In the divination tool of Runes, there is a symbol for constraint. Recently, this symbol made me reflect on this topic after visiting my first local Psychic Fair. Up until a short time ago, I was completely unfamiliar with Runes, yet it, like any other divination tool can give us some insight into the state and course of our life, depending on what we are open to.

While at the Psychic Fair, I attended a few presentations, with one of them being on Runes. This allowed me to learn a little about them and actually try a Runes divination. Upon doing so, the symbol I got was that of constraint” in response to the question I had asked.

What was the question? What does the symbol of constraint mean? What are Runes? I am going to answer all those questions in this article, as well as try to make you aware of your own constraints and hopefully inspire you to remove them. For it is only when there are no constraints in our lives that we can truly and fully express and experience who we truly are. Constraints hold us back, freedom allows us to move forward.

Leading Up To the Psychic Fair

I will begin by saying that going to a Psychic Fair was not an easy thing for me. If you suggested to me going to see or be with “psychics” only a few years ago, I would have strongly declined. Back then I thought that God was in charge of all of us and the events in our lives, and psychics had no role in that. Back then I thought it was “wrong”, or worse yet a “sin” to even consider a psychic or intuitive guide. I was brought up with the idea that anything “like that” is either just “for fun”, or at its worst a manipulative scheme that preys on gullible people.

Well, I shake my head today about this, as I realize how far I have come in opening up my mind. In the midst of all the changes and awakenings over the past few years, I learned to be open and discern what can hold value for us, beyond being a “just for fun” activity, versus what is fueled by low or negative energies, and came to understand that intuition is something we all have access to. Hence, I am so grateful for the spiritual journey I am on, and how my discoveries have allowed me to grow, expand and experience more freedom than I ever thought possible.

Today, I realize that intuition is one of the strongest senses within us. The fact that most of us do not have this sense developed is another matter. I also know that being intuitive is our birthright. But again, many of us are so obsessed and blinded by the physical world that such an idea is not even a consideration.

Now having said the above statements, I also have a strong belief that we are our own creators of our own past, present and future, so I am still not a huge proponent for “psychics” who tend to tell people the details of what is to come or who skirt around general issues that can apply to anyone. I do appreciate however, beings who are more highly tuned to the intuitive energy, come from a place of love and can help shed light on our lives in terms of the energies we are vibrating at for example. This should not be surprising, because in any area of life there are those who act out of their spirit and then there are those who act our of their ego driven desires.

What Are Runes?

Okay, so back to yesterday. As I was getting to know what the fair was all about and what events it offered, I found myself attending a few sessions that were being offered.

One of them was on Runes. Now up to this point, I had no idea what Runes were. For those of you who like me do not know, Runes are an ancient Germanic language that used symbols. Runes were used for writing, divination and magic. They were used throughout northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland from about 100 B.C.E. to 1600 C.E. To this day, Rune symbols are used in various intuitive activities.

For the full 24 symbol Runes alphabet and meanings, see the following site.

After the speaker explained the concept of Runes, she began to take volunteer questions from the audience that were based on “yes” or “no” answers. As I was new to this, I tried not to judge this event, but just take it as is.

The speaker then turned towards the back where I was standing and looking at me said “let us take a question from the back”, pointing at me, even though my hand was not up. Immediately the following question popped into my mind, “should I pursue a professional writing career?” (I know I will regardless, but I thought let’s play along.)

So what answer did I get? Read on in the next section for an interesting answer.

The Runes Answer of Constraint

The speaker reached in blindly into her bag of symbols and out came one of the 24 symbols. She looked at me and said, “it is the symbol of constraint“.

My first split second reaction was “that does not sound good”. However, as the speaker explained the symbol, I started shaking my head and smiling to myself as what she was saying could not be more true.

The symbol of “constraint” in the Runes language means that yes, potentially you should and will do what you were inquiring about, but not at the present time. This is for the obvious reason that there are “constraints” in your life holding you back or away from pursuing whatever it is that one is interested in.

