Dear Friends committed to living and aging consciously:

 Welcome to the Spring, 2025, edition of Conscious Eldering Inspiration and Resources; The Journal of the Center for Conscious Eldering. Every year Spring’s energies of new life arise from the cold and darkness. Trust that this life force is also awakening in you, and calling you to use your precious life energies to help bring healing to a world where darkness and light are battling for ascendence. Each ray of light you and I shed DOES help to dispel darkness. These times are the test of our commitment to a conscious elderhood of service to what is life affirming and life supportive. Such times are when the rubber meets the road.

 It is our hope that the featured articles, written for this journal, and the  poetry and other resources you will find here, will serve to remind you of the gift you are to your community and to the larger human and earth community-- a gift that seeks this Spring to ripen and to nourish others through your commitment to living intentionally each day, with resilience, gratitude, trust, growth, service and joy.  May this journal support your growth into the conscious elderhood that is your birth rite, but requires your willingness to accept it as both gift and responsibility.

An Invitation to Contribute Your Experience and Perspective

by Ron Pevny

We all know that we are living in times of momentous change.  Most of us feel deeply unsettled by the scope and pace of the changes.  A great many of us feel we are living in a time of existential crisis, culturally, politically and environmentally.  There is no doubt that those of us committed to emotional and spiritual growth are feeling greatly challenged in living into our ideals by the darkness that surrounds us.

Aging consciously is challenging enough in “normal” times when signs of hope, and support for our ideals, are easier to see. Now we have the task of doing our crucial inner work, and bringing forth the best in ourselves, amid outer crisis and turbulence when we see so much of the worst in humanity.

Many of you have been reading articles in this Journal and elsewhere, and listening to podcasts and webinars, that address these challenges.  What we would like to do is invite you to share YOUR experiences. So here is an invitation:

In no more than 200 words respond in writing to this question:  How do you see your journey of growth into a conscious elderhood being different now than it was one year ago.  Send your reflections as a Word document to ron@centerforconsciouseldering.com.  We will include six or seven of your reflections in the Summer edition of this Journal.  If any minor editing for flow or grammar seems appropriate, we will contact you to assure you approve of what we will publish herein. So, be sure to include your name, email address, and phone number.  We look forward to reading and sharing your experiences and perspectives. And thank you so very much.  We all need to learn from each other. 

The Inner Work of Conscious Eldering: Forgiveness in a Time of Unravelling

By Martina Breen

Many of us who have embraced conscious elderhood feel the weight of these times. We are living through an era of collapse and unravelling—a time when so much of what we once trusted is crumbling. The climate crisis, social upheaval, political instability, and collective grief weigh heavily on our hearts. We may feel powerless, disillusioned, anxious about the world we are leaving behind.  Many elders today feel despair over the world their children and grandchildren are inheriting. There is grief for what has been lost, anger at the destruction, fear for the future.  The threshold we are facing now is not just personal but global.

I come from Celtic ancestry and in the Celtic tradition, crisis was never seen as the end of the story. The Celts understood that destruction and renewal are woven together.[1]  The old must break down so that something new may emerge. They believed that when something remains unspoken, unresolved, or unforgiven; it can haunt us and our descendants. This is why they had rites for reconciliation, so that no soul would cross a threshold burdened by unfinished business. These included The Anamchairde (Soul Friend) Confession & Reconciliation, partaking in threshold rituals during the 8 festivals on the Celtic Calendar.[2]

So, reflecting on this; what if part of our task as elders is not to fix everything, but to become carriers of wisdom and peace?   What if, we as elders, are called not to despair but to turn inward, to find meaning in the midst of collapse, and to take up the work of inner transformation.  Turning inward does not mean disengaging from the world. On the contrary, when we do our own inner work, we become a source of steadiness for others. We learn to respond rather than react, to bring wisdom rather than more fear. This is how elders have always guided their communities through crisis—not by fixing everything, but by being a presence of depth and perspective[3].

