Most often translated as ‘thorn’ or ‘thurse’ (a complex term referring to a group of jotnar), Thurisaz can be read very differently by different practitioners depending on their perspective. As the second translation refers to the jotnar, how we read Thurisaz can vary widely depending on whether a mention of the Giants sparks fear or joy in our hearts. My queerness finds kinship with Utgard spirits–those Othered spirits who make their home outside the safe confines of Midgard–which informs my understanding of the runes. That being said, I’d like to introduce you to my Thurisaz, the one I have come to know and love–the only one I could speak on.
To me, Thurisaz is most easily understood as the Thorn; in readings, I often see it as the Rose or the Bramble. Thurisaz the Rose reminds us that Thorns also have their virtues. The Rose is beautiful, decadent, luxurious, and knows it. Its sweet scent wafts in the breeze, drawing the eye with bright and beautiful colors, inviting touch to its velvety petals. Its beauty entrances, drawing naive, starry-eyed children and jaded adults alike. We can approach the Rose respectfully–drink in its scent, caress its petals, whisper lovingly to it of its own beauty, and then leave it be to thrive on its own virtue and bring joy to the next wanderer.
Or, we can reach out to Take, like a child who knows no better or a proud adult who only thinks that they do. Both the naive child and the proud adult may reach out with greedy hands to Take the Rose, to make it Theirs, to Keep it when doing so means killing the exact thing they appreciate. The child, who acts from well-meaning ignorance, feels the first prick of the Thorn when they try to Take, and withdraws their hand immediately. They did not mean to hurt the Rose–but that doesn’t mean their action wouldn’t have done just that. Their ignorance does not grant them clemency, any more than it would grant the Rose eternal life if it were plucked. The Rose sets a boundary, draws only a drop of blood as a warning, and because the child meant no harm, they walk away wiser with a tiny prick that will heal quickly.
The jaded, proud adult will likely not fare as well. They knew plucking the Rose would kill it, but decided their enjoyment of the flower was worth its slow, suffering death. In their pride, they thought that surely they’d find a way around the Thorns–they’re a smart adult, after all, and a little Thorn could hardly keep them from what they want. When they reach out to Take the Rose, they’re pricked as surely as the child, but their pride makes an otherwise easy lesson very hard to learn. They become outraged that a simple flower dared to make them bleed and decide to crush the Rose for its impudence–and in doing so, get a fistful of Thorns buried deep in their palm. They spill more of their own blood than the child because they would rather punish the upstart flower for defending itself than respect the clear boundaries it sets.
Thurisaz, as the Rose, reminds us that there is no shame in growing our Thorns sharp and long. When we are truly thriving, the light in our hearts can shine brighter than we may realize. There are those with greedy hands, who may seek to steal your light, rather than learn how to spark their own. When the envious reach out to Take, our Thorns not only rebuff them, but compel them to Give instead. A Thorn is not a weapon, after all; the damage it causes is in direct relation to the amount of force applied. It is up to the greedy hands to decide how much blood they will shed trying to harm the Rose before respecting the clear boundaries it sets. As many who grow Roses know, the plant flourishes when fertilized with blood, be it purchased from a market, a wild creature buried by its roots, or shed by covetous hands that did not heed the first warning prick.
Thurisaz the Rose is a warning as much as Thurisaz the Bramble. It says to the world: “I have many beautiful, wondrous gifts–I will share them, but you cannot Take and Keep them. Heed this warning, for my Thorns are long, lovely, and sharp. If you do not, I will not be the one bleeding today; I will be the one nourished into full Bloom.”
If Thurisaz the Rose teaches us how to keep ourselves safe, Thurisaz the Bramble reminds us why that is necessary. This face of Thurisaz is a path in the forest that may begin brightly lit, but grows darker and darker the further you travel. The canopy grows thicker, until the path is so thick with shadows you don’t realize that the gentle underbrush has slowly turned to bramble until it starts to snag. It grabs first at your clothes, prickles and burrs latching on in such quantities that you’ll be picking them out of your clothes for a week with sore fingers. The first few times, you think nothing of it, until it becomes so frequent the forest itself seems unsafe, like every plant is trying to snatch you up and drag you into the leafy shadows, never to be seen again. You try to turn back, but the path behind you has somehow disappeared: all you see now are shadows, thorns, and bramble, bramble, bramble.
