Ehwaz: The Rune of 2026

Greetings from the Mystic Cave,

I started out the year feeling a little overwhelmed. Not that unusual for me since my brain typically has 100 tabs open at any given time. So I took a quiet moment to check in with my runes and see what direction I should take and where to focus my attention. And truthfully, at the time, I was somewhat disappointed with what was cast.

Should I work on that book idea? Nah, not now… okay, I was kind of pumped for that one.

How about my social media? Maybe in the future.

I see, then my website? Hard no.

So what then? What should I focus on right now? Ehwaz.

Now, if you dabble in divination yourself, I’m sure you know the feeling. You’re looking for the green flag, the full steam ahead, and instead you get some pretty solid no’s, ditch that, try again, not yet. And then… a little mystery to solve.

Runes, and I believe all symbols, carry a deeply layered energy.

Ehwaz. The rune of partnership, of collaboration, the twin energy. As I felt into it, it started to become clearer. Ehwaz is the rune of the horse. And, we are entering the year of the Fire Horse in Chinese Astrology (or at least preparing to come Feb 16th).

Huh. Interesting.

Ehwaz, is also the 19th rune, and in numerology, we would add those digits together 1 + 9 = 10 and then reduce down to a single digit, which in this case, becomes 1. This in fact is the same numerology as that of the universal year, 2026 is a 10/1 in numerology.

Oh that’s juicy, thank you spirit!

For a few years now, I’ve been searching for a way to share all the mystical things I’ve been learning in my metaphorical cave, but nothing has quite sat right, the timing has felt off, that is until now.

I love to write, so that’s the plan, to write a little each week on a particular rune, symbol, divination method, tarot card, tree, anything that has been coming through courtesy of spirit.

And to me, it seems, Ehwaz represents the energy of this year, of 2026.

A perfect place to start!

Let’s dive a little more into that:

Historically, horses and our partnership with them, meant survival. They were our transport, a currency, a way to communicate. So for the horse to represent partnership is incredibly fitting, as we had to work in close harmonious partnership with them if we were to thrive. They allowed us to move forward, both on a literal individual level and evolutionarily as the greater collective.

Horses too have a long relationship with divination, from their physical movements being tracked and interpreted, through to the bones being used for interpretation of divine messages. The Knight cards in a standard Tarot deck all feature horses and their energy is that of action, of, forward momentum.

They say the shape of Ehwaz looks like that of two horses facing one another, but to me, I simply see Laguz mirrored, the rune of water and emotional flow. If you’re more into Tarot, you can think of Laguz like the Cups suit. And you need a healthy flow of emotion to form solid healthy partnerships and relationships.

Typically, when not using a numerology system, I see Ehwaz as representative of the number 2. It’s associated with divine twins (such as Freyr and Freyja), the astrological sign Gemini too, and well I did cast these on the eve of the first full moon of the year, which was actually in Gemini (in sidereal astrology).

Ehwaz is a steadfast earth energy. Laguz, its runic undercurrent, water. The Norse twins Freyr and Freyja were born of an earth mother and a sea father. It’s duality. Just like the High Priestess in Tarot (also a 2 energy). Ehwaz is the balance, the light and dark, the yin and yang.

Now if we want to take the numerology a layer further, as I mentioned, whilst we are entering a universal year 1 in 2026, one of the additional numbers which underpins it and tells us a little more on the flavour of the year is actually a 2.

A year one is about the individual, it’s self reliance and leadership. It’s about confidence and courage, and it can be quite brash in nature, whereas the two is emotionally sensitive, it’s all about the other, it’s teamwork and companionship. It’s the energy of mediation, the peacekeeper.

So whilst our focus this year is on our individual efforts and really tuning into our own personal inspired action, what sits underneath that, is the role we play in the larger collective. Striking balance between the two seemingly opposing forces is the secret sauce.

So, as we move into 2026, and the energy of Ehwaz asks for forward momentum, whilst the temptation can be to put the blinkers on and blaze our singular path ahead, remember it is tempered by its flowing friend Laguz.

Which whispers for us to regain our humanness, to restore our emotional connection charred by the online world. And to live symbiotically, best we can.

Until next week, be well, stay curious.