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Both sides of the body and a constellation
Both sides of the body are processing systems, each capable of ‘processing’ something in its own way. Here, ‘processing’ has the neutral meaning of subjecting something to a procedure and, in that way, giving it a place within one system or another. In this context, it refers to the human system.
Both sides of the body process external matters that enter as an experience. When we perceive something, it is already inside at that moment. To put it more precisely, they determine how something enters. They are processing systems that spring into action the moment an impression occurs, not at the moment you form an impression of something, or become aware of an impression. They do their work before that. By the time you become aware of something, they have already done their work. So, for example, when you look, these two sides of the body determine your looking. They help determine what you see and how you see it. They process incoming information immediately. This happens so instantly that you cannot reflect on it.
Previously, I attempted to conduct a constellation involving an external matter (the house where I live) and these two sides of the body. Neither side of the body responded. The reason for this, it was indicated, was that the left and right sides of the body deal only with matters that play out internally, not with external matters. When they are questioned in a constellation, this can only be about something that is present within them, that is present within the human system. (See the case study at the bottom of the webpage ‘Theme on your own, constellations’ under ‘On your own, constellations’.)
What does the right side do?
The right side takes one step forward and two steps back. That is to say, it ‘grabs’ information (the step forward) and, within its own system of experience that is already stored (step back), assigns it a place where it feels it fits (another step back). All your previous experiences are stored in the right side. These earlier experiences have undergone the same process of passing through the experiences that were already stored before them. And the same applies to those: they were stored only after first passing through the earlier experiences. The right side adds this new experience by fitting it into the earlier experiences, all of which have already been adapted to earlier experiences. You might already see where this is going: there isn’t much left that is new. By the time you become aware of your experience or impression, the experience has already been packaged and adapted to your format. The point is to understand that this is then your experience. You experience something as the right side has packaged it for you. Then that is ‘real reality’ for you.
What does the left side do?
The left picks out a suitable feeling to go with it, looking into the box of previous feelings it already carries within itself. So the left is a collection of feelings, in the sense that all the feelings it has stored have already been put through the mill of: which previous feeling does this new experience one match? So, in fact, certain strong feelings are continually reinforced by adding new experiences to a feeling that is already there. You then experience this as fitting the situation perfectly. You experience your feeling as ‘correct’ and as coming directly at you from ‘real reality’.
Considerations regarding the left and the right sides of the body
“There is trauma in every experience.” Someone told me he’d heard that from someone else once. Well, I thought, I’d like to give that some thought; that seems rather strongly worded to me. But now that I’ve recently seen the right and left sides of the body at work, I have to say that this is probably true, with a few exceptions of people who are free from trauma.
It also makes it clear how quickly and easily one can find oneself in a situation where the not particularly beneficial counter-clockwise energies gain the upper hand (see the explanation of this on the previous webpage, titled ‘Counter-clockwise and clockwise’).
On the other hand: if you have positive experiences, these also become increasingly stronger. So once you have a good foundation, it is much easier to stay out of and/or get out of a negative spiral than if you have no positive foundation. That is a fact we are all familiar with, but which becomes even more understandable through the workings of left and right.
Perhaps we could also say: there is happiness in every experience. For why should we give trauma more attention than happiness?
I need not go into detail here about how important it is to examine yourself in terms of how you generally react to people and situations. This also highlights just how difficult it can be to change yourself. Perhaps it helps to realise that in our time we are being aided by new energies that open and transform. See, for example, the webpage ‘The current era of great transformation’ under ‘Velhorst Crystalline Nature Walk’.
It goes without saying: what is described here are aspects that are at work. It is not a complete story, far from it. But it helps to bring certain aspects of ourselves back into focus.
A constellation involving both sides of the body
To give you an impression of a constellation involving both sides of the body, I will recount a personal experience here. It may be a bit dry to read, but it will help you visualise the process. You will also see that information does not necessarily need to be conveyed in a constellation. In a constellation, it is about making contact, connecting; then things start to move of their own accord. You do not know what the practical outcome will be later on. It will continue to work its way through. It can also easily be repeated after a month or so. Give it at least a few weeks to work through. There is no set rule for this, but there is really no need to do a constellation on a particular theme every other day.
If you do a constellation using physical positions such as the left and right sides of the body, you will probably realise that no insights emerge. These are merely positions that have an effect; left and right are not channels of information. No information comes through them.
