Historically

The “Lögr” or L-Rune According to Friedrich Fischbach (1900)

The L Rune indicates [its significance through] the Connection of its Shape, which is most likely the shape of the Boat-Hook [Bootshaken ], and thus with the Lake/Sea [See ]. However, in the runic form, this Boat-Hook or Anchor is directed upward, in later forms it is turned downward.

-Paraphrase from Origin of Gutenberg’s Letters [Ursprung der Buchstaben Gutenbergs] (1900)
by Friedrich Fischbach

 

The “Laf, Lagu, Lögr” Rune According to Guido von List (1907)

laf, lagu, lögr = Primordial Law or Ur-Law [Urgesetz ], Ocean [Meer ], Life [Leben ], Downfall/Decline [Untergang ] (Defeat /Failure [Niederlage ])

A Fourteenth I sing to the assembled People
by Naming the divine Names;
For I know all the Gods and Elven Kind
[and] I know [them] as well as any.

The intuitive Recognition of the organic Essence of the Universe, and thus of the Natural-Laws [Natururgesetze ], forms the unshakeable Foundation of the ancient Doctrine-of-Salvation [Heilslehre ] or “Wihinei ” (the Ur-Religion), which was able to grasp and embrace the Universe, and therefore also the Individual, in its [1] Arising, [2] Ruling, and [3] Passing-Away to new Arising.

Such esoteric Knowledge was communicated to the People in symbolically formulated Myths, since the naïve Eye-of-the-People (unaccustomed to such Deep- and Distant-Vision) is just as incapable of seeing the Ur-Law [Urgesetz ] as the physical Eye is incapable of seeing the whole Ocean, or the untrained inner spiritual Eye of seeing the Endlessness of Life in the Universe.

Therefore the fourteenth Rune says: “First learn to sail [steuern ], than dare the Ocean-Voyage!”

-Paraphrase from The Mystery/Secret of the Runes
[Das Geheimnis der Runen] (1907) by Guido Von List

 

The “Laf, Lagu, Lögr” Rune According to Ernst Tristan Kurtzahn (1924)

Exoterically: Test [Prüfung ], Temptation [Versuchung ]
Esoterically: Experiential-Knowledge [Erfahrung ]
Generally: Ocean [Meer ], Existence/Being [Dasein ], Failure [Misserfolg ], Downfall/Decline [Untergang ]

If the preceding Rune (the    Bar-Rune) means Birth [Geburt ], then it is only logical that this Rune is connected with the Existence following that Birth: Life.

Life is a great determined Test [eine festgesetzte große Prüfung ] and a painful Initiation [Einweihung ]. The few golden Hours in it should be understood as Rewards for any well-passed Sections of these multi-part Exams.

“Does Life even have a Purpose?!” one often hears asked, but no one could give a satisfactory Answer to such a Questioner except the questioner themselves!

“If you do not feel it, you will never be able to claim it [er sagen ]!” But what is it that one must feel?

Well, a feeling of Certainty of one’s own Reconnection (re-ligio ) with the unnamable God, the Source or Ur-Reason of all Being [dem Urgrund alles Seins ], and consequently also with the nameable Deities… Our Ancestors had this Feeling of Reconnection [Gefühl der Rückverbindung ] in the very highest Degree!

We have seen up to now, in every Rune, that it is always about the Wihinei (or Ur-Religion) with its actual esoteric Significance.

Being-Conscious [Bewusst-Sein ] of this Ur-Religion results in a Realization, which for the person concerned (well understood, however, only for themselves) brings Knowledge instead of Faith in Regards to the Purpose of Life [das Warum des Lebens ], the Continuation of Individuality, etc.

They then know that with physical Death “not everything is over”, provided that his or her Individuality acquired so far through Experiences did not extend to just Eating, Drinking and what People are used to calling ‘Love’ (but at most may be called Child-Procreation).

