Sometimes, the poem and the draw, in spite of being randomly done, sync up perfectly. Today is one of those days. Not only does the poem relate to the Gunnlod/Two of Cups card in its subject, but the author herself was a princess kept captive and excluded from society by her own father, just like Gunnlod.

I Drink the Wine
~ Zeb-un-Nisa (also known as Makhfi)
Translated by Paul Whalley

I drink the wine of Thy sweet lips. My star
Mounts to the zenith now that Thou art come.
My heart and eyes are Thine, mine eyes that feed
Upon Thy motions. Sleep is sin to-night.
Thine eyebrow is the Easter moon, Thy face
The lamp of heaven. Rapture fills the sky
And all the erewhile darkness is at once
Illumined, for the Moon of my desire
Gives the full goblet, pledging me,—and all,
Sun, moon and firmament are mine to-night.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Draw for February 10, 2017
Active Influence: Ymir/ The Fool
Rune: Eihwaz/Protection
Hidden Influence: Gunnlod/Two of Cups

In the beginning, there’s a great deal of excitement, and all kinds of energies rushing around. Take care of your self and your dreams by setting and enforcing firm boundaries. However sweet the words, they may be hiding dishonest intentions. If you choose to trust someone, be very sure of who—and what—they are. And if someone randomly materializes in your mountain hideaway and says his name is Bolverk—well, you know how that story ends. Be careful who you share your dreams with, and take good care to protect what is valuable to you, both material and intangible items.

my poem
~ Lucille Clifton

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Draw for February 9, 2017
Active Influence: Sigyn/Temperance
Rune: Raido/Journey
Hidden Influence: Aegir/King of Cups

Even though a lot is going on right now, keep in mind the importance of kindness. You are dealing with a lot of demands on a number of levels, and you may feel your strength is insufficient for the tasks ahead of you. Whatever is being asked of you, you can do; however difficult or overwhelming it seems, remember that you only have to do one thing at a time.

Set strong boundaries to protect yourself emotionally, and set strong boundaries around your time so other people’s stuff doesn’t become a distraction. It’s important to be kind to everyone you meet, and your kindness must include yourself. You need to focus on your work, and your progress, so today may require several kindly-stated variants of, “I’m sorry, I can’t take on anything else today”, followed by a suggestion of another person or source who may be able to assist.

If you are new to working with bindrunes, I suggest you read the introductory bindrune post here, then return to this post to read about this specific bindrune. Remember that working with bindrunes, as with working with any kind of magic, does not carry guaranteed results, and may produce results quite different from what you expect.

This bindrune helps ground you in yourself, and strengthen your identity in alignment with your authentic self. Before we can speak to express ourselves and present our self-image, our families and our societies bombard us with messages about who we should be and what we should do. This rune can help quiet those voices so you can hear your true self and express it more confidently.

Bindrune to strengthen the authentic self: Mannaz, Uruz, Ac

Mannaz (blue in bindrune): This is your true self, the beginning and sum of all that you are and can become.

Uruz (brown in bindrune): The primal strength of the aurochs, and the strength you have within you. This strength gives you the courage and the confidence to live authentically, and to take joy in that authenticity.

Ac (purple in bindrune): Ac is the rune of the oak tree, deeply rooted in the earth, its leafy crown sweeping the sky. Ac is also associated with Angrboda, the Hagia (Wise Woman) of the Iron Wood. She is a shaman, a magician, and a sorceress. She knows the power to be found in authenticity, and urges you to discover and use it for yourself.

The bindrune on the left was done in colored pencil. The one on the right was done with fine point calligraphy markers. They are shown in two different media to give an idea of how the same bindrune looks different depending on how it is created.

You could put a drop of your favorite oil on it to reinforce the energy with your personal scent. You can also use a magical oil, such as a hoodoo oil or other type of specially prepared oil.

Use this bindrune—and all bindrunes—entirely at your own risk.