And, at the heart of this inner work is Forgiveness. The work of forgiveness—of making peace within ourselves—allows us to stand as steady presences in a world of uncertainty. Forgiveness is not about denying pain, but about choosing to respond from a place of depth rather than fear.   I feel it's always important to reiterate that ‘to forgive is not to excuse or forget harm done’, whether personally or collectively, but rather to release the hold that resentment and pain have over us, allowing space for healing, accountability, and transformation.  How relevant is this inner work to us at this time in the world!  Today we are being called to stand as wisdom keepers in a world longing for guidance, to hold steady in a time of collapse.

One way of engaging with forgiveness in our lives is through ritual. The Death Lodge is a sacred space where we invite the people of our lives—both living and dead, loved ones and those with whom we have unfinished business—into an imaginal conversation.  Rooted in indigenous traditions and echoed in Celtic rites of passage[4], the Death Lodge is not about physical death but rather the death of the old self, allowing for renewal and transformation. It is a ritual where we enter into a place of truth-telling, where nothing remains unsaid.  

During my own Death Lodge experience during my Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreat at Ghost Ranch, I entered into imaginal conversations with those I needed to make peace with—asking for forgiveness, offering it in return, and speaking the words that had remained unspoken. It was a profound experience and what struck me most was how real and complete the work felt within the Death Lodge itself, as if something had truly shifted in the unseen realm. In the days and weeks that followed, this sense of resolution was affirmed. I witnessed its effects unfolding in my actual relationships—encounters softened, long-held tensions eased, and unexpected moments of reconciliation emerged.

This experience affirmed for me what many wisdom traditions have long understood: when we do the inner work, we are not just shifting our personal consciousness—we are impacting the quantum field itself.  Forgiveness is not only an internal process; it ripples outward, creating real and tangible shifts in the world around us. In this time of unravelling, when so much feels broken and beyond our control, this truth is more vital than ever. The healing we seek in the outer world begins within.

I believe, in this time of unravelling, we are being invited into a collective death lodge. The world as we knew it is dissolving. We cannot cling to what is falling away. But we can do the inner work of reconciliation, healing, and deep listening; to develop the ability to forgive—to mend what can be mended and to bless what cannot. If we are to stand as elders in this time, we must make peace with our own life—not by pretending all is well, but by engaging in the sacred work of accepting life as it is today on today’s terms.  We need to engage in the sacred work of forgiveness, of blessing, of releasing fear and stepping into wisdom. The world does not need more older people weighed down by despair. We need to release fear, embrace wisdom, and live from a place of deep presence.

The world needs elders who, even in the midst of uncertainty, can stand at the threshold with open hands—offering guidance, blessing, and hope.

I end with a Celtic Blessing;

May we step into this calling.

May we walk with courage.

And may we bless the road ahead."

Martina lives in Ireland and is a mother and grandmother.  In addition to co-leading Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreats in Ireland with Ron Pevny, she is a certified Gestalt Psychotherapist and Spiritual Companion along with being a certified Sage-ing Leader with Sage-ing.  International. She is currently doing a year-long intensive training on Forgiveness. with the Path of Forgiveness organization.  Martina can be reached at martinasbreen@gmail.com.

[1] John O’Donohue has many books on the wisdom of Celtic Spirituality. His first one, Anam Cara is a gem.  O'Donohue, J. (1997). Anam cara: A book of Celtic wisdom. HarperCollins.

[2] Read more on this:  Ó Duinn, Seán. (2000). The Rites of Brigid: Goddess & Saint. Columba Press.

[3] Parker J. Palmer – On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old (2018)

[4] There are many writers on the Celtic Rites of Passage and Ritual. One good place to start is; Matthews, John & Caitlín. (1995).The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom: A Celtic Shaman’s Sourcebook. Element Books.

Today’s Fire Carriers

by Dennis Stamper

I have been thinking about the ancient Fire Carriers a great deal lately.  I am fortunate to share friendship and meaningful conversation with many fellow elders from across the country and other parts of the world.  The overwhelming majority of us seem to feel like an overwhelmed minority. Although we suspect that this may not be as true as it seems, it is a disempowering conclusion that we must work hard to resist.

Some call it “the dark night of the soul” or even “the dark night of the species soul”.  The gentle fire that sustained and fed us, that offered us safety and belonging, that brought us and held us together feels under attack and in danger of being replaced by a raging fire of destruction.  Fire can draw us closer in community but it can also send us fleeing the conflagration and hardening our modes of perceived self-protection.

