Thanks to all for this intriguing conversation.
I feel drawn into the conversation by Alison’s question, which points me
towards a continuing area of confusion within the Constellations community. The
Orders of Love as originally identified by Hellinger are placed in the context
of three levels of conscience. While the concept of conscience has evolved over
the years, the framework for holding the Orders remains mostly the same. These
three levels have many names and exist within many cultures and spiritual
traditions. In Love’s Hidden Symmetry they are named as personal, systemic and
the Conscience of the Greater Whole. Later, Hellinger relabeled them, Personal,
Soul, and Spirit-Mind. Thomas Bryson and Ursula Franke call the poetically,
Drop, Wave, Ocean. In my work, they are named, Personal, Ancestral and
Spiritual. Whatever the names or labels, the fundamental concept is that humans
exist in multiple dimensions of consciousness.
The confusion arises when an idea that is valid on one level is applied to
another without distinction. For example, the first Order is that everyone who
belongs to a family system has an equal right to their place of belong. This is
a principle of the second level: systemic conscience. It is does not mean
everyone belongs and no one can be excluded in our ordinary life. The second
order is about the hierarchy of precedence. As Alison suggests, some in the
Constellations community misuse this principle on the first dimension to exert
their authority by asserting, “I came to the work first. I am above you in the
hierarchy.”
Another example of how moving between these three levels without distinguishing
them sows confusion can be seen around the conversation about the Western
perspective. Regardless of your heritage or ideology, if you purchase your food
with money and burn petroleum for heat and transportation, you are surviving
within the global, monetary economy. The playwright and former President of the
Czechoslovakia observed during Communist rule that every citizen of the State
from the Prime Minister to the street sweeper both complained about Communist
rule and contributed to its oppression. On the first dimension, we cannot so
easily extract ourselves from the Western perspective by renouncing it or
claiming to stand apart from it. It is wonderful to expand our awareness of
spiritual consciousness….and it does not liberate us from living in the
ordinary world.
The themes of the movie Interstellar are about second dimension consciousness.
Here, past, present and future coexist all at once. That’s because
consciousness that exists outside of an animal body has a changed relationship
to time than when it is trapped within an animal body. Time is way of knowing
the external world that animals use to extend their own survival. We can work
with timelessness in Constellations and also need to acknowledge that human
beings are not free from the ordinary constraints of time while they are still
breathing.
My takeaway is that Orders of Love and other principles of Constellations that
are valid within one dimension of consciousness may become confused when
applied to another dimension without distinction.
Dan
From: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2014 2:32 PM
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ConstellationTalk] Backgrounder on Interstellar
Thank you all! For me, too, this is a refreshing and enriching and resonant
discussion.
I wonder if it is connected to another question I've been wondering about,
regarding "orders" as in orders of love, and "place" as in, your place on what
can be seen as a hierarchy based on linear order.
I am running into places within the constellations community where it feels
like the concept of "order" feels like "you're not in your place".
An example of this comes in the question of seniority and experience. As a
relatively new constellations facilitator, my "place" is as a little one, yet
given this concept of circular/spiral/non-linear hierarchies, how do we make
sense of ones true place? Perhaps it's ever shifting?
No answers here, just questions.
In the spirit of the season,
Alison
On Saturday, December 20, 2014, 'Blossoming Heart Intuitive Arts'
heather@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [ConstellationTalk]
<ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This is such a refreshing dialogue as it encompasses so much of what I’ve
experienced living in different cultures and in breaking down the Eurocentric
perspective of life, death, afterlife, etc.
I’m reminded of a northern tribe who greet newborn children as “grandmother” or
“great grandfather” and such, recognizing that the ancestor has reincarnated in
the next generation, and they give the respect of that soul’s wisdom from
previous times to love and support the family in different ways. The mystery
is unknowable ultimately but I trust older cultures in ways of understanding
spiritual truths that Christianity tried to destroy.
In my family, they are a white Christian background but apparently when I was
born there was an immediate recognition that “she’s one of us” and I
continually remind my mother of my great grandfather since the day I was born
and in how I treat people and what I care about. It’s beyond belief systems.
Thank you for initiating this conversation and having us step out of a linear
truth….
From: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2014 1:02 PM
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ConstellationTalk] Backgrounder on Interstellar
Yes! Yes! Yes, yes! You have spoken much of what my own experience has been. If
we can affect things several generations back, then surely our work can be
modeled to look at all souls in the system as interactive. These simple
knowings are not contained within the Western Enlightenment culture that has
risen from both science and Christianity. Western minds are set to think within
parameters that confine us too often to accept what has been seen through
Western eyes. It is possible to step back and have the deep understanding that
in fact it is only one way of seeing life systemically.
I love the way you have expressed this. Also within us is an ability to see the
world in several ways all at once. We do not need to limit ourselves to one
perception. All have a validity. It is not that one is good and the other bad.
They are simply different. This is a deep truth that has entered my life in
the last month on a personal basis. This is not sitting on the fence but rather
being poised in a position to see several pastures at one time and to be able
to glean from each of them what it is we need and to integrate those things.
In Canada we are coming to the beginning of the new sun for the year and also
will celebrate Christmas. The contradiction that in the south you are
celebrating the height of the sun is easily integrated into our understanding.
So it is with perspectives. All is true and all can be integrated!
The Christian in me says have a blessed Christmas and the indigenous part of me
says glory in the gift of the sun. May all things come to you as you need them.
Much love, Anni
--
It is the courageous heart that loves. It is the loving heart that heals.
alisonfornes.com
