Nimue’s Diary

Today I tried to concentrate on the qualities of Jera. I know that it is a plentiful rune.  Therefore I felt that it was associated with bountiful fields, fields of gold. So I knew that gold was one of its colors.  But I felt that Jera also had another color.  Not just the fields are gold, the forests are vibrant green bearing nuts and berries of all colors.  But the emerald green forests held me in awe.  So green is its color also.

We have its colors.  But I don’t have an animal for it yet.  Where is its sacred aninmal?  Thinking about it, I realized just how obvious it was.  The horse!  For only a horse can both plow a field and ride the forest.  Confused?  Although mules, oxen, etc can be used to plow the fields.  It is the horse that not only pulls the plow but holds the rider.  It is the horse that carries us up and down the wooded paths.

I have my colors and I have my animal!

I didn’t do a lot of work with Jera today.  Time was short after doing some house cleaning.  However, Jera did show up while napping.

I dreamt of a golden harvest.  It must have been wheat although there was a field of corn nearby.  Most of the wheat had been cut down and gathered although there still was some standing.  Near that which was standing, lying on the ground were two scythes.  One was obviously used for the major work of the field.  But the other was small as though only used for gathering one or two sheaves. 

In the sky was a large golden eagle.  It did not appear to be hunting for food although it could have been.  It seemed as though he was just lazily soaring in the sky enjoying the thrill of flight.  Especially on such a gorgeous day.  The sun was sunning brightly.  Only a few fluffy clouds in sight.

A persistent thought came into my mind………Mabon.  Did this rune actually have a sabbat associated with it?  That was a first…… I thought more about why Mabon?  To me, Mabon was more associated with grapes.  But Mabon it is.

My first journey with Jera was kind of disjointed. I started off underground and seeing all kinds of roots.  Most were healthy, strong roots digging into the moist, brown earth.  They “spoke” of growth and care.  Then there was a patch of thin, scraggly roots.  They looked dry and wimpy.  They seemed to lack substance.  As I gazed at them, I saw between the two patches a stairway leading up.  As I climbed the stairs, I thought about what I had seen - two sets of roots so close to each other and yet so different.

As I went up, I noticed that the differences continued.  The healthy roots had dark brown, moist earth fulled of earthworms.  The unhealthy had hard, cracking earth empty of life.

I reached the top and saw the opposite side of the underground life.  The rich field had a glow about it.  It was full of golden wheat, corn, bright green lettuce, bright orange pumpkins.  It was so full of rich colors and life.  Then I looked to the other side and saw a few scattered crops struggling for life.  The fruit was small and unappetizing.  Neglect was obvious.

I looked back to the carefully cared-for fields and knew the message being presented.  These fields were planned for, cared for, and tenderly loved.  Nothing happened fast.  These were the results of spring planting, summer watering and weeding, and fall harvesting.  They took a lot of work but the results were obvious.  Just as the farmer must “work” his crops so must we work ours.  Any project worth doing is worth the preparation and the time involved.  Such is our life.  It is the blueprint of our future.  What we do today bears fruit tomorrow.  It is up to us whether or not it is barren or dry or juicy. 

Jera is one of my favorite runes.  I can picture the Witch’s Rune vividly.  The wheel of Jera reminds me of the high back of a straw porch chair.  Comfortable and indicative of the rest that comes at the end of summer’s labors.  Then there is the corn dolly - another reminder of a harvest.  With all the golden colors, one cannot help but think of the gold in coins.  All signs of bounty.  So what will the next two weeks with Jera show?  I cannot imagine anything less than riches.  Of course that does not necessarily mean money.  Life is full of numerous blessings that do not involve money.

Isa is complete.  Looking back on all I’ve learned I realize that there is only a few details to fill in.

What crystal would I associate with Isa?  Of course, it has to be quartz.  Its quiet strength and power is upsurpassed.  No matter what I know that quartz will complete its job.  It can be relied on.  And yet, as ice, it can be shattered.  It can be broken but its power never lost.

Sound is the “i” of Isa. 

Wisdom:  There are times to move slowly but firmly.  However there must be care taken not to stagnate.  Move forward or back as needed but don’t stand still.

This is Isa to me!

Today I really tried to concentrate on various aspects of Isa.  I decided to journey with it and see what happened.

