IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES
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June 2019
The Taos Institute's mission is to bring together scholars and practitioners concerned with the social processes essential for the construction of reason, knowledge, and human value, and their application in relational, collaborative and appreciative practices around the world.
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The Many Ways to Get Involved!
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Brief Encounter with The Taos Institute
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June 2019
"I found myself writing in my journal about my lack of focus. It was as if the future we had planned had arrived and I had no clue what was next."
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The Social Construction of Retirement: One Woman’s Experience
By Bonnie Milne
I retired from my full time Lecturer’s position at RMIT Vietnam in June of 2017. My husband and I had made plans for our retirement. We would spend six months a year in our house in Palm Springs, California and the other six months on Salt Spring Island in our small, water front, off the grid, water access only cabin.
The first year of retirement flew by. I spent six weeks in Australia with my daughter, son in law and grandchildren, topped off by New Years and a week of sightseeing in Paris with two of my granddaughters! The following summer, my husband and I worked nonstop renovating a rental house our family invested in on Salt Spring Island.
In October 2018 the proverbial shit hit the fan! I found myself writing in my journal about my lack of focus. It was as if the future we had planned had arrived and I had no clue what was next. I was waiting to see how my health was before I made plans. This struck me as absurd! Why wouldn’t I make plans and carry them out as I always had? If my health changed, I would deal with it!
But how had this stalemate happened? How had I arrived at this stage of my life so ill prepared? Why didn’t I have a plan? Why did I think my health would deteriorate simply because I retired? How could I be realistic about my future? What could I expect? What would keep me motivated and full of light and life?
I began to research. I wanted and needed a focus – a purpose, really, and it seemed to me that ‘giving back’ or ‘paying forward’ was what I wanted to do. I began to search out engaging, challenging volunteer opportunities. At the same time, I began educating myself on the process of aging and started exploring how others managed their retirement years.
There is, of course, a lot written on aging and retirement. I did, however, find it difficult to find consistent information. For example, when I tried to determine the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s the numbers varied (a lot). What is clear is that many people will develop Alzheimer’s – meaning there will be many people who will require care. Juxtaposed with this information is the decrease in the number of people over the age of 65 and over the age of 85 entering care homes over the past twenty years, a trend that is expected to continue. I’m not yet ready to wrap up my research but I am at the point where I am finding repletion – a great sign!
From what I’ve read, here’s what’s sticking:
A healthy happy retirement includes:
- a focus, a mission, a passion, a purpose, a challenge (take your pick)
- a plan that we are prepared and able to alter
- friends – extremely important – loneliness has the same degree of impact on our health as smoking
- learning, being curious, being open
- a hobby, a volunteer position, work that we love (or all three)
- exercise – weight training is at the top of the list
- whole nutritious food
Repeatedly, I’ve read that the path to the fountain of life includes reduced caloric intake. Yikes!
To me this list looks very much like a funhouse mirror of my life before retirement. Some work, lots of socializing, learning, exercising and less eating. I am beginning to embrace my retirement!
Bonnie also provides a list of resources if you are interested in exploring these ideas more.
Click here.
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Professional Development Opportunities
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Upcoming Events
Workshops
October 31 - November 2
with Sheila McNamee and Harlene Anderson
in Durham, New Hampshire
August 13 - Sept. 17
Live calls on Tuesdays at either 10:00 AM US Eastern or 8:00 PM US Eastern. Choose your best time.
Nov. 4 - Dec. 9
Live calls on Mondays at 10:00 AM US Eastern time.
Friends of the Taos Institute Events
Sun, June 23, 2019
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
A Webinar - Register now.
Toronto, Canada
June 26-27, 2019
July 3-6, 2019
Antwerp, Belgium
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in historic Brno, Czech Republic
The focus of this conference is on the exploration and practice of Collaborative-Dialogic Practice across contexts, cultures, and disciplines.
Inviting connection, conversation, creativity in education, psychotherapy, research and organizations
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This year we further expand our focus from last year’s topic: practices of leadership. We are examining how leadership builds and develops organizational capacity and relational welfare practices.
June 26-28 2019 in Aarhus, Denmark
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August 13 - September 17
a 6-week online course for everyone!
For all the information and to register visit:
Click Here.
