So, another little bit of systemic tribal history has been written
into the great book with the closing ceremony held late yesterday
afternoon. For those of us involved with constellations in the US,
this conference will rank as a long-awaited, much-needed coming
together. Dan Cohen always spoke of creating a large tent, in which
everyone would find welcomeand he and we did that creating all
together. The container, the circle of the conference seemed to grow
ever stronger and more resilient.
Hunter, yesterday morning, in his last keynote, contrasted I will
it, with I long for it. The first comes from me out, and is
totally appropriateSOMETIMES. The second describes being drawn
towards something outside of the me, something larger, looser, and
actually emergent. And it too is absolutely perfectSOMETIMES. Our
hope is to be suspended in a fluid, responsive kind of balance between
these two. At the end, Hunter worked magic. He turned a sheet of
paper into a baton of systemic community leadership, and passed it to
Dan Cohen and Carolyn Zahner, our main conference organizers. Then,
Carolyn got a huge laugh when she stole it from Dan.
At lunch, we were treated to the words and thoughts of an unusual and
very successful twosome. Marita Fridjhon and Faith Fuller are the
creators of CRR Global, which propagates internationally the only
coaching system I know of that incorporates constellations and
systemic thinking from the ground up. And yet its roots are not in
the Hellinger tradition. It was fascinating to hear them talk in less
familiar language about each of us as an expression of the
intelligence of many systems larger than our personal selves.
Even though I presented on a panel with these two, I did not really
get what they were talking about until I heard this keynote. Ah, I
thought, thats similar to what Hellinger means when he says that we
dont have souls, but rather belong to souls. Translated into our
terms, they are talking about developing a larger, world-conscience.
And, in a fascinating way, these two model what they are talking
about. They speak out of a kind of inherent dyadic relationship they
have, the sentences and thoughts coming alternately from one or the
other of themunplanned yet somehow coherent and cogent.
The energy in the presentations remained very high, coffee and tea
flowed in ever greater amounts, and by 3:30, as we gathered in a multi-
rowed circle for the closing--you could feel both the satisfaction and
the weariness in the room. Jane Peterson, one of the pillars of the
US community, and the organizer of a previous conference, stood,
microphone in hand, in the center of the room. Where were we then?
Where have we gotten too now? Where are we going next? From her
great experience and sharp intelligence, she laid some of this out for
us. Many teachers and systemic ancestors were recalled and thanked.
Janes anecdotes left us laughing.
Dan Booth Cohen speaks pretty much in the same way the American
television detective Columbo used to conduct investigations. Both
claim to have forgotten things, or to have no idea what they are going
to say or do. But behind the bumbling, both of them are sharp as
tacks, and always home in on the core issues. So Dan took the mike
and cracked us up one more time with his verbal slapstick. Carolyn
offered her final words, but then spoke several more times
afterwards (because shes the only one who knows where things are and
what details come next). Gary Stuart, Barbara Eggenberger, and all
the many volunteers were thanked by rounds of applause. Francesca
Mason Boring offered the final prayer. AndIT WAS OVER. We took a
deep breath and walked once again out into the larger world. So, what
will be different now?
Offered in the spirit of greater community,
Michael
Michael Reddy, PhD, CPC, ELI-MP
michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.reddyworks.com
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