Use of OH-Cards in the context of Family Constellations
English translation of Article in Portuguese
In this edition, we chose to give special emphasis to the use of cards in the context of Family Constellations. The decision stems from our intention to broaden the perspective on tools that favor symbolic expression and access to the subconscious. The OH Cards, for example, originally created as a therapeutic and creative resource, prove to be particularly powerful when integrated into constellations. They offer images and words that function as internal mirrors, allowing participants to recognize hidden feelings, memories, and family dynamics in a clearer and more intuitive way. By bringing this theme to the center of the magazine, we seek to appreciate practices that enrich the work of constellation facilitators and broaden the experience of those being constellated. More than an auxiliary resource, the OH Cards become an invitation to creativity, deep listening, and dialogue between reason and imagination. Our goal is to inspire professionals and readers to explore new possibilities for connection and healing, keeping alive the essence of Constellations: the encounter with our roots, the search for order, and the flow of love.
The OH Cards have already conquered the world as tools for self-knowledge and creative communication. They consist of 88 illustrated cards and 88 cards with slightly larger words – each picture card can be placed inside a word card, thus creating 7744 possible combinations. Moritz Egetmeyer, psychologist and editor responsible for its international distribution, conducts workshops that awaken intuition, expand awareness and transform personal and professional relationships. Since their first publication in 1981, the OH Cards have become a globally recognized tool for personal and interpersonal work. Translated into 30 languages and used in many countries, they stimulate intuition, imagination and self-awareness, being applied in areas as varied as education, therapy, health, creativity and organizational development.
A psychologist and psychotherapist trained in Canada and at Antioch University (Ohio), he has been responsible for the publication and distribution of the cards in Germany since 1984. Since then, he has conducted workshops on different continents, teaching participants how to access their creativity and improve their communication skills through metaphorical cards. The workshops were initially divided into two levels: Basic OH, which introduces the different decks and their applications, and OH Supervision, aimed at those who already use the cards professionally and wish to deepen their self-awareness and expand their forms of expression. In both cases, the goal is to offer practical experiences that can be integrated into personal and professional life, always focusing on personal growth and authenticity. In recent years, the demand for teaching the use of OH Cards in the context of therapeutic approaches such as Psychodrama, Gestalt, and Constellation has led him to expand the basic OH workshops. Over the years, the original OH Cards, painted by artist Ely Raman, have been accompanied by many other decks of metaphorical cards. Some were painted by Ely, but most were painted by other artists from around the world, including Brazil. All these decks bring their own perspectives to the genre: from working with trauma to the lives of couples and storytelling. They all combine with the OH word cards and thus greatly expand the possibilities of visual triggers.
Areas and Professions that use the OH Cards
The OH Cards are applied in various areas – from education and therapy to health, industry, and creativity – as tools to expand awareness, communication, and personal expression.
Basic Understanding of OH Cards
The OH genre cards are effective in two complimentary ways. Firstly, they create a judgement free safe-space for practising deliberate communication and the exchange of personal perspectives, placing each person in direct and intuitive contact with themselves. Secondly, they function as a tool for interpersonal activities in social, professional, and therapeutic contexts, strengthening bonds and helping to transfer our insights into daily life.
Etiquette OH
• Privacy: each participant can pass when it is their turn, exchange their cards, or choose not to reveal them, with or without explanation.
• Respect: do not interrupt; listen attentively and with presence.
• Interpretive autonomy: do not reinterpret what the other person sees; there is no “right” or “wrong”.
• Integrity: avoid contradicting or debating interpretations; focus on clarifying and supportive questions.
• Individuality: recognize that each person sees, feels, and reads in a unique way.
Areas of Use
• Communication: Clear agreements promote trust, equal speaking time and active listening, no judgements and monologues.
• Conflict Resolution: Trains perspective change and receptive expression, favoring constructive and peaceful discussions.
• Therapeutic/Social/Personal Issues: Facilitates access to internal content, supports healing processes (including trauma), and expression in pedagogy and social assistance.
• Personal Creativity: Expands imagination, storytelling, and new ideas by activating free association.
• Art Practice: Supports symbolic and expressive exploration in different languages. This etiquette, based on democratic equality, balances individuality and group integration, creating an “oasis” for multiple perspectives and transferable learning for everyday life.
This etiquette, based on democratic equality, balances individuality and group integration, creating an “oasis” for multiple perspectives and transferable learning for everyday life.
Communication and Conflict Resolution
• Active listening: by suspending judgment and interpretation, mutual understanding grows.
• Flexibility of perspective: counteracts the rigidity of “data” (internalized norms), preventing misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Constructive environment: children and young people learn to perceive life beyond polarities, accepting diversity and complementarity.
• Equality of participation: each person interprets their cards and can influence the collective process, transforming the negative into possibilities.
Art Practice
The OH Cards incorporate the concept of “variable structures,” inspired by Duchamp and John Cage, where the artwork is malleable and open to the observer’s intervention. Instead of fixed paintings in museums, the cards offer an intimate experience: small paintings that can be freely combined and reinterpreted, activating spontaneous and original personal reactions. Each deck functions as a portable exhibition, allowing anyone to become an interpreter of art without relying on experts. This interactive experience not only brings the public closer to art but also inspires new creative projects and reflections applicable to everyday life.
Conclusion
• The cards invite contact with the imagination and appreciation of intuition, recognized as a constant and powerful force in our actions.
• A round of OH promotes self-knowledge, community integration, and well-being, awakening creativity and a lighter view of life.
• They stimulate authentic communication, emotional clarity, and integrated awareness across emotional, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual levels.
• The system is free and non-dogmatic: each user is responsible for their own perceptions, making the experience unique and transformative.
• The relevance of the cards is due to the contemporary nature of the images and words chosen, reflecting the cycle of life and connecting to both the conscious and the unconscious.
In short, the cards transform art into a vibrant, interactive process that opens pathways for imagination, strengthens intuition, and fosters personal and collective integration.