moonvoice | [Vilturj] 24

Fehu (FAY-oo) - (also known as: FEH, fee, fe, foeh, feoh, faihu)

Value - F and V

Numeric Order - 24 (sometimes 1)

Represents - Wealth. Prosperity. Fertility.

Traditionally Represents - Mobile wealth. Wealth. Fees. Mobile property. Livestock. Money. Gold. Cash. Merchants. Fertility. Power. Transference. Life force. Luck. Movement. Creation and Destruction. Expansiveness. Fertility.

That he can pay for his dinner
is a comfort to him
and his family.
That he can give dinner to others
gives him the truest wealth,
and makes him a Lord in his home.

- Vilturj Rune Poem

Fehu is linked with Uruz, as both are significantly symbolised through the presence of cattle. Uruz represents the power of cattle, and Fehu represents their value, and so cattle in Fehu can be seen to be interchangeable with the concept of wealth and money. Fehu is not just a rune of gain, it is a rune representing all aspects of wealth, including the fragility of the economy. Farmers will know how easy it is to lose that which is valuable due to the whim of the earth, and how hard it is to keep that wealth consistent. There are diseases for herds, the potential for drought, flood or general famine. Fehu can therefore represent transitory wealth, and cyclical wealth.

Fehu as a word originally meant property, or carried wealth. It came to symbolise money, mobile power and the energies of transference, trade and change. This has an additional layer of representing the traditional Norse idea of hamingja, the transference of energy and life force from one entity to another. It is where the concept of luck sprang from. So Fehu often can represent types of luck in a reading.

Fehu represents the ever-changing and fluid nature of power. People can hoard power and wealth, but power and wealth both need to be shared in order to have use. Fehu was associated with cattle, as the amount of cattle was the measure of a man's wealth. Fehu can represent tamed power and the power of domestication. It's negative is when people become too conformist in order to live 'comfortably', and privilege earned wealth over everything else in their lives. This tamed power is the opposite of Uruz' raw, primordial power.

The constantly fluid energy of Fehu also makes it insecure, wealth is always in threat of being stolen or 'given away', and Fehu in a reading (whether Merk or not) will never cast its transient powers for long.

Fehu reminds us that wisdom and forethought is vital to the transference of monies, wealth, power and energy. Fehu is at its strongest when power and wealth is circulated in a society wisely. It is at its weakest when people stifle the circulation of wealth and power. Fehu can be more easily utilised with wisdom when combined with the gift and just nature of Geafu.

The movement of Fehu can be likened to a fast flowing stream, or a moving stream. The wealth or waters of the stream eventually meet up with the ocean, and the great distributor of wealth freely gives such water back to the rivers. If these pools lack motion, they can often dry up and never reappear again, the wealth is gone. Yet the river metaphor raises an important issue. If the wealth is not returning to the giver, then the giver can literally 'dry up' and perish. The free-flowing transference of Fehu is never positive if only used one-way.

Fehu is an integral part of life itself, the fluid movements which underlie all living things and connects them to each other. This fluidity may seem unstable, but when utilised with growth in mind, is actually a very stabilising force. As Fehu is so fluid in nature, it's mysteries are diverse and sometimes seem broadly hypocritical from one rune-caster to another.

Fehu is associated with the force that flows from Muspellheimr, the source of cosmic fire which generated the world and Midgardh. It is the fire of Ragnarok that will destroy the nine worlds. Here one can gain distinctive insight into Fehu if combined or bound to Sowelu. This fire of Fehu is creative and destructive. It is the fluid power of the Phoenix, forever living and dying. Fehu is also the deep unanswered mysteries behind the fires of living and dying. Essentially Fehu represents the meaning of life, whilst being the meaning of life.

Fehu is associated with Njordh, Frigg, Freajr and Freaje, largely because of shared powers of fertility. Fehu lends its power to all of these deities. Fehu is also associated with the ability of rune-casters to read the runes, and is associated with the fluid power of divination.

Freajr and Freaje in particular are associated with Fehu because of their intimate connections with wealth. Hnoss and Gersemi - Freaje's daughters - both had names that translated to 'wealth' or 'treasure.' Indeed Freaje is known to weep tears of pure gold, and Freajr is a fruitful, fecund god.

In a reading Fehu tends to represent a period of increased good fortune, a windfall of wealth which can come in the form of money or valuable objects. It can also represent a windfall in your attitude, you may not have much, but you may begin to appreciate the value and luck of what you have. Other runes around this will often indicate forms of wealth. Algiz for example represents that the windfall will come in conjunction with a lot of communication, or from protecting what is already of value to you. Oathola can suggest an inheritance. In a reading, Fehu in conjunction with Mannaz can represent either the power and control of the ego to generate wealth, or the opposite, the use of the ego to so desperately seek power and wealth, one ends up draining both.

Merk - As a Merk rune Fehu can represent the burnout associated with being too driven for wealth and success. It represents conformity, and can represent being power hungry. It can represent a broken spirit, poor wealth or attitude relating to wealth, and wealth being taken away. It indicates discomfort rather than comfort. Fehu as a negative sometimes indicates people who never feel like they have enough wealth, regardless of how much they actually have. After all, wealth is personal, and therefore personally interpreted.

As a Merk it can also represent being outcast or alienated from the riches that are internalised within oneself. It can also represent hoarding one's talents and stagnation due to a halting of potential generosity. It can also represent break ups within relationships, particularly due to money matters.

In Ritual - Fehu is great in spells and rituals for prosperity of any kind, and to aid the transferring of energy. In conjunction with Berkana it strengthens healing. With Uruz it can raise a lot of power that won't necessarily be too chaotic.