Once again: in a constellation, the positions of the left and right sides of the body only work with issues that are internal, not with anything external.
Preparation for my constellation
As a theme, I choose my food addiction (something internal). I make a piece of paper with the text ‘left’ and an arrow, a piece of paper with the text ‘right’ and an arrow, a piece of paper with the text ‘food addiction’ and a piece of paper with the text ‘neutral I’. The last one is to stand on to prepare myself and clear my mind when I change position in the constellation. I will only stand on the left and right. I am only including food addiction as a theme; I will not tune into it. The arrows indicate the direction of gaze when I stand on them.
To ensure I really have no idea which piece of paper is which, I turn the three pieces over and shuffle them thoroughly once more. Then I place them randomly on the floor.
Right is slightly further away from the theme and has the arrow pointing towards the theme, though not quite exactly, just a little to the right of it. Left is even further away from the theme and has the arrow pointing away from the theme, so in the opposite direction.
I feel the need to place a stone not only on left and right, but also on the theme. I do so. A notepad and pen lie on the table. In a constellation, I take notes all the time as soon as I become aware of something. Then I briefly step away from the paper that I am tuning into, make a note and return. I am not noting that down here. What you read below are the notes I made during the constellation.
I place the ‘neutral I’ paper next to the constellation. I stand on it and empty my mind.
My constellation with left and right
Neutral I
The right side draws me in to start with. I stand on it and see what happens.
Right
I’m wobbling. I feel unable to cope with this, as if I’m being overruled. Inside, I suddenly freeze completely, unable to move. I can’t go anywhere. And I just keep wobbling, feeling very unsteady.
Neutral I
A quick shift to neutral I.
Left
Is being pushed away a little. Feels a push in the back, forward. The push isn’t very strong, but that’s why left isn’t standing very firmly.
Left isn’t really focused on it. Looks ahead and sees the things in the living room. Left has no connection with the theme.
Now left feels: the push means: have a look. The push isn’t there to push left away but to ask for attention. The theme makes itself known to left: have a look. And it does so by giving left a nudge. Left gets the message: join in.
I turn the paper left round and am now facing the theme.
Left stands directly opposite the theme. Right points with its arrow just beside the theme, slightly to the right of it.
Left is now in a position it is not used to. Previously, it was not looking at the theme, was not connected to it. I try to ascertain what will happen to left now that it has been connected.
Left is now very calmly growing in awareness in this position, is coming into its own.
Left stands diagonally behind right, on the left-hand side. So, in that sense, left and right are in the correct position, just not side by side but with left slightly behind right.
Neutral I
I release left, stand for a moment on ‘neutral I’ to clear my mind again, and then want to see what the shift in position and shift in consciousness of left has done to right.
Right
Right has the theme left in front of it; right stands to the right of the theme and to the right of the left.
Right stands more firmly, not really firmly, more like no longer wobbly, but still a bit loose, not anchored to the ground.
I feel warm, feel energy flowing.
After that, I’m not standing upright but leaning forward slightly.
Right is tired and feels quite calm but is still preoccupied with it. Not free.
Then I think that’s it for right. When I check this briefly, I feel that right still wants to make something known.
Right has a question or says: I want to get into feeling.
Neutral I
Okay, so I’ll go back to neutral I first and then to left, because when it comes to feeling, left needs to do something, if left wants to as well.
Left
When I stand on left, I first tell left: “Right has a question for you. Right wants to get in touch with feeling.” Then I start to tune into left.
I had also placed a stone on the theme; I pick that up now.
I hold both stones in both hands. Then I separate them without looking. It turns out I’m holding the theme stone in my right hand and the left stone in my left hand. I remain standing like this.
I feel energy flowing under my right foot. Then I feel energy flowing under both feet.
While taking notes, the paper ‘left’ was accidentally rotated 90 degrees clockwise. As a result, left is now surrounded by the theme: on the right because the right hand is holding the stone with the theme, and on the left because the paper with the theme is lying there.
I take a deep breath and feel myself standing firmly, calmly and clearly.
I want to see what right is doing now.
Neutral I
I put both stones back and stand in neutral I. Here I open my hands and stand very calmly.
Right
I feel that I don’t need to tune into any further. It’s finished for now.