Thurisaz the Bramble is a reminder that things are not always as safe as they appear. When we first start down a path, it may seem far kinder than it will be in the end. In divination, we are reading the current pattern woven into the Web of Wyrd, the Tapestry of Fate as it currently stands. We are checking ahead on the path we are currently on, and can use that information to adjust course. When we see Thurisaz in readings, we have forewarning that our apparently sunny path has brambles ahead. That is not necessarily a bad thing; life always, inevitably, has its Thorny patches, but it is always better to know they are coming and be prepared.
Thurisaz the Bramble can be the embodiment of the greedy hands the Rose’s Thorns keep at bay. The Bramble entices with sweet promises of blackberries freely given, luring the unaware close enough for Thorns to snag. We eat first one, then another, and when we don’t feel the first prick yet, we reach our hands further and further into the briar for more of the berries’ seductive sweetness. We become blinded with the promises of plenty, of fruit juice when we are parched, of sugar when we are exhausted. The Bramble promises a respite, but that can very easily turn into a snare if we allow ourselves to become complacent and forget the Thorns right in front of our eyes. The Bramble’s greedy hands Take by offering to Give with ‘no strings attached’– as long as we don’t become greedy ourselves and entrapped as a result.
This face of Thurisaz the Bramble croons to us: “Doesn’t my fruit look delicious? Wouldn’t I be so sweet and refreshing to taste? You look sweet to the taste to me. Come a little closer, try a berry or two–look, there are a few you could reach without touching a single Thorn. When the sweetness lulls you into a (false) sense of security, I will replace what I have Given with what I Take from you. Don’t worry, you can Take as much as you want–then I’ll do the same.”
Seeing Thurisaz the Bramble down a path we thought was sunny doesn’t mean we have to change course, however. When we are trying to do difficult and amazing things, we will always encounter Bramble; it is the hardship of the Bramble we must overcome that makes those astounding feats astounding to begin with. When we walk a treacherous path toward a lofty goal, the path may be long, and the sun that initially drew us may come to feel too hot the further we go. It beats down on us, tiring and dehydrating us before we could reach the end of our journey, making us turn back before accomplishing what we set out to do. In these cases, the Bramble can be a respite. The shadowy canopy becomes a break from the heat, the blackberries a desperately needed refresher to keep our strength up on our journey–as long as we don’t become ensnared and complacent in the shade.
When we see Thurisaz in our readings, how we approach it is best informed by the runes surrounding it and the question asked. Sometimes, the Bramble is too thick to pass, and it is a warning to change course before we end up with nothing but torn skin and clothes for our trouble. Sometimes, when our course cannot be changed so easily, it is a warning of how to approach the Bramble. If we approach Thurisaz the Bramble as the Rose, we can navigate the briar much easier. The Bramble demands respect, much like the Rose; it is a reminder to not only demand the respect we are due, but to afford that same respect to the path we take and those we encounter on it. As the Rose, we grow our Thorns to protect us from those who would Take from us and hurt us in the process. When we encounter the Bramble, it Gives us respite when we need it and in the process tempts us to Take more than we need.
When we approach the Bramble as the Rose, we tell it: “I see your Thorns, and I honor them as I would my own. I, too, know what it feels like when greedy hands take more than I can Give. Out of respect for you and your Thorns, I accept the Gift you extend, of respite and nourishment. I will Take only what you offer freely, and while I have nothing to offer in return, I Give you my thanks and my word that I will tell no one of the Gifts you’ve given me, to protect you from greedy hands.”
Thurisaz is a warning, but not a promise of suffering–so long as we are mindful of the suffering we cause, intentional or otherwise. Thurisaz tells us that there is a potential for suffering ahead that we must either be prepared to defend ourselves against or mindful not to cause. Thurisaz the Rose warns us to protect ourselves from the suffering others would inflict, whether or not they understand that they are doing so. It is a reminder that, when someone hurts us, it is not our duty to bear the pain in silence. If there is no Thorn to prick greedy hands, the naive yet covetous may never realize they were doing harm to begin with. Thurisaz the Bramble warns us not to take more than we need, and is right to ensnare us if we feel its Thorns and ignore them. It reminds us that a sunny start does not promise a sunny finish, and that moving through the world with the same respect and compassion we demand can get us through the shadow and Thorns life throws at us more surely than greedily taking all we can.
Thurisaz is not always gentle about these reminders: the more pressure applied, the deeper the Thorn digs, after all. We can fight this lesson, rage that no Thorn should have power over us, thrash in the Bramble that has bound us–but this, too, only makes the Thorns dig deeper, as the lessons we need the most are often the hardest to learn.
The next time you encounter Thurisaz in your readings, I hope it inspires a little less fear and a little more excitement–you never know when its respite might be just what you need on that too-sunny path.
With mischief and merriment,
Robin