Historians, scientists, and even theologians remind us that this is, more or less, just the way life goes.  Things come together and then they fall apart. And given a chance and the right environment, they then come back together in some new, often creative configuration. 

So what is our role and task as elders in times like these?  How do we keep from retreating to our porches and patios and leaving the work to others?  After all, a convenient argument could be made that it just may take more years than I still have left in my quiver, and I do tire more easily these days.    

But then I remember the Fire Carriers of old and the sacred and important role they filled.  If we ever are to find our way through this darkness and once again sit together around the gentle flame that nourishes and protects us all, someone will need to carry the embers of the fire.  Someone will need to faithfully guard and feed the most life sustaining qualities of what is being threatened.  And if we are to once again gather together in sacred community, someone will need to remember the best of who we truly are and the stories we once told.  I can think of no more honored and vital role for elders than to be the Fire Carriers of today and I can think of no others more fit for the task.

So how do we do this? How do we become Fire Carriers?  First of all, we must do the inner work necessary to provide a safe place for the ember to reside, for this time we will not carry the flame in horns or bowls but in our own heart, soul and life.  Just as the Fire Carriers of the past protected and fed the community’s fire, we must protect and feed our own inner fire and that of our community.  This may require more time in solitude and reflection and less time on news sites and social media.  Our inner fire is often best nurtured by time in nature, meditation, and meaningful ritual and prayer.    

But fire carrying cannot be a completely solitary endeavor.  We will need the shared strength and support of others, both elders and youngers alike, if we are to keep the fire alive.  We will need to gather in circle, perhaps around a fire or candle, to love and laugh and lament.  Fortunately, there are organizations like The Center for Conscious Eldering, Sage-ing International, and Elder Action Network, just to name a few, who’s work and gift it is to bring elders together and hold sacred space.  We must find, share, and grow in community.  And yes, we can develop deep and meaningful relationships in virtual circles as well.

Hopefully we can also find friends and fellow Fire Carriers within hand-clasping and bear- hugging distance as well.  Seek them out and invite them out.  I find my heart deeply comforted by a walk in the woods with a trusted friend and my soul, as well as my stomach, can be richly filled over an unhurried lunch together.  If no one immediately comes to mind, you may have to reach out to someone you don’t know as well and that can require you to stretch outside your comfort zone.  But let me assure you, you are not alone. There are others—many others.

And finally, seek out the company of younger folks.  Many of them are frightened and discouraged as well, and they likely have so much more to lose than we do.  After all, my kids are raised now, no one can fire me, and I care very little what others think of me these days.  Encourage younger people.  Accompany them.  When needed, protect them.  And the simple truth is, this hoped for coming back together in heart-centered community may well take longer than the time we have remaining.  The faithful Fire Carrier must sometimes pass the fire on to someone else, teach them to care for it and with our blessing, trust them to carry it the rest of the way.

May your inner being find nurture and strength.  May the company of other wise elders guide, support and inspire you.  May we find hope and vision enough to stay the course and fulfill our destiny. May we be today’s Fire Carriers.

Dennis Stamper co-leads Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreats.  He is also a certified Sage-ing Leader.  He has worked as a Clinical Social Worker and hospital chaplain for many years. He can be reached at d.stamper@sage-ing.org

Navigating The Tipping Point: A Journey into Elderhood

by Anne Wennhold

I began entering what I consider the elder years of my life at about 83 or 84 years of age. It was around that time I felt a new awareness permeate my being.  It seemed there was a subtle shift in energy as delicate yet as momentous as a turn of the tide when there is no outward evidence of change. Instinctively, I knew this was not a medical issue.  

Malcom Gladwell wrote a book called The Tipping Point in which he details how situations can add up so incrementally as to be almost unnoticeable until they get past the point of no return. As far as my elderhood goes, the Tipping Point was when I realized the focus of my life had turned from the outer to the inner life. Not an easy part of the journey.

It’s generally agreed that Elderhood begins at retirement, about 70 years of age. Not in my book! The 70’s and early 80s were the best and most active years of my life! Newly released from work that was never my career choice, I dove into the delight of doing things I loved, especially of facilitating workshops and therapy groups. 