The following is what other experts have to say about the Runes symbol of constraint:

Don’t take the world personally. It represents the constraints we and others place on ourselves. The role of this is to identify our shadow side or the side we pay little attention to. Not necessarily our bad side but a part of us which has been stunted or repressed by someone or something else.

The need for restraint is not questioned here. Drawing this indicates that there will be holdups and reasons to reconsider your plans carefully.

This is time to work within not without.

Consider yourself a fisherman in a time of stormy weather. Instead of going out to fish, use the time to mend you nets and put everything in order.

Here is another interpretation of this Runes symbol, this one especially speaks volumes to me – especially the line that says “recognition of one’s fate“!

The symbol of constraint represents delays and restrictions. Resistance leading to strength, innovation, need-fire (self-reliance). Distress, confusion, conflict, and the power of will to overcome them. Endurance, survival, determination. A time to exercise patience. Recognition of one’s fate. Major self-initiated change. Face your fears.

My Personal Constraint

So how does this relate to me personally? Well this is so easy to answer and it could not be more right on!

It has been my intention for some time now to pursue writing on a professional level. I have always, since my teenage years loved to write. I knew I wanted to write and I knew it was not going to be fiction. It was going to be non-fiction, specifically anything that would relate to helping others in some particular area of their life.

The only reason I did not take this seriously earlier is primarily due to old-conditioning of going for a job that will pay the bills. I was lucky that mine not only paid the bills, but I loved it too!

Well, since the start of 2008 I had the outlet of this site to express my writing passion. It was and is wonderful, but I knew there was more. Indeed there is more. This past summer I began thinking that in order to take and pursue my writing seriously I needed time and when one has a full time job, time is not necessarily something one has lots of or at least enough of, to pursue another passion seriously and still have time for a balanced life.

I also feel limited in what I can write as some things may not be in context to my current position, which has its own limits from which I need to free myself. So bottom line I know what I want. I know that I will be pursuing it, but for now my hands are tied. Now do not get me wrong, I know that I have put the constraint there and can just as easily remove it – but the time is not yet right for that.

So was the Rune of constraints wrong? Absolutely not! In fact it was so interesting how right it was.

I have indeed a major constraint right now that prevents me from pursuing my greatest passion and it is completely related to my full time job. Hence indeed, it is the time to exercise patience, but know that I am capable of creating and following through with my own chosen outcome when I decide, and thus bring about a major self-initiated change.

And a change it will be as I am going to embark into totally new territory! On the one hand, I am going to abandon the comfort and security that comes from a good full time job. While on the other hand, I am going to experience the greatest freedom ever and follow through with my creative expressions and passions. All I need to do either way is simply remove the constraint!

Your Constraints

So how about you? Have you ever thought about your own constraints?

What things have you put in your life, that now hold you back from living out a higher version of yourself?

Remember, nothing happens to us by chance. Whatever constraint you think you have, you put it there and you also have the power to remove it when you choose.

The most important thing is to realize just that!

Many people in life feel “stuck” as if they have no choice, but that of course is not true as we always have a choice! Most of us are just too afraid to take a chance and venture out into new territory of that choice. So we put up with our own constraints, we acknowledge them, complain about them, tell others about them, but the whole time do nothing to remove them.

This as you can imagine is an extremely limited way to live. To your soul, it feels I imagine somewhat like what a beautiful bird feels like in a cage. Perhaps at first that bird wanted the security of the cage, but now realizes they want to be free to pursue the next level of learning, to be free and live out the next highest version of himself.

A life like that is very difficult to live, let alone feel grateful for. Many people who for one, do not acknowledge their own constraints and then two, do something about them, end up feeling like they missed out on something – something big. As time goes on, they usually grow bitter, cynical and seem to want to find villains and excuses in their life for why it did not turn out the way it should have. Yet, there was not then nor is there now anyone external to blame for this or any other situation in their life.

Hence, it is very important to understand that if you as an individual want to keep growing, expanding and learning – which is the basic desire of all of our souls, then you have to be strong enough to acknowledge your personally set constraints and even more so, be open to removing them.