Wanjo

I knew going out today I’d be working with the Rune Wanjo; “Joy.” This is an exposed quartz up in the high fields that I’ve always loved. As I walked by I saw it was shaped like the rune Wanjo! So I decided to build here today. The problem with building up so high is the wind, it blows the petals away nonstop. Toward the end of construction the wind picked up and started shifting the petals to different areas.

I felt so frustrated, sweat was dripping into my eyes. I heard other humans approaching. I thought please don’t come near me right now! I stopped and thought how is THAT cultivating Joy? Here I am building a shrine to Joy, and not even wanting to see another human being, let alone smile at them? I realised that I needed to let go of the idea of this shrine being perfect. I realised it was perfect in it imperfection. I realised that Joy is simply loving things for what they are, without the constraints of our fear based, controlling thoughts. The moment I let go of perfectionism, what’s left? Wow. There is room for Joy!

Children experience this more. I remembered loving to lie on the ground as a child, and imagine the world spinning. Maybe I was even upside-down? So I did this next to my Joy shrine for sometime, feeling the earth and the sun “hugging” me, feeling a sense of contentment, feeling how blessedly insignificant I am in this universe. This brought me, comfort, and with comfort comes Joy