organising local events

From: Chris Walsh <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 09:17:38 +0200

Hi all,

This forum is not designed for organizing events. The emails from David and
Brigitte are better sent privately between the local people concerned in
organising such events. I know David and Brigitte have good motivations,
but I needed to clarify this publicly to keep the group on track -
especially as I am involved in the private conversation.

These emails are of limited interest to most readers and can take the group
down a bad track where people can start to use the group to posture and
grandstand. This is included in the guidelines under guideline 5 which
states:
*
5. Do not try to use forum to organise or promote events or activities.
However it is reasonable to refer to them in the course of conversation or
to draw attention to another forum where an event is being organised. In
special circumstances exemptions will be granted if cleared by the group
moderator first. (info@xxxxxxxxxxxxx) This rule supports ConstellationTalk
as a conversational forum. It protects the group from too many irrelevant
emails as well as from political posturing and power plays.*
*
*
Cheers

Chris Walsh

Melbourne, Australia
ph +61 (0)3 9487 4647
www.cwalsh.com.au

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 7:04 AM, Brigitte Kupfer <almaarte@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

**

Hi David,

I had a conversation with Chris before he left for Europe and we were
talking about the Ted-Sheldrake controversy and the discussion on our list.
I spoke about my intention, triggered by this controversy, to co-create an
event or ongoing conversation series, calling it "Conversations at the
Mending Edge - where science and spirit meet".

I think we all could work on this together in the sense of true
collaboration, bringing all our skills and talents together.
Event planning, hosting conversations about questions that matter,
constellation work and more. This is planting a seed for something truly
transformative.

I belong to a global community of practitioners who host conversations
about questions that matter (Art of Hosting, www.artofhosting.org) .
While in constellation work our focus is mostly on healing influences from
our past, AoH focuses on creating spaces for emergence of collective
intelligence in groups and organisations in the present and so to speak on
healing the future.
I think both combined are very powerful.
Some people in Europe already workin this way: Lena Jacobsson and Rainer
von Leoprechting use both approaches and have worked with the European
Commission in this way. (http://www.constellationcommunity.org)

At the moment I'm experimenting with "conversations at the Mending Edge" at
the HUB in Melbourne, a co-working space for social innovators etc, and I
also would like to introduce constellation work there.
Anyone interested in working together on this, let me know.

Let's mend the cutting edge.
The time is ripe

Best wishes

Brigitte

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 9:27 AM, david ward <theocean@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hello Chris and friends . I love your line, 'the healing edge where

spirit

and science meet'.
Sounds like a beautiful name for the first Constellation Festival.
A humble festival? A festival who's context is humility? I think that

when

the festival is created, the end result the organisers work toward will
create the appropriate context.
My idea was never one to say to the rest of the healing therapeutic
communities ... OH BABY LOOK AT US, THIS WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
As I said before the festival is a celebration that produces all of its
subsequent benefits not the least of which is to showcase the work and
generate workshops for the myriad of highly trained facilitators who have
done 'the hard yards' but have difficulty creating a self sustaining

client

stream.
Anyway, guess you'll be back from Germany soon and we can talk about it
some more.
from the Valley
David
Pearls from the South Seas

On 30/04/2013, at 10:35 PM, Chris Walsh wrote:

Hi all,

This has been a very lively discussion. Nothing like a bit of injustice
perpetrated by a stereotypical villain to get the juices flowing! We

can

then in good conscience step into victim or rescuer mode. Of course we
should be thankful to the perpetrator for providing us with such a
wonderful opportunity to feel good about ourselves.

However if we were serious about applying what we know about systemic
thinking and reconciliation, it may serve us better to give the so

called

perpetrator a place in our hearts. It may serve us better to be a bit

more

humble. After all constellation work has taught us that adoption of an

"us

versus them" mentality reduces us all. Maybe it would serve people

better

to look at what Rupert Sheldrake has to offer and as well to look at

what

mainstream science has to offer. After all western science has

dramatically

reduced the mother and infant mortality rates in childbirth. It has

done

a

lot of good in many fields, which you would have trouble guessing when

you

read the recent posts on Constellation Talk. In fact we couldn't be

having

this conversation across the globe with each other if not for the

internet

which has been made possible by mainstream science.

Just because there are cynical people who masquerade as scientists and

who

are apparently making decisions about TED talks does not mean all
scientists are like that. We also need to be wary of wholesale

demonisation

of psychiatric medication. I personally know of a number of cases where
psychiatric medication has literally saved people's lives,where nothing
else has worked - including constellations.

Nonetheless it is true that these medications are often over prescribed
and over pushed by the pharmaceutical companies who profit from them.

