Heimdall's Aett · Rune 13
Eihwaz
“Yew Tree, Endurance” · sound: E (long)
Keywords
yew · endurance · death · rebirth · world-tree · protection · mystery · transformation
What Eihwaz means
Eihwaz is the rune of the yew tree, one of the longest-lived trees in Europe, and a symbol of death, endurance, and the connection between worlds. The yew was sacred to the Norse, and Yggdrasil itself is sometimes identified as a yew rather than an ash. Eihwaz represents the vertical axis of the World Tree connecting the nine worlds. In Heathen practice, this rune serves as a powerful stave of protection and endurance, a reminder that death and life are part of the same continuum. It counsels patience in the face of adversity and trust in the deep roots of being.
Eihwaz in the historical rune poems
Three medieval poems preserve the meanings of the runes — the oldest testimony we have.
The yew is a tree with rough bark, hard and fast in the earth, supported by its roots, a guardian of flame and a joy upon an estate.
Correspondences
Deities
Odin · Ull
Element
all elements
Color
dark blue