Last Updated on March 25, 2025
Symbolism and Meaning
Laguz (ᛚ) is pronounced as “lah-gooz” (ˈlɑːɡuːz). The name sometimes appears as Laukaz or Laguzaz in Proto-Germanic reconstructions. The rune represents water, flow, and intuition.
This rune connects to water’s life-giving and destructive properties. It symbolizes fluidity, intuition, and adaptability. Ancient societies relied on rivers, seas, and rain for survival. Water also posed dangers through storms, floods, and treacherous currents. It embodies the dual nature of water—nourishing yet uncontrollable.
The rune also relates to the subconscious and hidden knowledge. Water’s depths conceal secrets and wisdom. Many traditions associate introspection and dreams with flowing waters.
Ancient people saw water as a bridge between worlds. Streams, lakes, and oceans often served as pathways to the unknown. Laguz represents travel, mystery, and personal transformation.
Runic Uses and Inscriptions
Laguz often appeared in protective charms and ritual inscriptions. It may have guided safe journeys across water. Some scholars suggest its use in divination and spellwork for insight and clarity.
Artifacts feature Laguz alongside fertility runes. This suggests a connection between water, nourishment, and new life. Early Germanic peoples depended on rivers and lakes for sustenance. The rune’s presence in talismans may have invoked bountiful harvests and safe childbirth.
Magical and Mystical Associations
Laguz often symbolizes psychic abilities and hidden truths. Some traditions link it to feminine energy and the moon. Tides, governed by the moon, mirror the rune’s ebb and flow symbolism.
The rune encourages going with the flow rather than resisting. It represents trusting instincts and embracing change. Water carves its path through persistence and adaptability, not force.
Connection to Mythology and Lore
Laguz does not appear explicitly in the Poetic Edda or Prose Edda. However, Norse myths frequently reference water’s power and wisdom. 
Mímir’s Well, a legendary source of knowledge, required Odin to sacrifice an eye for wisdom. This well held cosmic secrets, much like Laguz’s hidden depths.
The World Serpent, Jörmungandr (YOR-moon-gahn-der), represents boundless waters. Encircling the world, it embodies the unknown and the cyclical nature of life.
In some sagas, seafaring heroes rely on intuition and fate to navigate treacherous waters. These themes align with Laguz’s guiding and transformative nature.
Symbolic Connections in Daily Life
People still associate Laguz with fluidity, healing, and renewal. Flowing water cleanses and revitalizes. Many cultures see rivers as paths to new beginnings. This rune suggests trusting inner guidance. Like water seeking its course, life flows best when resistance fades. It encourages embracing transformation and letting go of rigid control.
It also relates to emotional depth and communication. Water reflects feelings, intuition, and subconscious messages. Many use this rune for meditation, dream work, or emotional clarity.
Runes often appear in bindrunes or runescripts for specific intentions. Laguz combines well with:
- Ansuz (ᚨ) – Enhancing wisdom and intuition.
- Raido (ᚱ) – Aiding travel and safe journeys.
- Gebō (ᚷ) – Strengthening emotional connections.
These combinations emphasize harmony, guidance, and emotional insight.
Final Thoughts
Laguz represents the mysteries of water, intuition, and transformation. It reminds people to trust their instincts and embrace change. Life, like water, follows a natural flow. Resisting creates turbulence, but adaptability brings clarity and renewal.
Water shapes landscapes over time. Similarly, this rune teaches that persistence and patience lead to success. By understanding Laguz, people can learn to navigate challenges with grace and intuition.
Runes Associated with Laguz
Perthro (ᛈ) connects to Laguz through mystery and the unknown. It represents fate, secrets, and the flow of hidden knowledge. Water carries secrets beneath the surface, just as Perthro suggests unseen forces at play. This rune often relates to divination, revealing what lies beneath life’s currents.
Eihwaz (ᛇ) shares Laguz’s transformative nature. It symbolizes Yggdrasil, the great tree that links realms. It represents movement and growth. Water nourishes roots, allowing change and progress. Eihwaz also relates to endurance and guidance, much like a river carving its path through the land.
Both Elder Futhark runes emphasize unseen energies. Perthro suggests fate’s hidden flow, while Eihwaz represents resilience and direction. They complement Laguz’s theme of constant movement and transformation.
Its Power in Asatru
Laguz embodies deep emotions, spiritual growth, and adaptability. Water nourishes life, carves landscapes, and carries hidden depths—just like fate’s currents. Asatruar see it as a guide through life’s uncertainties. It teaches patience and trust in intuition. Like rivers shaping land, persistence leads to transformation. Many use this rune in meditations or rituals seeking wisdom, dreams, or emotional healing.
It also links to fertility and renewal. Water sustains crops and cleanses impurities. Laguz reminds Asatruar that growth requires balance between action and flow. Resisting fate’s currents leads to struggle, while embracing them brings wisdom. It is a rune of power hidden beneath still waters.
