The Harry Potter story presents a strong, modern archetypal connection to Jung’s hero’s journey. As my studies of the Runes clarified–the obscure, ancient Norse symbols Odin brought back from his time on the World Tree–I began making connections between the progression of their story and characters of the Potterverse, not just between personality traits and the meaning of the Runes, but in how the characters represented stages of Harry’s hero’s journey through the progression of the Runic aetts. My study of the Elder Futhark has been eclectic, though I approach them from the old Icelandic and Norse runic poems as interpreted by Kate MacDowell. I thought to intuitively draw Runes and see what came, as is common when using them for divination. I’m so moved by the series and have a smooth enough rapport with the Runes that I trusted myself to assign them.

The preliminaries to address include: there be spoilers here. If you don’t know what happens to Harry and his series or don’t want to, stop reading now. That’s your only warning. Rabid Potter ficcers beware–archetypes abhor chronology. Just go with it. As well, this is all subjective, so all of you Runic academics put down your Hávamál and just read. This is my modern take on an ancient story.

The Runes are divided into three aetts, or developmental groups, which signify the overall advancement of the journey. The first grouping is Frey’s aett, which explores how the hero comes into form and sustains. We begin the story with Fehu, or wealth that transfers and must be tended in some way. It asks us to think of generosity for what we have been given by our ancestors and in what we will pass on. Sirius is the closest thing to a living ancestor for Harry. Best friend to Harry’s parents, Sirius literally is the most valuable figure to Harry. He cares for Harry affectionately, though in passing on material means for Harry to continue caring for himself, Sirius bequeaths a sense of earthly belonging Harry had not known before. Hence, through Sirius leaving his home to Harry as the hidden base for the Order of the Phoenix, from which Harry could take action in the formed realm.

Runestone

Uruz is the primal nature unmarred by domestication or socialization. The wildest figure in the Potterverse is without question Voldemort. In fact, when we first learn of him he is not capable of forming in the world just yet. His threat, however ethereal, is evident, as becomes his influence to inspire Harry to explore his own depths of wildness.

With Thurisaz comes the thoughtform, awareness of one’s self and what one could become. Young Tom Riddle foreshadows the potential of an unshaped psyche. As he rises to be the most powerful dark wizard in the world, the boundaries he pushes to succeed come to mirror possibilities for Harry’s fate, as well.

Molly Weasley embodies Ansuz, the Rune of taking form. Ansuz reminds us ongoing that we are never separate from what we create, so we must create with care. Molly demonstrated this trait best in ardent tending of her loved ones, her foremost priority. She walked it like she talked it, displaying a devotion to core priorities otherwise lacking in Harry’s personal life.

Where Ansuz is the very personal internal process of choosing what we give attention to, Raidho is the process of culling out what of ourselves we share with the world. No character blatantly displays firmness in telling her story precisely the way she wants others to hear it better than Dolores Umbridge. Despite her misguidedness, her rationale is impeccable. She is an excellent foil for Harry to discern what of his story needs to be heard by others.

Kenaz is the light in shadow. As we begin to share our story we can come to believe our words over reality; thus, having someone or something interject a bit of perspective puts us back on track. For Harry this is an internal process guided by his projections of his mother, Lily. He doesn’t remember her, but the sacrifice she made for him compels him to hold perspective and stay the course.

Gebo is the acquired ally. Along our paths we gain the gift of friends who help us move along. Dobby is the only ally to Harry who has no personal gain in mind, and who ever-expresses gratitude for Harry’s friendship. Subtle and small, Dobby’s gratefulness for their friendship gains Harry significant advantages over Voldemort.

Another important ally is Luna Lovegood, a brilliant embodiment of Wunjo–absolute joy and delight. Luna remains Harry’s best teacher of playfulness and detachment. Though he doesn’t understand her, her lightness always eases him. The glimpses of joy Harry sees in Luna’s fresh way to see the world also moves him forward.

