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Dear Friends committed to living and aging consciously:
Welcome to the Summer, 2024 edition of Conscious Eldering Inspiration and Resources; The Journal of the Center for Conscious Eldering. We wish you a Summer in which you thrive in body, mind and Spirit. 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 to blossom out into the world through you and 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.
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There are still three spaces in our annual Fall retreat at magnificent Ghost Ranch, September 29 - October 5. If you would like more information, please look for the "Choosing Conscious Elderhood at Ghost Ranch" box on the homepage of our website. |
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We are thrilled to announce the release of the 10th Anniversary, updated and expanded edition of Ron Pevny's pioneering book on conscious eldering: Conscious Living, Conscious Aging: Claiming the Gifts of Elderhood. Ron's book will be available through Beyond Words Publishing, Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and your local bookstore on July 16th. The only way you can pre-order this book is through its publisher, Beyond Words, until July 16th. Those who preorder will receive a 20% discount off the $18.95 cover price. To preorder, use this link: https://beyondword.com/products/conscious-living-conscious-aging-10th-anniversary-claiming-the-gifts-of-elderhood. Use the Promo Code conscious20 to receive the discount. And after July 16th, we encourage you to order through Beyond Words, using the same link.
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Our Collective Hero’s Journey
by Ron Pevny
During our recent May Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreat at Ghost Ranch, one of the participants, who is a professional astrologer, told us about the astrological forces that will be strongly influencing humanity in the next several months. I don’t know enough about astrology to accurately write about the particular planetary alignments and influences that are and will be in play. But since much of what she shared is so obviously reflective of what we are seeing in the world around us, I would like to share with you my reaction to her presentation.
Sally told us that a cycle of darkness will be reaching its peak this Fall, or, to put it another way, we will be hitting maximum darkness, or rock bottom, which is a necessary prelude for a powerful, unexpectedly fast-evolving Aquarian energy of hope, creativity and transformation to emerge. We must endure this darkness and hold on to hope and to a positive vision for what can emerge and how we can contribute to that emergence, no matter how dark it gets.
We are truly deep into a collective hero’s journey, having great difficulty seeing the many glimmers of light that shine in our world but are overshadowed by the darkness. There is great fear around the world about the polarization sweeping our planet and the rise of autocratic leaders in many countries. The future of democracy is gravely threatened in the U. S. and many other countries. It is so very easy to become addicted to feeding ourselves toxic, fear-inducing, spirit-crushing news each day, and to allow this darkness to sap our hope and our trust that we can make a difference.
I believe our task as we seek to grow into the fullness of elderhood is to not allow the energies of the trials we are facing, individually and collectively, to disempower us. To begin each day with a commitment to growing and serving, because that is what our growth and integrity ask of us, whether world news is encouraging or not. To seek out and feed ourselves positive images of the rays of light shining in our world, and of the soul gifts we were born to give to the world at this time. To find strength and inspiration in community with kindred spirits. To do what brings us truly alive and not allow ourselves to go numb as we face the demons that throughout history have assailed those courageous enough to undergo the hero’s journey.
Our role as elders, as it has been throughout history, is to model for the younger generations the courage it takes to hold on to our vision and personal power when the forces of unconsciousness seek to gain ascendence. If not us, who will serve for them as beacons of hope amid the darkness?
I believe humanity, and the U.S., are perched on a knife edge between collapse and transformation. I hope and pray that astrological predictions are correct, and that a powerful force for transformation is almost ready to emerge and support us all as we contribute our light to a brilliant, transformative collective beacon. Most of the world’s visionaries tell us that we must work to support the forces of transformation. A positive future is not assured. There will be many times when we cannot see the comforting light through the darkness.
What I do know is that, as a human being committed to my growth and the wellbeing of this world, I WILL do whatever I can to shine my light. If great numbers of us elders make this same commitment, in our lifetimes we may see that we have played a critical role in bequeathing a brighter future to our descendants. Along this line, I encourage you to read my review later in this newsletter of Theodore Roszak’s visionary book, The Making of An Elder Culture.
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Beyond the Ordinary
Journaling As a Tool in the Process of Conscious Eldering
by Jan Flynn
I got my first journal as a present from “Santa” when I was nine years old. It was a small pink leatherette book with the words “Dear Diary” in gold script emblazoned just above a small gold lock with a tiny key. As I started writing that first night, I knew I had discovered something amazing. I wrote about my day, about how much I disliked having a baby sister, and about how I wished to be an only child again. I didn’t know about introspection or therapy. I just knew that writing it down made me feel better and that locking those thoughts away gave me a special feeling of control. I’ve been journaling ever since.
