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Fehu and Ansuz-Mobile Wealth and Wisdom of the Tree

As Winter melts into Spring, I have been musing on the shape of trees.  In winter we can see their “bones” or structure most clearly.  As I walk I see Fehu everywhere, reaching up to the skies.  These are primarily deciduous trees, and come summer we will not be able to see this shape for the forest of leaves present.  But it makes me think about how they are indeed “mobile wealth”.  In ancient times, cattle or livestock were the mobile wealth of the people.  They provided food, clothing, and even transportation at times. They could be sold or bartered for other goods needed.  But in the Pacific Northwest, I propose trees could be seen as mobile wealth.  They provide shelter, food, and can be sold and moved to other locations by means of transporting the seed or seedlings.  The indigenous peoples made clothes, baskets, canoes and more out of the trees.  Fruit trees provide an abundance of food each year, which not only is portable; but we developed ways to preserve it for the times there was little food available–dried, pickled, preserved in oil/fat/honey.  And it doesn’t take much reading to determine the wealth of the lumber industry and it’s effect on the prosperity of the Pacific Northwest.

I also see Ansuz in the conifers.  Cedar is considered a being of ancient wisdom who can still be heard if we slow down, and quiet our minds to really listen.  Cedar’s branches are as arms extending downward to the people, sharing her gifts.  Marija Gimbutus was an archeologist who decoded the Language of the Goddess and tried to explain the mythos and culture of our ancient matrifocal societies.  Two parallel lines indicate moving water or a flow of something.  Coming out of the mouth it could mean wisdom, or a flow of gifts from outstretched arms. The picture above is a young redwood whose ancestors hold legendary wisdom.  It takes practice to slow down enough to be able to connect to tree wisdom as time moves so much slower for these beings of incredible age. But it is easy to see the limbs shaping Ansuz and imagine the ancient wisdom flowing out to us, if only we are present to listen.

As you walk about in your neighborhood, on the land you tend, or in parks, nature reserves, or national forests; look for the runes in the branches, limbs, flower and bud.  It will certainly enrich your experience and may provide a new teacher for you.

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Rune of the Day: Fehu

   Today I drew Fehu. Mobile wealth on Tuesday–what does that look like?
   What I think is that this is a perfect day to take a couragaous step in my financial affairs. I am having a website created by Stacey Pruim at  http://www.systemserenity.com/home/  The investment I am making will make my rune sets, rune dice, and rune classes available to others and provide some icome for me as well.  I have delayed moving forward because of fear–of failure, of success, thinking I had to do all the web work myself. Today I can take the next step forward; in alighment wth Fehu and bring my dream closer to reality. Both Freya and Tyr are sure of themselves and willing to pay the price required to have what they wanted. I am also willing to pay the price for my dreams. Some of that price is coin; but also due are attention, time, faith in others: all forms of mobile wealth. My website should be up by the end of October–the end of the Pagan year. Perfect. A new venture, in a new year; in the dark of the year when I really have time to devote to it.

I love the way the universe works! And I am so grateful to have the runes to show me the path to the future; and to see the possibilities available to me each and every day.

What does Fehu mean to you today?

Abundantly,

Deb

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Friday: Freya’s Day

Freya B&W

Freya is the the most powerful Norse Goddesses. She is a powerful warrioress that leads the Valkyries during battle; they gather the warrior dead and transport them to the Valhalla, the hall of honor in the underworld.

She is beautiful and loves beautiful things. She is rumored to have slept with  4 dwarves as payment for the necklace Brisingamen; a necklace that sparkled like the stars in the heavens when worn. She is a Goddess of Love and  a Spakona or Volva—a wise woman or sorceress.  Sex magic was a feminine Norse practice; but Freya taught Odin this seidr magic in exchange for him teaching her how to work with the runes.

This link has a lot of information about Freya if you want ro read further:  http://valkyrietower.com/freyja.html

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Fehu is the first rune associated with Freya—it is the very first rune of the first aett (eight); set of eight runes which is called Freya’s Aett. Fehu symbolizes mobile wealth. It is sometimes called “cattle” as the herd was the wealth of the tribe that was mobile. You can also see that coins and jewelry—especially something as splendid as Brisingamen would also be seen as mobile wealth. Not as visible are the skills in magic and knowledge of the runes are also valuable and go wherever you might travel.

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Kenaz is the rune of creative power; especially that of sexual power. This certainly links to the sexy, powerful goddess that Freya is and gives a nod to the seidr magic as well. Energy is what powers magic; and sex is a great source of that energy.

So how does this connect to Friday?

I don’t know about you, but I get paid on a Friday, and my Dad and Grandfathers were always paid on a Friday. That is a transfer of mobile wealth. Workers often go out for a drink ( a common Norse pastime!) to de-stress after the work week. It is a bit like a post battle celebration; or licking our wounds after getting our butt kicked. In  high school, Friday night is game night—a civilized battle with well defined rules—and often there is a dance afterwards with the “heros” being celebrated.

Friday night is a common “date” night and a time for sexy, charged connections. Getting dressed up is part of the event—and usually the better you look; the more you spent to look that way.

So what do you do to celebrate the energy of Friday night? 

Make  it a day to pay bills, catch a local game, or de-stress with the gang. Dress up, put on your finest; and be willing to share a bit of that paycheck at a local “hot” spot. Or buy something pretty for yourself or the Goddess in your life. Tell someone that they are your hero—send a note of appreciation to someone that has really bailed you out of a jam.

I am sure there are many other ideas out there…please share a few!

Friday Blessings,

Deb

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I’m Back!

017018after I  started my blog this winter, I started radiation treatment for uterine cancer after finding an early-stage cancer during  a hysterectomy. I had a total of 25 sessions, and after the initial treatment, I took a different rune with me into the treatment for each of the remaining sessions. I am now cancer-free, energetic, and back on track. It was quite an experience and I am working on sharing my experience of runic healing—but I’m not sure if it will be an e-book, published, or just filter into my blog.

I have a practice of pulling runes daily. I have been collecting them and making them for year. I have a beautiful pottery bowl adorned with Freya’s Boar-Hildisvini that I keep all the runes in. Today when I reached in, the runes that came to me face up were Fehu and Thurisaz—wealth and thorn. I also pull a tarot card daily. Currently I am using the Gaian Tarot created by my dear friend Joanna Powell Colbert. The card I drew was Strength—a woman shown holding a lioness in a fond embrace. So together it made me think that the message for the day was that wealth is like strength; most likely gained by courting rather than by force. All though there is a need for “pointed action” or focus as shown in the Thurisaz rune. As the Northern Mysteries do not fear/or hide the shadows we all create, there is a shadow meaning as well. Seeing only material wealth can be a thorn in your side, or make you a thorn in the side of others. Weath should improve your life and make you happy; it is doesn’t, then you are out of balance.

 

I am off to the Highland Games in my town of Ferndale, Washington this weekend. I will be at my huband’s booth, Michaels Books today and will have my runes with me if you want to drop by. I’ll be having a grand day listening to the bands, watching the dancing, and I just love seeing  the men in kilts—I’m off!!

Look for more postings and pictures to follow–

Hail! and Blessed Be,

Deb