FEHU

Rune: Fehu
Feoh, Faihu, Fe: Cattle, property, wealth.
Galdr Sound: The phonetic value of the letter F
Fehu appears as the letter "F" with the two horizontal lines pointing upward.

 

"Money is a comfort to everyone / though every man ought / to deal it out freely / if he wants to gain approval / from the lord"
(Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem)

"Gold causes strife among kinsmen / the wolf grows up on the woods"
(Old Norse Rune Rhyme)

"Money is the strife among kinsmen / and the fire of the flood-tide / and the path of the serpent"
(Old Icelandic Rune Poem)

"One is called help and will help you in all sickness / sorrow and affliction"
(Havamal 146)

 

The rune Fehu means literally cattle, which meant the measure of wealth in the earliest period of Germanic history, as well as the image of cattle brings to mind the sacred cow Audhumbla, the first bovine created from the first mingling of fire and ice along with the proto-eting Ymir. Both the sacred cow and the giant Ymir represent the primeval shaping forces of the universe. As society evolved, the power embodied by cattle was transferred to gold, with which one could buy them. Both served in turn as the physical representation of mobile energy of creation, which can also manifests as money in human dealings. The rune fehu is translated as wealth or gold in the rune poems, but its etymological orgin continues to suggest the strength of fertility and life-force which are essential aspects of this stave.

The connection between wealth, fertility and general life-force is visible in the nature of the goddess Freya and the god Freyir, whose powers govern prosperity and well-being in all forms. Both Freya and Freyir are deities of the fertile earth and of riches - one of Freyir titles is Fodhi, the Fruitful, and Freya weeps tears of gold. The life-force of these two deities is expressed as joy, sexual energy and courage in battle. Both gods are mighty warriors as well as rulers of prosperity and peace; their nature is energetic is all aspects of being. This is the stave of elemental fire as the primal energy working through the worlds, the sound of fertility, prosperity and strength. The word fire is often used in keenings for gold, such as "fire of the dragon´s bed" and "fire of the creek", and gold is often described as glod-red, indicating its fiery nature.

The woe-working aspect of Fehu is its capability of causing discord, even within kin-grouping, among those who should be most closely bound. As the rune of elemental fire, Fehu is always a potential source of disruption as well as strength. The working of fehu in this aspect can be seen in the description of how Freya came to the Aesir as the witch Gullveig, power of gold, with power over fire and the energies of seidhr magick, and how the discord caused by her presence became the war between the Aesir and the Vanir. This war could only be ended by the giving of hostages - the use of the power of gebo to harness fehu by channeling its energies into the binding of exchange. Fehu´s might should never be static but eternal flow, otherwise it can become tainted. This is the meaning behind the stories of dragon´s gold being poisoned: wealth kept immobile generates envy and strife.

The fires of fehu in the personal sphere are expressed in libido, the energy which, sexual in origin, is sublimated and channeled to provide the force behind most human creative actions.
In Magick, Fehu governs the transfer of energies. You can use it either for projection or for the sake of drawing energy into yourself to temporarily increase your own power for a working. Repeated use of the rune for this purpose will gradually increase the quantities of energy that you can handle at any given time and will aid the growth of your personal reserves of power. In general, the use of Fehu with another rune will cause a fiery increase in the second rune´s power if fehu is used in a supplementary manner. If, for instance, you wer eto use fehu with jera for the purpose of enhancing your natural spiritual growth to the fullest extent possible while bringing a rapid increase in your general power, although the control exerted by jera would prevent that power from outstripping your wisdom or your ability to shape and guide it.
As well as drawing external energies into yourself, fehu can also be used for awakening your personal power and sending it outward. The rune poems´ references to "the path of the serpent" refers to the nature of fehu as magickal energy itself, which is hidden and should be handled with due respect, care and devotion for the best results in all workings.

Ritually, fehu shows the hamingja or life-force. It is also seen in the unshaped flame of the fire-pot or recels-burner.
Fehu can be used for increasing fertility, sexual desire and riches.

The stone carnelian, whose name derives from the Latin flor flesh is appropriate for fehu. Its red-gold colour represents the fiery gold of the rune´s energies. Carnelian it is said to energize its holder and bring good luck, the positive working of energy in your personal sphere. Carnelian is also said to be an aid to fertility, and is traditionally said to be an aid to fertility and protection against envy and strife, the negative aspects of fehu if not in motion.
Green tourmaline works well together with fehu, green being related to the Vanir, Freyir and Freya. Amber is also connected with fehu, being a Freya associated gem twin to gold. It is said that Freya´s tears turn to gold on the land and to amber in the sea. Amber´s energetic properties are visible in every plane, including the physical, where its energies are expressed as an electrical chage.

