Reversed Runes (Merkstave): What They Mean and How to Read Them
Reversed runes are runes that land or are drawn upside down, and in modern divination they usually show the rune's energy blocked, delayed, turned inward or expressed in its shadow form. Only 15 of the 24 Elder Futhark runes can be reversed at all; the other nine look the same whichever way up they fall.
Many practitioners call a reversed rune merkstave, a modern term derived from Old Norse words for "dark" and "stave". It is a useful reading convention, not an ancient rule, and you are free to read with or without it.
This guide explains where the idea of reversals comes from, which runes cannot be reversed, what each reversible rune means in both positions, and how to read a reversed rune without treating it as a bad omen.
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Which runes cannot be reversed
Nine Elder Futhark runes are symmetrical in a way that makes them look identical when turned upside down. These are usually treated as having no reversed position:
Gebo ᚷ (gift, partnership)
Hagalaz ᚺ (hail, disruption)
Nauthiz ᚾ (need, constraint)
Isa ᛁ (ice, stillness)
Jera ᛃ (harvest, cycles)
Eihwaz ᛇ (yew, endurance)
Sowilo ᛊ (sun, success)
Ingwaz ᛜ (seed, completion)
Dagaz ᛞ (day, breakthrough)
On wooden or stone rune sets, some of these can still look slightly different depending on how the carver drew them, but in principle they have no upside-down form. A few practitioners give them a "shadow" reading when they fall face up among difficult runes, or when the whole question is troubled. That is a context reading, not a reversal.
Notice that several of these runes are already demanding in their upright meaning. Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Isa carry the challenge inside them, so they do not need a reversed version to say "something is difficult here". Every rune also has a light and a shadow side in its upright form, which matters for the next section.
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Merkstave: what the term means and how it is used
Merkstave is a modern word shaped from Old Norse myrkr (dark) and stafr (stave, letter). Practitioners use it in two slightly different ways, and it helps to know which one a book or teacher means.
Merkstave as reversed. The most common use: a rune that appears upside down is merkstave, and its energy is blocked, weakened or turned against itself.
Merkstave as shadow aspect. Some traditions use the word more broadly for the dark side of any rune, including the symmetrical ones, chosen by context or by a rune lying sideways or face down.
There is no single correct system. What matters is that you decide on your rules before you draw, and keep them consistent. If you change the rules after seeing the result, the reading turns into wishful thinking.
Upright and reversed meanings at a glance
Here are the 15 reversible runes with a short upright and reversed reading. These are modern divinatory meanings, built on the old rune names and on how practitioners use them today. Each rune has its own page if you want the full picture.
Fehu ᚠ: upright, wealth, earned resources and generosity / reversed, money slipping away, greed or a resource you are not using.
Uruz ᚢ: upright, raw strength, health and vitality / reversed, low energy, force used badly or a missed chance to act.
Thurisaz ᚦ: upright, a protective barrier and decisive force / reversed, impulsiveness, conflict or a defence turned into aggression.
Ansuz ᚨ: upright, communication, insight and good advice / reversed, misunderstanding, poor advice or not listening.
Raido ᚱ: upright, journey, rhythm and right order / reversed, delays, disrupted plans or moving in the wrong direction.
Kenaz ᚲ: upright, clarity, skill and creative fire / reversed, confusion, a creative block or something ending.
Wunjo ᚹ: upright, joy, harmony and belonging / reversed, dissatisfaction, tension in a group or joy postponed.
Perthro ᛈ: upright, chance, mystery and hidden things coming to light / reversed, secrets kept, stagnation or an unwelcome surprise.
Algiz ᛉ: upright, protection and higher guidance / reversed, vulnerability, ignored warnings or weak boundaries.
Tiwaz ᛏ: upright, justice, courage and the right fight / reversed, lack of motivation, unfairness or a battle not worth fighting.
Berkana ᛒ: upright, growth, care and new beginnings / reversed, stalled growth, family worries or neglecting yourself.
Ehwaz ᛖ: upright, trust, partnership and steady progress / reversed, restlessness, mistrust or a partnership out of step.
Mannaz ᛗ: upright, self-knowledge and community / reversed, isolation, self-doubt or being misled by others.
Laguz ᛚ: upright, intuition, flow and emotion / reversed, overwhelm, poor judgement or ignoring your gut.
Othala ᛟ: upright, home, heritage and lasting values / reversed, family tension, rootlessness or rigid tradition.
How to read a reversed rune without fear
The biggest mistake beginners make is to read a reversed rune as "the bad version" or as a warning of disaster. In my practice, a reversal is closer to a note in the margin: this energy is present, but something is stopping it from flowing freely.
