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Issue 6, June 2005

£ 10.00

CONTENTS

  • Barbara Morgan: Editorial

THE DEAD

  • Albrecht Mahr: How the Living and Dead can Heal each other

  • Christine Wilson: My Father’s Death

NEW INITIATIVES

  • Judith Hemming/Terry Ingham: Helping Children to Learn

  • Ty Francis: Introducing Constellations at Work

  • Ursula Franke: Constellation Work in South Africa

  • Henne Arnolt Verschuren/Marjolijne van Buren Molenaar: Body-oriented Interventions in Family Constellations

CONSTELLATIONS

  • Chris Walsh: Carmen's Dream

  • Eva Madelung/Barbara Innecken: Entering Inner Images

POEMS

  • Helena Sprake: We are Seven (by William Wordsworth)

  • Gary Stuart: Bow Down

OPINION

  • Susan Lanier: Hellinger & The Spirit World

BOOK SUMMARY & EXTRACT

  • Julia Hyde-Grossmann: Ach, wie gut dass ich es weiss (Oh how good that I know it)

Extracts

Albrecht Mahr: How the Living and the Dead can Heal each Other

In constellation work we can see that the dead can bring healing and benevolence when they are honoured and when their fates and life contributions are seen and acknowledged. Often healing solutions come from dead family members or from other dead ones who are connected to the family in some way. Parents who died early; children and siblings; partners or friends who died; people who sacrificed their lives for family members; as well as the people who died in wars or never returned – they are all remembered in the family consciousness. Their influence can be supportive and strengthening. However, we also meet those dead who have not been redeemed and who burden the system. In these cases respect and acknowledgement are not enough to bring about resolution. In the constellations, these unredeemed souls behave as if they are not fully aware that they are in the realm of the dead, and they remain attached to one or more family members, with serious consequences for the living.

Judith Hemming & Terry Ingham: Helping Children to Learn

Child A, a Muslim girl was struggling with aspects of socialising and learning in the Year 6 Class. She had not been allowed by her father to take part in the class residential trip to Cornwall – the only child not to do so. In addition several parts of the curriculum were not available to her on grounds of her religious beliefs. The teacher seemed to carry some sadness and frustration that this child was unable to take full part in class activities.

Through consideration of ‘conscience group’ however, it is possible to see that the child’s primary loyalties are to her family and culture – and that though she is sad she cannot take part in some things, she understands why and completely accepts the situation. An honouring of her cultural attachment and support for her in upholding them enables the teacher to play a more open and facilitating part in the child’s learning.

At the end of term performance, the child sang an unaccompanied song beautifully. Her father, who hardly ever visits school because of the time pressures of his work, had slipped in to the hall a little late to hear her. She saw him and turned to her teacher to ask if she could sing an extra song just for her father. Again, unaccompanied, she sang a Turkish song exquisitely to her father. The whole hall of parents were moved and touched by her powerful performance, which was in a way a public declaration of her culture, language and loyalty.