The rune Isa is simple. Its straight line is easy to learn, and the name simply means "ice".
This is the third rune in Hagal's ætt and rune number 11 in the Futhark.
11 is actually a master number, and it encourages us to observe and learn from what we sense.
Isa encourages us to tone ourselves down, to let the situation cool off – and to be patient. The water has frozen, it has turned to ice, but this can soon turn back into water. But right now the water stands still, it has frozen and become cold ice.
Hagal represented Urd/the past, Naud represents the future, while Isa represents the present. These three runes/norns are truly serious teachers.
My grandmother was a bit like the Isa rune. Kind, warm-hearted, but – when she fixed her gaze on people and signaled "behave yourself", then people behaved. When she said with an authoritative voice: "No nonsense now!" then you lost the desire to make mischief.
Hagal, Naud and Isa want to bring out the best in you. They want you to cultivate the best version of yourself. To temper you and test you, fate sometimes sends in unpleasantness, even to the best among us. That's just how it is.
Isa is represented by Verdande, the present. It is difficult NOW. It is exhausting NOW. There are obstacles NOW – but this will pass. If you keep a cool head and make smart maneuvers, this will go well. If you keep a cool head and are patient, you will see that it pays off. The spring thaw is coming.
We, witches, we often use ice in our magic. We freeze a situation or a person by placing a photo or something else, together with water, and freezing it into ice. Not to harm, but to keep people at a distance or to cool down a situation.
If Isa comes up in a reading, it is most likely that there is stagnation in your life, in one or more areas. If Isa comes up together with Mannar, you need help from others. Together with Jara this is a promise that the situation is temporary, and so on. I often meditate on Isa when I have to be patient.
These days I have four 80-year-olds who do their best to nag me to death. Two are demented, one is a hypochondriac and one is demanding … Let me put it this way, I often meditate on Isa. :-) I know it's not easy to grow old, so I can't get angry with them. They just so badly want a little attention, and they deserve it, but Isa often has to enter the picture in this situation. And when I'm at loggerheads with the Tax Authorities and explaining that I don't earn as much as they think and that I have to be allowed to write off more than they permit – yes, then Isa is good to have. Then it really boils inside my head, and then Isa is very nice to resort to.
Out in nature, Isa encourages us toward stillness. It is good for us to be still. We ought to be still more often than we actually are, in my opinion :-)
Of the star signs I feel that Pisces is the sign that harmonizes best with Isa. Pisces, despite being a mutable sign, has a great patience within, and they know the art of being silent. Most Pisces like stillness, and most Pisces understand the value of stillness.
Of the planets, I bring forward Saturn for this rune as well. Saturn is the strict schoolmaster, and Saturn is "karma" – much of the same is found again in Isa. There is something strict about Isa, the softness lies at the bottom – but we easily see the strictness and the strength.
With Saturn and Isa we understand that "no" is often the best answer and that "wait" is not always negative, but a "wait" can lead to something better and more valuable.
Of tarot cards there are many I would bring forward. "The Hanged Man" because that card shows the value of enduring and bearing the pain of the situation. "The Hermit" because that card shows the blessing of stillness. "Four of Swords" because the card shows the necessity of resting and finding inner peace within oneself.
Irene Resaland chose Aquamarine for this rune. Aquamarine is linked to Isa, and it is really a very good choice. Aquamarine has a cool, clear energy that is reminiscent of the quiet strength of ice. It is said to calm the mind, promote clarity and support processes where patience and inner calm are needed. Aquamarine can be used together with Isa to reinforce balance and inner stillness, especially in periods where you are facing mental or emotional blockages.
Another crystal that I, on my own account, associate with Isa is Serpentine.
Serpentine has a calming energy that helps one find peace of mind and opens up for deep inner reflection. It supports all processes where you embrace patience and let go of old patterns, a bit in the same way that ice both protects and puts things on hold. This makes Serpentine a good tool if you are working with the Isa rune's qualities of rest and inner calm.
