Study › Runes & Norse › Ansuz
Ansuz (ᚨ) is the fourth rune of the Elder Futhark. It is the rune of Odin and of the mind made clear: speech, thought, wisdom, insight and inspiration. Reversed, its meaning turns against you.
Keywords: wisdom, speech, insight, inspiration, truth
What does the Ansuz rune mean?
Ansuz is the fourth rune of the Elder Futhark, strongly connected to Odin. It comes after Thurisaz, and Raidho comes after it.
Its meaning is speech, thought and wisdom — the divine spark within each soul that links us to everything around us. Creativity and inspiration are the signs of healthy Ansuz energy. It is used in magick of communication and of the mind: shaping better mental patterns, turning thoughts more positive, even planting a thought. Above all it brings understanding — mental clarity, and the clearing away of illusion.
Ansuz is the rune of Odin and of the mind made clear and strong. It is clarity and understanding at the level of thought: clarity of a situation, clarity of words, wisdom, and all that belongs to speech and thinking.
Its god is Odin, who won the runes on Yggdrasil.
Ansuz in a reading
Ansuz in love
Upright: A wise approach to the relationship. Open, honest conversation. Seeing the partner as they are. Love that inspires. Truth strengthens the bond.
Reversed: Foolish choices in love. Words that hurt or deceive. Blind to what is really there. The romance loses its inspiration. Lies between you.
Ansuz and money
Upright: Wise decisions. Good negotiations. Sharp insight into the market. Inspired ideas bring profit. Honest dealings.
Reversed: Unwise decisions. Misleading talk. Missing the obvious. Ideas run dry. Deception in business.
Ansuz and health
Upright: Wise choices for the body. Talking it through helps. The cause is understood. New motivation for healthy habits. The body tells the truth.
Reversed: Careless habits. Silence about a problem. The cause stays unclear. No motivation to change. Denial about symptoms.
Ansuz on the spiritual path
Upright: Wisdom deepens. Messages from within are heard. Sudden insight. Divine inspiration. Truth is revealed.
Reversed: Wisdom is ignored. Messages go unheard. Insight is clouded. Inspiration is lost. Truth is hidden or twisted.
Ansuz reversed
Reversed, Ansuz clouds the mind: words mislead, insight fails, and inspiration dries up. It asks you to listen more carefully, and to check what you are told.
Ansuz in the rune poems
The rune poems are the oldest sources for the runes' meanings. Here is what each one says of Ansuz, first as written, then in English.
Norwegian Rune Poem
Óss er flæstra færða
fǫr; en skalpr er sværða.Estuary is the way of most journeys;
but a scabbard is of swords.
Icelandic Rune Poem
Óss er algingautr
ok ásgarðs jöfurr,
ok valhallar vísi.
Jupiter oddviti.Aged Gautr
and prince of Ásgardr
and lord of Vallhalla.
Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Os byþ ordfruma ælere spræce,
wisdomes wraþu ond witena frofur
and eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht.The mouth is the source of all language,
a pillar of wisdom and a comfort to wise men,
a blessing and a joy to every knight.
Questions
How do you pronounce Ansuz?
Say it "AHN-sooz".
What does the Ansuz rune look like?
Ansuz (ᚨ) is an upright line with two short branches slanting down to the right.
What does Ansuz mean reversed?
It asks you to listen more carefully, and to check what you are told.