Fehu

“Every beginning has within it the seeds of its own end.”

Fehu – “Fay-Who” – Literally: “Cattle” – Esoteric: Mobile Property, New Beginnings, Wealth

Key Concepts: Wealth, money, food, sustenance, Hamingja, luck, personal power, circulation of power,  financial strength, prosperity

The Fe rune ᚠ (Old Norse fé; Old English feoh) represents the f-sound in the Younger Futhark and Futhorc alphabets. Its name means "(mobile) wealth", cognate to English fee with the original meaning of "sheep" or "cattle" (Dutch Vee, German Vieh, Latin pecum, Sanskrit pashu).

The rune derives from the unattested but reconstructed Proto-Germanic *fehu in the Elder Futhark alphabet, with the original meaning of "money, cattle, wealth".[1]

The corresponding letter of the Gothic alphabet is 𐍆 f, called faihu. Such correspondence between all rune poems and the Gothic letter name, as well, is uncommon, and gives the reconstructed name of the Old Futhark a high degree of certainty.

The shape of the rune is likely based on Etruscan v 𐌅 F, like Greek Digamma Ϝ and Latin F ultimately from Phoenician waw w.

The name is recorded in all three rune poems:

Rune Poem:[2]	English Translation:
Old Norwegian ᚠ Fé vældr frænda róge; føðesk ulfr í skóge.	Wealth is a source of discord amongst kin; the wolf lives in the forest.
Old Icelandic ᚠ Fé er frænda róg ok flæðar viti ok grafseiðs gata aurum fylkir.	Wealth is a source of discord amongst kin and fire of the sea and path of the serpent.
Anglo-Saxon ᚠ Feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum; sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan.	Wealth is a comfort to all; yet must everyone bestow it freely, if they wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord.

Runic Number: 1

Meaning: Wealth. Reward. Nourishment

Translation: Money. Wealth. Cattle.

Gemstone: Moss Agate

Color: Light Red

Polarity: Female

Element: Earth and Fire

Gods: Frey, Freuya

Astrology correspondence: Aries

Tree: Elder

Plant: Nettle

Psi: Beginner’s Mind, presence, freedom, first impressions, young love

Energy: mobility, luck, charisma, dynamic power, liquid and mobile transferable energies, abundance, circulation, ‘mana’, sexual attraction

Mundane: money, recent purchases, reputation, freshness, fashionability

Divinations: New beginnings, social success, foresight, energy, travel, money, control; or greed, failure, atrophy, poverty, endings.

Governs:

Delegating your energy to another, power transference or projection; the sending rune
Drawing gravity into the personal sphere
Promotion of personal and social evolution, changing circumstances of importance
Increase in personal monetary wealth
Beginner’s mind and presence as a tool for consciously creating a fresh start



Fehu is actually the rune of ‘luck’. The universe is not so much made up by chance, as by luck. Luck is a hidden but real energy field inherent in your ‘hamingja’. Fehu governs the capacity to hold this luck and use it like a magical ability. This basic energy, your accumulated luck, is the foundation of the wealth and power in your life. Courageous deeds are central to increasing one’s ‘luck’.

Circulation of power, wealth and the mobility of all things is a key aspect to Fehu. These are associated with new beginnings, but keep in mind that there are no true new beginnings or endings, only the conscious marks of transformation. This can be most effectively understood while studying the runes as a cycle in and of itself (visually, a circle). The use of this principle leads to beginner’s mind and to presence as a tool for consciously creating a fresh start.

Indeed, money will work for you best under the guidance of the energies implicit in Fehu. Yet money is only a mundane and simplistic representation of Fehu’s nature. It’s best to think of wealth as food, water, shelter, clothing, sustenance and mobile assets, rather than needless luxury.

In starting new endeavors, Fehu will activate the will, restore self-confidence and assist in goal-setting followed by immediate action. Use the symbol and its teachings against procrastination. It is a reminder to think for yourself, which is fundamental to working with the runes. I find that the vibration of this rune to be in alignment with the principles of sexual attraction, first impressions and young love. Fehu is a reminder for us to act out of the present moment.

The conscious use of money for right ends is the domain of Fehu. In society today it is important that we explore new definitions of wealth and come to a realization of what is truly valuable. Wealth is a creative process in every sense of the word, not a static and measurable mass. I encourage the exploration of this idea right away.