Tiwaz is named after Týr, god of war, law and justice. The word Tuesday came from the name that was altered from the Day of Mars. Care has to be taken to not mislead. Tyr wanted to fetter a wolf pup, Fenrir, before he became dangerous; however, the pup would only allow a magical chain called Gleipnir around his neck until someone of good faith put a hand in his jaw. Tyr agreed and the pup sensed the deception for permanent bondage and bit off Tyr’s hand. Destiny is now in your hands, or maybe after this story in your hand. There was an old poster on my wall when I was a teen that said, “Don’t bite the foot that stomps your grapes.” Appreciate what comes around and do not ask for more to become an ingrate. Life can be competitive but the true competition is against yourself. Push yourself to be the best. The Tiwaz rune has the characteristics of both of Tarot's Justice and Judgement cards from the moral of the Tyr story. Acts of honor and sincerity are rewarded while acts of deception and evil gets your hand bit off, even if it was for the greater good of others. Battles are settled by judgments and often this rune is donned on the hilt of the sword to honor who wields the sword with courage, which can be a metaphor for personal struggles between the mind, body and spirit.

Sun Tzu the most famous war strategists in history outlined the needs of war that strangely reflect how to live in modern-day life. You must know the weather and terrain conditions, revere virtue and wisdom, and respect those whom are in charge to maintain order through discipline. Surround, divide or flee. The outcome of these few directives dictates victory or defeat. Winning a war through a lengthy campaign or capturing an already destroyed city is not a worthy victory.

A good leader knows when to fight and plans for all unforeseen difficulties while treating his superiors with respect. If you know your enemy, your troops will preside. If you only know yourself and nothing about the enemy, the gain will not make a worthy victory. If you know neither–you will lose every battle. Turmoil of the battle should be controlled like the head and tail of a dragon that works together without disorder.

In reality, the wolf pup, Fenrir, was entitled to Tyr’s hand because the sacrifice assured peace from Fenrir rampages if allowed loose. Remember, the object of war is peace. You can do what’s right up to a point, and then the rest is left up to the god or gods with only faith left in your hand. To finish the wolf pup story, the chain around his neck was then tied to a large boulder and a sword placed in Fenrir’s jaws to hold them open. As he wildly howled, a foamy river called “Expectation” flowed from his mouth. Fenrir was sent to Ragnarök, a place of future events, and eventually escaped, and with his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw in the sky, he devoured everything in its path and killed Odin, which was the foretold Doom or Twilight of the Norse Gods. Sometimes you can’t leave an enemy metaphorically alive or a pending danger will one day devour you.

Keywords: War, Courage, Bravery, Success, Leadership, Authority, Justice & Legal Matters

Associated Tarot Cards: Justice, Judgement & Chariot

Astrological Signs: Libra & Aries

Planets: Mars & Pluto

Norse God: Tyr is the god of war.

Other Spellings: Tiw, Tir, Tyr Teiws, Teiwaz, Tiwar, Ty & Tys

Pronunciation: Tee-wahz