Systemic Ritual is a different form of constellation work, enriched with elements of shamanic ritual. Systemic Ritual was developed by Daan van Kampenhout. He specialized in shamanism early in his life. In the 90s he came to know the work of Bert Hellinger – the Family Constellations. He was impressed by the depth and healing effect of family constellations.
The similarities and differences between shamanic rituals and family constellations fascinated him. During many years he has explored many combinations of aspects of constellations and elements of shamanic ritual, and out of these two he gradually developed a new method, now called Systemic Ritual®. Some similarities are:
A course in Systemic Ritual (online and live):
- Time plays no role either in a shamanistic ritual or in a constellation. A constellation and ritual take place in space, in the here and now.
- The healing effect applies to the whole system and not to one individual.
- The healing effect is not so much based on the individual’s capability, but forces from outside are used – for example, an ancestor.
- The deaths and the living have a role in family constellations as well as in shamanistic rituals. Both exist in the here and now. The deceased are only in a different ‘dimension’ or ‘world’.
- We work with ‘healing sentences’, sentences with an archaic power – that speak to the unconscious and bring about a healing effect.
- Both methods make use of representatives and healing sentences and actions.
The influence of shamanism can be seen in the sound of the drum, the ongoing prayers and the use of ground plans and fixed structures that guide the movement of the ritual.
Differences with family constellations
- For working with Systemic Ritual, the exact details of a family system are not required.
- In Systemic Ritual, compared with family constellations, the emphasis is more on the elements that give strength to a person.
- In Systemic Ritual it can happen that people are asked to represent ‘healers’ or to represent power animals with certain qualities or distant ancestors (ancestors from the fifth, sixth or even 20th generation).
- In Systemic Ritual we also work with the qualities of the four directions – a concept from shamanism (medicine wheel).
- Furthermore Systemic Ritual encompasses different concepts. For instance the concept of the human being having many souls. In Systemic Ritual various souls and layers of the soul can be represented.
Connecting to resources
In Systemic Ritual, a connection is made with ‘resources’ – who or what can give support/strength to the client to enable a healing movement. In Systemic Ritual, people may be asked to represent ‘healers’ or power animals with certain characteristics or distant strength-giving ancestors. In Systemic Ritual, we also work with the qualities of the four directions or the multiple souls or bodies – concepts from several Shamanistic viewpoints.
The Wheel of the four directions forms one of the basic ground plans in which a systemic ritual takes place. The Wheel of the four directions works with the qualities of the four cardinal directions, which means no more than the conscious application of the universal cycle of ‘coming’ / ‘being’ / ‘going’ / ‘rest’ and all associated qualities. The Wheel brings order, depth, insight and balance on the mental, emotional and soul levels.
http://daanvankampenhout.com/systemic-ritual-geschiedenis-en-toekomst/
Systemic Ritual and Systemic Constellations 
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