During that time, I worked with Ron Pevny in the Choosing Conscious Elderhood Retreats learning about specific inner practices that are life enhancing to all age groups and of particular help in the later aging processes.  The tools include examining our years in life review, appreciating the best ones, identifying our regrets, learning to let go, to forgive, and defining and acknowledging our legacy for now and in the future.   

Combining these with meditation, ceremony, and celebration of nature’s flow of seasons.  I savored the way this combination of elements provided an underlying purpose for the continued inner growth that was a lifelong goal of mine. 

So, in gradual compliance with the inner signal for change, and rather like a large passenger liner slowing to align itself with the dock ahead, the momentum of my fulfilling outer lifestyle began to alter its course. 

Physical changes came first, incrementally narrowing the scope of outer life.  Arthritis was hardly a ripple on the early tidal switch. It crept into my knees rendering them unreliable at odd moments. Then neuropathy and hip operation changes added their vibrational energies until there came a day I could not manage well without a cane which I wanted desperately to ignore. Its presence signaled a demeaning assault on my independence!  

Then macular degeneration, a family legacy, made its appearance, and forbade driving at night. And did I tell you about the hearing aids?  They help but only in smaller group situations.

However, as the Tipping Point of doors to the active outer world shut down behind me, it came time to move to an apartment with an elevator and inside parking. A change of environment was in order.  

The new apartment is not the place of my dreams. It is in a good location and is perfect for my physical needs. In reality it is a nice place but I have not yet made friends with it. I miss my old home with its windows framing the sunshine, the moonrise, and trees changing colors each season. 

Then there are the social changes of aging which continue to narrow my outer world.  Recently the years’ long group of 7 friends fell apart as one by one they died or moved away to be near their children. 

The gradual loss of the customary meetings and reassurance of my value to this circle of friends, now gone, leaves me bereft. I am lonely and at times long for a hug from one of those who knew me well.  It’s hard to make new friends when distance and energy are limiting factors for others as well as yourself. 

By now the Tipping Point has docked, its ropes carefully but firmly looped about the stanchions on shore. The focus of my aging life has completed it turn from focus on the outer life to concentration on the inner. 

Body maintenance requires much time but is clearly necessary to survival. I resent the time it takes to get up and get dressed in the morning. Taking a shower has become a major event fraught with safety concerns. Careful attention accompanies any turns around the kitchen to avoid a sudden fall. And I am always planning ahead for a convenient bathroom.  

I resent the onslaught of technology and its long tentacles sucking me into its maw. Once I sat in my car where nobody could hear me scream my rage at the relentless havoc with which automation was swallowing the world I knew. 

Later I realized I was also furious about aging and feeling ‘left behind’ in so many ways: the travel, theater and museum outings which I so relished in earlier years, now require more energy to get there, let alone navigate being there, than is worth the effort.

A good day includes an interesting book and creative play with watercolors.  A great day involves facilitating my growth-oriented discussion group or my writing group on Zoom.  An excellent day is lunch with friends who have traveled some distance to get here. 

Then there is the grey day when sitting by the window, the grief for loss of my younger self and her love of an active life flows with the rain 

By these admissions you will see that I have not yet achieved the honored summit of elderhood: a pinnacle titled Acceptance: which means that one has come to terms with the reality of what ‘is’ rather than what one would like it to be. 

At 90 years of age, I’m working on that. During morning meditation. I light a candle and read from the poets or spiritual masters to seek their perspective on being a traveler in this complex world. Or I simply review my own up-coming challenges of the day and ask for spiritual assistance in living it. 

But here’s one of the of the best parts of this journey into aging. I have found a new friend after all!  Myself!  

Suddenly I see that she is a stronger, more complex person than I gave her credit for being.  I admit that it is somewhat of a time-consuming process to get to know her better for up to now I’ve mainly acknowledged the parts of her life I found acceptable while ignoring the habits and attitudes that irritate me.

However now that I take the time to sit with her and really listen as she reviews her life, I find I can help her uncover the sources of the regrets and the resources she has had to bring success to her past and future lives.