Three questions help turn a reversed rune into practical advice:
Where is the energy blocked? A reversed Raido may mean the journey is fine but the timing is not. Look for the specific obstacle rather than a general "no".
Is it inside or outside me? Many reversals point inward. A reversed Mannaz often speaks about self-doubt more than about other people.
What would turn it upright? Every reversed rune suggests a correction. A reversed Ansuz asks you to listen better or get a second opinion; a reversed Fehu asks you to look at where your money or effort is leaking.
Reversed runes also soften or sharpen depending on their neighbours. A reversed Wunjo next to Jera often reads as "joy is delayed, not lost". A reversed Thurisaz next to Algiz may suggest your defensiveness is the problem, not the threat. The guide to rune combinations shows how to read runes in pairs.
Should you use reversals at all?
There are good arguments both ways, and experienced readers disagree.
Reasons to read reversals:
They add nuance, especially in single-rune or three-rune readings where there is little context.
They help you see where an otherwise positive rune is stuck.
Many modern books and courses assume them, so you will meet them anyway.
Reasons to read only upright:
It is closer to what the historical sources show, which have one meaning per rune.
Nine runes cannot be reversed, so the system is uneven by nature.
Every rune already contains both a light and a shadow side; context can show which one applies.
My suggestion for beginners is to start without reversals for a month or two. Learn each rune's full range first, including its difficult side, and then add reversals if you feel the readings need more detail. Whatever you choose, decide before you draw.
Practical tips for drawing and casting
How a rune ends up reversed depends on your method, so make your rules clear.
Drawing from a bag. Take the rune out and place it in front of you as it comes, without turning it. If it comes out upside down, it is reversed.
Casting on a cloth. Runes that land face down are often left out or read as "not yet relevant". Read only face-up runes, and note their orientation relative to you.
Sideways runes. Decide in advance: either read them as upright, or turn them toward the nearer upright position. Do not decide case by case.
Mark your set. Symmetrical runes on round stones can be hard to orient. A tiny dot at the top of each reversible rune solves this.
The planned guide on how to cast runes goes deeper into casting methods, and the rune spreads article shows layouts where reversals add useful detail. For a quick daily practice, the daily rune tool is a simple way to get used to reading one rune at a time.
If a reading keeps showing reversed runes and you cannot see what they point to, a second pair of eyes can help untangle the pattern and turn it into clear next steps.
Want this read for your own situation? In a Personal Rune Reading I lay out a spread for your exact question and send a detailed written interpretation within 48 hours. $125.
Is reading reversed runes historical or modern?
Reading runes upright and reversed is a modern practice. The historical sources we have, which are inscriptions, the medieval rune poems and saga references, do not describe any system of upright and reversed meanings. The rune poems give one stanza per rune, with no "inverted" version.
What we do have is an old tradition of drawing lots. The Roman historian Tacitus, around the end of the 1st century, describes Germanic peoples cutting a fruit-bearing branch into slips, marking them with signs and scattering them on a white cloth before choosing three and interpreting them. He does not say the signs were runes, and he says nothing about how a slip lay.
Reversed meanings entered rune reading mainly through 20th-century books, in the same way that tarot readers had long used reversed cards. Ralph Blum's The Book of Runes (1982) was one of the most influential popular guides to give runes reversed meanings, and the habit spread from there. So when you read reversals, you are using a modern tool, and that is perfectly legitimate as long as you know it.
If you are new to rune meanings in general, start with the overview of all 24 runes and keep it open beside you while you practise.
FAQ
Can every rune be reversed?
No. Nine of the 24 Elder Futhark runes (Gebo, Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Sowilo, Ingwaz and Dagaz) look the same upside down, so they have no reversed position. The other 15 can appear upright or reversed.
Is merkstave the same as reversed?
Usually, yes. Most practitioners use merkstave to mean a rune drawn upside down. Some use it more broadly for a rune's shadow side, including runes that cannot physically be reversed, so check how your source defines it.
Does a reversed rune mean something bad will happen?
No. A reversed rune shows energy that is blocked, delayed or turned inward. It is advice about what to adjust, not a prediction of misfortune, and it often points to something you can change.
Did the Vikings read reversed runes?
There is no evidence that they did. The surviving sources do not describe upright and reversed meanings, and reversals became common in popular rune books in the late 20th century. They are a modern reading tool.
What if my rune lands sideways?
Choose a rule in advance and keep it: either read sideways runes as upright, or rotate them to the nearest upright or reversed position. Consistency matters more than which rule you choose.
Should beginners use reversed runes?
It is easier to learn the upright meanings first, including each rune's challenging side. Once you know the runes well, adding reversals can bring extra nuance to your readings.
Written by Julia, rune reader since 2020. More about me →