With the completion of what it takes for Harry to sustain, we move into the second aett–Hagal’s Aett. With Hagalaz we begin to distinguish the personal journey from the collective. For this Rune we have Harry, a young boy entrenched between two worlds–literally–and upon whom the fate of the entire Wizarding World rests. As he takes on the mantle of being a wizard, so does he face the fact that an inevitable confrontation is coming.

Nauthiz confronts Harry quickly in Draco. In his nemesis Harry can be exonerated as a half-blood, thus subvert his calling and growth to self-hood, or he can assert his individuality and compassion. Harry’s choice to be authentic leaves Draco wrestling with constraint that eventually calls him to similar action.

Draco exaggerated is his father, Lucius, an icy man dominated by the power of wealth. Swayed by the glittering qualities of Isa, Lucius’ reality and vitality are challenged because Harry will not comply with the Death Eaters. Left impotent, Lucius’ plight foretells the magnitude of Harry’s imminent confrontation.

Jera is Nymphadora Tonks, the pinnacle artist as creator and prophet. Her ability to morph her form as she wishes is Harry’s earliest hint that we create ourselves as we want to be. Thus, culling through the experience shaping him into a young man, Harry creates his own destiny.

My greatest point of consternation in the series is and has always been that the strongest female character is also the most vile–Bellatrix Lestrange. In Eihwaz is the embodiment of the yew tree, sweet and poison, strong and unwavering, as is Bella. Through every desperate and deliberate act to destroy Harry, Bella is true to herself, a true match for Harry’s own resolve.

Luckily, he has Ron as his personal Perthro. Ever the comic relief and soothsayer of the obvious, Ron’s goofy nature bring calamity as easily as clarity. Ron is the force of randomness that keeps Harry grounded in possibility.

In Algiz is the shapeshifter Remus Lupin. No, that’s not why it reminds me of him, though it fits well. Rather, it’s Lupin’s conviction to protect Harry at all costs, his sense of standing firm on his boundaries, and if necessary to use the boundary as a weapon. He is Harry’s greatest teacher of self-truth, even in lessons Harry doesn’t want to learn.

Minerva McGonagall is Sowilo. Sowilo is the sun shining the light of the Divine on us, so that we may light our lives. McGonagall is the refined, hidden force of strength that encourages Harry, particularly when he doesn’t realize it.

With the final and third aett, Tyr’s aett, we embark on a new order. After completing our journey from the gods to formed possibility, we are now called to reflect back on the Divine. Neville Longbottom is Tiwaz. Neville’s voice sounds the battlecry awakening the second wind in the Hogwart’s students. As Harry wages his battle his way, Neville raises new forces and revitalizes the troops to stay the mission. Without Neville energy and change of course Harry can’t succeed.

Berkano’s trickster, mysterious nature is best represented in the Weasley twins. Chaotic and ever pushing the envelope, they are Harry’s cheerleaders. They blur his lines in a provocative way, keeping him engaged and forward-thinking.

The burden of Ehwaz falls to Albus Dumbledore. Whether he carried it admirably is debatable, though in his role as mentor to Harry Dumbledore is always reliable. He devotes to Harry every spare ounce of energy, and regardless of how Harry’s trust in Dumbledore wavers, Dumbledore’s trust in Harry remains impeccably solid.

Mannaz can only be lovely Hedwig. Harry’s owl familiar is his messenger to the magickal world when he is hostage in the muggle one. Her role as messenger, thus her life and death, signifies how Harry’s stamina and awareness diversifies to survive, if not thrive, in both worlds.

Laguz is Ginny, the water element that is both destructive and capable of taking care of itself. Fierce and independent, she is Harry’s picture of home and life renewed. As he adores her; thus, gives her power. Emotionally she could slay him. Yet she is his touchstone for returning to something known, supportive, reliable.

