A slightly different take on Raidho

[Grymdycche]

"Traditionally" (I use the word reservedly), the meaning for Raidho is typically given as "Riding" or "Journey", sometimes  "Wheel"; and I've even seen "Time" in one source (I suppose because Journeys take time).

But meditating on the Anglo Saxon poem, I think I've found something else. I wonder if "riding" isn't missing the point.

     Old English

     Riding seems easy to every warrior while
     he is indoors and (but) very courageous,
     to he who sits on the back of a stout horse
     traversing the high roads.

What this seems to be saying, to me, is the old axiom, "Easier said than done". 
The first two lines,  "Riding seems easy to every warrior while he is indoors" bear this out.
It is more courageous to be actually out there doing it, making it happen.

So I've come to think, that maybe Raidho isn't so much about motoring, as it is motivation.
In other words, get out there and do it, don't just sit on your arse and talk about it.

Admittedly, the other two poems don't seem to have quite this same take.
Not helping much, both the Icelandic and Norwegian poems are consistently much less verbose than the Old English poems.

Icelandic:

    Riding

     Joy of the horsemen
     and speedy journey
     and toil of the steed.

Norwegian:

     Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses;
     Reginn forged the finest sword

(The reference here to Reginn is to the foster father of Norse hero Sigurd, who wielded a great sword named Gram, which was forged by Reginn.  Reginn was, however, plotting against Sigurd and Sigurd killed Reginn with the very sword he forged.  However, the reference is nonetheless obscure and open to various interpretations as regards Raidho)

I generally tend to prefer the Anglo Saxon/Old English poem, as it seems somewhat redundant to me to have one rune that represents "riding" as it relates to horses, when there is a separate rune specifically representing the horse - Ehwaz.
Perhaps for this reason I'm inclined to favor the OE/AS version which seems to be speaking of motivation, a noble concept I'm sure the ancients would have appreciated as much as people do today - if not more so.


Still, another interpretation I've read, based more on the NRP and ORP than the OERP, is that Raidho represents an undertaking of some kind, and endeavor.  In this sense, "journey" is meant in more figurative terms, not literal. This is reasonable too, and would tie in reasonably well with motivation. The additional point is made that in Norse kennings, a "steed" might well refer to a sailing ship as it does a horse, though usually in these situations, some other clue is given to indicate that.


In any case, I feel that taking Raidho to literally mean "riding" or a "journey", in a reading, while always possible, may be too literal of an interpretation in most cases.  It reminds me of the "Death" card in Tarot;  while Death can in fact sometimes mean literal death, it is more likely to mean the end of something - a permanent change.
This is the beauty and poetry of the Runes - there is much more there than meets the eye.

[Mountain Witch]

I generally look at it as a 'journey' but not necessarily a physical one. Like most things in life, it's more about the trip than the destination, so I take it to mean the path I'm on, whether I'm asking about my witchy path, my business path, my spiritual path ... you get the idea.

[ejfinch]

I generally look at it as a 'journey' but not necessarily a physical one. Like most things in life, it's more about the trip than the destination, so I take it to mean the path I'm on, whether I'm asking about my witchy path, my business path, my spiritual path ... you get the idea.

This is exactly how I view it. In fact, more often than not, it seems to be referring to something other than a physical journey in my readings.

[winter night]

Riding seems easy to every warrior while
     he is indoors and (but) very courageous,
     to he who sits on the back of a stout horse
     traversing the high roads

is it also about how there is no risk to you if you don't expose your true self/feelings - alls well and good if everything is kept hidden, behind closed doors so to speak.  

A warrior indoors is not really a warrior as there is a barrier between them and the outside.

Its only once you are out there (or your beliefs/feelings are out there), on display, that they can be seen fully.  Which may be a risk worth taking.

The high road is a positive thing - like in the song 'Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond' as the low road is the road you take when you die.  So yes, a journey worth taking.

hope I am not being too random here!

[mcdee2005]

I can see what you are saying Grymdycche

But i have always taken Raidho to mean order and control of your destiny, to achieve the right action and order to your path.

Raidho is the rune of ritual, or, the correct way to seek the Gods. It is the channelling of force according to the natural laws. Rhythm and movement are important to the concept of Raidho (the same as it is to a warrior on horseback)

Raidho is also the rune of travelling, It is being in control of the journey of your life.

McD

[Grymdycche]

I can see that as well, McD. Nice.

Actually,  I think everyone's interpretation here is quite similar, really - slightly different facets of the same gem.
"Motivation, endeavor, undertaking, virtual journey, path, literal journey, control of your destiny. "

Apologies if I missed anyone!

While this topic is hot, who wants to start one on Ehwaz, the horse?  (Over at the Ehwaz board)
Runes that are related, if not in some ways redundant,  are great topics to tackle.

[Grymdycche]

Having recently revisited a lot of the OE poems, and have gone over them with a fine tooth comb and a swath of OE - MnE dictionaries, I've made a few enlightening discoveries.
One of them is that my initial take on the poem is right.

The key word in this poem here is ðamðe, which, being cognate with ære, (AKA modern "ere"), means "before" or "until".
It was hard to track down, being rare, but I found it here:
From this book/site: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31543/31543-h/files/dict_ac.html#word_aeqr

Line by line, word by word, this poem says, literally:

Rad byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum

Riding (Rad) is (byþ -be-ith) in the hall (recycde) for every (gehwylcum) warrior(rinca)
Here, rinca can sometimes mean simply "man", but the average Anglo Saxon man did not have access to a horse, that was for the nobles and warriors only.

sefte ond swiþhwæt,
comfortable/easy (I would assume sefte is the origin of "soft") and strong/heroic.

ðamðe sitteþ on ufan meare mægenheardum

UNTIL (ðamðe ) he sits high upon ( on ufan) a horse (meare) which is very powerful (mægenheardum)

ofer milpaþas.

over (ofer) the high roads. (milpaþas).

To me, this rune is not so much about a journey, but brings home the point of, "it's easier said than done".
I think it also says, "put your money where your mouth is". 
Perhaps there's even a warning here against bragging, or maybe a call to motivation. "Are you going to talk about it, or do it?"

For that reason, I wonder if maybe "undertaking" or even "attitude" wouldn't a better interpretation than "journey".