Constellations of Belonging
reflections on our inheritance + an invitation to shift the legacy
Do you think about belonging? Perhaps you don’t think about it much, but you can feel it or feel a longing for it. If belonging matters to you, I invite you to keep reading. If you happen also to be a woman who would like some feminine nourishment and deeper encounters with belonging, read all the way to the bottom and see my invitation to a residential retreat, February 17-19—just three weeks away and only a few spaces left!
THE FIELD OF BELONGING
I have devoted a good deal of time and energy to the exploration of belonging. My theory of belonging is that countless generations have unwittingly inherited, contributed to, and bequeathed a collective unconscious that is imprinted by alienation from our wholeness, from our truest Belonging. Intuition tells me that horrific tendencies labeled as “human nature” might actually be deeply ingrained habits within a collective field of consciousness that biologist Rupert Sheldrake refers to as “morphogenetic.”
Sheldrake believes that this field is an organizing force that accounts for patterns of behavior in animal social groups. He considers brains to be like radio receivers that are tuned-in to information from the past that has been stored in a kind of aura of consciousness that is accessed by all members of the species. He believes that biological inheritance owes much to that morphogenetic field. In this way, so-called laws of nature are more like habits.
Humanity appears to be the same as other species in this regard. Epigenetic research indicates that we inherit the effects of experiences that happened to our ancestors—especially traumas. Strong experiences in one generation can actually alter the expression of genes in subsequent generations. Sheldrake’s morphogenetic field research inspires me to consider how humanity’s past experiences of belonging may be influencing our individual and collective experiences today.
CONSTELLATING OUR BELONGING
Soon after the Wheel of Wisdom appeared in my life I imagined exploring its Archetypes of Belonging through Systemic Constellations, a healing modality that uses our bodies as instruments of subtle intelligence. Systemic or Family Constellations make visible the hidden dynamics of any living system—such as a family, organization, city, or even a forest—by accessing the field of consciousness governing that system. I’ve repeatedly experienced how surfacing something hidden or including something that’s been rejected has healing effects.
In the practice of constellations, participants are selected to represent members or elements of a particular system in question. By physically placing those representatives inside a circle of collective intention, we create a “knowing field.” That knowing field somehow mirrors or echos dynamics that are energetically embedded in the system, and representatives can easily access impressions, thoughts, and feelings related to that system. How it works is a thing of grace and mystery. That it works is obvious to those who experience it.
Rupert Sheldrake observed that morphogenetic fields evolve. The inherited habits of any species can change. For those of us who want to create a better future for all, one important task might be to become aware of the inherited field of belonging that’s influencing us. Then we can go about the work of morphing that field, so that we bequeath a more wholesome legacy to the generations to come.
AN INVITATION TO SHIFT THE LEGACY
In mid-February I’ll host a residential weekend to explore and shift our collective sense of belonging. In this first experiment, I can welcome up to 14 women.
While we will be working in the realm of the entire human family, each of our individual families is a microcosm or holographic component of that greater whole, and will therefore be reflected within and influenced by our work.
Although we will be a small group of people, the power of our consciousness is mighty. History shows that all shifts in consciousness begin with small groups of people. A single stone dropped in a body of water can generate vast concentric ripples across the whole.
Below you’ll find the details of my weekend invitation. If some part of you feels pulled toward this offer, I hope you will take the leap and join us!
~ Helen
WOMEN’S RETREAT DETAILS
You’ll be staying in the Lodge at my current home, Cedar Springs, situated along Day Creek in the Skagit River Valley, about 90-minutes north of Seattle. I’ll be your host and facilitator of our formal gathering times, and we will each contribute our unique presence, gifts, and innate intelligence to the weekend experience.
Dates: Friday, February 17 - Sunday, February 19, 2023
(Monday 2/20/23 is President’s Day)
Intentions:
(1) Deepen our embodied understanding of Belonging; (2) make visible the energies and dynamics of belonging within our individual and collective psyches; (3) and imprint the collective field of consciousness with a greater sense of wholeness.
Logistics:
You only need a willingness to sense and share your own experience, in simple and safe ways. No prior experience with Family/Systemic Constellation required.
Up to 14 women
Two people can have a solo room, others will share a room
Organic, wholesome meals will be created by chef Janna Taylor
(Mother's Roots Specialty Catering)Arrive anytime between 1-4pm on Friday
Leave anytime between 3-6pm on Sunday
Financial Exchange:
Current market rates are close to double the prices listed below, yet I want to operate differently. This is an experiment in "affordability for many." Included in the following base-costs are:
Six exquisitely prepared meals
Two nights lodging with all linens (and our cleaning crew fee)
Access to nearly 50 acres of wild stillness and beauty
To make this an “affordable for many” weekend, my request is that those who can make an additional donation of any amount you choose. Doing so will support and encourage my labor of love and help make the offering more accessible to others! 🧚♂️
Solo room w/ attached private bath —$450
Solo room w/ remote shared bath —$400
Shared room w/ attached private bath. —$375
Shared room w/ hallway shared bath —$325
Flow of the Weekend:
We will adjust the following plan as needed or inspired!
FRIDAY
Arrive and settle in any time between 1 and 4pm
Share an evening meal
Gather to invoke the Mystery of Belonging via evening ceremony
SATURDAY
Self-serve breakfast and time to walk the Land, move/dance in the “Big Room'“ sanctuary, or follow other desires
Gather for a late-morning Constellation activity
Share a mid-day meal, then time to explore on your own
Gather for a late-afternoon Constellation activity
Share an evening meal
Space for solitude, impromptu conversations, movement, song, etc.
SUNDAY
Self-serve breakfast and time to walk the Land, move/dance in the “Big Room'“ sanctuary, or follow other desires
Gather for a late-morning Constellation activity
Share a mid-day meal
Gather for final sharing and ceremonial completion of our time together
Depart at your own pace between 3 and 6pm
