Blog
Self-Compassion as a Path Home to Belonging
One of the great benefits of helping other people heal is that I get to witness the potency of compassion.A person shared with me a moment that had haunted her for decades. It was a circumstance where she not able to help a vulnerable person she loved. Since trauma is not in the event, it is…
How I Received My Name Landsong and My Call to Mount Shasta
When I was 20 years old, I sat with my knees bent up, and journal in my lap in the bed I was given at the Women’s Shelter. I had just gotten out of three months of inpatient trauma treatment, and now I was starting my life over on the West Coast in Seattle. My…
My Near Death Experience in Africa
When I was eight years old I was abducted from the US and taken to Africa. It was 1977. I have reason to believe the man who abducted me was a Vietnam Veteran going to Rhodesia so he could fight in the Bush War for the Rhodesian government. He drugged me in order to abduct me…
Gratitude for this Return Trip to Africa
On our way home from doing our first aid training, we stopped at a store to get first aid and food supplies for the Africa trip. As I took things off the self and put them in my cart I thought, “I am going to eat this in Zimbabwe.” When John rejoined me and asked me…
Before the trip: 38 days until we leave
This post is from 2017 for the 1st return trip. 38 days until we get on a plane for South Africa, then Zimbabwe! We are doing well in our preparations. Vanessa and Digby, who are the people who found Maemu, are hosting us for two weeks. They live close to where we believe is the…
We have arrived in Zimbabwe
April 21 – We arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday. After extremely little sleep during the 3 days of travel I am glad to say we finally slept last night. We can think and speak clearly again. Logistics have gone well, all our bags arrived, and getting Visas to come into Zimbabwe all went smoothly. We planned several…
Maemu and Robin Reunited !
This post is from 2017 on the first Return trip. From John: One of the most amazing moments of my life happened two days ago. While on the way to our stay at a Farm on the Limpopo River, we were approaching the lands where Robin lived when was at 8 years old. We had…
We found the location of my first village!
A second miracle has taken place. Yesterday we (John my husband, Vanessa our host, Future an area game scout and our fabulous translator, and Maemu) found the location of my first village from 40 years ago. My friend Brianna helped me find words for what took place inside me with this quote. “We need to be…
Create Belonging
Giving and receiving help, including others, and honoring yourself are ways to create belonging. Creating belonging is an antidote to alienation. What are the ways we can share our unique gifts unsparingly, while calling out the gifts of others?An excerpt from my book when I first arrived to the village that took me in: “A…