Hermione is Ingaz, the feminine principle of protection. In many subtly powerful ways Hermione is Harry’s strongest female complement. And no, I’m not an H/H shipper. Often she is the feminine voice of reason when Harry otherwise lacks that balancing influence. Hermione provides Divine Balance for Harry.

Dagaz, the progression of a day, of darkness to light, is revealed in the mystery of Severus Snape. In the end Snape’s wisdom, thus darkness, is Harry’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Finally, we close with Othala, enlightened and capable, ready to transmit the journey’s teaching to the new hero. As Hagrid greeted and led Harry to the Wizarding World, so Harry preserves the Wizarding World to be passed on to all.

With the close of Harry’s story, conflict is resolved and a new order is restored to the Wizarding World, to his personal life. His journey ends. As with the story of the Runes, the fullness of a life manifest is poised to return to the Divine ancestors and begin again.

Thanks for your note, Sally. The way I look at dreams for others happens on several levels. First, I hold in my intention the symbols of the dream, along with any feelings they evoke. Then I hold the perspective of the consciousness creating this dream, which is in this case, that of your husband. As it is you who is asking about the dream and not him, my ability to connect with that state of his consciousness is limited, if only from a standpoint of permission.

Dream Catcher, artist unknown

What I see happening in your husband’s dream is that he has allowed you to embody his feminine aspect. He has given away an element of his power to you. We all fashion our internal cast of archetypal characters by the examples we see around us. At some point we must become aware of how we carry this cast. In your husband’s case, this dream signifies that on some level he realizes he needs to incorporate more feminine qualities in his self-talk, his self-care, because as you drift from him in the dream, he attempts to retain you. He is afraid to be without you because he wouldn’t have an internal feminine aspect. That puts a lot of pressure on you, which again, isn’t uncommon in our contemporary lives. While many people are flattered on an ego level by being viscerally needed, they don’t understand that the need eventually becomes a drain taking a toll on all involved. In the end, it weakens the relationship rather than strengthens it. In this case, it is imperative for your husband to cultivate aspects of the feminine divine within. If he doesn’t understand what that balance means, a recent post by Jeff Brown, Apologies to the Divine Feminine (from a warrior in transition) may be a good place to start. When we honor that Divine Feminine power exists, it becomes easier to see it within ourselves. As well, as your husband approaches middle age or if this dream is a response to approaching middle-age, this softening to the feminine will begin on its own. Mid-life is the great gender leveler, biologically and spiritually. It introduces Divine Androgyny and the qualities of that neutral state to us all.

This dream is information for you both to examine just what needs you fulfill for each other, compared to what needs you should be fulfilling for yourselves. Consider speaking with him about this and devising a ritual for bringing a balance of power back to your relationship. If you seek suggestions for such a ritual, feel free to contact me.

Be well, Sally!

I frequently hear people say that the Goddess is returning, to which I respond, “Where do you think She’s been?” I understand the crisis of the soul that feels forsaken by Deity. The ego that needs to see Divinity as having abandoned all of creation to explain its misfortunes perplexes me. In fact, the need to say the Feminine Divine is returning to modern culture from long enigmatic hiatus only perpetuates blame and doesn’t take responsibility for needing to perceive Her as missing to start with.

Pandoran Tree of Souls

Why we need to interpret Deity by gender, or how much fertile soul growth is denied by ignoring neutrality aside, I should just be grateful that She’s getting play at all. The real issue isn’t that She left. We left Her, and in doing so created an imbalance via patriarchy that gifted us sexism, racism, materialism, and militarism–all of which in Martin Luther King’s words, until we remember to be person-oriented are “incapable of being conquered.” As an animist, I say, we can’t overcome them until we become Life-oriented–that is, until we see All Things as equal and connected, until we realize that we are All One. This is the message I take from James Cameron’s Avatar. The connection to All Things is always there. We can never leave it, we can only drop it from our awareness, and when we do, we devalue ourselves and All Things.