As we dialog together, we have become very close, deepening our relationship by consciously employing the tools and practices taught in our conscious eldering retreats.

Such ongoing work is like fitting puzzle pieces together to make a holographic image that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is sometimes a painful job. Ultimately though it is a most satisfactory experience. 

And so it is that I feel I have successfully navigated what I call the Tipping Point of aging.  As my outer life has narrowed, my inner life has expanded. And, as I work toward Acceptance, I find I have the welcome companionship of myself with myself on this journey. 

                                                             ***.          

For age is opportunity no less than youth itself,

though in another dress. 

And as the evening twilight fades away,

the sky is filled with stars invisible by day.

                                            Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Anne Wennhold, Choosing Conscious Elderhood Guide Emeritus, co-led retreats for 20 years for the Center for Conscious Eldering. Anne is currently exploring and sharing with her Zoom groups the spiritual and navigational terrain of later elderhood. Her background with Shamanic Journey training and certification in Counseling support her work in the aging community. She is available for individual counseling. Anne can be reached at annewennhold@gmail.com

I Must Go Into the Earth

by Nancy Wood

in Many Winters

When the hand of winter gives up its grip to the sun

And the river’s hard ice becomes the tongue to spring

I must go into the earth itself

To know the source from which I came.

Where there is a history of leaves

I lie face down upon the land.

I smell the rich wet earth

Trembling to allow the birth

Of what is innocent and green.

My fingers touch the yielding earth

Knowing that it contains

All previous births and deaths.

I listen to a cry of whispers

Concerning the awakening earth

In possession of itself.

With a branch between my teeth

I feel the growth of trees

Flowing with life born of ancient death.

I cover myself with earth

So that I may know while still alive

How sweet is the season of my time.

Old Maps No Longer Work

by Jan Richardson

I keep pulling it out –

the old map of my inner path

I squint closely at it,

trying to see some hidden road

that maybe I’ve missed,

but there’s nothing there now

except some well travelled paths.

they have seen my footsteps often,

held my laughter, caught my tears.

I keep going over the old map

but now the roads lead nowhere,

a meaningless wilderness

where life is dull and futile.

“toss away the old map,” she says

“you must be kidding!” I reply.

she looks at me with Sarah eyes

and repeats “toss it away.

It’s of no use where you’re going.”

“I have to have a map!” I cry,

“even if it takes me nowhere.

I can’t be without direction,”

“but you are without direction,”

she says, “so why not let go, be free?”

So there I am – tossing away the old map,

sadly fearfully, putting it behind me.

“whatever will I do?” wails my security

“trust me” says my midlife soul.

no map, no specific directions,

no “this way ahead” or “take a left”.

How will l know where to go?

how will I find my way? no map!

but then my midlife soul whispers

“there was a time before maps

when pilgrims travelled by the stars.”

It is time for the pilgrim in me

to travel in the dark,

to learn to read the stars

that shine in my soul.

I will walk deeper

into the dark of my night.

I will wait for the stars.

trust their guidance.

And let their light be enough for me.

Prayer song from Ghana

 traditional, translator unknown

Journeying god,

pitch your tent with mine

so that I may not become deterred

by hardship, strangeness, doubt.

Show me the movement I must make

toward a wealth not dependent on possessions,

toward a wisdom not based on books,

toward a strength not bolstered by might,

toward a god not confined to heaven.

Help me to find myself as I walk in other's shoes.

Anyway

Mother Teresa;

from “Zero Church” by Maggie and Suzzy Roche

People are often unreasonable,

Illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,

People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,

You will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,

People may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,

Someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, 

They may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, 

People will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, 

And it may never be enough;  

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,

It is between you and God; 

 It was never between you and them anyway.

THE UNBROKEN

 by Rashani Rea, www.rashani.com)

There is a brokenness

   out of which comes the unbroken,

a shatteredness out of which blooms the unshatterable.

There is a sorrow

   beyond all grief which leads to joy

and a fragility out of whose depths emerges strength.

There is a hollow space too vast for words

   through which we pass with each loss,

out of whose darkness we are sanctioned into being.

There is a cry deeper than all sound

   whose serrated edges cut the heart

as we break open

To the place inside that is unbreakable and whole

   while learning to sing.