Somewhere along the way I came across a definition for a “journal” that I like. A journal is simply a personal record of occurrences, experiences, thoughts, and reflections kept on a regular basis for the purpose of creating a meaningful connection with yourself. I like the idea that the verb form…to journal…is the act of me making a mindful connection to myself.
Why Journal As We Age?
Consistent and introspective writing can be an important addition to the “toolkit” of those things that add significantly to our experience of becoming a Conscious Elder. First, science tells us that journaling is good for our mental and physical health. American psychologist James Pennebaker has studied the impact and benefits of journaling. Identifying emotions, capturing our feelings about both positive and negative events, and simply chronicling our day-to-day experiences helps to promote better mental health. Journaling also promotes mindfulness. The process of introspection helps us stay more grounded in the present. Awareness of, labeling of, and writing about our innermost feelings provides a way to cleanse, let go, and move on, particularly in terms of releasing negative emotions.
Journaling can increase your positive outlook which can help to reduce stress and aid in staving off depression, both of which lead to better physical health. Researcher Robert Eammons found that simply writing about the good things you experience, gratitude journaling, helps you have a more balanced and holistic view of your life. Expressing gratitude also has a positive impact on better sleep and on helping your immune system.
The consistent practice of journaling also provides a way to remember, all the more important as we age. When we journal, we capture the moments, the impressions, the people, and the thoughts important to us at the time. It’s there, captured so that I don’t lose experience to the uncertainty of memory. These “archives” can play an important role in life review. Looking back on journal entries from years ago, I always amaze myself at what I learn and am so thankful that I have a record of times and memories I’ve forgotten.
Journaling can help with the all important process of forgiveness. The privacy of a journal provides a safe space to chronicle the who, what, how, and why of those we need to forgive and those from whom we need to seek forgiveness. Writing openly, deeply, frankly, and honestly about the person, the events, the outcomes, and the emotions of forgiveness can help with the clarity needed to engage in the process of forgiving, and of being forgiven.
It is said that the wise Sage travels light. Private and introspective writing can bring an important dimension to the process of letting go. Ask yourself questions like :
· What am I holding on to that gets in my way?
· What parts of my younger self do I need to let go of?
· What am I getting out of holding on?
· What do I need to do to let go?
Answer them honestly and let your mind go where it will. Again, writing about it in an open and honest way helps to gain clarity.
What I’ve Learned From Years of Journaling
I realize in writing this that I’ve been keeping some kind of journal for almost seventy years. Here’s a random assortment of lessons I’ve learned along the way:
· Journaling takes commitment, yet when I let it become a chore, I don’t do it. Consistency is key. Commit to writing fifteen minutes at least four days a week. Pick a time that works for you. My morning ritual is my coffee, my cat on my lap, and my journal.
· Don’t worry about your writing. There are no rules and no right way to do this. Journaling is the place for fragmented thoughts, incomplete sentences, run on sentences, bad grammar, choice curse words, and even doodles. Remember that you’re writing is there for your personal reflection and for yourself alone.
· Consider journaling each day as a kind of meditation. It’s time to slow down, sit still, breathe, and focus. In Tanzania, I learned the Swahili words “pole’ pole’ (po-lay, po-lay)”…slowly, slowly. It’s the way of life there. Let journaling be your pole’ pole’ time.
· Simply begin by writing about what’s happened in your life and how you’re feeling about it. Know that we often remember events, places, and people without remembering our reactions to them. Capturing your feelings is an important aspect of remembering.
· Be honest with yourself. Pay close attention to anything that crosses your mind. Record the joy and the wonder, and don’t be afraid to let the negativity flow if that’s what comes up. Learn to not censor your thoughts.
· Treat yourself to a good journal and find what works for you. I love beautiful smaller-sized journals with lined pages for my day-to-day work. Two brands that I like are journals from Peter Pauper Press and from Paperblanks. If you like a larger, notebook-sized journal, try the ones from Dingbats or from Moleskin. All are available on Amazon.
· Find a pen that works for you. There’s nothing worse for me than trying to let my thoughts flow when my pen won’t. My current favorite pen is the Pilot Precise Varsity. Again, Amazon. It’s an old school fountain pen, but disposable. I love it!