For if this would have been the Case, then he or she would be nothing more than an Instrument of Nature, which then, after it was sufficiently used up and worn out, would continue to exist only according to its Components for a different Use in the cosmic Economy [andere Verwendung im kosmischen Haushalt ], and thus without any Individuality (which we are to acquire here or on other Planets in the course of probably quite many existences as Man and Woman). This is because, as a rule, nothing at all can be lost in the cosmic Economy… Therefore the Laf-Rune is suitable to the Planet Mercury ( ), which is said to be neither masculine, nor feminine.

The ancients knew that, during their Life-on-Earth [Erdenlebens ], they slowly form a ‘etherial or subtle Flesh’ [feinstofflichen Leib ] in their earthly Body [irdischen Körper ], which escapes like a Phoenix from the used up Body-Envelope [Körperhülle ] during the so-called Dying. They also knew that this new ‘etherial or subtle Body’ will only belong to them for a Time [eine Zeitlang ], in order to make Way for a far more glorious one.

They knew that there is only one type of development: the return to God [zurück zu Gott ], to the Source or Ur-Reason of everything [dem Ur-Grund von allem ] that was, is and will be. They knew that this was for everyone who seriously wants it and not only wants it, but needs it. And those discerning ancients who knew even more, knew the Path to develop the ‘Etherial-Flesh’ [Feinstoffleib ] to Perfection here in Earthly-Existence and – even how to make use of it.

Although this Path is secret [ist dieser Weg geheim ], it is clearly marked out in the Runes for the Knower [den Wissenden ]. What would be the use of further Clarification here? Everyone should go this way alone, because “no one becomes an Initiate except through themselves”.

Then there are here dangerous Deviations and Aberrations which lead to Labyrinths, where Monsters prey on misguided Victims (such as Spiritualism, Hypnosis) and demands of Sexual-Magic to a terrible extent. Therefore, the Laf-Rune also means Downfall/Decline [Untergang ] – it fears the Gods of the Human-Race – only the Initiate really knows “all the Aesir and Elven Kind”.

-Paraphrase from The Runes as Salvation-Signs and for Unbinding-Fate
[Die Runen als Heilszeichen und Schicksalslose] (1924) by E. Tristan Kurtzahn

 

The “Laf, Lagu, Lög, Laug” Rune According to R.J. Gorsleben (1930)

Letter L and Number 14.

  Laf-Rune Laf, Lagu, Lög, Laug; liquidification (water); lex (law), the law of life; lux (light), illumination, light which descends into the darkness.

By means of initiation, of illumination, the heaviness of life is taken away.

Dr. Friedrich Teltscher’s Ur-word is Bestimmung meaning “Determination” as well as Decisiveness, Resolution, Regulation, Purpose, etc.

“A fourteenth I sing to the assembled people
when spelling out the divine names
because no one knows to speak out
the various kinds of Aesir and Albes.”

This Rune means life, leaf, Labe (Refreshment), Lage (Location), law, liver, lye, glue (Leim), leeks (which have the effect of clarifying – Läuterungseffekt and were held in high esteem by the ancients). Leeks are mentioned in the Edda and are often used as the symbol of fine growth; additionally, they were also supposed to have magic power.

The Rune of Leaves/Foliage/Greenery [Laub] – life, this Rune also shows the leaf that is on its stem.

Compare the shape of the Rune with the image of a scythe, but also a whip, with which Life (LAF) whips us ahead. The Rune also connects with the German suffixes of –lich and –ling, and the English word ‘Limb’.

Other words that belong to the    LAF Rune are Leid (suffering), to leave, Lingam, Love, Logos. The Higher Word is the law, the Ur-position or Ur-condition, the “Logos”, the Ur-laid: the laid down law!

As we see, each Rune is a secret symbol of a huge amount of ideas and concepts, a collection of all constructive thoughts and of the building material of the spiritual world.

If the previous Rune,    BAR, refers especially to Birth, then the    LAF Rune puts emphasis on Life: life as a law, as a great load because of duties, tasks and more or less painful experiences.

Great as the sea (lagu ), unbridgeable, appears life and law which is based on the earthbound eye, which cannot look into itself and therefore cannot look beyond what is earth bound. One should know the lawfulness of the eternal change of life & death, and then one’s spiritual eye can overlook the vast expanses of life and of the sea of laf and lag.

