The Milema Dilemma

Newsletter - April 2010

(This is an old newsletter which I am posting so that I can remove it from my website.)

I have long been tempted to share the information contained in the numerology of Julius Malema’s birth date. Up until now I have chosen not to do so as I really did not want to connect with this man’s energy. Malema is, however, very much “in our faces” at the moment, so I would like to resolve my personal dilemma and share a couple of ideas about his chart that may be helpful in our understanding of him.

Julius Malema was born on 3 March 1981.

This means that his personality vibration is a “3” which is associated with the element of fire, and makes him potentially able to charm anyone with his warm charisma. This number can also exude an enormous amount of passion and enthusiasm, and is able to “stir people” into action. Winston Churchill is a good example of a “3” personality who was able to use rhetoric in a positive manner, and who can forget, “We’ll fight them on the beaches…..”

It was no surprise to see Malema visit Robert Mugabe and identify so strongly with him, as Mugabe is also a “3” personality. Like Churchill, he too displayed great drive and zeal in order to win the hearts and minds of his countrymen - and gain power. And there is little that a male “3” personality likes more than “a good fight”, as it has a strongly militaristic leaning. Churchill and Mugabe both had legitimate enemies to fight – Julius does not – so he has to provoke as many people as he possibly can, in order to create some enemies. This is very important for us to understand, because if we don’t “fight back” he doesn't have an enemy, and he looses his power. This is why Robert Mugabe still has to rant and rave about the Imperialistic British Empire. No enemy… means no war…means a very unhappy “3”.

Very few people can match the level of resolve that a “3” personality exhibits, and if you want something to be proficiently executed, then call on one of them. This is all good and well if the “3” in question is operating from the positive side of their chart, if not, they tend to dig their heels in and have a tenacious “My way or the highway!” attitude that is anything but flexible. I often refer to this dogmatic type of “3” as the Sergeant Major archetype – you argue with them at your peril!

For you guys who have been to the army, you will remember the unspoken power that the Regimental Sergeant Major often had - even though his rank was that of a Non-Commissioned Officer, many Officers would be quite fearful of him. It is the same with Julius – he holds a lowly rank in politics, and yet more senior politicians and statesmen have seemed hesitant or fearful of confronting him.

The inherent creativity in the “3” energy gives them the potential to motivate and inspire others through words, performance skills or sheer dedication, and Malema has certainly done that. At one stage he was often the first item on the evening news – whether getting involved in the University of the Free State controversy or the Standerton service delivery riots – and a visitor to this country could well have assumed that Julius was the country’s actual President by the amount of exposure the media was giving him. It took Zuma’s spin doctors a while, but they eventually caught up and started creating “sound bite” opportunities for the real President.

When we add Julius’s month of birth, we get another “3” in his chart, which gives him a “double tot” of this energy. This intensifies all the attributes already mentioned – whether on the positive side, or the negative side of the personality. You might be interested to know that the Russian dictator Josef Stalin, who was responsible for the death of millions of his countrymen, was also a “double 3”. This makes Malema quite different from Mugabe at one level, as the Zimbabwean President has a “2” in this second position. Whatever your feelings about Robert Mugabe, I can assure you that he has a vulnerable and caring side to him, to which I am sure many of his family and friends can attest. Not so Julius!

Malema has a “1” vibration in his social or career position which, at its best is a benevolent and enthusiastic leader who will stand by those for whom they are responsible. On the other side of that coin, it can have dictatorial tendencies, and suffers from an inability to listen to the opinions, let alone the criticism of others. Malema is clearly on the negative side of this energy. We can see this by virtue of the way he was publicly rude about or to Mongosuthu Buthelezi; Sam Shilowa; Mvume Dandala; Patricia de Lillle; Helen Zille and one unfortunate British journalist, amongst many others, yet gets his knickers in a knot because President Zuma criticizes him publicly for conduct that is grossly out of line.

A person with a “1” in this position feels that they have to be the “boss”, so rest assured, Mr. Malema has his eye on the Top Job.

