Laguz rune meaning – water, intuition, and flow
Updated: 2 days ago
Laguz (ᛚ) means water: intuition, emotions and the flow of life. In a reading, it asks you to trust your inner voice and go with the current.
Laguz (ᛚ) is the rune of water, embodying the ebb and flow of life, intuition, and the deep subconscious currents of emotion. In the Elder Futhark (Old Norse runic alphabet), Laguz is the 21st symbol and represents the “L” sound. Its name literally means “water” or “lake” in Proto-Germanic, and in the Anglo-Saxon rune poem it’s called lagu meaning “ocean”– underscoring this rune’s ancient connection to water.
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Figuratively, Laguz signifies the fluidity of life and the power of intuition, inviting us to “dive deep into the unknown, trust our instincts, and allow life’s energies to carry us where we need to go”. It is associated with the element of water in all its forms – from the nourishing wellspring to the vast, mysterious sea – and with themes of adaptability, emotional depth, healing, and spiritual guidance.
Laguz rune overview and correspondences
To understand Laguz in depth, it helps to review its basic attributes and traditional associations. Below is an overview of Laguz’s key correspondences:
Name Variants: Laguz (Proto-Germanic reconstruction), Lagu (Old English/Anglo-Saxon Futhorc), Lögr (Old Norse Younger Futhark). Some early inscriptions suggest a variant Laukaz meaning “leek,” but the rune poems overwhelmingly emphasize water.
Literal Meaning: “Water” – especially water in motion (lakes, rivers, the sea). By extension it symbolizes the flow of life, the emotional ocean, and the intuitive wellspring within.
Futhark Position: 21st rune of the 24-rune Elder Futhark; the fifth rune of the third aett (Tyr’s family of eight runes). In the runic sequence it comes toward the end, reflecting a stage of growth where one must trust the flow and inner guidance.
Phonetic Value: L (as in “lake”). In runic inscriptions, Laguz corresponds to the L sound.
Element: Water – embodying fluidity, change, purification, and the life-sustaining force. (Some link Laguz to the Moon as well, since the moon governs the tides and inner rhythms.)
Associated Deities: Njord, the Norse god of the sea and winds; Nerthus, an older Germanic earth/water goddess of fertility; and Ran, the Norse sea goddess who rules the depths and collects drowned souls in her net. All these figures highlight aspects of water – from prosperity and travel to mystery and the unconscious realm.
Symbolism & Imagery: The ocean, rivers, wells, and waterfalls are all evocative images for Laguz. It is the vast sea of the unconscious and the flowing river of life. In the Norse poems, water is described as “that which falls from the mountain” (a waterfall) and the “land of fish”, reinforcing water as both nourishing and teeming with life. Visually, the rune ᛚ itself can be seen as a vertical line with a diagonal branch – often likened to a sprouting plant or a stream pouring down.
Animals: Creatures associated with water and intuition: for example, the goose or swan (waterfowl that navigate land, water, and sky), and the salmon or fish (which swims upstream, symbolizing wisdom and determination). Some sources also link Laguz to the hawk, perhaps for its keen sight and guidance from above, but water creatures more directly capture Laguz’s essence.
Stones & Metals: Moonstone, aquamarine, amethyst, and pearls – gemstones connected to water and psychic intuition. Silver is also fitting (metal of the moon and water). These can be used in jewelry or charms to amplify Laguz’s intuitive, cleansing energy.
Herbs & Plants: Water lily (a flower that floats on calm waters, symbolizing enlightenment and peace) and willow (a tree that grows by water, flexible and flowing) are classic correspondences. Any herb used for cleansing or psychic work – such as lavender, jasmine, or sage – can resonate with Laguz’s purifying, intuitive vibe. Interestingly, leek (yes, the vegetable!) is sometimes mentioned due to the laukaz “leek” hypothesis In folklore, leeks were fertility symbols, tying in with water’s life-giving nature.
