Sowilo is a Rune that provides guidance and nourishment.
Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Sigel semannum symble biþ on hihte,
ðonne hi hine feriaþ ofer fisces beþ,
oþ hi brimhengest bringeþ to lande.
Sun is by seamen always hoped for
when they fare far away over the fishes’ bath
until the brine-stallion they bring to land.
Norwegian Rune Poem
Sól er landa ljóme;
lúti ek helgum dóme.
Sun is the light of the lands;
I bow to the holy doom.
Icelandic Rune Poem
Sól er skýja skjöldr
ok skínandi röðull
ok ísa aldrtregi.
Sun is the shield of the clouds,
and a shining glory,
and the life-long destroyer of ice.
Sowilo represents the sun and all its attributes. The sun is the main source of warmth and light and one of the two essentials for most carbon based life to grow and thrive. Living in our heated and perfectly insulated houses it is hard to imagine how ecstatic people must have felt at the end of winter when the sun was regaining its strength, when the days got longer and temperature warmer. The creation of the sun from sparks flying out of Muspelheim is a turning point in the Norse creation myth as it marks the beginning of time, the creation of order in a formerly chaotic and unstructured universe. At the end of time, Fenrir’s son Sköll will actually swallow the sun that he has been chasing since it was set up in the sky, a sign that the universe will return to its chaotic state… at least for a while.
Especially for the Vikings who were a seafaring people the sun was also an important tool for navigation. During the day, it is the only visible star and was therefore essential in order not to get driven too far off course. Its bright light also connects it to the intellect, the rational part of our Self that allows us to analyze and assess situations and ideas without prejudice by simply sticking to the facts.
In Rune magic Sowilo can be used to bring these qualities into our lives. It can nourish a character trait we want to strengthen, keep a new project going even after the initial excitement has died down, help us to look at a complicated situation from a rational standpoint by evaluating all the available facts, even the ones we’re not really fond of. It can also be a great guide, not just when making decisions in our everyday live, but also when traveling the inner landscapes.