What Is A Constellation?
Constellation is used to describe both a method and a configuration. Using a constellation method, persons or objects are used to represent actual people, qualities or things primarily for the purpose of gaining an understanding of a vexing situation then to resolve points of contention. Typically the representatives are placed in relation to each other by a Constellation Facilitator to both visually and otherwise demonstrate actual connections and potential for interaction. The arrangement itself is also referred to as a constellation.
In systemic constellation work the facilitator is working in consideration of a whole system or set/s of systems to work the constellation through a natural course as things are or with an agenda proposed by the client.
Within a Family Constellation a specific system is the primary focus — a family. 'Orders' or rules — developed culturally and carried forward by family of origin through to the present family — are acknowledged and representatives are re–sequenced accordingly to regain appropriate membership and restore family system balance.
Dynamic Constellation work is a method developed to include wholes or entireties — where development and nearer to origin is also included — attempting to not exclude any factors … even if not entirely known, or known about at all.
So constellation work is about building a working, demonstrative model of what is going on in a relationship — like a schematic inclusive of dynamic factors — to enable consideration of the whole, then within that significant context focus on specifics that are relevant and eliminate what is irrelevant. Resolutions commence by holding focus on each point of contention — whether eminent or previously hidden — then by allowing open awareness of all the factors for a more factual understanding of the contention details. Working the details until conflict and tension is eliminated or reduced begins to give way to the arise of alternative solutions. These alternatives can be reviewed and assessed until the best fit is discovered. Even though the constellation work ends when new results prevail, clients not only claim immediate results while in constellation but report that improvements and noteworthy benefits continue to arise for days, weeks and even months after a constellation.
What A Constellation Can Do For You
Client wanted a relationship but was not able to meet anyone. Hadn't been in a relationship for 8 years. Worked through six issues regarding mother/parents values, beliefs, ideals and two issues regarding men and relationships.
Clarifying generated new potential interests and brought several closer. Less than a week later met someone through local gym who had several key interests in common.
In constellation work a constellation facilitator can help clarify to a client details of complex issues, situations, events and exchanges. This helps bring to the attention of the client prominent connections that may have gone unrecognized or eluded the client entirely during an actual live interaction — connections that effect the client's life and well–being. A constellation facilitator will enable the underlying dynamics of a situation to become more visible by both asking the representatives for feedback regarding their experiences while in the constellation, and by providing feedback on witnessed dynamic exchanges between the representatives. A constellation facilitator can also work the constellation to relieve tension in relationships, resolve conflicts and draw out alternative opportunities unrecognized by a client.
Constellation work can be used to attain mutually beneficial resolutions by resolving conflict between people without single party compromises that can subsequently lead to internal conflict for each individual. Constellation work can be used to work through issues stemming from present family, family of origin, work groups, teams, groups, organizations and governing bodies. Constellation work can be used to work through internal conflict within an individual by constellating conflicting personal elements whether a philosophy, an ideal, opinions from others, prior choices vs present choices, as well as phenomena privately understood yet impossible to convey.
"I could see the whole story before me." — Writer/director Huw Morgan
Conflict is not necessary to begin to engage in and see benefits from constellation work. Constellation work can be used as a tool to ensure consideration of all elements of a large project or to analyze if an additional project will meld well with existing projects. A constellation can be used as an option analysis tool to see which options would make the best contributions without deflating existing progress. Constellations are revealing … of the missing, the unsolved and the unresolved. Constellations can be diagnostic, creative, predictive … there is probably no limit since constellation work will be inclusive of absolutes we can never escape.
Client [C] considering purchasing new house. Searched, wasn't finding the right type of house; hadn't put own on market yet. C would see potential property but by the time C contacted realtor, property would already be under contract. (Constellation on indecisions.) Put house on the market. House sold within days. Still unable to find new house.
Since house had sold, C was also starting to get even more anxious. (Constellation on indecisions, type of house, interferences. Separate constellation on finding the right new house. In constellation, moved rep of a block to one particular new house.) A few days later C re–visited a property of interest which was under contract with inspection contingency.
Buyer was attempting to get credits for every item and seller was even more stressed over the additional time delay. C met seller while viewing. C had realtor put in an offer. Seller accepted C's offer … all in the same day.
Due to the delay, seller also took $120k less than the original listing price.
Group or Individual Focus
Traditionally constellation work is a group process with a facilitator and a group of people. People of the group will become representatives for the elements of the constellation — representing family members if you constellate a family, work group members if you constellate a work group, team members if you constellate a team and so on. Representatives are chosen for each member instead of any actual persons standing in for themselves in order to avoid any conscious withholding or leading during constructing and working the constellation. This method enables unknown factors to rise and be acknowledged. A constellation can be built and worked or a constellation can be put together and unfold. A facilitator can work with all representatives focusing on what dominates the group as the issues unfold or build the constellation by working through what's revealed by each group member. A constellation can also be facilitated by choosing a primary representative — the representative who is the focal point of the constellation — then working out what's revealed from this focal point. In this case, although only one person is central to a single constellation, the benefits of the work still flow through the entire group and can continue through each individuals own intimate connections or their 'chain of relationship'. A group setting constellation can either be for the people of the group or people of the group can be surrogates and represent people who are absent from the group.
A constellation can also be constructed of objects for a single individual in a private setting. Facilitating an individual constellation using objects as representatives unfolds much in the same way as in a group setting, yet it can offer greater flexibility toward finding alternatives, therefore, resolution options. In an individual constellation, instead of the client choosing a person from a group to be their representative, an object is used. This object becomes the primary representative in the constellation. The client briefly describes facts about a situation that is problematic or an area in their life where they are not attaining their preferred outcome. Clearly articulating the full situation is not necessary — one can even vaguely allude to some disturbance or disruption to keeping their life flowing smoothly. Once the client describes their situation, additional objects are chosen to represent any person, location, concept or thing included in their description and all the representatives are arranged according to the client's perception of the relationship between each of these elements.
Although not from a constellation session, this partial of a rendering of all the IP addresses in 2005 can give you a visual idea of potential connectedness. Click on the image for a full size view. (From a project turned product, at Lumeta).
Eventually there may be much written about the differences between using people vs objects as there are definitely noticeable differences but for now I'll just point out that in order to really begin to get an idea of what transpires in a constellation there is nothing like being a primary representative, a representative and an observer in a group constellation. All three of those positions or elements of a constellation provide a different experience of the whole of constellation work. Beyond getting this kind of personal impression for the potential of the work, there is nothing like a private individual constellation for working out the specific circumstances of your own unique, individual situation.
A private individual constellation can ensure the focus stays on the primary person while not forgoing unavoidable issues brought forth by others. Privacy can be maintained while sorting out group entanglements to prevent loss of integrity.
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