Rune Name: Gebo 
Germanic Name: Gebo, Gift, Generosity
Phonetic Value: G
Pronunciation: GHEB-o
Translation: Gift 
Modern English: Gift
Rune Number: Rune 7 of the Elder Futhark & Freya’s Aett
Polarity: Male/Female 
: 
Color Association(s): Deep Blue
Elemental Association(s): Air 
, Earth 
Deity Association(s): Freya/Odin
Herbal Association(s): Heartsease 
Tree Association(s): Ash & Elm
Astrological Association(s): Uranus 
Month/Days: September 28 – October 13
Chakras: Crown 
, Heart 
, Root
Tarot Card(s): The Lovers, Justice, 2 of Cups 
, King of Pentacles 
Magickal Uses: Good rune to help you increase your overall luck. When used in combination with other runes, especially as a bindrune, it will increase the power & positivity of surrounding runes. Much like X marks the spot, Gebo brings about great luck
Overall Meanings/Keyword(s): Gift, honor, balance, generosity, relationships, exchange, magical exchange, divine interaction.
Principle of the three-fold gift of Odin: Consciousness, divine gift, & form.
It is also the principle of giving & taking; an exchange between any 2 beings or realms. It is the sacrificed gift made by people to gods in order to compensate or petition for divine favors. In human society, this is reflected as hospitality.
Live by the laws & in accordance with nature, rather than living separate & disconnected from the earth. This is how the tribes of the day survived but thrived. Gebo also calls to the relationship between people & their connection to the gods. When a person dedicated themselves to a certain god or goddess, offerings, time, & energy were presented to the deity. In turn, people hoped their chosen deities would bestow their blessings & strengths upon them.
The synthesis of giving & receiving with goodwill, hospitality, & respect is akin to unifying one’s self with the divine. Wen gifts & contracts are mutually exchanged & honorably upheld, energetic reciprocity will always be positive. Here, integrity, love, & common bonds pave the way for the benefit, abundance, & protection of family & community.
Brightstave/Upright: Provide for hospitality & generosity with guests. Be prepared to accept it as a material or spiritual gift that may be in the offing. You may expect great credit. Honor, dignity – or you might be called upon to bestow these on another if you are in a position of power. You may have a magical exchange with a member of the opposite sex. A powerful & synchronistic experience could be in the offing.
Edit Merkstave/Reversed is for those that happen to read all runes with a Merkstave/Reversed meaning which means that they are pulled sideways instead of upright. However, Gebo
Merkstave/Reversed: Take care not to give away all you have. Spend wisely. Do not become overly dependent upon gifts from others for, “Aye does a gift always look for gain.” An attempt to buy influence with gifts is possible, beware of financial enslavement. Things might get worse before they get better. Blockage of the Gebo will cause greed & weakness or poverty & loneliness.
Sources:
- Chamberlain, Lisa. Runes for Beginners: A Guide to Reading Runes in Divination, Rune Magic, and the Meaning of the Elder Futhark Runes . Chamberlain Publications, 2018.
- Kristina, Jillian. “Wild Runes Deck - Tamed Wild.” Nashville Metropolitan Area, Nashville, 2020. Wild Runes Deck – Tamed Wild
- Simonds, Josh. The Beginner’s Guide to Runes: Divination and Magic with the Elder Futhark Runes . Rockridge Press, 2020.
- Thorsson, Edred. Big Book of Runes and Rune Magic: A Complete Guide to Interpreting Runes, Rune Lore, and the Art of Runecasting . Red Wheel/Weiser, 2018.
This is a great one for anyone working in customer service or the hospitality sector. Even carving or hanging this rune somewhere around the home would likely invite in positive energies- especially when considering that this is a lucky rune too!