Facilitator/Presenter - Rich Furman, MSW, PhD
This six-week online distance workshop is designed to empower scholars, doctoral students and practitioners to increase their ability to write and publish. It adopts a strengths-based, developmental approach that deconstructs strategies unknown to most scholars. Conducted by an Rich Furman, coach, therapist and professor, participants personalize lessons to meet their scholarly goals and dreams through writing exercises, on-line discussions, weekly group conference calls and video lectures. This workshop helps participants master skills and knowledge within four domains:
1) Writing productivity
2) The ins and outs of writing articles, books and dissertations
3) Managing the journal selection, submission and peer review processes
4) The psychosocial barriers that inhibit these three other domains. This last area is a special focus and expertise of the facilitator and makes this course a unique and fulfilling experience.
Register to secure your place in this workshop that will get your writing and on your way to being published.
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New Book
Thriving Women, Thriving World:
An Invitation to Dialogue, Healing and Inspired Actions
This book is a celebration of women. It is an invitation to journey from #MeToo to thriving women via Appreciative Inquiry, dialogue, and story telling. It addresses topics, through an appreciative lens, that may be difficult to talk about, yet must be talked about to heal social wounds and create conditions for women to thrive worldwide. If you are wondering what to do in response to the global cry of #MeToo, this book is for you.
Authors: Diana Whitney, Caroline Adams Miller, Tanya Cruz Teller, Marlene Ogawa, Jessica Cocciolone, Haesun Moon, Kathryn Britton, Angela Koh & Alejandra Leon de la Barra
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Watch the Keynote from the Appreciative Inquiry Conference - March 2019
Thriving Women Thriving World by Diana Whitney with
Tanya Cruz Teller, Marlene Ogawa
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More Ways to Get Involved
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Join in with the Relational Research Network's new project:
The RRN Support Learning Community
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The Relational Research Network is hosting conversations beginning in July, with researchers who want to to critically think about how inquiry and research processes connect and inspire us when we look at them through the lens of a relational practice. The questions we will explore:
- How can your research project have a relational focus or become a relational practice?
- How would you like to do relational research and have meaningful conversations about your work?
- Sharing your work with others in the learning community, engaging through questions, challenges, or issues related to your research project.
- Having the opportunity to be in conversation with other researchers to network, co-learn and create opportunities for collaboration.
There will be 2 calls each month from July though November. See the full schedule for these conversations - The RRN Support Learning Community - by visiting
our website.
You will need to register in order to participate or "sit in" and listen to these learning conversations.
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International Journal of Collaborative-Dialogic Practices
This free journal brings together members of a growing international community of practitioners, scholars, educators, researchers, and consultants interested in postmodern collaborative practices. Issue 8 is now available.
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WorldShare Books
FREE downloadable books in 12 different languages.
With over 28 books in English and many more from around the world, you will enjoy reading about education, spirituality, organizational life, community building, group dynamics, leadership and more.
Order your free book today!
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Positive Aging Newsletter
FREE
newsletter in 9 languages sent right to your email.
By focusing on the positive aspects of aging, and the availability of resources, skills, and resiliencies, research not only brings useful insights into the realm of practice but creates hope and empowers action among older people. By moving beyond practices of repair and prevention, to emphasize growth-enhancing activities, practitioners also contribute more effectively to the societal reconstruction of aging.
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Manuscripts for Downloading
Access hundreds of articles and papers on topics such as:
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Collaborative Practices
- Dialogue
- Appreciative Cultures
- Creativity and Improve
- Narrative Practices
- Relational Learning
- Relational Research
- Qualitative Research
- and so much more!
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Donate to the Taos Institute
Given the current global context into which we are moving, the work in which we are engaged is more important than ever. We invite you support the work of institute.
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John Shotter Memorial Fund
John Shotter's death on December 8, 2016, was a profound loss for the scholarly world, for the Taos Institute, and for many of us personally.
Read more
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Jane Magruder Watkins Scholarship Fund
Support students who apply for a need-based scholarship to support their participation in Taos programs.
Read more
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Peggy Penn WorldShare Fund
Supports the publication of new WorldShare Books on topics related to the work and interests of Peggy Penn, Ph.D.
Read more
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