From Darkness to Light

by Katia Petersen

The world is calling—will you rise?

Not turn away, not close your eyes.

Now is the time to stand as one,

To shape the dawn, to call the sun.

Come close, lean in, hear the call—

Not one voice, but the strength of all.

In stories told and hands held tight,

We gather sparks, we birth new light.

For none can walk this path alone,

The seeds we plant are not just our own.

Through trust, through love, through voices strong,

We weave a world where all belong.

So take action, take heart, the time is now,

No more waiting, no asking how.

Be bold, let love ignite—

Be the spark, be the light.

Come, brothers and sisters, step through the door,

As we dream once more.

With open hearts, our voices rise,

To weave new truths, to clear the skies.

In stories shared, in hands embraced,

We find the strength we thought misplaced.

From grief to hope, from dark to bright,

We spark the flame, we transform the world as we unite

A future waits, unwritten still,

Hope is calling—do you hear?

The path ahead is ours to make,

Through compassion, trust, and hearts awake.

Step forward, our time of change is near.

Let us gather, side by side,

With wisdom vast and hearts open wide.

The way ahead, though yet unknown,

Will rise from all the love we’ve sown.

In This Deep Rich Valley

by Dennis Stamper

In this deep rich valley

guarded by sun yellowed sandstone

and copper colored cliffs,

where the sensuous sage dances 

seductively in the gentle breeze

flaunting her perfume among the common folk,

where spiny cactus 

wears her yellow and tangerine flowers invitingly

but warns me to watch my step

and keep my distance carefully,

where gnarled pines hunker down

hold to deep roots

and cling tenaciously

even to their dead parts

but offer me a sheltered place to rest,

“Make yourself at home” they tell me,

“We’ve endured much worse than you”.

Where persistence of rain

has opened the earth

revealing the veins, 

the arteries,

waiting to carry the blood red abundance

to all the places that need it

and surely some that don’t,

where misplaced boulders lie 

crumbling and defeated

in the shadow of the cliffs now

like the liberated heads of once great giants

reminding me that high and mighty

is not a permeant state, 

that what goes up must come down

and that even a rock can’t hold on forever.

I sit on my mat in the this place I have chosen,

or perhaps has chosen me,

where I have come to spend the day and the night,

to see the light and the dark of this place

and perhaps to find the light and dark of me as well.

I have made an alter

on the ground beside me,

sticks and bark and leaves

and something I cannot identify,

I haven’t a clue what it is

but it draws me in.

My alter is square with four corners

like the four directions of the earth

and of the spirit world as well.

I write because I need to

Hoping that just somehow

among the flow of words

I will discover why I have come to this place.

Is it to find something new

that I have never seen before

first seen and discovered in this distant valley

then carefully tucked within my heart and soul

and taken home to treasure?

Is it to remember something of value,

something I know

or once knew 

or at least my soul or body did?

Or is it to forget something best forgotten,

to freely release it and lay it down

or to ask the spirits of this place

to wrench it from my still clinching hands and heart?

Is it to leave something here in this place so distant  

that I could not tiptoe back and slip it into my pocket even if I tried?

Or maybe I have been brought here

because I am in need of healing and rest.

Although I most often keep it beneath my awareness, bearing witness to so much pain with so many people

for so many years 

has surely taken its toll.

Perhaps after sitting on the mourning bench with so many others

it is time that I sit gently and compassionately 

with myself.

I will sit in this place 

and I will walk gently on this small patch of infinity.

I will sleep beneath the bright full moon

that will reveal itself here this very night.

I will call on all the Spirits

and I will pray to the unity of all spirit I call God.

I will sing whatever song my soul lifts up

and I will sing it

knowing that it must be true.

And I will await the gift I will be given

trusting that it is real and reliable

and will hold my full weight.

For I have called on all the Spirits

and the Spirits always speak Truth.

Upcoming Conscious Eldering Programs

Retreats

After offering two weeklong retreats this Spring, we will be presenting our signature Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreat at magnificent Ghost Ranch this September 14-20.

In the second half of this year we will likely also be offering one or two weekend introductions to conscious eldering, to be announced later.  We welcome invitations from organizations to present our highly impactful weekend workshops.

