Laguz rune meaning: history, poems and modern reading

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

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Laguz is rune 21 of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, and the fifth rune of the third aett. It stands for the sound l, and its reconstructed name means “water, lake”. Modern readers link it with water, flow and emotion. On this page I start with what the evidence says, then the three medieval rune poems, and only then the modern meanings, so you can always see which layer you are reading.

At a glance

• Shape: a vertical stave with one branch sloping down to the right from the top
• Sound: l
• Reconstructed name: *laguz, “water, lake, sea” (probable); alternatively *laukaz, “leek”
• Later names: Old English lagu; Old Norwegian and Old Icelandic lǫgr
• Position: third aett, rune 21

Reconstructed names carry an asterisk because no early source writes them out in full. Scholars work them out from the later Old English and Old Norse names and from related words in other Germanic languages. Where the reconstruction is uncertain, I say so below.

The shape

Laguz is an upright stave with one short branch sloping down to the right from the top, like a hook or a fishing rod. Draw the stave, then the single branch. Compare it with Ansuz, which has two branches. Laguz keeps the same shape in the Younger Futhark, where it also stands for l.

A good way to learn Laguz is to draw it ten times in a row on scrap paper, saying its sound aloud each time. Then draw it once more beside its neighbors in the futhark, so your hand learns the differences as well as the shape.

In the record

Historical The name is usually reconstructed as *laguz, “water,” “lake,” or “sea,” on the evidence of the later names, which all mean water. But some scholars suggest that the original name was *laukaz, “leek,” a word that appears often on early bracteates as a formula word. Both reconstructions have supporters, and the question is unresolved, though *laguz is the more common choice.

The rune represented l in all rows and kept its simple shape, a stave with one branch. Beginners often confuse it with Ansuz, which has two branches, or with an upside-down Ansuz.

The rune poems

Historical Old English (author’s rendering): Water seems long without end to people who must risk themselves in a rocking boat, when the waves give them a great fright and the sea-steed takes no notice of its bridle.

Old Norwegian (author’s rendering): Water is the falls that pour down from the mountain; but treasures are of gold.

Old Icelandic (author’s rendering): Water: welling water, and a wide cauldron, and the fishes’ field. The Latin gloss is lacus, “lake.”

The English poem describes the terror of the open sea, where a ship, the “sea-steed,” will not obey its rider. The Norwegian poem describes a waterfall, with a second line about gold whose connection is unclear. The Icelandic poem describes bubbling water, a great cauldron, perhaps a geyser or a whirlpool, and the home of fish.

All three poems have a stanza for Laguz, which is a help: when an English poet and two Scandinavian poets describe the same rune name, we can compare what they agree on and where they differ.

A word about these sources. The Old English poem survives only because George Hickes printed it in 1705, before the manuscript burned in 1731. The Norwegian poem was printed by Ole Worm in 1636, before its manuscript was lost in the Copenhagen fire of 1728. The Icelandic poem is usually dated to the fifteenth century. All three are medieval and Christian, so they tell us what the rune names meant to later readers, not what the first carvers believed. The renderings above are my own brief, literal ones.

Modern meanings

Modern Keywords: water, flow, emotion, intuition, the unconscious, dreams, cleansing, the journey into the unknown.

Modern readers read Laguz as water in all its forms, and especially as flow and feeling: emotions, intuition, dreams, and the hidden depths of the mind. Many associate it with going with the flow, with cleansing and renewal, or with a journey across uncertain waters. Following the English poem, a thoughtful reading includes the sea’s danger: deep water is not always gentle, and some journeys are frightening. If you prefer the leek reconstruction, Laguz can also suggest growth and health, as some readers do.

Reversed: Often read as emotional turmoil, confusion, fear of the unknown, or being swept along without direction.

Water is a powerful image for feelings, and Laguz readings often turn emotional. That can be valuable. Remember, though, that the Old English poet was describing real danger at sea, and the poem asks you to respect forces bigger than yourself. If a reading stirs up strong feelings, it is fine to put the runes away and talk to someone you trust.

Laguz in a reading

Modern Here is how Laguz might speak to four common kinds of question. These are examples of modern reading, not rules, and your own response to the rune comes first.

• A question about feelings. Laguz points to water and flow, often read as emotions. Ask what you are feeling, without judging it.
• A question about a change. Laguz can suggest going with the current for a while. Not every situation needs to be pushed.
• A question about intuition. Laguz can point to dreams and inner knowing. Write them down, and test them against ordinary facts.
• A question about rest or travel by water. Laguz is the rune of the lake and the sea. If your question involves swimming, boating or travel by water, treat the rune as a reminder to respect the water and follow ordinary safety advice.

If you draw Laguz with other runes, read them together. Ask what Laguz adds to the picture, then look at its neighbors in the spread. A rune reading is a prompt for reflection. It does not predict events, and it never replaces medical, legal or financial advice.

Laguz in a three-rune spread

In a simple three-rune spread of situation, challenge and next step, Laguz changes its voice with its place. As the situation, it describes where things stand, with water in the foreground. As the challenge, it asks whether something about flow is missing, overdone or out of balance. As the next step, it suggests one small, practical action in the spirit of emotion. Read the other two runes first, then come back to Laguz and ask how it changes their story.

Laguz as a tattoo or symbol

On its own, Laguz is a letter for the sound l and the name of a thing, “water, lake”. Anyone who reads runes will see it that way first. If you want it as a tattoo, a piece of jewelry or a mark in your journal, take your time: check the form against a reliable chart, because a small change of angle can turn one rune into another. Laguz is easy to confuse with Ansuz, so compare the two before you decide. Avoid combining runes into a design you have not checked, since a few rune sequences and stylized forms are used as codes by hate groups.

Reflection questions

• What am I feeling right now, under the surface?
• Where in my life would it help to go with the flow, and where do I need to steer?
• What do my dreams or intuitions seem to be telling me?

A week with Laguz

Before sleep, write a question in your journal. In the morning, before doing anything else, write down any dreams, images, or feelings you woke with, without interpreting them. Do this for a week, then read your notes and see whether anything flows together. Treat this as reflection, not as messages that must be obeyed.

To get the most from the week, keep the entries short and honest. On the first day, write what Laguz means to you before you read anything else. On the last day, read that first note again and add one line about what changed. You do not need special tools: a notebook, a pen and the rune drawn at the top of each page are enough.

Related runes

• Mannaz comes just before Laguz in the futhark. Modern keywords: humanity, self, community.
• Ingwaz comes just after Laguz. Modern keywords: fertility, potential.

To see all twenty-four runes side by side, with their sounds and the three aettir, go to the Elder Futhark. For where the runes came from, read the history of the runes, and when you are ready to draw runes for reflection, start with how to cast runes. Everything else is on the runes hub.