· Capture your dreams! Dreams can tell us a lot about our subconscious minds, not to mention how much rereading a dream from the past can make us laugh. When we talk about our dreams, we usually recount them is visual images, much like scenes from a movie. Try capturing your dreams this way. Put each scene in a “thought bubble” and connect the bubbles with arrows. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Journaling can provide a rich and rewarding experience when done with consistency, mindful attention, and persistence. It provides us with the opportunity to look back with a degree of accuracy that memory does not always assure. It helps with our growth process in becoming Conscious Elders. Through journaling, we can revisit who we were, focus on who we are now, and more clearly think with intention about who want to become. It’s a powerful tool to add to the kit of those things that can help us age well. Happy writing!
Among other things, Jan Flynn, Ph.D., is a mother, a grandmother, an avid traveler, a cattle drive cook, and a certified Bar-B-Que judge. For the past 15 years, her academic and consulting work has focused on transition from one generation to the next in family businesses. Seeing her older clients struggle with letting go and moving on to the next phase of their lives, she began to explore the work of ageing, particularly as it relates to embracing growing older with grace and purpose. This led her to become a Certified Sageing Leader with Sageing International and to work to become a Retreat Guide with the Center for Conscious Eldering. She can be reached through email at <jan.flynn@bellsouth.net
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Learning About Elderhood from the Tarahumara
By Arden Mahlberg
Arden wrote this two years after he returned from our 2009 Pilgrimage to Copper Canyon, Mexico. On this journey, our group had the unique opportunity to learn from indigenous Rarámuri (Tarahumara) elders. After years of brutal religious persecution by Spanish Christian colonizers, the Raramuri found ways to weave together their ancient indigenous spirituality with what they considered the positives in Christianity. Raramuri culture and spirituality remain strong, even as “western” values are steadily encroaching on their ancient way of understanding life and interconnectivity.
The ”Learning Ancient Wisdom, Growing Into Elderhood” pilgrimage played a big role in altering my understanding of elderhood. Here is how this unfolded:
Toward the end of our 10-day visit to the Rarámuri, we had the privilege of spending time with a Chief, several of the Elders, and their families. We met them first at a church in their village. In front of the church was a square with bench areas at the front of it and along the sides. It was explained to us that after church each week, the Chief and the Elders held a community meeting. The Chief was chosen for that role because of his insight into the community and because of his eloquence in addressing them. Elders were chosen for that role years before by the existing Elders. They were asked to commit to years of mentoring before becoming a full Elder. Each Elder had a specific role to play and it was their responsibility to fulfill it and then perpetuate that role by choosing someone in the community to succeed them who had the necessary qualities for their role. When someone was asked to be an Elder, they could decline, but if they did, they had to leave the community. If they accepted, they then began training for their role.
The Elder obligation among the Raramuri is to care for the wellbeing of the community. This required that they know everything there is to know about each member, including their strengths and weaknesses. This might mean that the Elders know more about the individuals than those individuals know about themselves.
We were told that at the weekly community meeting, the Chief spoke to current issues in the life of the community and addressed it with wisdom. If there were conflicts in the community, the Chief would call out the participants, get information and then consult with the Elders for a response. The Chief would then declare what the participants would need to do for resolution. I witnessed what a great obligation it was to be an Elder.
Elders in the Rarámuri culture do not select their own roles. Our guide, Jan Milburn, who lived with the Raramuri for thirty-plus years, was the only non-Raramuri to ever be asked to train to be a Raramuri Elder. He shared with us some details of his responsibilities as an Elder in training—a 12 year process with a strong focus on his emotional and spiritual growth and on understanding of the traditions, history, culture and needs of the Raramuri. One year he was assigned the role of playing the part of a Pharisee in the Holy Week services. He was responsible for learning about the mindset and role of the Pharisees and play that role as faithfully as he could as if he were a Pharisee. He was not asked, “What part would you like to play?” He was assigned a role the community needed him to play and knew he could play well.
In almost every aspect of groups I am a part of in my middle class Caucasian American life, we are asked what roles wewould like to play. In our church, for example, we are asked to volunteer to assume certain responsibilities of our own choosing. People are not very interested in having to learn new things in order to meet a community need. On this pilgrimage it occurred to me how different is our culture of volunteering from that of indigenous Eldering. As the contrast became clear to me, I found myself questioning whether I even want to be an Elder. I think: I am now nearly 65 years old and have devoted all of my adult life to helping others in one capacity or another, mostly as a psychotherapist. I’ve long been attracted to the Hindu stages of life: student, householder, retired person and ascetic. In this tradition, after one’s productive years, you retreat into contemplation and even have your earthly needs supplied by others.
