Dan,
What reasons did these men give for returning? How did they get past their
Islamic beliefs? Was it perhaps resistance and not a religious conflict?
I have had clients react to the field and criticize the process of speaking to
the dead. Most of them realize later that their sense of reality was being
shaken and they were trying to defend it.
This energy field feels so natural to me that I forget how disturbing it can be
to others.
I love hearing about your work with the prisons.
Barb
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: "Dan Booth Cohen" <danbcohen@xxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:26:17
To:<ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [ConstellationTalk] Constellations and Islam
Dear CT members,
In the past, several Islamic members of my prison group said they would no
longer attend meetings where Constellations were part of the program. One
man explained that Islamic law prohibits "talking to the dead." The
practice of setting up representatives for people who had died violated this
prohibition. Another man explained his choice this way:
"I've done a lot of bad things in my life and hurt a lot of people. Now I
am sentenced to die in prison. You could say I've messed up my life pretty
good. My practice of Islam gives me a chance to have it better in the next
life. Maybe I can even get to heaven. I don't want to mess that up by
doing Constellations."
In responding to their announcement to withdraw, I emphasized my respect for
their religious beliefs and practices, telling them they would be missed and
welcomed back at any time. Within the year, all but one of these Islamic
members returned to the meetings.
Are any members of CT Muslim?
Are there Islamic Constellation facilitators?
Has anyone here led Constellation workshops in Islamic countries?
Do you have any insights relating the representation of the dead in
Constellations with sharia?
Thanks as always for your responses and insights.
Dan
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