Wunjo Way of Joy

Years ago, I found The Book of Runes by Ralph H. Blum—a companion for the spiritual warrior, offering guidance through simple stones inscribed with ancient symbols. Among them, the rune Wunjo—joy—kept appearing, quietly insisting that joy is not just a fleeting feeling but a direction, a compass, a way of being. It still feels true. Wunjo is a reminder to orient toward inner alignment, beauty, and the harmonies that arise when we live close to nature and close to ourselves.

I’ve been writing on and off since my teenage years—scribbling into notebooks, chasing questions, trying to remember and reveal who I am and why I’m here in this body, on this Earth. Writing became a way of listening: to my own heart, to the natural world, to the whispers of something larger. Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages showed me how to meet myself on the page, honestly and without judgment. That practice stayed with me. Writing still brings me peace, joy, and the kind of clarity that comes only through attention and reflection.

This blog is an offering from that place—a contemplative space shaped by curiosity, longing, love, and a quiet devotion to beauty. It’s a way of tuning in, of learning through presence, of honoring the seasons both within and without. The Wunjo Way is not a fixed path—it’s a practice of becoming, again and again, with wonder and heart.

2 eagles

I woke up with a sugar hangover from eating a big piece of that amazing chocolate cake. I still like my choices. It was worth it. I’d do it again. I made it to yoga. I did a 75-minute Ashtanga class that was so hard it brought tears to my eyes a few times. Some…

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Canadians

Veronica’s boss was a wild card. She did what she wanted at all times & would flip on a dime without notice. Looking at the days schedule, Veronica’s stomach was already arranging itself in knots. So many meetings & appointments. Which ones would Christine feel like keeping? Sometimes if Veronica found a way to make…

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ex-housemate

Veronica jolted awake. Her mind tried to wrap itself around what was happening. The door bell ringing over & over. Why was her doorbell SO loud. Her nervous system was instantly in overdrive. Her heart raced & her hands shook. She frantically searched for her phone under the pillows & in the bedsheets. It glowed…

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kids in america

Veronica & her roommates lived on the top floor of a 2 story Queenslander house in the town of Balmoral, a suburb of Brisbane. Janet was Veronica’s age, from Pennsylvania, & went to Beaver College. Uma was from Norway, definitely a little older, but she wouldn’t answer questions about her age. Another roommate, Heather, had…

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exhale peace

Today I woke up early to take my friend to the airport shuttle. The air around me felt heavy and surreal. It was like someone died, my friend said. Many Americans chose a man for president who I cannot find any love for. That’s the best thing I can say about him. I wasn’t blindsided…

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housesitting

Veronica was housesitting for 3 nights at the home of family friends. It was her 2-year anniversary with her boyfriend. She’d packed her cutest outfits & pajamas, she’d planned yummy meals & she’d spent weeks making his gift. It was a framed collage of photos of the two of them. She arrived two hours early…

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Rosetta Veronica

Veronica was overcome by the beauty of the Pacific Ocean. She was 7,420 miles (11,941 kilometers) away from San Francisco, but the Sydney coastline gave her the feeling of coming home. She felt deeply connected here. She’d come alone to Waverley Cemetery to play a game she’d played with her aunt. They walked around cemeteries…

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chicago

Veronica peaked out the door of her library carrel & looked at the clock. It was 5:50. Her roommates were picking her up at 6pm. She’d been studying all afternoon & was looking forward to a delicious Taco Bell dinner & a York Peppermint Patty for dessert. The luxury she could afford as a college…

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rebound

Day 1 of #NovelPossible. If you know, you know… Veronica was on the prowl. She was 6 months out of a toxic 2-year relationship. She was in graduate school in SF. She had a new life and a new group of friends. She was in therapy, in school to become a therapist, and surrounded by…

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Uncle George

I wrote these words to share on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at the Memorial Service for George Grey Eagle Bertelstein held in El Cerrito, CA. “George called me Niecie. I called him Uncle.  My prayer in this moment is to let something greater take over and, for the grace of it, share some words about…

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breathe

This is from my Higher Guidance today… Tune in to your breath. Feel your body as you breathe in and out. This is everything. This is what matters. Your whole system will take cues from your breath and attune to the rhythm you set as you notice how you are inhaling and exhaling. This kind…

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restorative

6 weeks ago I rejoined my local yoga studio after a 6 month break. For the first 4 weeks, I went to 5 restorative classes a week. I kept commenting to people about how I needed to pay money to lie on pillows and breathe. It felt like a humorous thing to say, but making…

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