Wunjo is the Rune of joy and domestic bliss.
Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Wenne bruceþ, ðe can weana lyt
sares and sorge and him sylfa hæfþ
blæd and blysse and eac byrga geniht.
Joy is had by the one who knows few troubles
pains and sorrows, and to him who himself has
power and blessedness, and a good enough house.
There are many different kinds of joy that we can experience and what is experienced as joyful is often very different in different times, places and cultures. We will never experience the joy of a Samburu tribe member when looking at a cow nor the joy of a boy living in the Middle Ages while watching a public execution. But the kind of joy that is described in this Rune Poem is very familiar to us. It is the kind of joy that is shown in many movies, especially the ones produced in Hollywood. It is the joy experienced by someone who doesn’t suffer from pain, isn’t plagued by sorrow, has sovereignty, feels blessed and lives on their own property. It describes the joy of who has found a fitting partner, has healthy children and no financial troubles as that’s what it meant to be blessed in the days of old. It is always nice to see that some things never change…
In a magical context, Wunjo can be used to enrich our lives and make us more joyful. Western civilization has become so goal oriented that we often miss the joy we could experience right now as we’re so focused on reaching that far-away goal that might bring us joy in the future.