 

RE-ENCHANTING THE LAND

You see yourself at sunrise in a field which is still covered with ice. Your tunic and cloak stirr, the light wind feels invigorating, and as the sun rises bringing the joys of the new day, you see the iced earth become ablaze with the Heavenly Fire, and you smile. As in the first days of Creation in the Norse Tradition, this is the onset of Spring, when Primeval Ice meets Primeval Fire to give birth to the shaping powers that gave form to the Physical World.

With an increasing feeling of anticipation, you hear the sound of hoofs and right in front of you stands a mighty bovine, Audhumbla, the being crated from the first mingling of fire and ice, sided by Her consort the giant Ymir. Theirs is the first spark of life that will give birth to all there is in the Norse worldview. Your eyes now are filled with wonder, awe and joy as you witness the sacred mating of the mighty heavenly cow and her giant consort. You are at once spectator and witness of this great mystery, and you raise a silent thanksgiving to the Everlasting Spirit of your homeland.
Following Audhumbla and Ymir, you see now herds and people from time immemorial following the herds that will provide the sustenance for family and clan, village and modern city, town and country. And a succession of Springtimes pass before your very eyes, the earth moves, and so do the herds and the people to fulfil their destinies.
With emotion, you feel the power of Fehu grow within yourself. Life-force and fruition are in constant movement in all worlds, and should always be seen as eternal flow to be shared by all. You laugh as your feet run to follow the herds. You are also in motion, within and without, in all worlds!

You reach a little rise in the ground where the brightness of gold attracts can be seen. Gold of precious artifacts as well as the gold of grain, the EarthPower you know there is within every ground your feet touch in all worlds. You halt then, because suddenly a Guardian can be seen, a mighty serpent seemingly in slumber. You know you are contemplating a great mystery this very moment. All that brings wealth has power to Build and power to Destroy. The serpent in this may very well mean that one should thread carefully, never to desire Real Wealth for selfish reasons, but for the Renewing Life-Force it may bring, which will generate and regenerate things and beings. Indeed, Real Wealth is never selfish, Real Wealth is always giving and by being Eternal Flow, it is both the Source and the Chalice that Overflows to all. The meaning of the rune poems that warn against the dangers of hidden treasures and strife among kinsmen, and the path of the serpent that may bar the way to treasures beyond measure become clear to you. Wealth that is the Chalice that Overflows with Regeneration is never static and should never be the selfish preserve of the few.

An idea crosses your mind, but you are not sure whether you can accomplish it. There is a desire in your heart to test your strength and at the same time work some magick for the reflowering of the land. However, to do the blessing you have to go through the serpent. Only the worthy can go pass the fiercest guardians, and the serpent may wake up any minute.
Examine your motives, examine the reasons you want this treasure for. There are so many lands in need, but perhaps for today, you I will pick up a land that is suffering because of lack of rain, a land of old whose children are hungry these days, or a land at war. Think and choose.
My magick today goes to Africa, to the mighty continent that needs so much reflowering for land and people alike, because in fact land and people should always be seen as one in harmony in the Everlasting Spirit. Close your eyes and fill your being with love and fruition, wealth and flow, and allow for your thoughts and best wishes to transform within a reality that is painful without so that in the Inner at least some healing for the land can be accomplished.

The serpent wakes up and hisses at you. You blink, but stand firmly on your ground, because t you know what you want, the reasons why you want to share the Inner Treasures for wealth and the reflowering of the land with those who need it most. You know that this very moment, as in all others, wealth is flow and that you are just the channel, the mediator of a gift that is not yours, but flows through you, as it does through all that lives, was, is and will ever be.
The serpent comes closer and closer, but you stand firm on your ground. Anxious? A bit. But you don´t fear the serpent´s bite anylonger.
The serpent rises and rises and you catch your breath the moment a power charge engergise the chakras, the seven holy points along your body.

You laugh and feel there is no time to lose. The light that shines through you is channelled into a globe, the vision of the physical universe you want to ensoul with your touch. You call upon the Holy Guardians of the Fehu rune, Freya and Freyir, the Lady and Lord of Vanir, the sphere of plenty of Norse Tradition. Slowly, allow the energy to flow to the land of your choice. When you are ready, give the glowing globe to Freya and Freyir. May They guard and protect the Magick, may They use the energy for healing where it is most needed!

Looking back over your path to the Magick of Fehu you feel that land has greened, frost has gone and people work the fields, in whatever field they specialize in. You raise your head and hands in thanks to Freyir and Freya for the experience you have been given, and the rune Fehu shines brightly within your mind, heart, body and soul.
You can now return to your own body, time and space, knowing you can always draw upon this might through the rune Fehu.

You are a capable being to maintain your physical, material and emotional wealth to share in all spheres.

 

 

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