Kenaz Rune Meaning
ᚲ · sound "k" · Freyr's ætt · name means torch (the Norse poems' name means a sore)
clarity, craft, creativity, learning
Upright meaning
Kenaz is a torch carried into a dim room: the understanding that suddenly makes things visible, and the craft that turns ideas into something real. It invites you to work on something with your hands or your mind and see what becomes clear.
Reversed (merkstave)
Reversed, it can reflect a lost spark, or a moment when you cannot see the way ahead. Rather than forcing it, change the light: a different angle, a fresh pair of eyes, a short break.
Lore
Its old name is uncertain. The Anglo-Saxon poem calls it cēn, a torch burning brightly where people rest indoors, while both Norse poems call it kaun, a sore or ulcer. The name Kenaz is a modern reconstruction built on the torch.