Wear to ward off attackers, hang over doorway to keep out evil, has power to release spells cast against you. It is a tree of death and rebirth. Animals do not graze by her. The rabbit will not eat her. Her b erries make good wine and tree fruits well into December.
Elder is a sign of evolutionary change, a transition from one state to another.
If understood, the realization of this mystery will lead to a balanced and mature outlook on life. Old things are passing away, new things will take their place. There will be a passage of some kind. You will need to learn to let go to what is holding you back. The challenge of Ruis is the necessity of coming to terms with the endless cycle of change.