It

is

also true that if we, in the constellation field , spread

misinformation

about these medications in the opposite direction, then we are no

better

than the pharmaceutical companies. The only difference between us and

them

is that our greed feeds our own self righteous egos rather than our
wallets.

I would rather look towards reconciliation and a festival organised

humbly

with that attitude would be a wonderful idea. Perhaps we can then look
at the healing edge where science and spirit meet.

Cheers

Chris Walsh

Melbourne, Australia
ph +61 (0)3 9487 4647
www.cwalsh.com.au

On Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 8:46 AM, johnny <udderlybuttery@xxxxxxxxx>

wrote:

**

Hello everyone!
David's idea of involving the love tribe/burning man/festival

community

with Constellations is an ingenious one. Coming from one who

frequents

festivals I know that this is an immense community that would support

this

healing methodology. I am planning on attending Burning Man this year

and

would be happy to inquire about geting involved for the next.

I very much agree with Dan's disertation concerning the use of
Constellations as replacement of meds. This idea will undoubtably be

met

with much opposition. For the time being it would seem that rather

then

even thinking about the replacement of these perscriptions we might

present

their substitute to the largest subculture that it resonates with,
Burningman (the second biggest city in nevada for one week anually).

These

very dangerous pharmaceutical or better yet pharmosuicidal companies

will

do everything in there power to prevent our sucess. Its hard to begin

to

envision what we are up against. Rather then ever throwing around the
dangerous ideas what can be constued to as attacking them, disparing
profits etcetera we might take a less direct but equally effective

action.

Just a thought
Jonathan Berlingeri, student at suny rockland
--- In ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, david ward <theocean@...>

wrote:

Hi Alison .. glad you like my festival idea .. its a bit late to

contemplate the idea of transforming your fall conference,

ConstellateUS

2013 into ConstellateandCelebrationUS 2013 but the following event,

well,

anything is possible

I'm only aware of the festival stream because of my children's

friends

who are creators, contributors and followers of the festivals.

The core of a festival is to gather together to celebrate .. which

they

all do with abandon ... the sort of abandon we're familiar with when

we're

in our late teens to early thirties.

However the festival generally has a spiritual context that is

expressed

in its opening and closing ceremonies. Additionally various

'villages'

are

set up in the festival that offer a variety of activities and

workshops

that can include yoga, meditation Kundalini dance etc etc

Festivals are incredibly popular and well supported ... Burning Man

now

have a draw you need to go into, and if your lucky enough, you get

the

right to buy a ticket, they sell 50,000 tickets now ... there was a
festival in outback Australia, three hours drive from Cairns that was

held

in conjunction with 2012 total eclipse ... 15,000 came from overseas

..

mostly Europe and the US and another 15,000.

The essence to the success of the of the current 'festival

movement'

is

to gather together in celebration .... maybe its not to late to

include a

section in ConstellateUS 2013 where the specific activity is for the
participants to celebrate the significant benefits they have received

from

constellation work and the opportunities it offers us all... What a
Party!!!!!

I think I'll suggest it to my friends in Sydney as well
hope to see you in Seatlle
all the best
David
Pearls from the South Seas

On 11/04/2013, at 7:19 AM, Alison Fornes wrote:

Hello all,

David, I love this idea! A festival of the sort you describe,

perhaps

even one that is called a "conference" (yes, I'm thinking about the

US

constellations conference in the Fall)...but generally, it seems this

is a

time for the crumbling of old institutions, and the arrival of the

new

paradigm.

I like Michael's reference to witches, as the "new" paradigm will

brings us back to the feminine and the earth.

We have an initiative at the US conference to identify ways we

can

support this emergence. The first is very simple: help people find

and

connect with Constellators who are local to them. I imagine these

nodes and

the growing network will naturally build the new model you describe.

But,

if there are more thoughts on seeding and cultivating the changeover,

I'd

love to hear them!

Alison Fornes

On Apr 10, 2013, at 4:24 PM, david ward <theocean@...> wrote:

Hi Dan and other members

Buckminster fuller says 'you never change things by fighting

the

existing reality, to change something build a new model that makes

the

old

model obsolete'

Maybe the attempts to date to deliver constellation work in the

psychotherapeutic model is the dilemma, a bit like the inventors of

the

internal combustion engine attempting to fit their device to the

horse.

They needed a new vehicle for their engine and invented the

automobile.

I appears that constellation work may need a new vehicle ..

then

what Phizer and friends think or don't think will be irrelevant.

One of the possible options is to create a series of festivals

where

constellation work, in its various form is the theme ... the festival

may

includes music dance theatre meditation in a context of joy,

happiness,

community, intimacy belonging etc.