The    LAF Rune is equally the whip, with which life whips us into error and confusion. This means that as long as the human being is alive, the torturous state of tension will exist in his soul between his striving towards higher spiritual demands (that correspond with his Divine nature) and the low physical demands (of his animal nature).

In the Ur-word Laf or Lag is both the brilliant ‘fire of heaven’ or ‘light of life’, and the destructive flame of that fire.

Combat/Struggle is the Ur-law of life and be it even in the adjustment & approach of two lives that are united in marriage. We could also see this Rune as a Self (an IS-Rune ), with an arm hanging down. The one Self is a wavering stalk, which goes with the wind and which can break in the storm, yet if it fraternizes with a second Self-laf, then it is more resistant.

Two Life-Runes connected together are the Wedding Rune, which means ‘lawful union’, resulting in the    Ehe Rune, the Rune of Wedlock/Marriage. In old German, Ehe (Wedlock, Marriage, Matrimony) has still kept the Ur-meaning of ‘Law’.

Laf = “life” and Lag = “that which was laid, which was set in stone” (Law). Live following the law, the original law: the procreation of life. Adjust to the natural-Ur-law, the highest law of nature. The ideas of Lion [Löwe ] and Life [Leben ] are closely connected. In heraldry, the Lion was used as a symbol of this Rune.

Two LAF Runes crossed over in such a way that the arms touch each other in the upper angle of a rhomboid, result in the    OTHIL Rune, which equates with od-hil = spiritual healing, or Od-Heil (‘Od’ or Odin aka Wotan; and ‘Heil’ meaning Hail, Heal, Salvation, Deliverance, Well-Being).

-Paraphrase from The Peak-Time of Humanity [Die Hoch-Zeit der Menschheit] (1930)
by Rudolf John Gorsleben

 

The “Laf, Lögr, Lagu, Laug” Rune According to S.A. Kummer (1932-1933)

(L) The L-Rune, Laf, lögr, lagu, laug means Life, Law-of-Life [Lebensgesetz ], Liver, Charge (or supply with power), Refreshment [Labe ], Lye, the Lye-Water (an Alkaline solution), Leaf/Foliage, Leek (the healing Plant), Glue, Lagu = Ocean [Meer ], Pool/Laugh [Lache ], Loch, Leak, Spawn. – Numeric-Value 14.

Furthermore it also relates with: Love, Air, Light, Flame/Blaze [Lohe ], Light-Life [Lebenslicht ], Insight-into-Life [Lebenseinsicht ], Luminary, Enlightenment/Illumination [Erleuchtung ], Salmon/Pollack [Lachs ], Refreshment, Sound, Spring-Time, Linden- or Lime-Tree, Affliction [Leid ], Instruction, Leash/Rope, guide = learn/study.

Laf the Rune of Initiation/Inauguration into the higher Life [Einweihung in das höhere Leben ], which therefore also reaches down into the Life of the painful Experiences and Negations, Suffering, Corpse, Corpse-Life, Easily-Corpse, Loose/Lot/Lottery, the Lot-in-Fate/Destiny or Lottery-of-Destiny [Schicksalslos ], Gap/Opening [Lücke ], Emptiness/Void, Response, Whim/Mood, Lie/Falsehood, Loki, Logos.

Laf , the Initiation-Rune [Einweihungsrune ], but also the Rune of Experiential-Knowledge [die Rune der Erfahrungen ]: that is to say, of the more or less painful Tests on the Path to the true God, to All-Father.

The Windward [Lüv ], Living [Leb ], Lew , Lion. The Heraldic-Animal or Emblem of all Life is the twisted or Kala-ified Laf-Rune (remember that Kala = Mystery/Secret, Veiling, Twisting).

Laf is the Law-of-Life [Lebensgesetz ], Right/Law, Dignity, Force/Power and Strength.

But woe to the Unclean who dares to approach this Law [Gesetz ] of the Laf-Rune: then it works in the Demonic and leads to painful Destruction/Annihilation [qualvollen Vernichtung ].

