Kindred, clan, family, friendship. Wunjo embodies that sense of joy, belonging and well-being that comes from the people who you count as your kin. Wunjo is found in a welcome hug, in the shared memories you laugh over, in the affectionate names only your partner and family call you by.
Sometimes Wunjo is interpreted as gentle, a caress or a smile; other times it is closer to ecstasy, bliss and the fulfilment of personal will. It promotes harmony of body and mind and can support healing work. It is also related to wish making, and the realisation of wishes. Its role in both personal ecstasy and communal joy is important, emphasising the need for happiness on the part of both the individual and the clan – Wunjo enables this difficult balance.
Traditional meaning: Joy, pleasure
Pronunciation: wuhn-yo
Number: 8
Gods: Hnoss, Freyr, Gersemi, Odin
Colour: Yellow, indigo, gold
Elements: Earth is associated with Wunjo through Freyr who brings joy and bounty to many of the Worlds. I also associate Wunjo with air, seeing it as the personal weather vane that points our way towards happiness and wholeness. The northern tradition element of ice has also been associated with Wunjo, perhaps referring to the stability and strength found within a person who is healthy and whole.
Hour: 19:30-20:30
Half month: October 13th-October 28th
Plants: Marigold, chamomile, ash, flax
Body: Relief of pain, chakras in balance
Animal: Butterfly
Mineral: Diamond
Aroma: Marigold, chamomile
Object of power: Drinking horn
There is another kind of joy in the search for wisdom, especially when one can share the quest with companions found upon the way. There is the joy that comes upon one unawares, the gift of the gods, and there is the joy that is willed: to find beauty in a world that sometimes seems determined to deny it, to love whether or not love is returned, and to go into battle laughing with joy in your ability to face the challenge whether you win or lose. (Taking Up the Runes by Diana Paxson
)
Discover Wunjo for yourself: Journeys with the Elder Futhark – The First Aett
Wunjo is the eighth rune in the First Aett (first family) of the Elder Futhark. Visit the Resources page to download your free Journeys with the Elder Futhark – The First Aett includes the Wunjo journey.