For all those interested in Systemic Family Constellations, check out the 2013 US Constellations Conference this October 10-13, 2013, in Seattle, Washington. Details at Constellations Conference. I look forward to presenting the session, “Tending the Soil: The Facilitator’s Relationship with Reconciliation in America’s Soul” and co-presenting with Ursula Franke-Bryson, “Code of Ethics for Constellation Practitioners”. Looking forward to seeing you there!
“One might argue the historian is the conscience of the nation, if honesty and consistency are factors that nurture the conscience.” – John Hope Franklin In a few days I will be traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’m doing so to participate in the Third Annual Reconciliation in America Symposium sponsored by the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. This conference takes place May 30 – June 1, 2012. It was created in honor of John Hope Franklin and his lifelong efforts…
The following April of 2011 post is being re-posted in honor of Black History Month. This week is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War in the United States. Yesterday’s article on CNN’s Opinion Page, “Civil War”s Dirty Secret about Slavery,” reminds us of how deeply the North’s economy depended on slave-picked cotton. “The reality is that both North and South were profoundly complicit in slavery,” writes James DeWolf Perry and Katrina Browne from The Tracing Center…
Some drawn to the Family Matters: Learning Program with Lisa & Systemic Family Constellations in 2012 learning program are already facilitating or integrating Systemic Family Constellations (SFC) into their worklives, others have experienced this approach enough to know that the next step is studying with a seasoned teacher, perhaps without yet knowing what or how it would look to integrate it into their worklives. Allowing the space of “not knowing” is an essential, though sometimes uncomfortable, place. How it is…
Today is Veteran’s Day. The following editorial was written Bill Distler. Our daughters go to school together; I know how lucky I am to know Bill. Thanks for opening your heart to his wisdom. Veterans Day has always been difficult for me. Most of us who have been in war don’t get pleasure from talking about it. It’s different in that way from most human activities. In order to tell a complete and true war story you have to include…
I returned home a few days ago from the 2011 U.S Systemic Constellations Conference in San Francisco, CA. It was a gift to be with 300 others from across the country, along with a few friends from other countries, to explore the diversity, gifts, and richness of this work in the U.S. I am grateful for many aspects of this gathering, such as: a Healing Circle and Community Constellation for those impacted by the trans-generational stress, historical trauma and the phenomena…
I have participated in my local community’s Occupy Bellingham protests the last two Fridays. These weekly gatherings are part of the Occupy Together gatherings in resonance with Occupy Wall Street protests in NYC. On Saturday my family and good friends traveled to Seattle to participate in the Global Day of Action. We marched with 3,000 from around the area, ranging from babies in front packs carried by their moms or dads, to elders with gray (or no) hair. A few…
Ten years ago, I began offering a twice monthly introduction to systemic family constellations in my local community. After the first year, I switched to a once a month circle offering. I love these circles. After leading hundreds of them, I never tire of them. I write a bit about these offerings in Ancestral Blueprints: Each of these introductory sessions is both unique and the same. I never know who or who many people will be there or what life…
I will be returning to Atlanta, Georgia, to lead ancestral blueprint circles this September 22-25, where I’ve been doing so with systemic family constellations since 2005. Visit Family Constellations West for schedule of offerings. I find that many with whom I work here in the Pacific Northwest have ancestors with southern roots. In both regions, conversations and ancestral circles about often untalked about family histories, like ancestors who enslaved or were enslaved; a mother who dies in childbirth; a grandfather…
My local community, Bellingham, Washington, is facing whether to allow development of the largest coal terminal in North America for shipping of massive amounts of coal to Asia. “GPT (Gateway Pacific Terminal) filed papers for the terminal project on 2/28/11 and announced it already had a contract with Peabody Energy to export up to 24 million metric tons of coal per year – half of its planned capacity (making it the largest coal terminal on the continent). ” Source: Community Wise…