FAQ:Frequently Asked Questions
1.What are Systemic Constellations?
You may be familiar with the new science of complexity theory and complex adaptive systems. Studies of complexity and complex adaptive systems arose out of the study of biological systems, such as ant colonies, and out of studies of our own macro behavior, such as freeway traffic flow. In these studies, contrary to the dog-eat-dog idea of nature, it was found that many systems have a self-organizing capability that is quite powerful. These systems self-organize in response to changes from within and without, and adapt to their environment in ways that allow the system to survive.
In systems, the behavior of the whole is different than the sum of the parts. For example, what a carburetor can do alone and what it allows a car to do are quite different things. Scientists speak of this characteristic of systems as "emergent" properties: something new emerges when the parts function in a system. Human systems are no different.
Each human system, be it a family, a business or a community, has an emergent property that we call an information field. This information field carries the pattern that describes how the system "really" operates. All of us have a "gut sense" of how things really work in the systems we inhabit, despite what a formal organization chart or our parents may tell us. This gut sense is how we can tune in to the information field that is present in each system. Even if we have never been told, we know if someone is missing in our system, if someone has been mistreated, etc.. Systemic constellations allow us to tap into this information field and to see the whole system at once so that the conflicts and issues immediately become clear. Few other methods provide such a rapid, clear and complete description of how a system is actually working.
Because we all live in information fields, we can sense these even if we are in a different system than the ones we normally inhabit. In fact, it is often easier to sense a different field than the ones to which we have become habituated. This ability to have a sense of what is happening allows us to tap into useful information about the system and to diagnose where the difficulties are in the informal system - the one that really determines how things work. We can therefore have people who know nothing about a family or a business to stand in the places of both individuals and archetypes operating in the system. The informal map and their gut sense or experience of that role will show how things really work in the system we are studying. In this way, hidden dynamics in the system become visible and allow us to find solutions that take into account the whole function of the system rather than merely the parts. Family systems offer a clear and powerful template for all human systems.
Members of family systems have a shared unconscious mind that tracks events in the family from generation to generation. When a trauma, wrong-doing, or other difficult event is not dealt with in the generation in which it occurs, future generations will pick up the issue and continue to attempt to resolve it. In this way, systems serve a sense of wholeness. This unresolved issue can travel down through generations as an unconscious pattern of difficulties, be it through illness, accident, misfortune or relationship difficulties. These entanglements of the present generation with past generations follow certain common patterns.
The particular pattern that affects certain members of a family can be discovered and resolved through the use of systemic constellations. A constellation quickly makes visible these hidden trans-generational dynamics. Once visible, these dynamics can be addressed effectively and the system brought into a better balance, with old issues returned to their owners and entanglements released. This results in a great sense of peace and true freedom. Rather than divorcing our family because it is such a mess we gain true strength by facing the difficulties there in this gentle yet effective way. As the saying goes in the constellation field, without roots we are not free to fly.
What is true in families is also true in any human organization, although the consequences are not often as severe in businesses as families. With systemic constellation work, we are learning how humans are linked together in the shared systems that make up the webs of our social lives. Constellation work dramatically demonstrates the weakness of the linear thinking we have come to rely upon so heavily in western culture. It invites us to new ways of thinking and new ways of seeing one another.
2. What do I need to do to prepare for a workshop or training?
If you are able to contact a family member who is familiar with the family issue for the issue you are concerned with, you may wish to contact them and see if they are willing to share their stories with you. Different members of a family experience life events differently. Be sensitive to the fact that your family member might have a very different perception or experience than you, and may not wish to talk about a past event.
The most important preparation is an openness to learning and a willingness to engage in a process of discovery. As much as you can release judgment (and this can be hard if you are feeling hurt or angry)
and be willing to inquire into the events surrounding your issue, the more you are likely to gain from the constellation process.
3. Lunch, what to wear, and other practical questions.
Wear comfortable clothes. Bring a snack if you wish. During public workshops we will provide snacks. You may either bring a lunch and eat it on site, or there are several nice little restaurants in the Multnomah VIllage area of Portland within a 15 minutes walk of our office. Seating is on banquet style office chairs, extra cushions are available and a few gymballs for those with bad backs. A walk up a gravel pathway and stone steps, and one flight of stairs are required to reach the working space in our office. Our office is nestled in a lovely, peaceful wooded area of SW Portland. We hope you will enjoy your time with us!