A person with a “7” Life Path number - like Julius - will be very individualistic, with high ideals, firm goals, and a deep desire for personal success along the way. So make no mistake – Julius Malema is serious about what he wants to achieve! I personally can understand why he is threatening nationalization of the mines, because much of this country’s wealth has been stolen by Cecil John Rhodes and the many greedy white men that have followed in his footsteps. In Family and Constellations and Systems Theory we call this pattern “ill-gotten gains.”

Ill-gotten gains is a pattern that occurs in a family; group; country or any other system where one person or group have “gained” at the expense of another or others. In a family we see this when an inheritance that is due to a child is “stolen” by a sibling or another family member. It creates an imbalance in that system for which a later family member will invariably have to pay the price.

In the South African system, a relatively small number of mainly British, white, males became extremely wealthy at the expense many thousands of mainly black South African males. This has left us with an imbalance in the Soul of our country that has to be brought into balance – that is what we know from Systemic Theory, and whether we deny it or not; like it or not; it will seek to redress that imbalance. Whether through Malema or someone else!

Many commentators have noted that Malema was only 13 when South Africa became a democracy, and that he has therefore been a “free man” for the greater part of his life. Why then should he still be so angry with “the Boers”? Here again, the Systems Theory we use in Family Constellations can be very helpful.

In all likelihood, Julius Malema is carrying the anger from his father or grandfather - or even some other family member - from a previous generation. This is one of the most common patterns we see in our work: someone from a later generation will “carry” – out of a subconscious love and loyalty to the family system – the unexpressed anger, trauma or pain from an earlier ancestor. So Julius himself probably doesn’t even realize why he is so angry. I could offer him a free constellation but I suspect that, being a white male, I am firmly in the “enemy” camp.

And it is my opinion that Julius Malema is only one of many thousands, maybe even millions of young South African men who still carry trauma on behalf of their family systems – he is their voice, because he is fearless.

If we put all of the birth numbers contained in this particular birth chart together “3”; “3”; “1” and “7” we get a cluster of energies that has the potential to be the most incredible leader, or the most frightening of dictators.

Which way do you think Julius Malema will go?

I leave you with this famous quote to ponder.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." Lord Acton - 1887

Crude Oil....Crude People

Many of the millions of people around the world currently being enthralled by football’s World Cup are probably barely aware of the catastrophic man-made disaster that is unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, due to the explosion on BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig on 20th April. A clampdown on open reporting of the situation, and the belief that it is happening far away from us, cannot compete with debates on the performances of Ronaldo and Messi; questionable refereeing decisions and the arrest of Paris Hilton.

Some of the Oxford Dictionary’s definitions of “crude” are - “rude; blunt and indecent”, and these adjectives could well describe some of the crude men who’s insatiable thirsts for wealth pay scant regard for the planet and her many species – including us. Scientists estimate the release of oil from under the Earth's crust at up to 100,000 barrels a day - that is nearly 16 million liters pouring into our seas – every day since 20 April! This is a disaster which is likely to have profound and far-reaching negative affects for decades to come.

As many of you know, I keep abreast of what is reported in the alternative press as most of the mainstream media does little more that spew out the official lines of the controlling power brokers in politics, banking, the military, big pharmaceuticals and big industry. But I have learnt that most people get defensive when you discuss things that are considered Con. Ts. (I won’t use the term because there is nothing “theoretical” about many of them, and spam filters love seeking out the term – but I’m sure you can figure it out!) For those seeking to look into it there is plenty of information available, here is one article you might like to read:

http://www.realitysandwich.com/gulf_oil_spill_unfolding_prophecy

I would like to share a different perspective with you.

The other day Ronnie watched a video on what was happening in the Gulf and was tremendously upset, angry and tearful in the days following. This highlighted for me the sense of helplessness we may experience when a crisis of this magnitude takes place. It seems so big and we feel so small! This had me pondering what we, as individuals, can do when confronted with such a situation, so as not to feel completely helpless.