Please consider joining us if you seek an empowering vision for your elder chapters, tools for helping make that vision reality, and the warmth of a supportive community of kindred spirits. Our programs provide a powerful opportunity to have your idealism acknowledged, your hope rekindled and your dreams for a vital, passionate elderhood supported? They offer you the wisdom of skilled guides and the heart-and-mind-opening energy of the natural world, to open you to the rich possibiities of your later-life chapters--for growth, purpose, spiritual deepening, and giving your elder gifts to support a healthy society and planet.

If you need financial assistance to participate in a Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreat, please contact us. We have a small scholarship fund. And if you are in a position to contribute to this fund, we would love to hear from you.

Last July Ron Pevny was asked to present a webinar for Sage-ing International's World Wisdom Traditions series. Ron's webinar was titled "Conscious Eldering: The Hero's Journey Into Elderhood."

You can watch his hour-long presentationt by using this link: https://youtu.be/BtTIpc8FIKw

Ron's Recent Interviews

The publication of the new edition of Ron’s book has resulted in many invitations to be interviewed on Aging, Wellness and related podcasts, radio shows, and summits. Here are links to several of these interviews:

The Banyen Books of Vancouver Podcast with Ross McKeachie

April 16, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAUGkTKu3_Y&t

Glowing Older Podcast with Nancy Griffin

https://www.glowingolder.com/listen/episode/ebd7a653/episode-206-ron-pevny-on-life-transitions-and-conscious-eldering

Beth Mauroni:  Conscious Living Summit presentation

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13hYaoR9jpGl1q2WmpJmnWdzBcxjKj96c/view?usp=sharing

Jeff Armstrong:  Aging Well Podcast 

https://youtu.be/Ecsx8pTCi8U

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1907855/15445065

With Richard Cohn President of Beyond Words Publishing on Healthy Life Net

 https://healthylife.net/RadioShow/archiveBW.htm

Rejuvenaging Podcast with Dr. Ron Kaiser

https://shows.acast.com/rejuvenaging-with-dr-ron-kaiser/episodes/embracing-elderhood-with-purpose-and-passion-a-conversation-

Victor Fuhrman: Vox Novus Radio and Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8aRdYkn2AU

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-vox-novus-with-victor-fuhr-78128273/episode/ron-pevny-conscious-living-conscious-212903317/

The Fieldswell Podcast :  with Lauren Fields

Apple Podcast Link            Spotify Podcast Link  

One of our partner organizations, the Elders Action Network is an educational non-profit organization fostering a budding movement of vital elders dedicated to growing in consciousness while actively addressing the demanding social and environmental challenges facing our country and planet. They work inter-generationally for social and economic justice,environmental stewardship, and sound governance. They offer their multiple talents and resources in service to the goal of preserving and protecting life for all generations to come. Anyone committed to living and serving as a conscious elder in invited to join them in this critically important endeavor. EAN offerings include, among others,

* Bi-weekly Elder Activists for Social Justice Community Conversations

*The growing and influential "Elders Climate Action" initiative

* The Empowered Elder--EAN's foundational program

* Intergenerational environmental and social action projects

*The Elders for Regenerative Living initiative

To learn about EAN and its initiatives and programs, visit www.eldersaction.org

Another of our partner organizations is Sage-ing International, the pioneering organization in promoting the principles of "Sage-ing/conscious aging, Their greatly expanded offerings of online workshops and seminars, Elder Wisdom Circles, and their training program for Certified Sage-ing Leaders is grounded in the work of the late Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, who introduced conscious aging to the world with his workshops at Omega Institute with Ram Dass and others, and via his seminal book, From Age-ing to Sage-ing.

To view their website, visit www.sage-ing.org

Please note: This coming August 13-17, Sage-ing International is holding its first large in-person gathering since the pandemic. To be held at beautiful Sunrise Ranch in the foothills above Loveland, Colorado, there will be ceremony, sharing circles, and various engaging presentations, all within the context of the overarching theme of "conscious eldering; shining our elder light in these times of darkness". To learn more, visit sage-ing.org and look for information about The Gathering on the home page.