Wunjo: A Joyful Hum

Wunjo (Joy)

Meaning: Happiness, Harmony, Joy, Optimism, Perfection, Prosperity, Satisfaction, Wonder Affirmation: I am abundantly joyful, and ignite the spark of joy in others. Associations: Master Manifestations, Spring, the Letter P

Wunjo is one of my favorite runes, and so I am delighted it appeared to be the first subject of Futhark Thursday. Touching Wunjo's energy feels a lot like a warm, spring day, sitting in the shade with a full belly, breathless from a good bout of giggles. Wunjo is that warm, expansive feeling in your chest as you let go of that last, humming, cheerful giggle, and settle into absolute contentment. It is very abundant in warmth and welcome, and seems eager to lead us, laughing, towards whatever our heart desires. In many ways, Wunjo has a child-like energy, as it is playful and energetic, but there is also a depth of wisdom to this joyful rune that suggests it is very aware that there is a time and place that its cheerful, delightful energy becomes something much darker and heavier. That wisdom adds to the depth of its generosity, because Wunjo knows how very necessary it's bountiful light is. Wunjo is a rune of pure happiness. I know I am my happiest when I am living my life in harmony with my own dreams and desires, among people who love me as much as I love them. This is the essence of Wunjo: oneness with yourself and others, and the pure bliss that this unity of spirit provides. What beautiful, positive energy!

Like Laguz, water, one of the runes that form its shape, Wunjo flows where it is needed. It cannot force it's way where it is barred by blockages, but can eventually flow around them. Wunjo can even wear away blockages all together, if given enough time. In this sense, laughter and joy really is the best medicine. Even the worst wound, when approached with a good sense of humor and warmth of spirit, will eventually be mended. And, if the wound cannot be cleansed with its bountiful nature, then Wunjo will simply move along somewhere it can be of help.

In the same sense, Wunjo can become a blockage in itself, as it also contains the rune Isa! If we become too focused on the joyful, pleasant aspects of a situation, we can become blind to the harm it is causing us. Wunjo gone awry can become addiction to substances and pleasures, codependent behavior, harmful naivety, and more. We can become so focused on our own pleasures and abundance that we harm others in our search for more of Wunjo's generous flow. Thurisaz, the Thorn, composes the top of Wunjo. In our quest for fulfillment, we face many challenges: spiritual, physical, and emotional. By overcoming these challenges, we acquire, gain, or learn we had all along, the tools, skills, and necessities that form our complete picture of success and prosperity. The final component of Wunjo that I see when I study it is Kenaz, the rune of illumination, and inner searching. Kenaz is even turned into the line of Isa, as it to reinstate that one must know themselves fully in order to be in harmony with their life path. If we do not truly know our own heart and mind, we cannot ever expect to find fulfillment. How would we know what to search for? Wunjo asks us to take the deep dive into ourselves, to find where we truly fit into the world, so it doesn't have to work so hard to share its beautiful, bountiful energy with us.

By aligning with the energies of Wunjo in a healthy and prosperous way, you are helping to create balance and harmony in the communities around you. Wunjo, and a reversed Wunjo, form the symbol Mannaz, which represents the energies of man-kind and cooperation. A successful community is composed of many fulfilled and successful individuals working together, it would seem. Sharing what we can of our excess joy and abundance is a natural part of the human spirit, and, as such, the energies of Wunjo are most certainly an important component to mastering anyone's life path. The following is a spread from my upcoming collection of divination spreads based on the Elder Futhark, Runic Wisdom. It can be used to find the next step towards your joy! I would love to see your pulls using this spread on Instagram, or hear about them below. Just tag #RunicWisdom or #RunicWisdomWunjo! An easily shareable image of this spread is also available on my Instagram.