I emphasized repeatedly on my Mayan Calendar talks that the first thing we must try and avoid is slipping into fear. I believe there are going to be many more frightening events happening, before we move through the Mayan Calendar end date and into a new paradigm, so many of us are bound to become fearful at some stage. Fear can arrive by itself in frightening scenarios, despite our best efforts to not be afraid. So what is the alternative?

In the therapies I use, the most powerful techniques are those which invite us to explore the feelings behind the emotions that present on the surface of our lives. Through gentle inquiry we are able to “drop down” to deeper levels of our experiencing and find a more real, more lasting truth: We are absolute consciousness and we never die! The realization – the “knowing” - of that truth, dissolves the fears created by the shenanigans of our three dimensional world.

So too we can investigate the emotions that arise in response to our feelings about what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico. Does the situation make me feel angry? Do I want to do harm to those who are responsible? Do I feel helpless or sad? Put to inquiry we can ask: Where is the anger; need for revenge; helplessness or sadness within me? To what degree am I partly responsible for what is happening in my world?

You may object to this last question, but put it to inquiry and you might find some interesting answers! Yes, you and I are not as culpable as those who are directly responsible for the Gulf disaster, but to what degree do we all share responsibility? We are co-creators of everything “out there” and recognition of our role – however small – can be immensely liberating and healing. I am absolutely sure of this from what we witness in Family Constellations.

A good example of shared responsibility comes from my work with couples when there has been infidelity in the relationship. Let’s say, for example, that I am working with a married woman who has had an affair with an ex-boyfriend, and her husband has discovered her indiscretion. The victim of the infidelity may take a self-righteous stance and present with anger, the need for revenge or a strong sense of self-pity – or all three! It can be quite tempting to hold the woman 100% responsible for what has transpired, and to sympathize with her husband. But work in the “Field” very often reveals a different picture. Maybe the husband has been too involved in his work, and hasn’t shown his wife the appropriate attention and affection. Maybe he also had an affair some years ago and has never acknowledged his part. My experience has been that - however large or small – there is always shared responsibility in this type of scenario. When each party acknowledges - and most importantly - takes responsibility for their part in what has happened, healing can begin.

We can apply this insight onto a larger canvas and inquire as to our individual responsibilities for what is happening on our earth. Do I suffer from “Ostrich Syndrome” when it comes to what is actually happening on my planet? Is there some way in which I can make a difference, no matter how small?

We do not have to be a Gandhi or a Mandela to make a difference – any of us can.

For inspiration, I invite you to take a look at what Annie Leonard has done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM

Another thing we can do to make a difference is to add our names to petitions that circulate on the internet. Some of these are merely devices for validating our email addresses and getting our details for companies that are compiling email lists to sell, so I very seldom complete them. The one group that I have subscribed to, and whose petitions regularly have an impact on major issues is Avaaz. If you have not yet signed up with them, you may like to take a look at http://www.avaaz.org/

We can also take a look at our own lives and see if we can start making more conscious choices about what we purchase. Y es, I know it is not easy with everything coming wrapped in plastic, but let’s try. For example: Should I really still be purchasing water in plastic bottles when there is such overwhelming evidence of the negative impact they are having on the environment? Well done to the little town in Australia that banned the selling of plastic water bottles – you are making a difference!

Love & Gratitude - courtesy Masaru Emoto

As those of you who have experienced a workshop with us know, for years we have filtered and programmed our water with “Love and Gratitude” as suggested by the research of Japanese scientist Dr. Masaru Emoto. His research reveals that the physical structure of water responds to emotions, and we can therefore affect water – even large bodies of it – by sincerely, powerfully and humbly praying for it. We need to remind ourselves that Love is the greatest power in the universe, and to make it our “weapon of mass construction”. Here is Dr Emoto’s prayer for the Gulf of Mexico, which you may like to use:

"I send the energy of love and gratitude to the waters and all living creatures in the Gulf of Mexico and its surroundings. To the whales, dolphins, pelicans, fish, shellfish, planktons, corals, and algae ... to ALL living creatures ... I am sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I Love You."