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Divinatory meanings of Laguz
Laguz in a reading at a glance
Area | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
Love & relationships | Emotional depth, intuition, and a natural flow | Emotional confusion, illusions, or feeling adrift |
Work & career | Trust your intuition and let plans unfold naturally | Poor judgment, or drifting without a clear direction |
Money | Go with the flow, but stay aware of details | Unclear decisions; avoid acting on emotion alone |
Health & energy | Emotional renewal; rest and calm restore you | Emotionally drained or stuck; release and reset |
Advice | Trust your intuition and go with the current | Get grounded before you dive in |
In rune divination, Laguz often signifies matters of emotion, intuition, and flow in one’s life. This rune urges adaptation and going with the current rather than resisting. When upright, Laguz is generally a positive omen of psychic insight, healing, and imaginative renewal. However, like water itself, Laguz has a shadow side – if it appears reversed (upside-down or merkstave), it can warn of stagnation, illusion, or emotional imbalance. Below we explore what Laguz typically means in readings:
Upright Laguz (ᛚ) – “Go with the flow”
Essence: Drawn upright, Laguz signals a time of trusting your intuition and allowing things to unfold naturally. You are encouraged to “embrace the flow of life” and not force outcomes. There is a sense of emotional renewal and cleansing – like stagnant waters beginning to move again. Upright Laguz often heralds heightened imagination, psychic openness, and a deepening spiritual connection. It’s as if the subconscious is nearer to the surface, offering guidance through gut feelings, dreams, and synchronicities. This rune asks you to go inward (much like descending into water) and find wisdom in the currents of your inner self.
Life Domains: Upright Laguz can bring specific insights depending on the context of your question:
Love & Relationships: Expect a deep emotional bond or an invitation to deepen one. Laguz in a love reading suggests strong intuitive understanding between partners – a relationship where each can “tune into each other’s feelings and needs”, fostering profound intimacy. It encourages open emotional flow: if you or your partner have been holding back feelings for the sake of peace, now is the time to gently let those feelings surface and be addressed. Trust and empathy are highlighted. This rune can also indicate a period of healing in a relationship, washing away old hurts and renewing the connection.
Career & Projects: Laguz advises you to “go with the flow” and be adaptable in your work life. Just as water wears down rock over time, your steady persistence and flexibility will lead to success. Rather than pushing aggressively, align with timing and trust your gut on when to act. You might be entering a creative or brainstorming phase – let ideas flow without judgment. If you’ve felt blocked, an intuitive approach (rather than pure logic) will break the dam. This rune can also signify work involving counseling, art, spirituality or any field that taps into feelings and intuition.
Spiritual & Personal Growth: Upright Laguz is an invitation to dive into your inner world. Meditation, dream-work, and introspection are highly favored now. You may experience a surge in intuitive abilities or psychic experiences (like vivid dreams or déjà vu). Spiritually, Laguz often indicates you’re undergoing an emotional healing or a cleansing of old energy – akin to a baptism or rebirth by water. It’s a great time for activities like journaling, therapy, or energy healing to explore the depths of your psyche. You are learning to trust the “still, small voice” within.
Reversed Laguz (merkstave) – “Stuck or adrift”
Essence: When Laguz is reversed (ᛚ upside-down), its energy of flow and intuition is blocked or thrown into disarray. You may be feeling “emotional turbulence”, confusion, or a loss of direction. Reversed Laguz often points to blocked intuition – perhaps you’re ignoring your gut feelings or have lost touch with your inner voice. There could be a sense of being adrift without a compass, or conversely, stuck in stagnant waters, unable to move on. This state can lead to anxiety, creative droughts, or clinging to unhealthy situations out of fear of change. In short, the natural flow is dammed up.
Common Signals: In practical terms, Laguz merkstave can manifest as emotional burnout or overwhelm – like you’re drowning in feelings or stuck in a loop of worry. You might experience vivid but confusing dreams, indicating inner distress. There is often a warning here about not trusting appearances: things (or people) may not be what they seem, and wishful thinking or illusion is clouding reality.
