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.
denver airport
This is part 2 of my travel adventures from a few days ago as I was heading home. Airports are full to the brim with people behaving amazingly well given the circumstances. It’s amazing that so many people got here on time and will get to their destination on time with all their luggage on…
morning pages
5:12 am – Sitting alone at the airporter stop waiting for the bus that’s supposed to arrive in 7 minutes. I’m across the street from the dump watching a stream of trucks going in and coming out. This morning it occurs to me what a delicate dance it is maneuvering an 18-wheeler. I feel like…
yuba
I lay on my back half submerged in this river cradled by warm, smooth granite. This is one of my favorite ways to feel the heartbeat of the river. The swift current comes underneath and through me in pulses. I start to know the specific vibration of myself and the water in this moment. There’s…
pie hug
This pie will dry your tears. This pie will make you smile and say mmmhh! This pie will hug the broken pieces of your heart back into place. It’s a we miss you pie… a let’s get together pie… a have all your feelings pie… a tell us what hurts and what happened pie… a…
green and gold
Yesterday I drove through a stunning landscape of gold and green. Lush vineyards and golden hills. Some vines have lovely scattered flowers growing underneath. Those make me smile. The rows of vines are so orderly. They feed my need for structure and organization and make me feel calm. I can only imagine the amount of…
loosening
A few days ago, I was watering my yard and noticed a hummingbird was following me around. I realized that she wanted a drink of water. It was a hot afternoon. I held the water stream steady and she buzzed in and out of it a few times. I was happy to help her cool…
custard tarts
Today I’m happy about my outing in San Francisco. My mission, which I accomplished, was to find pretty, good quality mahjong tiles in Chinatown. I expected the city to be crazy on a beautiful Saturday. I expected traffic and challenging parking in Chinatown. I expected the unexpected and a possible adventure. The 40-minute drive flew…
sunset to moonrise
Sunset to moonrise hike last night. Listening to a book written 20 years ago about a dystopian future that sounds a lot like today. The imagined suffering that is now real made me cry. It’s so chronically exhausting to see all that is failing, depleting, exploitative, and toxic, and to know that people in power…
favorite mug
This is my favorite mug. I’ve been drinking my morning tea from this mug for 20 years. My hand fits perfectly through the handle so I can feel the warmth of the pottery in my palm. My thumb rests perfectly in a groove on top of the handle. It feels just right. This mug holds…
47
Wisdom of just barely 47. Sitting and breathing fully is the most healing choice and a gateway to my own wisdom. A birthday can be quietly nurturing and soulful. My own secret adventures make me happy. Magic happens alone in the redwoods under a waterfall. Fully receiving all the birthday love from those available to…
medicine moment
I feel joy in the practice of recognizing sacred healing medicines of the earth. The sacredness is a subtle energy that gives me pause, inspiring me to wonder, look closer, listen, learn and consider. The healing is in the moments I allow myself to remember all that is beyond me and the exquisite design of…
Berkeley
I came to Berkeley to hear Cathy Park Hong interview Ocean Vuong. It’s a free event, first come, first serve, and I thought that getting here 2 hours early would be okay. 2 hours early had a line all the way around the block of the BAMPFA Center. I almost decided to just keep driving…