These suggestions may seem small, given the scale of the current assault on our environment, but the accumulative affect can be huge. It is the raising our own individual vibration and consciousness through these endeavors that is important. The whole world doesn’t have to change; we just need a critical mass to create a shift in consciousness, which will make this all look like a bad dream!



I think it can also be helpful to view things from a “meta” view, as I learnt from the dolphins earlier this year. One of the processes we engaged in during our workshop in Mozambique in February was what is called a Nature Constellation. In these constellations we decide on a theme and then members of the group are invited to enter into the “Field” and represent a certain aspect of the natural world - when they intuitively feel the impulse. We had watched the Oscar-winning movie “The Cove” the previous evening, and so decided to set up a constellation for the dolphins. Very quickly participants felt called to represent different groups like the whales; the dolphins; the dolphin killers; the dolphin lovers; the “asleep” on our planet; the more “awake” humans on earth; the trees; the seas; the fish; and even the snails! Very little intervention is needed in these constellations and they move forward with a life of their own. The whales and dolphins were clearly in distress right from the beginning, and the dolphin lovers were deeply concerned. One of the aspects that I immediately found fascinating was how the “dolphin killers” showed no sense of remorse for what they were doing. It is how they make a living in order to support themselves and their families, and they appeared to see no harm in their actions at all.

There were many other interesting insights in the hour-long process, but the one that is relevant to this discussion and which really gave me a whole new insight, was the response of the dolphins. Rather than being angry with us human they expressed something at the end of the constellation that really touched me, and which I leave with you in closing. The representative for the dolphin species said something to the affect of:

“We are prepared to sacrifice ourselves in the hope that our suffering will open up your hearts. And through the doorway of the pain you experience when you see what is being done to us, you may become conscious of what you are doing to the rest of the planet, and to the others of your species.”

Newsletter 23 June 2010

Holocaust History

Why would you want to go there?

This was the question a number of friends asked when I mentioned to them that I had visited the Dachau Concentration camp while in Germany last month. It is a good question.

In Family Constellations work we discover that the traumas inflicted on millions of people during the horrors of World War 2 are still very much “alive” within the generations that have followed. This is particularly prevalent when working with the descendents of Jewish Holocaust victims and the offspring of their Nazi perpetrators. I therefore felt that it was vital for me, in the interest of better serving my clients, to gain greater insight into the human tragedy that took place in establishments like Dachau Concentration Camp. I was particularly blessed by being able to share the experience with my friend and fellow Family Constellations facilitator Janet Goldblatt, who is Jewish and whose ancestors were amongst the many victims of the Third Reich.

Getting to the camp, which is situated on the outskirts of Munich, is very easy by underground and a regular bus shuttle from the station to entrance of what is now a major tourist attraction. Very few visitors bother to amble through the adjacent picturesque medieval town of Dachau – apparently a sore point with many of the inhabitants – choosing instead to head straight for the entrance to the camp and its notoriously famous iron gate.

The first thing that struck me about Dachau was how beautiful the area is, and it was hard to reconcile the attrocities that started happening here nearly eight decades ago with the very peaceful and verdant green environment. It was quite surreal actually!

Dachau Concentration Camp was established in a unused former First World War munitions factory and was officially opened on 22nd March 1933. On 10th April the SS took over the guarding of prisoners from the Bavarian police and within two days the first prisoners were shot, allegedly while trying to escape. They were the first of over 30 000 inmates who would meet there demise while being interned at there. Many people believe that Dachau was the first concentration camp to be established in Germany, but this is not entirely acccurate. There were other camps which were provisional arrangements with spontaneous acts of terror being committed, but Dachau was the first permanent concentration camp facility of the Bavarian State. The camp's layout, organization, regulations and punishments were all developed by the Kommandant, Theodor Eicke, and became the prototype and model for all later camps - for which Eicke also became the chief inspector.

From 1933 to 1938 the prisoners of Dachau were predominately German nationals – including members of the clergy – who were detained for political reasons. Then from 1938 onwards a significant number of German Jews were interned. Many new prisoners, particularly Jews and public figures, were welcomed with 25 or more lashes from a bullwhip in order to start breaking down their personalities – some didn’t survive this initial ordeal.

