Fehu, week 1

In the beginning there was Fehu. The first rune in the Elder Futhark has a primary meaning of abundance and wealth, but this is a modern-age interpretation of its literal meaning in Old Norse which is cattle. Cattle back in the day were mighty valuable and having several must have been a indication of the well to do. Cattle meant your family would not starve during the cold Nordic winter when they were land bound for several months. It also meant they wouldn’t be cold as the hide could warm them on chilly nights. Today we don’t trade in cattle, but in coin. So the abundance of Fehu is now considered to be of wealth.

Fehu is also the first rune in the alphabet, and according to Norse Myths, in the of beginning was the primeval cow, Audumbla. Fehu is associated with Frey and Freya, Vanir gods known for fertility and passion. I imagine it was Freya that sparked my interest in doing this series, a perfect time of the year for new projects, as it is the time for new beginnings and commitments. She knew I was aching to delve into these stones on a more intimate level, and so she lit the fire in my belly to write about the process of connecting more deeply with each of the runes in the Elder Futhark.

This week I have come to understand Fehu as the wealth that we generate. 

Fehu is about wealth but also new beginnings and creation. If you had cattle in Old Norse times that might mean a certain amount of wealth based on how necessary cattle were that year (did they die off due to disease, did you get a lot of births and hence more mouths to feed, was the weather conducive to farming, etc). But it isn’t just about the wealth of that cattle, but what you could do to generate more wealth. A family could stud a male cattle or impregnate a female cow and have 2 animals next year. They could lease their cattle for grazing and fertilizing pasture land in exchange for a percentage of the crop. They can use a cow for several years to produce dairy, or slaughter it for meat and hide. The choice would depend on variable factors and would require skill of the owner to know and be able to carry out the methods for bringing wealth through the ownership of the cattle.

Working with Fehu finds me thinking more about my business, how I want to generate money off my cattle – the investment I have made in myself through education and my creativity and hard work ethic. Since New Year’s day, I have registered for a business that I have been procrastinating on for 6 months, started this blog which I have put off for at least that long with the excuse I didn’t have anything to write about, and been burning through the fear that created all the blockages to impede moving forward on my creative projects. Embarking on the project was impetuous, but I recognize divine inspiration when I see it and know to heed the call or get eaten from the inside out.  This week has been spent observing where my capacity is for creating more wealth, how to create habits that are useful toward this goal, and taking action on projects I have been procrastinating on. I have also been shown where current habits and attachments could be deflecting wealth. Fehu has also made me feel pretty flush in respect to wealth due to increased income from a new job and Christmas money!

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