Book
Alchemy of Resilience
My Rugged Path to Wholeness
A tenderhearted and fierce memoir of healing from loneliness, despair, and excruciating physical pain.
Born to a troubled mother, who passed her own trauma on to her daughter, Hertha Lund carried this burden throughout her life, always struggling with a sense of not belonging — to any group, to any point on the map, to humanity as a whole.
In search of spiritual wholeness — following a path electrified by an undercurrent of deep pain — Hertha went from being a cow boss in Montana to a journalist in Philadelphia to in the courtroom and the halls of Congress, often pondering what it would be like to not inhabit the physical world.
Eventually, her emotional wounds manifested in debilitating physical pain, followed by a near-death experience — the catalyst she needed to find a renewed, fierce desire to live. She made a pact with God to do whatever it took to recover from her past. She returned to her roots in Montana ranching country, where her deep connection with the land and horses helped transform her pain into profound inner strength. Ultimately, Equine Gestalt Coaching and faith helped her move through unresolved hurt toward willful transformation.
Hertha’s inspiring story is a guide to reclaiming your soul and walking from darkness into the light.
Praise for Alchemy of Resilience
The story of the cosmic integration of a soul fractured in childhood by an early sexual abuse and troubled and suicidal mother who went on to re-create the puzzle of herself, piece by piece. Propelled by an indomitable spirit and an inner will to raise herself up from the morass of her human condition—supported by an equine companion who had likewise been abused—and powered by her conscious tie to God, she erected pillars of professional pursuits. Hertha then rebuilt her core identity until she could slowly allow the protective, defensive structure of a steeled persona to dissolve. Her momentum in this work became a force that morphed until all parts now have merged into that unity of oneness of a puzzle completed!
Lucille Sharp Yancy
LCSW and founder of the Inn of the Seventh Ray | Topanga, California
I've always said no one knows what happens when we close our doors at night. Hertha has left her door ajar, and we can view her journey as an incredible example that, with God's help, everything is possible. Alchemy of Resilience reminded me that we are all given gifts by God. We must find them and use them to better ourselves and humanity. Hertha's gifts are many. It seems to me, she developed and used them all. Also, I believe that horses were given to Hertha, not only to ride but also to provide a vehicle to kindness, compassion, forgiveness, determination, and love.
John Patterson
Rancher | Columbus, Montana
What a beautiful and visceral experience Hertha put into form. She captured the cycle of her life that wanted and needed to be complete. She tracked her process and offered her vulnerability to be witnessed through her story. To have witnessed her journey, through her darkest places, and to see her move through her shadow to find her light has been humbling. Hertha has added much to the collective integration and healing by sharing her personal journey. Alchemy of Resilience is truly and inspiration of dedication, loyalty, and to finding unconditional love. She walked, rode, and even swam through all the layers that she needed to. Finding her worthiness in her wholeness in the end is the greatest gift of all. It is my belief, "We can't heal by ourselves. We are all one big herd after all."
Heidi Soper
Body-mind-soul practitioner | Bozeman, Montana
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