One of the most touching exhibits for me was the line of glass cabinets containing the photographs of loved ones and other personal items which were taken from prisoners upon arrival. It was moving to ponder how these treasured items, which had once been lovingly carried in a jacket pocket or in a handbag, were destined never to be returned to their owners.

Dachau was liberated by members of the 42nd and 45th Infantry Divisions of the U.S. Army on 29th April 1945. Our visit to the camp coincided with the 65th Anniversary Memorial Service, so the camp temporarily housed a massive marquee filled with dignitaries who had come for the wreath-laying service. It was auspicious timing, but didn’t detract from us being able visit all areas of the camp, which is very well geared for receiving visitors. At the reception to the memorial sight – it is not considered appropriate to call it a tourist attraction – the visitor can hire an audio guide (a handheld digital player) for about R40.

Richard using the audio guide next

to one of the reconstructed barracks.

This, together with a map of the site and its audio stations, allows one to explore the area without the assistance of a guide and to listen – in a choice of eleven languages – to information, eye-witness accounts and interviews with survivors. I found this to be an excellent, introspective way in which to experience the history of the location.

The former maintenance building at Dachau is now a museum which houses a comprehensive exhibition documenting the camps history. This impressive series of displays is quite overwhelming and, in my view, impossible to absorb in a single visit. Fortunately visitors are able to purchase – for about R120 – a book and CD which contains all the texts and photographs from the entire exhibit, which is based on the latest research and was first opened in May 2003.

The 34 rows of barracks which occupied the camp were torn down after 1945. The first two rows were reconstructed as part of the memorial site, while only the foundations from the remaining barracks are still evident. At the end of the long tree-lined avenue that runs between the barracks are a number of churches and memorial buildings which have been erected since the 1960s.

Richard at the bridge leading to the crematorium area

Tucked away on the edge of the memorial site is the crematorium area. As we crossed the bridge which spans the moat that separates this area from the rest of the camp, I noticed that Janet was becoming increasingly uneasy.

The final area we visited on our tour of Dachau was the crematoria and gas chamber. Janet felt unable to go inside, so I ventured alone into the stark areas where so many would have spent their last living moments. Standing and looking at the four ovens designed to burn the bodies of murdered prisoners, I tried to visualize those who might have worked here - with the searing heat and pungent smell of burning human flesh - and wondered how they were able to live with their actions afterwards. I asked myself: What are the systemic implications for their children and grandchildren? And how is it that ordinary people, who in another time and place might have been your local grocer or chemist, get swept up in a tide of hate and persecution?

I had expected that standing inside the actual gas chamber would be eerie and uncomfortable, but this was not the case. There was a most remarkable stillness in the dark enclosure - that was until a group of chattering German school children broke the silence. A fellow visitor informed me that all German school children are taken to visit a concentration camp as part of their education into the darker side of the country’s history. As I watched their bright faces flash by I pondered how innocent they looked, yet many of them too would be carrying the trans-generational impact of the “sins of the fathers”.

Dachau’s records reveal that in its 12 years as a concentration camp 206,206 prisoners from more than 30 countries were interned there and 31,951 of them died - primarily from disease, malnutrition and suicide. In the final days of the war, marches to and from the camp caused the death of large but unknown numbers of prisoners – and even after liberationof the camp, many weakened prisoners were beyond recovery and died.

As only the second camp to be liberated by Allied forces, Dachau holds a significant place in the public memory. It was here where journalist accounts, photographs and newsreels exposed to the world the previously widely unknown, practices of the notorius SS and the Third Reich. Rather than being the depressing and morbid experience many might expect of a visit to Dachau, I found it hugely informative and humbling.

What I did find depressing afterwards was to realise that, despite what stands to be learnt from this dark period of our species' history, the genocide has continued in so many parts of the world.

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The Family Healing Circle

3 Tana Road, Linden, Johannesburg, 2195

Tel: +27 (0)11 888 7288

Fax: +27 (0)86 6890255

pygprods@mweb.co.za

www.familyhealingcircle.net

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