I am also influenced in how to look at spending one’s later phase of life by the self fulfillment point of view that dominates my liberal professional subculture. What can I add to my life that will bring balance, joy and self fulfillment? I have recently added playing percussion and kayaking. They have brought me great pleasure. But I have shied away from taking any responsibility. I want less responsibility, not more. Other additions to my recent life: during our pilgrimage I returned to writing poetry after decades of not doing it. I have also been writing some music.
Of course, in my subculture self fulfillment includes contributions to the community in the form of “volunteering.” But it all seems to start from the self and emanate out.
In contrast, I learned that Eldering in traditional societies like the Rarámuri comes from the outside in – from the community to the individual. Communities choose their Elders and what they need from them. They don’t ask: “How would you like to serve?” which is what generally happens in my communities. Eldering societies inform people what the community needs from them because they see the gifts these people have to offer, and they fully expect the answer will be “yes.” This way of viewing community wellbeing very much runs counter to contemporary notions of individual freedom.
Eldering, I realized, begins with community – being known by others - and includes being willing to let the community’s needs trump our personal goals. I see that if I want to become an Elder in my subculture, I must participate in community so I can be known by others and they have the opportunity to see what role I can play in meeting the needs of the community. This means helping to strengthen community during this modern age when community is weakening. I have come to see community building, community awareness and community participation as the only meaningful routes to true Eldering. Since my subculture involves very little direction from the community to the individual, it is incumbent upon me, since I aspire to Elderhood, to come to know the needs of the community and see how I might best use my gifts to fill them.
My observation at this point is that people from my subculture are only willing to fill a role others ask of them if they are currently ready to fill that role given their current knowledge and experience, and not take on roles that will require much mentoring or learning.. In contrast, indigenous Elders are chosen based on awareness of their future capacity, not current ability. This understanding of Eldering has challenged me to be willing to learn some new things, not primarily for self-fulfillment, but in order to meet the needs of my community. A personal example has been learning to write music to meet the needs of my church community, where I have been asked to mentor some young percussionists These types of activities, while minor compared to Raramuri Elder training, are at least, it seems to me, in the spirit of Eldering rather than in the spirit of focusing primarily on myself and my fulfillment.
I remember the closeness of the stars on our pilgrimage, when I contemplated the Rarámuri’s understanding that their departed ancestors become stars. The stars are ancestors they consult every night for guidance. Something that has grown on me since that trip is the importance of appreciating the utter interdependence of our being. We can not sustain our own lives without outside help. Every breath is proof of this. And others depend on our participation for their own well being.
I gained some appreciation for this from the Rarámuri ritual of drumming the sun up during Lent, something we were privileged to hear when we were on the rim of Copper Canyon. They stop as soon as the sun peaks above the canyon wall. We could look at this as some primitive superstition. Do they really believe the sun won’t come up if they don’t drum? Or is it rather a form of grateful participation in what their lives depend on? I suspect it is the latter. This has shaped my understanding of prayer, not as a form of magical causality, but as a form of participation in the interdependence of life. And so I pray for things that will happen without my prayers. Elders continue to participate even into old age. I am inspired to give up the model that since my career was devoted to serving others, I am entitled to a long post-career period of cashing in on the benefits of that productivity and living my remaining years on my own terms. I intend to always participate.
Arden Mahlberg was a dear 50-year friend of Ron Pevny. For many he was an inspiring model of what true elderhood can be. Arden died three weeks ago; his wisdom, passion, and commitment to community, social justice and the wellbeing of our Earth home touched the lives of many.
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Keeping a Journal
By Willliam Stafford
At night it was easy for me
with my little candle
to sit late recording
what happened that day.
Sometimes rain breathing in from the dark would begin softly across the roof
and then drum wildly for attention.
The candle flame would hunger
after each wafting of air.
My pen inscribed thin shadows
that leaned forward
and hurried their lines along the wall.
More important than what was recorded, these evenings deepened my life: t
hey framed every event or thought
and placed it with care by the others.
As time went on, that scribbled wall--
even if it stayed blank--
became where everything recognized itself and passed into meaning.