In relationships, reversed Laguz can signify denial of serious issues – for example, one might be avoiding confronting a partner’s dishonesty or ignoring red flags. Communication may be poor, leading to misunderstandings.
In career or projects, this reversal suggests resistance to change and rigid thinking – perhaps you (or your team) are stuck in an old method that isn’t working, but fear is preventing adaptation. It can also indicate creative block, where inspiration has “dried up.”
Advice when Reversed: “Clear the blockages and reconnect.” Laguz reversed calls you to address whatever is damming up the flow in your life. Start by acknowledging feelings you’ve been avoiding – what unspoken emotions are weighing you down? Journaling or confiding in someone you trust can help bring those to the surface.
Using Laguz in magic and ritual practices
Laguz’s energy is highly valued in magical work, especially for anything involving water, emotion, intuition, or healing. This rune carries the gentle yet persistent power of water, making it versatile for cleansing rituals, psychic development, and even love magic. Here are some ways Laguz is used in practice:
Emotional Healing and Cleansing: Because of its purifying water element, Laguz is perfect for rituals of release and renewal. For example, you might write down an emotion or memory you wish to cleanse, then immerse the paper in water and let it dissolve, symbolically washing away that emotional residue. Likewise, taking a ritual bath with sea salt, herbs, or essential oils (such as lavender for calm or eucalyptus for release) while focusing on the Laguz rune can help “wash off” negative energy. Envision any emotional heaviness leaving you and flowing down the drain. Water has long been used to absorb and carry off spiritual impurities, and with Laguz’s help, the effect is even stronger.
Intuition and Psychic Ability: Laguz is inherently linked to intuition and the subconscious, so it frequently appears in spells or charms to enhance psychic insight. For instance, one might draw the Laguz rune on a piece of paper (or use a Laguz rune stone) and place it under their pillow to encourage prophetic dreams and deeper intuitive understanding.
This simple practice aligns with Laguz’s domain of dreams and hidden knowledge. You can also carve or draw ᛚ on a blue or silver candle and burn it during meditation to open your third eye – as the candle’s fluid wax melts, imagine it unlocking your intuitive flow.
Many practitioners time such rituals with the moon cycle (Laguz’s moon affinity): working on a full moon to illuminate intuition, or a new moon to plant subconscious intentions. The rune can be chanted (galdr) as “LAH-gooz” during meditation to deepen your trance and connection to the water element.
Love and Emotional Harmony: In love magic, Laguz is sometimes used as a gentle facilitator of emotional connection and understanding. Rather than the fiery passion of some other runes, Laguz brings a calming, empathetic influence.
It can be included in spells to improve communication between partners by promoting empathy and intuitive understanding of each other’s needs. Some folklore even mentions Laguz in love potions or charms as a force that makes “two people flow in the same direction” emotionally.
For a simple love ritual, a couple could jointly toss pebbles engraved with Laguz into a body of water, as a vow to “go with the flow together” and let minor conflicts wash away. The idea is to strengthen the emotional and psychic bond so each person can feel what the other feels – increasing compassion and harmony.
Laguz in rune readings and spreads
When incorporating Laguz into rune readings, treat it as the rune of inner guidance and emotional insight. It often comes up when a querent needs to listen more than act, or when unseen factors are at play. Here are some tips on working with Laguz in divination:
When to Draw Laguz: Include Laguz in spreads that deal with emotional clarity, relationship dynamics, creativity, or spiritual guidance. For example, if someone is asking “What am I not seeing about this situation?” or “How can I better connect with my intuition?”, Laguz is an excellent rune to select or pay attention to. In questions about relationships, Laguz can shed light on the emotional undercurrents between people.
For creative projects or life transitions, Laguz can reveal where you need to let go and trust the process. If Laguz appears unexpectedly in a general reading, it often steers the reading toward discussing the querent’s emotional state, their subconscious fears or desires, or the need to *“go with the flow” in the matter at hand.
