Fehu: The First Rune of the Futhark
Fehu (ᚠ) opens the Elder Futhark as its very first rune — and this positioning is significant. The alphabet of cosmic forces begins with wealth and abundance. This tells us something fundamental about the Norse worldview: prosperity is not shameful or spiritually lesser. It is the beginning of the path.
The name "Fehu" literally means "cattle" in Proto-Germanic — livestock being the primary measure of wealth in Germanic cultures. But Fehu's meaning extends far beyond cows. It represents all forms of mobile wealth: money, resources, energy, life force, and the circulation of abundance through a community.
Fehu Upright Meaning
Financial Abundance
In its most direct sense, Fehu upright signals financial gain, prosperity, or the successful deployment of resources. It can indicate a period of material comfort, a beneficial business venture, or money flowing in from unexpected sources.
New Beginnings and Creative Energy
As the first rune, Fehu also marks beginnings — the raw creative potential that precedes all manifestation. Like a seed containing the tree, Fehu represents potential that is ready to be activated. It asks: Are you ready to invest your energy in something new?
Generosity and Circulation
Traditional runic wisdom emphasizes that Fehu's wealth must circulate — hoarded wealth becomes stagnant and turns into its opposite. Fehu upright carries the reminder that true abundance involves both receiving and giving generously.
Fehu Reversed Meaning
Fehu reversed warns of financial loss, failed investments, or mismanagement of resources. It can indicate greed — hoarding what should circulate. On a deeper level, reversed Fehu warns against defining your worth entirely by material status, or chasing external wealth at the expense of inner richness.
Fehu in Love Readings
In relationships, Fehu upright suggests a period of richness — emotional abundance, joy, and the feeling that the relationship is thriving. Reversed may indicate one partner giving too much while the other takes, creating an imbalance that depletes the giver.
Magical and Runic Uses
Fehu is traditionally used in bindrunes and magical workings for prosperity, business success, and the activation of new projects. Its energy is warm, flowing, and initiating — best invoked when beginning ventures and launching new chapters.