Eihwaz rune meaning
Eihwaz is the thirteenth rune of the Elder Futhark. Its exact sound isn't known for sure and is usually written as ei or ï. Its name refers to the yew, an evergreen, very long-lived and poisonous tree planted in many European churchyards. The Anglo-Saxon rune poem describes it as rough-barked, rooted firmly in the earth and a keeper of fire.
Its shape joins one stroke reaching up and one reaching down, like a trunk with roots and branches. Eihwaz stands for what survives the passing of time and changes without ceasing to be itself.
Eihwaz upright
Eihwaz announces a period of deep change that calls for steadiness. It isn't a surface change, but the end of one way of living and the start of another. The rune says you have the strength to get through it.
It's also a rune of protection and perseverance: stand tall, like the yew, and don't give up on what matters to you. Since its shape is the same either way up, it always reads the same.
Eihwaz reversed
Eihwaz has no reversed position: it looks the same right side up and upside down, so its message always reads the same way. It's one of the nine runes that can't be reversed, along with Gebo, Hagalaz, Naudhiz, Isa, Jera, Sowilo, Ingwaz and Dagaz.
In love
In love, Eihwaz describes a relationship going through a transformation: a crisis that matures it or a major new phase. It's a rune of lasting bonds.
If you're single, it suggests you're closing an inner chapter before opening up to someone new.
Work and money
At work, Eihwaz favors perseverance on long projects and well-considered changes of direction. What you build steadily now will last.
It advises against quitting halfway: the reward goes to those who endure. Slow and steady wins here.
Eihwaz’s advice: Stand firm through change: what has deep roots survives any winter.
FAQ
What does the Eihwaz rune mean?
Eihwaz means yew: endurance, deep transformation, inner strength and perseverance.
Can Eihwaz be reversed?
No. Its shape looks the same upside down, so it always reads the same way.
How do you draw the Eihwaz rune?
A vertical line with a short stroke angling down to the right from its top end and another angling up to the left from its bottom end.
Why is Eihwaz linked to death?
Because the yew is a poisonous, extremely long-lived tree often planted in churchyards; it symbolizes the cycle of life and death.