Yes/No Questions: Laguz isn’t a straightforward yes-or-no rune, but upright it leans toward “yes, if you trust your gut”, whereas reversed it leans “no or not now, due to emotional blockages.” An upright Laguz as an answer basically says, “Yes – but you must go with the natural flow and intuition here.” A reversed Laguz in yes/no suggests the outcome is murky or unfavorable until you address the internal confusion. It might be better phrased as “Not yet – things are too unclear.”
Sample Questions for Laguz: To get insight from Laguz’s perspective, you might ask:
“What is my intuition trying to tell me about ___?” – to highlight a gut feeling you need to acknowledge.
“Where in my life am I resisting the flow, and why?” – to identify an area where control or fear is blocking progress.
“How can I best heal emotionally from ___?” – for guidance on emotional release and healing.
“What hidden factor should I be aware of in this situation?” – Laguz can reveal an undercurrent that isn’t immediately obvious, like a hidden motive, a suppressed emotion, or a spiritual lesson.
Using Laguz as a Significator: In some intuitive spreads, you might choose Laguz as a significator rune to represent the subconscious or the emotional aspect of the querent. For instance, in a complex reading, placing Laguz at the center can signify that the core of the issue revolves around inner feelings or intuitive insight. Other runes drawn around it can then be read as influences on the person’s emotional flow (e.g., is something like Nauthiz creating stress, or is Wunjo bringing joy, etc.). This technique can be useful if someone knows they are dealing with an emotional challenge and wants to explore it deeper.
Laguz pairings and rune combinations
Laguz often works in concert with other runes, especially when doing combined rune castings or crafting bindrunes. Pairing Laguz with another rune can either enhance certain intentions or balance energies. Here are some notable rune combinations involving Laguz and how to interpret or use them:
Laguz + Sowilo (ᛋ) – Moon meets Sun: This pairing unites the intuitive, flowing power of water (Laguz) with the clarity and vitality of the sun (Sowilo). In readings, Laguz next to Sowilo suggests that trusting your intuition will lead to a clear success or breakthrough, as Sowilo’s light dispels any confusion. Magically, one might combine these runes when seeking both insight and positive action – for example, to gain intuitive guidance (Laguz) and the strength to act on it confidently (Sowilo). It’s a great combo for balancing yin and yang energies, or for any working that needs both receptivity and illumination.
Laguz + Perthro (ᛈ) – Delving into the unknown: Both runes have a mysterious side – Laguz is the deep well of the subconscious, and Perthro is the rune of fate/chance and hidden things. Together, they are powerful for psychic work and uncovering secrets. In divination this combo screams “something hidden will be revealed, go deeper!”. In magic, you might use Laguz with Perthro for developing clairvoyance, scrying, or communicating with the subconscious mind. Expect intuitive hunches and perhaps synchronistic events when these two partner up.
Laguz + Eihwaz (ᛇ) – Transformation and flow: Eihwaz represents the yew tree, life and death cycles, and endurance. With Laguz, it strengthens the theme of transformation and rebirth. This pairing is well-suited for times of deep personal change – it helps you go with the flow of a major life transition while staying protected and spiritually guided. In a bindrune, Laguz+Eihwaz might be carved for someone embarking on a shamanic journey or overcoming a significant loss, as it promises renewal (like water nourishing a tree through seasons of change).
Laguz + Jera (ᛃ) – Natural cycles: Jera is the rune of the year’s cycle (harvest, reward after effort). Coupled with Laguz, it emphasizes patience and flowing with natural timing. This is the “go with the seasons of life” combo. In readings, it might indicate that emotional matters will resolve in due time – you can’t rush the tides or the harvest. In spellwork, you could combine these runes for long-term endeavors that require faith and steady progress (e.g. long-term healing processes, or creative projects that must unfold gradually). It’s a comforting combination reminding you that life moves in cycles – after a period of ebb comes a flow, and vice versa.
Of course, there are many other combinations, but the key with Laguz pairings is to consider how water’s energy interacts with the other rune’s energy. Does it nourish it? Erode it? Reflect it? Contain it? By meditating on that interaction, you can unlock nuanced meanings and craft powerful bindrunes or readings for your specific needs.
