Beside the Sea Tidings - November 2025

Spring, All Saints and All Souls

Remembrance at a cemetery - A meaningful moment for connection and reflection with loved ones.

Upcoming Family Systemic Constellation Afternoons/Days

I look forward to seeing you at either of the workshops below. Read further for exciting news for 2026 and please let me know if you may be interested!

Sunday 23 November

Facilitator: Karena J Coller

Location: Warragul Natural Health,

Address: 83 Victoria St, Warragul, 3820, Vic

Time: 12noon - 5:00pm

Cost: $180 (concession places available)

Payment required prior to the workshop.

All profits donated to 'The Midwife Project', Guatemala is welcome.

See: HOME - The Midwife Project Guatemala

Sunday 7 December

Facilitators: Dr Tony Byrne & Karena J Coller

Location: 5 Louis Rise, Kilmore East

Time: 10am - 5:00pm

Cost: $180 (concession places available)​​​​​

Payment required prior to the workshop.

Family Systemic Constellations

Family Systemic Constellations help us to see with a new perspective. During a workshop we often gain insight and an embodied understanding and clarity of heart and mind. These 1;1 sessions or group processes especially help us when we are facing ongoing issues and feel ourselves in stuck situations. Often, what is stuck can be unstuck and what is blocked is unblocked. When hidden patterns, legacy burdens, ongoing conflicts and entanglements come to light, the pathway forward to peace, simplicity and a healthy and loving way of relating to ourselves, others and the world around us becomes possible.

Who are our ancestors and who are our kith and kin?

This weekend of All Hallows Eve, All Saints and All Souls (October 31st, November 1 & 2), I am prompted to reflect on my relationship with my family members who are not here on earth but who are my ancestors - 'a person related to me who lived a long time ago' (Cambridge Dictionary). Ancestors are usually more remote than a grandparent.

I wonder? If we did not know our great-grandparents, if we did not hear their stories or gain a sense of their life - if they are remote to us in our hearts, are they then like kith and kin? Do we need knowledge of our ancestors - as we have knowledge of our kith and kin? How do we relate to our ancestors?

I learned that kith refer to friends and neighbours and kin refers to our family relatives (Cambridge Dictionary). Kith and kin then, refers to our familial relationships and social connections. Sometimes, the words, with Germanic, Indo-Europe and Middle English roots, were used interchangeably and this reflects and inherent understanding that we are all connected by blood, by heart and by being together in space and time in some way.

'Together with our parents we also belong to those who belong not only to our parents, but also to a kinship group, made up of our parents, each of whom brings with them their kith and kin. The kinship group behaves as though held together by a binding force and a sense of order and balance that acts equally on all members..." Bert Hellinger, Rising in Love, page 40

Completeness as a sense of order, peace and harmony.

"The members of the kinship group are bound together as a community of fate, in that the traumatic fate of any member will affect everyone and prompt them to share in it ... Closely connected to the ties of fate is the order of completeness in the kinship systems. A very powerful sense of order makes sure that each member of the kinship system continues to belong to it no matter what the circumstances, even beyond death. The kinship group encompasses its dead members as much as its living members, usually as far back as the third generation, but often far beyond." Bert Hellinger, Rising in Love, page 41

I learned as a little girl, that my family, although I was living far away from them, in another country, were very much present to me in my heart, though I barely knew them. This connection survived distance, time and direct memory. I had a heart, mind and body (limbic memory, blood and breath) connection - giving rise to a familiarity so that when I prayed, wrote letters or travelled to see them (after decades apart) I felt excited. I was delighted to be welcomed by people I had sometimes never even met. I wrote letters to my paternal and maternal grandmothers from when I was four-years old until they passed away - over 40 years of connection through handwriting, sharing language, stories and love.

We remember that there are many ancestors who came before us. When we can give respect to our life that has come through them, we live well and with their blessings. When we forget our ancestors, or do not know of their place, or when we bend to the internal and external pressures to exclude even those who have wronged us - we risk carrying the legacy of the exclusion into our own hearts as a hole. Often, during Family Systemic Constellations, we see that the family system unknowingly experiences a black hole - someone is missing. The science of impersonal equilibrium works to bring the exclusion or missing person or event in; to make whole in another way. One way we do this is to take on, as little children and with great love (although unasked for) their fate. Or, when situations are very difficult or we or someone else has been wronged, is to respect this person's fate, without hatred and to leave it with them, to acknowledge but break the binds and entanglements that hold us too tight. Some people, on earth, as wee during All Hallows - pray for those who have wronged others to help them and the family to heal.

This theme is not easy and yet, when difficult circumstances that are affecting our daily lives are seen clearly such as during a process of Family Systemic Constellations, without judgement - but with deep understanding and open-minded clarity there is a possibility of healing that allows love to flow within our own lives. Inclusion and an honoring respect, allows a movement like that of the wind that sways the protective taller tree canopy just enough - so that sunlight can reach the smaller plants. Even under dire circumstances, a forest will regenerate after a storm. When birds sing following a storm, there is a sense that all is well - harmony returns, on earth and in heaven.

Occupational Therapy

I am delighted to be hiring a recently renovated room at Warragul Natural Health for appointments on a Wednesday (either Family Systemic Constellation related or Occupational Therapy)

This room is cool in summer, warm in winter and will be a good supportive environment alternative to home and community visits (Tuesday and Thursdays). Sometimes it may be more convenient for you bring your child for Occupational Therapy, or you may want to simply focus on one or two goals for your child such as: improving coping skills for anxiety; supporting reading and handwriting skills; helping them to become confident communicators with their friends or teacher; play therapy for their developmental skills or to process trauma; brainstorm morning, afternoon or evening routines; consider bedtime routines and sleep hygiene for better sleep for example.

There are many ways Occupational Therapy can help you and your child to be in good, connected relationship and to do the things you both need, want, and must do in everyday life to live well. Occupational Therapy can also help adults to develop a balanced lifestyle, to care for themselves during times of illness, stress or distress and to be connected in community in a way that enables you to be you and enhances a life that you want to live.

I welcome Medicare, NDIS or privately funded children, parents and family or adults. I will have more about funding and such updates on my website shortly.

Caed mille failte (Gaelic) - A hundred thousand welcomes.

Kindly,

Karena

(Image: Shutterstock)