The one who lets themselves be tempted by Egoism [Egoismus ], Greed and Sensual-Pleasure [Sinneslust ] will suffer heavily and painfully from the Forces of the Laf-Life-Rune until one has found-one’s-way-back [zurückgefunden ] and knows how to sail [steuern ] on the Lagu = Ocean [Meer ] of Life and Death.

The Laf-Rune is also the Rune of the Flesh, of the light Flesh [leichten Leibes ], and of the Astral-Flesh [des Astralleibes ].

Two Laf-Runes, two Ichs make up the Initiation-Rune of Marriage    [die Einweihungsrune der Ehe ] which leads to the High-Life [Höhenleben ] by Surmounting the Demonic [Überwindung des Dämoniums ] and gives birth [gebiert ] to the Son-of-God through Pure- and High-Cultivation [Rein- und Hochzucht ].

The Demonic of the Laf-Rune is Ruin/Rotting, Destruction/Annihilation, Lying and Delusion, pathologically egotistical, useless Fight against the Fate/Destiny and the Law, vindictive, black magic Procreation of the Descendants.

The Laf-Rune is the Signpost to the higher divine Life [das höhere, göttliche Leben ]; it is also in you: feel/experience it, and consciously recognize it…

“Runes can be found in the Soil and Stones of the Earth;
Runes greet you as Rocks/Cliffs, Peaks and Mountains.

Runes flow as Streams and Rivers through Land and Forest;
Runes shine in every Form [Gestalt ].

Runes draw the Clouds in the Sky;
Runes shine as Constellations of the Night.

Runes sing and foam the Ocean-Wave;
Runes pull the Storm with Might [Macht ].

Runes whisper [raunen ] in Colors and sound in Tones
      harmoniously permeating the great Universe;
Runes point-out Truth, Law and Right.

Runes lead to Victory [Sieg ].

Runes whisper in our Breast;
Rune Man, Rune Woman: consciously recognize the All-Embracing Royal-Rune in Thyself!”

 

Kummer’s Full Body Rune Exercise(s):

The Practitioner, again, takes the Ich-Rune-Position (Military “At-Attention”), and then slightly raises both arms which are placed laterally, obliquely forward, so that when seen from the side it produces the Laf-Rune.

One let’s the cosmic Waves pulsate in their Body and sings “L” or “Laf”. Later, the Sound-Formula: “la-le-li-lo-lu” can also be used.

Then one concentrates on the following Meditation:

“Through Pain, Failure, Need/Hardship [Not ], Temptation and Suffering, I have come to know the true Life.

I now know the divine Path and the cosmic Laws [Gesetze ].

Light and Enlightenment/Illumination [Erleuchtung ] were granted unto me through you, All-Father.

My Ich rejoices and exults!

So I dare the Journey, and learn to guide and steer thereby.”

After these two Practices the Student lingers for a Quarter-of-an-Hour in complete Calm/Peace, turning off all Thoughts, or if that is not yet possible for them, then one has only Thoughts of Love and Harmony, Confidently awaiting Advice/Counsel [Rat ], Instruction, Inspiration or an Answer.

 

Kummer’s Hand Rune Exercise (‘Mudras’ or “Rune-Grips”):

The Rune Practitioner should take up the Ich-Rune-Position (Military “At-Attention”); this is followed by a deep Breathing-Exercise three times, with thoughts directed toward physical and spiritual purification; a practice which must be observed with all the Rune-Grips.

The Practitioner raises the left Arm upward and assumes the Hand-Position in Figure 14, the Laf-Rune-Grip. One uses the following Sound-Formulas with this Grip: “L-a-f” and “la-le-li-lo-lu”.

Thoughts are focused on Love for the Fa-tor , and on the Enlightenment/Illumination [Erleuchtung ] of the Self [the Illumination of the Being]. The Practitioner will observe a mild Warming of the left Hand. With this Grip, one is able to have a fortifying effect on one’s Aura.

It is also the Grip for Initiation into the higher Life [die Einweihung in das höhere Leben ].

