Gebo and the Laws of Success

Five Laws of Success

The first law is the Law of Attraction: the energy and actions that we put out into the world is the energy and actions that we receive back. That is really what Karma is about. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions attract to us what we receive in the world. Outer reality does indeed mirror what is inside of us.

The second law is the Law of Intention: setting intentions, clearly and definitely are essential in creating lives that we truly enjoy. The more clearly that intentions are set, the more easily we can create them.

The third law is the Law of Celebration and Gratitude: cultivating an attitude of gratitude and counting your blessings creates the heart space for more blessings to come into your life.

 The fourth law is the Law of Receptivity: our ability to have a joyous and abundant life is only limited by our capacity to receive. It is important to increase your ability to receive.

The fifth law is the Law of Involvement: our lives are our responsibility. Do your own part. Involve yourself in the process of creating your life. Remember it is your life!

Occasionally, I contemplate these laws and see runic associations. What I find interesting is that for two of these Laws (1^st and 4^th) one rune fits both appropriately - Gebo.

Gebo is the rune for gifts and generosity. It reminds me of a couple of lines out of the Havamal (Norse Poetry - yes Viking types were renowned for composing poetry):

Better not to offer too much for a gift demands a gift

Better unsent then to send too much

There is so much that can be said about these two simple lines: everything from karma, to working with a cup that is full, to the way we interact with others. But those are thoughts for a different time. If you would like, add these lines of the Havamal into your contemplative practice to see what they mean to you - there is much wisdom in the Havamal.

For the purpose of this writing, the implications of the lines show the two-way nature of Gebo. Gebo reminds us that if we are generous enough to give, then someone must be generous enough to receive. This is a lesson that was hard learned for me. I once had a hard time accepting gifts and would make a bit of a fuss when I was gifted with anything. Then a whisperer reminded me that the perceived selfless act of the giver may be a way of that person increasing there "good karma" or reducing their "bad karma" - there is a complex Nordic fatalism system involved in the discussion with the whisperer, I just inserted more commonly understood words for the terms they used with me.

Ultimately stated, my openness to receive was a generous action towards the giver. When I was open to receive, it allowed the proper flow of energy so that friendship and all sorts of good energy could find a process flow. My hindering the giving process was a hindrance to all things.

There is a meditative practice here. Contemplate the First and Fourth laws. See and feel them as if you had a golden Gebo on your heart. This golden Gebo allows you to receive, just as it allows you to give - a two way street. It is your opening, of friendship, bonds, and all sorts of other good stuff with other people. Remember, if you allow yourself to receive, then you have more things in which you can give. It is the reverse of "a gift demands a gift". Maybe the lesson of Gebo is "a gift received is a gift given".