Family Constellations has been developed by Bert Hellinger and others for over 20 years now. It has gone through several stages of development so far and it is still evolving. It is is a general, human and philosophical movement which is constantly in motion.
The spiritual family constellations process is a problem-solving tool for practical exploration of different aspects of human life, and in the same time it is an exercise on the spiritual Path of Inisght. When it is properly applied, participants feel satisfaction in their hearts and may observe positive changes in their environment in due course of time. The constellation starts with looking at the family issues through the assistance of people who are neutral to problems of a particular family. This assistance is given through the bodily movements of those who are asked to be representatives for other persons. What is important about this tool is that it is fully open for all possible solutions and in this regard it could be compared to the brainstorming technique. However, during constellations we follow the impulses that appear in the physical body, and during brainstorming we follow the thoughts that appear in the mind. Therefore these two tools could be complementary.
Family constellations are carried out when a group of people meets to assist one another in analyzing and solving different problems. When an issue of one person is stated in as few words as possible, the facilitator requests the assistance of others and asks them to stand up and represent those who are connected to the problem. Then, the representatives are waiting for impulses in muscles in order to move their bodies in a slow motion. The movements form a constellation which shows a much wider perspective and reveals important, and often hidden, aspects of the problem.
The results may be shortly summarized and analyzed, if needed, or they may be clear enough not to discuss them. After the constellation, there is no need to look for a particular solution. It will manifest itself in physical reality in due course of time after the workshop, however in some circumstances it may not become clearly visible at all. Therefore family constellations should not be regarded as a mechanistic way of achieving desired results.