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Sources and further reading
Old English Rune Poem: has a stanza for Laguz under its Anglo-Saxon name, Lagu. In plain English: The sea seems endless to those on a rolling ship, as huge waves frighten them and the vessel won't obey.
Old Norwegian and Old Icelandic Rune Poems: both have a stanza for this rune as lögr (water), because it stayed in the 16-rune Younger Futhark.
Modern interpretations (reversed meanings, rune magic) come from 20th-century authors and are marked as such on this page.
Further reading: R. I. Page, Runes (British Museum Press, 1987).
Last reviewed: November 2026
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FAQ about the Laguz rune
What does the Laguz rune mean in a nutshell?
Laguz literally means “water”, and in a nutshell it represents flow, intuition, and the deep emotional/subconscious forces in life. Think of Laguz as the rune of going with the flow and trusting your inner feelings. Just as water finds its way and sustains life, Laguz energy helps you navigate change, cleanse emotional baggage, and develop psychic insight. It’s essentially the rune of the inner self’s guidance and the healing power of water.
Is Laguz a positive or negative rune?
By itself, Laguz is generally positive or at least gentle in its guidance. Upright Laguz is very positive – it’s often a sign of renewal, intuitive wisdom, and emotional balance coming into your life. It encourages you to trust the process and can herald a time of creative inspiration or healing. Laguz doesn’t usually scream danger.
However, if reversed, it can serve as a warning that you’re out of flow – perhaps ignoring your intuition or feeling emotionally stuck. Even then, the rune’s message is meant to help you fix the situation (for example, “you need to unblock your emotions or you might make a poor decision”).
So Laguz isn’t “bad” – at its worst it says “caution, you’re going against the current.” Many find even Laguz merkstave to be a gentle nudge compared to harsher runes like Hagalaz or Thurisaz.
How do I pronounce “Laguz” and what are other names for this rune?
Laguz is typically pronounced as “LAH-gooz” (two syllables, with a hard G, rhymes with “ah, booze”). In Proto-Germanic it might have been Laguz (with similar pronunciation). The Old English rune name for it is Lagu, pronounced “LAH-goo” – which means “ocean”. In the Viking Age Younger Futhark, the same rune is called Lögr (Old Norse for “water”), pronounced roughly “LUH-gr” or “LOH-ger.” Sometimes in modern books you might see Laguz also spelled Lagus or Laukaz (referring to that “leek” interpretation historically). But most rune enthusiasts just say Laguz.
What are the key symbols or images associated with Laguz?
Water in all forms is the primary symbol – oceans, rivers, lakes, rain. Common images used to represent Laguz include a lake under the moonlight, a flowing river, or an ocean wave. Since the rune looks a bit like an outstretched branch or an upright wave, some visualize it as a sprouting plant or stream of water.
Culturally, the rune is tied to the idea of the cosmic ocean and wells of wisdom in Norse myth. Animal symbols can include fish (salmon) for wisdom, water birds (geese, swans) for migration and fidelity, or even mythical creatures like mermaids or the Norse sea serpent to symbolize the mysterious depths. Anything that evokes water’s qualities – reflection, flowing around obstacles, depth, and life – can be a symbol of Laguz.
Which element and deity correspond to Laguz?
The element is Water (no surprise there!). As for deities, Laguz connects strongly with water-associated gods. Njord (Norse god of the sea) is one, representing prosperous voyages and seaside wealth. Nerthus, an old Germanic goddess possibly of lakes and earth, is another – she brings in the fertility and peace aspect of water.
Ran, the Norse sea goddess, is also cited, embodying the deep ocean’s hidden dangers and treasures. Some modern practitioners also associate Laguz with Freya or Frigg in a looser sense, since these goddesses have intuitive/magical qualities and water is often seen as a feminine element. But the core ones are Njord, Nerthus, and Ran. In short, Laguz is sacred to the powers of water – from gentle lake to roaring sea.
Written by Julia, rune reader since 2020. More about me →