Remember that each Rune-Grip must be repeated three times (for 3 Minutes each, followed by a short Pause in the Ich-Rune-Position between sets), since otherwise no satisfactory Collection of Subtle-Force [Feinkräfte ] can be reached in the Hand-Centers.

Afterwards, a conscious-willed [willensbewußt ] Circulation through the whole Body should not be forgotten. After Completion of the Exercise, Kummer could notice a Smell similar to Rubber several times. The astral Color is bright-fire-red by Day, ruby-red by Night.

-Paraphrase from Holy Runic-Power [Heilige Runenmacht] (1932)
& Rune Magic [Runen-Magie] (1933) by Siegfried Adolf Kummer.

Note that the following themes can be highlighted in Kummer’s description of this Rune: Life (insight into life, life as an initiatory process), the ‘Waters of Life’ and the Logos that fecundates those ‘Waters’; Light (learning from life in order to be illuminated); Love (love for humanity and allowing others to have their Free-Will); and Law (the Ur-Law of life).

 

Rosicrucian and Gnostic

The “Laf” Rune According to Huiracocha

Beloved Disciple: We have arrived at the    LAF Rune which signifies Life. It is the LIF or “Life” of the English and our articles EL, LE, LA, LO that we have in the Spanish language.

All of this means that at the moment when we have something or we are owners of something, we can put the Article in order to give it life. Thus the Stone [la Piedra ], the Air [el Aire ], are living things and have a positive existence.

In both the North as in South and Central America, we find stones with these two Runes engraved upon them that read LAFTAR and means SAVIOR. In both syllables is also the mystery of the word or Logos or Light that has in itself the primitive and eternal force.

In the L or LAF, we also have the Latin Lex or law, whose word in the Nordic language, means STONE and reminds us of the word LORELEI (Murmuring rock), that is to say, the triangular of all things.

If we join the two    LAF Runes by their arm, we have the formation of an M and this letter (considered as a Rune) signifies Matrimony [this is the    EHE Rune]. In this way the union of EL and LA (or HIM and HER), forms a pair, a conjunction. They are, therefore, two lives that seem to form only one.

The practice of the Norns, in order to attract the forces of    LAF, consist of concentrating on a glass of water while giving it spiritual meaning and exclaiming:

“With this water clean my being, my inner-self, of all weeds [maleza ]
in order to receive the human being, the cosmic being, the cosmic forces.”
The instructions of this Rune must be given along with those of the    MAN Rune which is the God-Man (or Divine-Humanity) who raises his arms.

   LAF signifies that God is locked up in us or imprisoned within, and who (with the absolute right to attain Light and Liberty) cries and appeals to Heaven.

All this is enclosed within these two Runes.

R.C.

-Paraphrase from Runic Course [Curso Rúnico] (1931-1935)
by Arnoldo Krumm-Heller (Huiracocha)
available in Gnostic-Rosicrucian Runology

 

The “Laf” Rune According to Samael Aun Weor

The Initiatic Stone is esoterically converted into the Cup of Hermes, into the Sacred Chalice, the Holy Grail. Peter, Patar , is the Initiatic Revelation within the Sexual Organs, and anything that is not accomplished in this way signifies a useless waste of time.

It becomes tremendously significant that engraved upon the stones of the Americas is the LAFTAR (or    LAF Rune) whose meaning is SAVIOR. We must build the Church for the intimate Christ upon the Living Stone.

If we join two    LAFs by their arms, then we have the letter M of the word Matrimony. It is clear that only by treading upon the Path of the Perfect Matrimony can the Wedding Garment of the Soul be attained.

  LAF RUNE PRACTICE: The practice corresponding to this Rune consists of walking towards the Sun in the morning (in the moment in which the Sun ascends in the East), but in that mystical attitude of raised hands (as shown by the Rune), and one implores the Sun-Christ for Esoteric help. This practice must be performed on the 27th of each month.

-Paraphrase from The Magic of the Runes [Magia de las Runas] (1969)
by Samael Aun Weor

 

 

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