Yes, I’m late to the discussion on Avatar. Despite that, I read a lot on the film’s archetypal philosophies before I knew their context. On the surface, it was easy to see how widely its symbolism and cultural dynamics could be interpreted. I was as skeptical of gurus spouting wisdom on its sincere depiction of returning Goddess culture as I was of yet another “white man learns a few magickal truths from Ethnics, then uses his new power to save them from his culture,” story. About twenty minutes into the film I realized the inherent egotism in those surface judgements, then relaxed and enjoyed the film.

I relaxed when Jake thanked Neytiri for saving him from a pack of night predators, and she replied, “You don’t thank for this! This is sad. Very sad, only.” Instantly, I realized what the film was attempting to accomplish, and subsequently, what it was up against. At that moment a muted recognition settled over the theatre. The audience seemed at peace with the knowledge that the killing was a somber survivalistic necessity, but a dimness obscured that Neytiri’s anguish wasn’t from having to kill. It was from having to kill needlessly. Jake had no respect for the terrain or animals he invaded. Cultural egocentricity and defensiveness severed his connection to All Things. Had he honored Universal life force, he would have never violated the space of the forest; there would have been no killing. The resounding philosophy of connection and honor is the core of balanced Divine Polarity. That message of the human patriarchy invading the thriving Feminine ecostytem trumped every mundane criticism I’d read about the film–military vs savages, technology vs Nature, culture vs culture, patriarchy vs coexistence… The singular reason those other conflicts existed was because of the loss of divine connection.
If viewers see this film and come away with only allegories of returning goddesses and trite interracial conflicts, they are missing the higher message appealing to the subtler mind, which is that we can’t expect the support of Divinity when we don’t cultivate interconnection between ourselves and with the life force of Nature. No, the film isn’t emotionally gripping or highly intellectual. Neither is it preachy or understated. If it was any of those things, its story could not speak directly to the spirit so effectively.

I know why Goddess “went missing.” We didn’t ditch Her because we found a shinier, more flattering deity. We stripped Her from our consciousness because that way of honoring All That Is was under siege, systematically being whittled away until our spirits were defeated, separated. We abandoned Her in order to survive in a brutal climate riddled with fear and defensiveness. These projections of separation we have carried into our present. The differences of culture and tribe, of gender and alignment are part of formed reality. We have to face them. They can’t be evaded in our experience of Earth any more than they could on Pandora. Acknowledging a feminine aspect to Deity is frightening and threatening to many. If we can collectively imagine Woman empowered, there would be no need for any group to remain oppressed, because we would have to face that we are all inherently the same. There would be no more power struggle, no disconnect.

The collective need to experience Life without Her has coincided with the optimal time to remember that each of us is Divine, and in doing so, we are all All. In that single memory our future thrives. Honor Goddess. Until we do, we cannot truly bless Her God.

Hi C. Thank you for your note. When I initially called for your guides, I saw you having an altercation with not just one entity in the past, but a group of them, all at once. An aspect of your soul was deliberately taken in this experience, and there was very much a secret society air about it, if not ritualistic. Not only was part of your soul stolen, but a powerful unkind entity remained in its place. To clarify, two distinct things occurred in this experience: soul separation (stealing, in this case), and entity attachment, or “possession,” to give it a more mainstream term. I am not told why this exchange occurred.

The attachment carried with it a very subtle energy of wearing you down from the inside, a draining element of self-harm, nothing dramatic or even externally noticeable. Any attachment detracts from one’s power. What makes this one a bit unique is that its sole purpose was to keep you from your power, by way of indecisiveness and a keen feeling of not being able to truly close events and experiences in your life. You do not have that attachment with you anymore, and after having witnessed its full departure, I see that you are doing fairly well. There is need of doing some conscientious healing around all of this, however. I see some habits of mild insecurity, which you picked up while the entity was there, remain. These are not overt in any way, or even necessarily actions you carry out on a daily basis. They are more beliefs, residuals that you hold in your etheric body that need to be released on a cellular level for this healing to take you to the next level of growth. That is one part of what is occurring with feeling that things just aren’t coming together despite your best efforts. About the ‘missing’ soul part…

