Wunjo as a Birth Rune

Wunjo people create a good atmosphere around them. They can enjoy simple things, bring people together and make everyone feel at ease. They need to feel part of a close circle.

Wunjo's joy isn't carefree; it is the joy of a wish fulfilled and work done. The rune's message is to value what you already have and not to put happiness off until "later".

• Gladness. You see the good and share it with others.
• Bringing people together. You create a warm atmosphere in the family and at work.
• Harmony. You sense how to make things comfortable for everyone.
• Optimism. You believe what you wish for will come true, and it often does.

The flip side of Wunjo is depending on others' approval. The person wants everyone to be happy so badly that they forget themselves and swallow their discontent for the sake of peace.

The other extreme is chasing pleasure: joy becomes a way of escaping difficulty. The rune's lesson is that real joy comes after effort, not instead of it.

In love you are a warm, cheerful partner. Being with you is easy and joyful; you know how to make a home cosy and a day festive. Harmony at home matters to you.

Remember to talk about the hard things too. If you stay silent about problems to keep the peace, they don't disappear; they pile up.

Natural fits include work about people and joy: event planning, hospitality, creative work, working with children, team leadership, psychology, entertainment, any job in a close-knit team.

You flourish where shared work brings pleasure. Recognition comes through the people who feel good around you.

The half-month of Wunjo falls in mid-October. The harvest is in, the stores are full, and it is the time of home festivities before winter. Wunjo is the eighth and last rune of Freyr's aett: the first circle of the Futhark ends in joy.

Before Wunjo comes Gebo: generous exchange brings shared gladness. After it comes Hagalaz, the rune of hail: the second aett begins, and forces beyond our control enter life.