Excerpts from the explanations given by three major authors are considered side-by-side below; these are intended to give some indication of the possible variations on somewhat standard meanings, encouraging you to allow yourself some creative flexibilty and original impressions from the runes themselves.

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The three authors are Edred Thorsson, Ralph Blum, and Freya Aswynn.

The First (Freyr's) Aett
FEHU
Thorsson	Blum	Aswynn
Mobile wealth, cattle, livestock, money, gold. Foresight is needed. Wealth may be in the offing, but it must be used with wisdom and shared generously to avoid conflict. This is also true of the "inner wealth" of knowledge.	Possessions Nourishment Cattle Fehu is a rune of fulfillment: ambition satisfied, love shared, rewards received. It promises nourishment from the most worldly to the sacred and the Divine. This rune calls for a deep probing of the meaning of profit and gain in your life. Look with care to know whether it is wealth and possessions you require for your well-being, or rather self-rule and the growth of a will.	The first rune of the first aett. The classical meaning of Fehu is cattle or wealth, in particular, moveable wealth. The possession of money or wealth means that a certain level of responsibility is required on the part of the possessor. On a deeper level, Fehu is related to the Vanir deity Niord, who is the god whose assistance you invoke if you need help extricating yourself fom financial difficulties. On a very mundane level, Fehu represents the ability of the individual to create or to maintain wealth...as well as the energy to do so.
URUZ
Uruz is the principle of vital lefe energy, original procreation, and organic transformation. We see vital strength in its essence, an emotive up-welling and out-pouring of energy. This leads to strength if it is tenaciously held onto and controlled. Properly, this strength should be used to defend you 'homeland', be that the physical home or the "hall"of the self. Use the strength to burn away weakness and dross.	Strength Manhood, Womanhood The Wild Ox The rune of terminations and new beginnings, an indication that the life you have been living has outgrown its form. That form must die so that new energy can be released in a new form. Positive growth and change, however, may involve a descent into darkness as part of the cycle of perpetual renewal. Prepare, then, for opportunity disguised as loss. It could involve the loss of someone or something to which you have an intense emotional bond, and through which you were living part of your life, a part that must now be retrieved so you can live it out for yourself.	Uruz contains a primal earth energy - the inextinguishable impulse to be, the energy behind the forms of nature which survives all attempts at destruction, reforming itself in new patterns when the old ones are outworn. So the energy of Uruz is indestructable, raw, primitive, and unbelievably strong. Uruz teaches us patience, endurance, courage, and the application of aggression at the right time and under the right circumstances.
THURISAZ
A reactive force in brute nature. Reactions to your deeds may be dangerous. Take care in passively engaging or blindly grasping the "outside world" (i.e., outside your self, home, etc.). Do so with knowledge. Danger may be present in the outside world. This is an erotic vital force. Correctly applied this power can be protective and lead to evolutionary change and regeneration. This is a rune of crisis for good or ill, a catalyst for change.	Gateway Place of Non-Action The God Thor With a gateway for its symbol, this Rune indicates that there is work to be done both inside and outside yourself. Thurisaz represents the frontier between Heaven and the mundane. Arriving here is a recognition of your readiness to contact the numinous, the Divine, to illuminate your experience so that its meaning shines through its form. Thurisaz is a Rune of non-action. Thus, the gateway is not to be approached and passed through without contemplation. Here you are being confronted with a clear reflection of what is hidden in yourself, what must be exposed and examined before right action can be undertaken.	The Anglo-Saxon Christians went even further in eliminating knowledge of this rune by renaming it Thorn. [In the Anglo-Saxon Rune-Poem] we are warned that the Thurisaz rune is evil. ... But make no mistake -- Thurisaz is probably the most dangerous rune in the whole futhark. ... With regard to human consciousness, the third rune, Thurisaz, is virtually on the borderline of consciousness: neither totally unconscious, nor totally conscious as is the next rune, Ansuz, which governs consciousness. For this purpose, where Thurisaz is concerned, the term "subconsciousness" is appropriate...
