The Tiwaz rune

Sound «Т», image: the god Tyr, honor.

Meaning of the Tiwaz rune

The spear of the god Tyr: honor, justice, a fighter's will, sacrifice for the sake of what is true. Tiwaz is what you win by being straight and by holding out. Stand for your own honestly and you will still be standing at the end. This rune favors the plain move over the clever one, every time.

Tiwaz reversed

Honor has been shaken: injustice, faith lost, a will running low. A fight you are wearing out in, or a truth nobody will speak up for. Tiwaz reversed leaves your rightness intact. What it shows is the cost of carrying this alone, and it may be time to choose which battle is actually yours.

Tiwaz in a spread

If it comes up upright, read it by the meaning above. If it falls upside down, read the reversed meaning: the rune's force goes backwards or turns harmful. A single rune gives you the leaning, and for an answer with a thread through it you draw three: what is behind, what is now, what comes ahead.

Tiwaz as a talisman

Tiwaz is the rune of the warrior and of truth, the spear of the god Tyr. It is worn for honor, justice and the firm will to stand for your own to the end. As a talisman it draws victory in a fair fight and the resolve to keep your word. As a charm it guards from unjust judgment, cowardice and betrayal. Taken before a court case or a test of nerve.

FAQ

Is the Tiwaz rune a good sign or a bad one?

Runes do not split into good ones and bad ones. Tiwaz speaks of the god Tyr, honor, and in a spread it hints at where the force is leaning. It is no final sentence, and a lot depends on which runes fall beside it.

What does the Tiwaz rune mean reversed?

When Tiwaz falls upside down its force turns around and either goes backwards or does harm. The reversed meaning is spelled out above.

Which aett does Tiwaz belong to?

The aett of Tyr, one of the three groups of the Elder Futhark, eight runes each. The aett tells you which octave the rune sits in and which runes it neighbours.

The rune said its piece in short. The arcana tell it more slowly.

✦ The Major Arcana