Isa

"Ice is too cold and slippery, it shines like glass and is most like to gems. A floor wrought by frost fair to see."
                                                                        
                                                         "The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem"


To the vikings, this rune was known as is; to the icelanders, Iss, which literally means "ice". The respective letter in the common alphabet is the letter " i "
The shape of this rune represents an icicle: cold, hard, unyielding and capable of causing pain when grasped. By extension, ice in general is associated with the rune, especially the type of ice that makes walking difficult. It is connected with the slow-moving, inexorable glacier, too. Being notable for its hardness, Isa is also associated with the cold iron from which weapons are meade. The symbolic beasts associated with Isa are the herds of Reindeer, that roam the snowy wastes, as well as ferocious wild boars. The vegetable symbols of Isa include the alder tree and the poisonous herb henbane. The rune is also connected with the number seven


Meaning:

Like the infinitely slow-moving glacier, the force of the rune Isa is unstoppable. All you require when this rune is found in a reading is that rarest of virtues, patience. The appearance of Isa is most distressing when a question is asked about relationships, because this icy rune foretells a period of emotional cooling. Yet this is not necessarily a permanent state of affairs, because a thaw will eventually come and the icewill melt. In other affairs, Isa also slows events down to a crawl. Business partnerships may go through a rocky patch because expected events will not happen when they are supposed to. You may also find that any blocks to your ambitions will turn out to be disguised blessings because your aims and desires will change during the period of the delay.
Even though this rune is not the most comfortable to live with, and can be most distressing for afairs of the heart, the cool clarity of ice bestows a calmness conductive to quiet contemplations. The true gift of Isa is a respite from cluttered thinking, which will allow you to see your situation and prospects more clearly. It may even show you how to progress in the future to avoid the pitfalls and slip-ups that would otherwise occur.
If you are involved in a creative venture of any kind, it would be a good idea to take a pause from it. Even of you belive that you are wasting time, nothing could be further from truth. This interval will allow you to recharge your tallents, and when the thaw sets in you will thus be able to pursue your tasks with renewed vigour.
Traditionally, the rune Isa is associated with the number seven, so its appearance as a final rune could indicate a period of seven days. If it falls in the middle of a reading, it is said to emphasise the message of the other runes.
Isa is said to have no inverted meaning. However, if you choose to interpret, it in the reversed position, the immobility that it suggests can be taken as a message that you can go no further and must completely change your direction.





Body Part: Joints - which can slip freely like slippery ice, or freeze up.
Associated Maladies: Osteoarthritis. Paralysis.
Action: Blocked, stopped, stuck
Solution: Stop, block, prevent movement or action.