ANSUZ
Ódhinn: sovereign ancestral god of the intellect. This is the principle of divine conscious power as embodied in the god Ódhinn...the divine pattern or exemplary model for self-transformation, not a god with whom worshippers seek "union". Skills involving language are indicated. The power of persuasion is great in the spoken word and the ability to imitate. Direct access to the source of consciousness and perhaps a transformative spiritual experience are in the offing. It is necessary to synthesize, to bring together disparate elements in order to understand. Without proper understanding the ansuz may lead to delusion.	Signals Messenger Rune The God Loki The keynote here is receiving messages, signals, gifts. Even a timely warning may be seen as a gift. The message may be that of a new life unfolding. New lives begin with new connections, surprising linkages that direct you onto new pathways. Take care now to be especially aware during meetings, visits, chance encounters, particularly with persons wiser than yourself. Ansuz is the first of the thirteen runes that make up the Cycle of Initiation -- Runes that focus directly upon the mechanism of self-change -- and as such, addresses our need to integrate unconscious motive with conscious intent. ... Drawing Ansuz tells you that connection with the Divine is at hand. It is a signal to explore the depths, the foundations of life, and to experience the inexhaustible wellspring of the Divine in your nature.	This is the fourth rune of the futhark. Whereas Thurisaz represents the forces of chaos, Ansuz represents order... From this we see that there is a certain amount of integration and cooperation between the two opposing forces of chaos (giants) and order (Aesir). The Norse cosmology is similar in this respect to other constructs of opposition from other parts of the world, such as the Chinese concept of yin and yang. The Ansuz rune represents consciousness, intelligence, communication, and reason. The element of Odin, the godforce behind this rune, is air. Air is a penetrating medium ncessary to all life-forms. It is through air that sound becomes audible. In an airless environment, sound cannot be heard, and sound is the other main esoteric feature of the Ansuz rune, including the origins of sound as a medium of communication between people, and the sounds of Nature. ...On a higher level, Ansuz represents the life energy that is called "prana" in the East, and appropriately "od" or"odic" energy by various German magicians. On a practical working level, Ansuz is the counterbalance to Thurisaz. As Thurisaz is used to fetter, Ansuz can be used to unfetter. ... This rule is also true for psychological fetters, such as anxieties or phobias in the individual's unconscous mind, which act as a hindrance preventing further personal growth or spiritual progress. In a mundane sense these fetters can be understood as an impediment to a more successful career.
RAIDO
This is the principle of rhythmic and proportional dynamism or energetic action. It is the cycle -- but in spiral form -- always governed by perfect proportion and interval. As such, raidho is the rune of the long ride, the long hard journey of growth and becoming in the world. An ordered change is indicated. Ordered ethical deeds are necessary. This requires planning, preparation, and good judgment, however. Action is necessary. Gain experience in the "outside world". ... A journey or change in domestic situation is in the offing. Logical matters may become a concern. Justice may be expected. Make use of reason and good counsel.	Journey Communication Union, Reunion This rune is concerned with communication, with the attunement of something that has two sides, two elements, and with the ultimate union that comes at the end of the journey, when what is above and what is below are united and of one mind. Inner worth mounts here, and at such a time you are not intended to rely entirely on your own power. Instead, ask what constitutes right action. Ask through prayer or meditation, through addressing the Witness Self, the Teacher Within. Not intent on movement, be content to wait; while you wait, keep on removing resistances. As the obstructions give way, all remorse arising from trying to make things happen disappears. The journey is toward self-healing, self-change and union. You are concerned here with nothing less than unobstructed, perfect union. But the union of Heaven and Earth cannot be forced. ... Another of the Cycle Runes, Raidho carries within its form the Rune of Joy, for now the end is in sight. You are no longer burdened by what you've left behind. Heaven above you and Earth below you unite within you to support you on your way.	R.W.V. Elliott translates this rune as "riding" or "journey", which has been the accepted interpretation in runic circles as the meaning of this rune. Riding has the more symbolic connotations of creating movement, generating motion, taking charge of situations, being in control, taking the initiative, starting a new venture, decision-making, or directing a course of action. The magical significance of this rune relates to the ability to move within one's natural limits and, consequently, to become aware of what those limits are. The rune also refers to the power of making a conscious decision and the discipline to carry it out. ... Thus, working with the force of Raidho means to be in charge of your own path in life; to keep your own counsel; to ride, not be ridden; as far as is possible, to be master of your own circumstances; to extend gradually the degree of control that you exercise over these circumstances; and finally to make a conscious choice of the direction you wish to follow.
