereby made sacred (ON vé). It is a sign of the site set apart for sacred purposes, the fane or hall. For the most part the othala force acts as a selective barrier. It prevents forces detrimental to the health of the interior from entering, but it actually conducts beneficial energies into its interior.

Amazing! that I should draw this particular rune for the first time in my bedtime ritual immediately following today's "temple"-related entries, namely: Chomah, A Vision of the Temple in the Night, Working Magic, Communion and Living Magically, The Science of Everyday Matters.

Related entries:

Runes 1-3: Transmission of a Sacred Secret
Rune 4: The Wholiness Code
Rune 5: Mysteries of the Staircase
Rune 6: The Ship of Safe Passage
Rune 7: The Ætheling
Rune 8: Communication
Rune 9: The Nature Of My Work
Runes 10-11: Wyrd Shema
Rune 12: The View From My Room
Rune 13: Thurisaz On The Falling Man
Rune 14: Power To Do It
Rune 15: Wyrd Preparation
Rune 16: Mother Of Manifest Blessing
Rune 17: By Force Of Destiny