Wunjo is the liberating power of bliss; the levity associated with fulfillment and satisfaction in one’s life and with one’s deeds. This blissful ecstasy can otherwise be associated with our concept of joy, happiness, and pleasure. We get a glimpse of this rune in the “Old English Rune Poem,” where it is said: 

“Wynn is borne by him who knows little of woes,

 Of soreness and sorrow, and himself has- 

 Bounty and bliss, and plenty of strongholds too!” 

Throughout the poem, we see a clear picture of true contentedness; a metaphysical ease that embraces one whom has for themself created the circumstances for bliss; a momentary freeing of the soul from any bonds of anxiety, woe, or sorrow. One who has conquered their aspirations. 

Wunjo also has a connection to wishes, in the sense that fulfilled wishes lead to these feelings of delight, enjoyment, ecstasy etc. Combined with the lessons of other runes, we know that our wishes must be paired with correct action in order for them to be fulfilled; runes like Raido (for control), Thurisaz (for willpower), and Ehwaz (for movement) come to mind here, among plenty of others.  

Therefore, it is wise to not look at wishing as a mere fantasy or common prayer, but rather a goal or outcome we’d like to see accomplished; something we want to facilitate or create. Wunjo/Wunsch/Wish of the old Germanic peoples was a force (or deity/spirit) of inspiration; one knew their wishes would only be fulfilled by their actions in life, rather than in pure lip-service. This is how one honored the Wunsch/Wish deity, who bestowed blessings upon those who completed their goals. This god of the Wish has been equated to Odin, as Grimm states in Teutonic Mythology: 

(Wuotan/Wunsch) is himself the bestower of all bliss.”  

It is certain that this “face” of Odin was one of importance and great reverence, as we find reference to him in “Grímnismál” as Óski, meaning “God of Wishes, Wished For.” This wish granting, bliss bestowing deity is usually associated with a tool, weapon, or item that symbolizes and or directs the gifts towards those who have earned them. This is seen in the German wunschelris, meaning “wishing twig,” the predecessor to the English “magic wand.” We also have the “wishing hat” of Wuotan, the “Horn of Plenty” or “Wheel of Fortune” of Fortuna, which in Sanskrit translates to mano-ratha or “wheel of the mind.” This alludes to Wunjo as a needed force of momentum to keeping one’s “wheel” moving forward. Another Indo-European deity who functions in this way would be Kamaduh/Kamadhenu, the “wishing cow.” 

Another concept that we can include here is that of the Old Norse fylgja, meaning “one who follows man, companionship” and is associated with a type of “guardian angel” spirit who attaches itself to those it chooses, bestowing them with luck, blessings, and bliss. Fairies, elves, and dwarves are also known to grant wishes, associating these beings with the Wunjo rune.  

Wunjo is closely related to the feeling of love, whether intimate or familial. We see this is the Proto-Indo-European root word wenh₁-, which means “to love, win” and “to wish.” Many word offspring have come from this root and it seems this sound denotes a sort of happiness, kindness, and affection. We see another related word in the Latin venia meaning “kindness, mercy, grace” and in the modern English/Old French word venial meaning “able to be forgiven, worthy of forgiveness.” In both words we see connections associated with Wunjo, as during the process of forgiveness one shows great love. Some more words derived from these concepts are the Proto-Germanic word wanjaną which means “to make accustomed to,” indicating an act of extreme care and kindness to guests. Wunjo is this process, formula, and understanding; the living phenomenon of the Wish, of love, and kindness. Wunjo is the creation of bliss, joy, and satisfaction in life. 

One more concept that could be drawn from this rune is that of indulgence or intoxication. Rather than embodying a stupefied version of these words, however, one is meant to reach states of ecstasy and spiritual dominance through these particular indulgences, using pleasure as a tool to create Wunjo, or bliss, associated with the divine; a piercing into the veil of reality. This can be seen in the Proto-Italic word wenjā meaning “indulgence.” The earlier visited Latin word venia also has a co-meaning of indulgence. In this respect, we can see a clear connection with pleasure and the realms of love and bliss. 

It is acceptable to deduce that Wunjo is a symbolic representation of the sensation of love, satisfaction, and joy in life. This feeling has permeated man for thousands of years with a clear and definitive expression. We can see a direct development of sounds and words associated with Wunjo forming their own substratum of conceptual framework, all revolving around this original sound/word wenh₁-. To our linguistic forefathers, the Proto-Indo-Europeans, we can assert that the “W” sound carried a euphoric and ecstatic vibration for those who spoke it. 

-Wandering the Runic Path