KENAZ
This is the principle of analysis (of breaking up things into their component parts) and of creativity, or shaping things. Kenaz is the fire of divine inspiration uner the control of human craft, which results in artistic creation. It is the fire of the torch, the hearth, the harrow (altar), the forge, and the funeral pyre. Inner creativity and artistry, or general ability and aptitude are indicated. Rest and relaxation are necessary to allow it to arise. The creative fire is applied to the personality. Tranformation is suggested, a shaping or reshaping of the present situation, enlightened by divine inspiration. A child may be in the offing. This rune indicates a person in the arts or crafts.	Opening Fire Torch This is the Rune of Opening and renewed clarity, or dispelling the darkness that has been shrouding some part of your life. You are free now both to receive gifts and to know the joy of non-attached giving. Kano (Kenaz) is the Rune for the morning of activities, for seriousness, clear intent and concentration, all of which are essential at the beginning of any endeavor. One of the thirteen Cycle Runes, the protection offered by Kano is this: The more light you have, the better you can see what is trivial and outmoded in your own conditioning. Simply put, if you have been operating in the dark, there is now enough light to see that the patient on the operating table is yourself.	Most rune-workers interpret the meaning of the Kenaz rune as "torch", which has always been regarded as a symbol of knowledge, consciousness, and intellect. On a psychological level, the attributes of Kenaz are clarity of thought, insight, consciousness of the self, inborn or hereditary knowledge, confidence and trust in one's own intuition, and finally concentration and determined effort. Together with Raido, which is the rune which directs us toward the right path, Kenaz will shed light on this path that we may know where we are going. Together, they can guide us in the right direction.
GEBO
This is the principle of the three-fold Gift of Ódhinn: consciousness, divine breath, and form. It is also the principle of giving and taking, of an exchange between any two beings of two realms. It is the sacrifice -- or gift -- nade by people to gods in order to compensate or petition for divine favors. In human society this is reflected in simple hospitality. Provide for hospitality and generosity with guests. Be prepared to accept it as well. A meteria or spiritual gift may be in the offing. You may expect great credit, honor, dignity,-- or you may be called upon to bestow these on another if yoiu are in a position of power. Take care not to give away all you have. Spend wisely.	Partnership A Gift Drawing this Rune is an indication that partnership in some form is at hand. In love relationships, in business matters, in partnerships of every kind, you are put on notice not to collapse yourself into that union. For true partnership is achieved only by separate and whole beings who retain their separateness even as they unite. Remember to let the winds of Heaven dance between you. At the same time, there is another aspect of partnership that you are being called upon to consider. For the path of partnership can lead you to the realization of a still greater union -- union with the Higher Self, union with the Divine. The ultimate gift of this Rune is the realization of the Divine in all things... Gebo, the Rune of Partnerships, has no reverse, for it signifies the gift of freedom from which flow all other gifts.	...The implication is that a gift was given on the understanding that a gift was to be received in return. It is therefore not only a matter of giving, but also of receiving. Everything points to balance and equilibrium. On this level, the Gebo run is represented, in its most mundane function, as the law of compensation, in which nothing is given for nothing and there is always a price to pay. In present-day society there are too many people who are willing to take, but reluctant to give. ... In the most practical sense this rune refers to agreements, settlements, legal matters, and the honoring of contracts. A pleasant aspect of this rune is betrothal. The X-shaped sign representing a kiss at the end of a letter is in fact the Gebo rune. ... Virtues related to this rune include hospitality, generosity, and the ability to accept and give gifts with honor, for it is in most cases easier to give than to receive well.
WUNJO
This is the principle of ideal harmonization of entities or elements -- especially those derived from the same source. From this, harmony, joy, and good cheer naturally arise. Social and domestic harmony can be expected. Separation from pain or the ability to cope with it is indicated. Keep ideals in mind; strive for them. Either good physical health is indicated, or attention should be paid to it. Strive to bring together disparate elements in your life; organize things. Harmonize your inner and outer lives. New social relationships -- not necessarily sexual ones -- are likely. Material prosperity may result from business relationships. A person in social services may be signified by this rune.	Joy Light This rune is a fruit-bearing branch. The term of travail is ended and you have come to yourself in some regard. The shift that was due has occurred; now you can freely received Wunjo's blessings, whether they be in material gain, in your emotional life or in a heightened sense of your own well-being. ... Joyousness accompanies new energy, energy blocked before now. Light pierces the clouds and touches the waters just as something lovely emerges from the depths: The soul is illuminated from within, at the meeting place of Heaven and Earth, the meeting of the waters. There is a new clarity which may call for you to renounce existing plans, ambitions, goals. It is proper and timely for you to do so, for Wunjo is a Rune of restoration, of the self properly aligned with the Self.	Wunjo contains all that is beautiful and lovable in Odin / Wodan. One of Odin's bynames is Oski, which means "fulfiller of whishes". ... Vestiges of Wodan's role as a bearer of gifts and fulfiller of wishes have survived in Holland, Germany, and other countries on the continent in the Feast of St. Nicholas, celebrated on December 6th. ... Evidently Wunjo is one of the most magically powerful runes. Its connotation of wishes and wishing implies that the power behind this rune is what is known in modern-day occultism as the power or realization of the true will. In the Thurisaz rune, this power is no more than a potential in the subconscious. If correctly applied Wunjo can put us in touch with this power and therefore raise it to manifest consciousness.