Calling upon Shakti (figuring the cold wouldn’t hurt her), we went off into my special place.  Lo and behold, the stream was frozen although the waterfall still flowed.  Its water went under the ice.  I could peer through the ice and see it moving.  Brrrrrrrrrrr, it looked so cold.  Shakti seemed to smile and even laugh at me.  I’m stumbling across the snow while she just spread her paws and away she went.

Off we wandered through the barren countryside.  All was white in its various shades.  Little was moving although there were some tracks in the snow.  Crunch, crunch, crunch.  We made our way slowly to the coast.  Off in the distance I could see animals moving but not what they were.  Closer we drew to them.  Suddenly I realized what I was seeing.  In the water was a pod of killer whales.  Too me they are the most beautiful of whales.  The brilliant black with patches of snowy white!  There we were with white again……..

Turning in the other direction, I saw more white.  This time moving across the ice was a bear with two cubs!  Polar bears!  My absolute favorite.  More white!!!!!!  I get the message!  Obviously white is the color of Isa.

Shakti gently pulled me away from the scene.  She knows the danger of a bear with cubs and doesn’t ignore it but instead exercises caution.  Smart wolf!

So far, this is what I have found out:

Color: white

Animal: killer whale and polar bear

Element: Water (as in frozen)

Quality: slow but steady

There is more to Isa than I ever realized.

Again I saw the giant.  Is this Ymir?  He looks as I would imagine Ymir appearing.  He does not speak but just has me watching him.  He points to the icicles hanging from the tree limbs.  I don’t really understand.  I’ve already figured out that Isa is ice so where is the new lesson?  As I question this, he raises his arm up and down, straight up and down and then points back to the icicle.  Over and over again.  Straight? Sky - ground?  What the heck is he trying to say?

The light goes on……..icicle = “I”.  The icicle is in the shape of Isa.  It’s an “I” and even starts with Isa’s letter!!!!!!!!  Duh!  How stupid can I be?

As I look around I see lots of icicles………lots of Isas!  The winter world is full of Isa - slow Isa!  Doesn’t everything slow down during the winter?  The bear hibernates.  It’s metabolism slowed almost to a standstill.  The river no longer rushes by.  The sap in the trees run sluggishly through its branches.  All is still.

ISA!

I never realized how complicated ice could be.  Here we have Isa.  Such a simple concept and yet so complicated. 

Today I concentrated on the glacier side of Isa.  This really seems to attract me.  It is difficult to imagine the power in this glacier.  It moves only inches in a year - barely perceptible.  And yet it that movement it scours out valleys and river beds.  It moves boulders the size of buildings and does so with such patience.  Nothing deviates it from its path.  Nothing stops it.  It persists.

And when it withdraws, the earth has changed.  Nothing is unaffected by its passage.  Its quiet strength masters all.  A river of ice creeping forth.  It is what it is and never seems to change and yet it grows until it is time to retreat.  Its single-minded purpose is to shape and change Mother Earth.  It is all quiet power.

Yesterday I played with Isa.  Today I went back to the serious side.  I thought about all the hard work that faces each of us.  Some of the things we have to accomplish seems almost impossible especially in these difficult times.  How do we manage to cope let alone succeed?  It’s the rock hard strength of Isa.  Isa is what provides structure.  Without the Isa in life, we’d be limp rubber bands.

This session with Isa actually turned out to be fun.  It was something I never would have expected. It even involved my husband Matt. 

I pictured us on top of one of our Santa Fe mountains in the ski area.  No - I wasn’t skiing.  I know how accident prone I am.  I was watching Matt skateboarding.  My husband is daring and is willing to try anything.  He seems to forget that he isn’t a teenager anymore and will break more easily while healing less easily.  Anyway, here he is sliding down the mountain on his butt more than on the skateboard.  I’m laughing so hard I can’t even take pictures.  The camera is shaking so.

Now you and I are both thinking “what the heck does this have to do with Isa?”  I’m not sure I’ve figured it out but here goes.  How about being slow is also being serious?  Maybe this part of Isa is telling me to not only take my time but that there is a possibility of going too slow.  Could it be telling me to take some chances and not be left out in the cold? hmmmmmmmmmmm