Wild marjoram is what I call a truly "adorable" plant. By the way, I call it by its Swedish name, Bergmynte. It's as if the plant itself wants me to call it bergmynte … It is not only "adorable", it smells good and it is a tough little thing. The plant drives away worms and it gets you to take up the fight against Isa's obstacles. It gets you to take the "blockades" with a light mood and humor.
From the leaves you can make yourself a heart-strengthening tea, which is also good to drink when your loved one is cold toward you. Bumblebees and bees love this plant, and that alone is good encouragement to get it into your garden.
Cinnamon – we love cinnamon, don't we? On the 1st of every month we blow a little salt out the door and a little cinnamon into our home. Because it is said to drive away evil energies, and blowing cinnamon in gives sweetness and happiness. Cinnamon and Fae together in a magical bag – can help you bring in enough money. Cinnamon oil rubbed on a red candle that you light when it is blessed … speeds up love. For Isa can also herald a cold period in a relationship between two people. A red candle and cinnamon oil can bring a "thaw". For extra zing … add Damiana to the candle as well. In short, find a mortar, grind up a cinnamon stick and Damiana, mix in cinnamon oil and you have a "love candle" or more of a "sex candle".
Cinnamon is also a well-known spice plant with a long history in both cooking and folk medicine. Traditionally, cinnamon has been used to help our digestion and to help keep blood sugar more stable. Many swear by cinnamon to strengthen the immune system in the cold season, and it is said that the spice can give warmth to the body – a contrast to Isa's cold. Cinnamon has also been used to relieve mild cold symptoms and to be invigorating for both body and mind. Remember that it is always important to use cinnamon in moderation, as large amounts can be harmful.
There is a houseplant called Maidenhair Fern in English. It is also called Freya's hair and Adiantum. This is a fine plant to have in the home. It brings luck, drives away heavy thoughts – and it is simply a mood-lifter. If you put a handful of leaves in boiling water and strain it off after a few minutes, you have an excellent "hair water" to use if you are troubled by hair loss or dandruff.
Myrrh is a plant I could have chosen for many runes, but I landed on Isa – after a bit of pondering. Myrrh has been used for millennia for its cleansing and protective power. It has a deep, somewhat earthy scent that lifts the mood and gives a feeling of peace. When working with Isa, myrrh can be used to break blockages and to find inner clarity. Light a little myrrh incense when you want to dissolve old patterns or you need to reinforce your intention.
If you have problems with sores in the mouth, I recommend you make a tincture you can put in mouthwash or spray with myrrh. You'll get the recipe here: To make myrrh tincture you take small pieces of myrrh resin and place them in a glass with alcohol, for example vodka, and let it steep for a few weeks. Then strain it off and put it to use.
Take a few drops in a little water and gargle this in the mouth, or make a spray and spray the mouth well. The tincture can also be dripped into the bath water and used in ritual contexts or as a couple of drops on the skin to reinforce the feeling of clarity and inner calm.
Jesus received myrrh as a birth gift from the three wise men, and that gift surely came in handy later in life :-)
My great-aunt in New Orleans swore by a powder made of myrrh if children had diaper rash. I used it when my son was little and I think it was effective, because I applied the myrrh salve and the rash disappeared and never came back.
Valerian is a plant that encourages us to enjoy stillness and to look a little inward into ourselves. A bit like what the sign of Pisces can teach us a lot about. I am a fan of "magical pouches" under the pillow, and Valerian is one of the choices I make when I am going to make myself a new pillow.
My backup grandmother, Alette, drank drops of Valerian tincture daily for the sake of her eyesight. She made herself tinctures of Valerian and took 4-5 drops in a little water every morning – and she only used reading glasses from the age of 80. She died at the age of 94. She had the eyesight of a slightly nearsighted eagle … Maybe Valerian helped?
The plant is called something with eye in Danish. Eye-root, or something similar, I seem to recall?
Cats seem to love this plant, so if you want visits from cats in your garden, plant a little valerian :-)
Now we move on to Jera – rune number 12.