Before I get too into the details of this specific soul part, just a few words on the nature of souls, and soul separation (or loss). What we consider the soul has infinite “parts”. Those parts come and go, leaving to do work in the astral plane perhaps in the sleep state, returning to gift us with the question of “what in the world did THAT dream mean?” Soul travel is a natural occurrence. Something else that occurs in this plane is the loss of aspects of the soul when a trauma occurs. Trauma may be a car crash, a death of a loved one, assault, divorce… The definition of trauma varies by individual. In the case of soul stealing, a soul part is taken knowingly by another person or entity. The soul aspect may remain separated for diverse reasons, including the need to shield one from traumatic memories (which are taken with it); the soul part has become wounded and can’t return on its own; the soul part leaves to give higher guidance from “above…” When soul separation occurs the individual in waking ceases to develop in some way. Again, the loss can manifest in diverse ways, such as chronic illness or depression, a loss of will, a harmful pattern that can’t be broken… Sometimes aspects return on their own, but it is always THEIR choice to return. One cannot force a soul part to return. Often they don’t return on their own, or need some level of facilitating in order to fully re-integrate. This point is where a shaman comes in, to gain insight into what the soul part needs to return, and how this is going to affect the person’s present.

The aspect of you that was taken was a powerful knight. This knight embodies a deep knowledge of truly right action, as well as how to act from a place of holding balance for the greater good, rather than one of defense. Somehow these abilities have been stunted for you in the knight’s absence. As I am with the knight, I feel that it is quite hunted, which manifests for you as a very low level of anxiety for which you have never been able to name the source. The source does not exist in waking, but in the fear of manifesting your best. You fear that if you succeed at something, drawing attention to yourself, an aspect of your soul will be taken again. You fear shining too brightly, which means you have feared manifesting your own power.

I send the knight up for healing, and in that process your guides become more present. Along with them come 16 shadowy souls, who are the group that originally stole the aspect from you. I hold the space for them to move up to Spirit, as well. Redemption is a good thing. This will be very important for you to keep in mind in moving forward with this healing. The soul part of the knight remains in the realm of Spirit. I do not return soul parts without the express consent of an individual, and even then, not without the consent of that person’s guides. Instead I am given a original ritual for YOU to work with this soul part. The ritual isn’t specifically returning the soul part, but a means of helping you create the space, “setting the stage” for it to return.

The ritual begins by creating sacred space and drawing a small bowl of water. Kneel before it. Through your means of prayer, affirmations, meditation to your Higher Power, your guides and All That You Are, thank all the aforementioned for the release of the entity, and the support in returning and integrating this soul part. Affirm to them and your conscious self that you are dedicating your effort to this healing, and to accepting their leadership in how to accomplish that. In doing so, dedicate the water as the symbol of this healing and commitment. Dip your hands into the water, then draw a bit of it over your face. Drink the remaining water. Observe your initial body sensations after doing this, any feelings, thoughts, memories that come up. Note them. Meditate on them as you feel led. When you have finished this, do something amazingly positive and luxuriously restful FOR YOURSELF. Take a long warm candlelit bath. Lie down and listen to some of your favorite music in the dark. Do something to draw your power back into yourself and open the space to welcome it. Observe again your feelings, sensations, thoughts…

I highly encourage you to undertake this work with the support you have around you in energy workers and shaman. I know that you have the means to do this work or your guides would not have given me a ritual for you. That does not preclude your own good insight, and making use of all the assistance you can on this journey. All the forces necessary are supporting you in returning this soul part and integrating it. Handle carefully this fear of holding your own power, then as they say, knowingly, gently set that fear aside. You’re ready to move on. Be well!