A second response from South Africa.
-----Original Message-----
From: Beulah Levinson [mailto:bubs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 5:30 PM
To: Daniel Booth Cohen
Subject: Re: Question About Bert Hellinger, Family Constellations and
Zulu Ancestor Worship
Dear Dan, Thank you for connecting with us. You are right--we need to
find out more about our African roots. As Tanja has mentioned, we are
still fairly new at this game, and we have much to do.... Having said
that I will email to you and the group within the next week some very
interesting material that I think may be enlightening. I do have a
friend who has done extensive work among and with the Zulu and I shall
try to get some info from her.
Recently I came across a book called "Soul Talk--When Politics is not
enough" By Warren Goldstein and Dumani Mandela (Grandson of Nelson
Mandela). While this does not necessarily reflect Zulu culture it tells
us something of the general culture of the African in our country. The
book is made up of emails that these two men sent each other over a
period of time and which they then decided to publish as a form of
conversation. In their prologue they talk about how this book came
about. I quote directly.
"We began to realise that one of the ways we were able to bridge the
gap between our vastly different backgrounds was through engaging in
"Soul Talk" i.e. talk about the soul, true purposes of life,religion,
morality and spirituality....We discovered the enormous energy of "Soul
Talk" and particularly of "African Soul Talk"........
"About family: It is simple as I said. We are a direct extension of
those who come before us. We are an acculmulation of their experiences
and their lives. We must seek to know our families and love them so as
to know who they are and why we have been brought to this physical
realm. Without the instiution of family we are in limbo. It is the way
of my people to seek to know oneself through your family. Therefore you
shall have a point of reference. My family is where I go to have my
renewal."......
"Humility is also a daily practice in the homes of many Africans, with
how we treat our elders and the extraordinary respect we show them.
Humility for us is not just in the spiritual world.......But it is also
in everday life where we interact with one another.".........
Dumani writes:"Honesty for the Xhosas originates from being honest about
who we are, where we come from and also how we look at our community. I
give you an example. When we were at Qunu my grandfather (Nelson
Mandela) performed a very important ritual that he has never done
before. We all assembled in the common room as a family and sat in a
circle. My grandfather told us what our history was among the Thembus.
During this ritual he explained how we got to where we were and also
where our family fits in with the great house of the Transkei. He did
this for one reason I believe. So that we could have a clear and
defined vision of who we are and where we come from. He did this so
that we could be honest with ourselves and others as to what our
idintity was and is. Story telling has also been the historical way of
passing down our culture and way of life. In this circle the lines of
communication and dialogue are completely open and we can ask whatever
questions we wish about our past and our family. The head of the home
is required to do this by culture because it reinforces his or her own
story to himself or herself and allows the members of the family to
have a clear and distinct point of reference.. Since it was never
tradition to write down stories, we would tell stories through dance or
ritual. The whole notion of story telling for us is an intrinsic aspect
of our honesty. It allows those who do not understand to question and
those who do understand to have an honest dialogue.
No matter where you come from, if you know yourself then you will have
the ability to share your spirit with others."
There is much, much more of course. But even this little fragment
demonstrates resonance with Bert Hellinger's thinking.
Do please let's keep in touch. It would be so good to hear more of your
own work . Please do include this in the Chris Walsh Constellation
Group discussion. It would be so interesting to know how this compares
with Aboriginal culture in their country.
With warmest greetings from Beulah
----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel Booth Cohen <mailto:danbcohen@xxxxxxx>
To: bubbles@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
tanja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; swakobs@xxxxxxx ;
tanja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 4:43 PM
Subject: Question About Bert Hellinger, Family Constellations and Zulu
Ancestor Worship
Dear Beulah, Tanja, Monika and Robyn:
Greetings from Dan Cohen in Boston, USA. I am Constellation facilitator
and Ph.D. candidate in psychology. I came across the Bert Hellinger
Institute Africa website and have a question I would like to ask you.
You make passing mention in the Introduction page of Hellinger's 16
years living among the Zulus in South Africa. Otherwise, you do not
seem to connect his work to Zulu culture. For my Masters degree, I
attempted to trace the threads of lineages that wove together to form
the Family Constellation method. It seemed to me that the Zulu attitude
towards ancestors is one of three main influences, along with
phenomenological philosophy and family systems theory.
My question is whether you agree that Hellinger's stance towards parents
and ancestors is closely related to Zulu ancestor worship? If you do
agree, can you reflect on why this connection is not featured on your
website?
A copy of the Abstract from my paper is attached. I am a member of
Chris Walsh's Constellation Talk Yahoo group. If you would like to
respond to the larger community let me know and I will submit this
question to the group.
I look forward to your responses.
Dan
Daniel Booth Cohen
1313 Great Plain Avenue
Needham, MA 02492
T. 781-444-0145
C. 781-718-7158
F. 781-559-8442