The festival ' The Heart of Life', might be a good name for it,

would be created with view of attracting thousands of people and

would

probably run for 4 to 7 days

Burning Man, Rainbow Serpent and the Boom festival in Portugal

are

but three of the myriad of events that happen globally each year

My partner Janne Martinengo and I have a similar dilemma with

another branch of our work, and, we are currently investigating the
festival style option in taking the work to a new level.

I think if we insist on containing constellation work to a

facilitator sitting in a circle with 20 or so people, constellation

work

will remain the worlds best kept secret.

with respect and love

David Ward

Healesville

Pearls from the South Seas

On 11/04/2013, at 3:57 AM, Dan Booth Cohen, PhD wrote:

Good conversation. Glad to kick it off.

Lawrence asked the question directly: Of what use is the

approval

of mainstream science for constellations work? Others point out

correctly

that the dreamy landscape of Constellations can easily co-exist with

the

concrete and steel provided by our science and technology. Why devote
energy to a conflict? Can we Constellators pursue our art and let the
scientists pursue their technologies?

A lot probably depends on geography and culture. I live in

Boston,

MA USA. There are 4.6 million people in the metro area. 10% of the
population takes psychiatric medications. 25% of college students

have

a

mental health diagnosis for which they are medicated.

Pfizer is a corporate sponsor of TED Talks and the

manufacturer

of

Ativan, Xanax, Zoloft and many other best-selling psychiatric

medications.

The psychiatric medication industry depends on consciousness = brain.
Depression, anxiety, etc. are now classified as brain diseases. The
medications fix what is wrong with the brain. That is their premise.

If it

is disproven, then many of the 460,000 people in the Boston area who

ingest

these chemicals may look more closely at non-medication treatments.

For me, the answer to Lawrence's question is we do not need

the

approval of mainstream science. However, what the Sheldrake-TED

controversy

shows is that we have their active and aggressive opposition. TED

took

down

the Sheldrake talk because Pfizer and other corporate sponsors

pressured

them to suppress content which is bad for their business. In this
atmosphere, it is difficult for Constellations to gain acceptance.

We can content ourselves to avoid conflict, accept what is,

and

work only with the trickle of people who find their way to us.

However,

every Constellation I do inspires me to make the experience more

widely

available. I yearn for the day when a person who is feeling crushed

under

the weight of dark emotions and dangerous impulses can be referred by

their

physician for a Constellation instead prescribed a toxic chemical

which

they will likely have to take for the rest of their lives.

Dan

Dan Booth Cohen, PhD

2013 US Systemic Constellations Conference, October 10-13,

Seattle,

WA <http://constellateus.com/conference2013/>

6th North American Systemic Constellations Intensive, July 31

-

August 4, 2013, Farmington, CT <

http://constellateus.com/intensive2013/>

<http://www.hiddensolution.com/> www.HiddenSolution.com

781-718-7158

From: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:

ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rosabelle White

Aguirre

de Rice

Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2013 4:37 PM
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ConstellationTalk] reTED Talks, Rupert Sheldrake

and

Constellations

I am humbled by what this work has done for our family at a

personal level. I honor what has come before that is at the service

of

healing.

I personally don't need to see the cogs in the machine, I am

very

happy that this machine works and am grateful to those who came

before

to

build it.

I appreciate the wealth of knowledge that is exchanged on this

list

serv.

Thank you Chris Walsh and thank you all my esteemed professors

on

this list.

In gratitude,

Rosabelle White Aguirre de Rice
Bilingual Consultant/Asesora Bilingüe
Xochikezalli@... <mailto:Xochikezalli%40gmx.com>

On Apr 9, 2013, at 1:43 PM, Zaquie Meredith <zaquie@...

<mailto:

zaquie%40zaquie.com> > wrote:

This is so ridiculous. We judging whom we should honor.All

theories are

complementary.
We don't need any scientific evidence to what we can see with

our

eyes,

hearts and souls in constellations.
My God, when we give "ears"to these political discussions on

what

is science

or notŠdon't we become just like them?
And Sheldrake is alive. Thank you for his huge contribution.

Lets

be humble

and honor this!

Zaquie C Meredith
S.Paulo, Brazil

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*

HEARTinCONTEXT
Co-Creating an Integrated
World from the Inside Out

Brigitte Kupfer
PO Box 615
Hurstbridge
VIC 3099
AUSTRALIA*
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*skype: brigitte.alma.marie*
*http://au.linkedin.com/in/brigittekupfer*
*Conversation Leader for a Caring Economy **http://www.partnershipway.org*

*"If you kill the butterflies in your stomach, you'll kill the dream.
Embrace the feeling. Save the butterflies."
- Jonathan Fields, author of Uncertainty*

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organising local events

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