I Came Upon a Wise Man
by Arden Mahlberg
came upon a wise man
and saw this as my opportunity.
“Sir, what wisdom might you impart to me, if you would be so kind.”
He opened his mouth and out came the sound of a babbling brook.
I could make out voices in it,
and a general sense of peace filled me,
but no words could I hear.
Sensing my puzzlement,
he opened his mouth again,
and this time out came the sound of the wind through the aspen.
Again, I could make out voices in it but no discernable words.
Again, he read my face and opened his mouth to speak.
This time out came the crackling sound
of a gentle campfire.
And again, I could hear voices in it but no discernable words.
Now even more peaceful
and transported was I.
I found I had no more questions.
I opened my mouth to thank the man.
Out came the humming sound
of spider webs vibrating in the breeze.
He smiled and we parted.
A Path Forward
by Anne Leslie
At the threshold
I stand
my head turns
door behind me closes
My breath slows
eyes widen
A step for Life
that’s all
one step.
I hear a song.
The women who have born
me into being call
Step once more
they implore
for us
step for Life
the wisdom of our lineage waits
just once more
your daughters ask this of you
all of the women
who cannot make the step
ask this of you
your step is their step
do it for them
do it for yourself.
Do it most for yourself
Step for your life.
I smile
I feel the love
coming through
the heart of my heart,
that place where
stepping into the mystery
flows through me,
the droplets of life’s calling.
I step.
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The House of Evening Light by Nancy Wood
In the house of evening light,
I remember the day,
how each moment unfolded and took wing,
touching all that went before and all
That came after.
Not one single moment, but a combination of moments and changing shadows.
In the house of evening light,
I watch my life unfold,
from the rosy dawn of anticipation
to the heat of the noonday sun,
blazing a path I was afraid to follow because my heart was closed
to the danger that living a full life brings.
In the house of evening light, I watch
as darkness falls,
and one by one familiar faces
fade from my poor vision,
and events that seemed so important
this morning now await for the mouth of time to swallow them.
In the house of evening light,
a star appears,
guiding me toward a new horizon
without the limitation of day’s full light
or those false promises
of clouds without rain.
Tomorrow a new heart rises with the sun.
Who We Are
by Barbara Roth
Written at Ghost Ranch Oct. 2023
Who Are We
This small
Band of seekers
Intrepid Elders
The Newly Aged
Creative Souls
Who Are We
To come together
Hoping for just a
Little
Insight
Enlightenment
Understanding
Forgiveness
Healing
Direction
Hope
Who Are We
We are Prepared
Ready for the Struggle
For the Surprise
For the Shock
Getting Ready for the
Last road
Preparing for
The
End
Who Are We
Souls as well as
Bodies
Spirits as well as
Psyches
Future Ancestors
Unbeknown role models
Unintentional mentors
Undeniable Sages
Who Are We
We Wonder
We Know
We Understand
We are so many things
We have so many
Identities, all seen
Now
We have but this
One life in this
Place, like this
To Grow, to become
To be
Who Are We
Human Beings
Imperfect
Gazing into and then
Out to
The Greater Who
We Are
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Upcoming Conscious Eldering Programs
Retreats
Our 2024 programs have included our two signature Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreats at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico (May 14-20 and September 29 - October 5) and our return to Ireland September 11-17 for our second retreat on the Emerald Isle. We may also be offering one or two weekend introductions to conscious eldering, to be announced later.
There are still three places open for September 29-October 5 at Ghost Ranch, and, although our Ireland retreat is filled, cancellation do happen. We encourage you to contact us to get on the wait list if you are interested in this unique experience.
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.
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For Organizations, Faith Communities, etc:
We are available to present our weekend workshops or custom designed programs for groups who would like to sponsor one in their area. Contact us to explore possibilities.
for details on our programs and registration information, please visit
www.centerforconsciouseldering.com/events
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Announcing the FREE Conscious Living Summit
with Ron Pevny being one of the team of experts interviewed
I was recently honored to be interviewed for the upcoming Conscious Living Summit produced by Dr. Beth Mauroni. Dr. Mauroni’s life work is promoting good, vibrant health in its many dimensions. She teaches that good health is multipronged, with each facet being a tributary leading to the river of health and vitality. For those in or approaching elderhood, aging consciously is a critical dimension of total health and wellness, complimenting the important other approaches engagingly presented in this series. “Conscious Eldering: Aging With Purpose and Passion” was the theme of my hour-long interview with Beth.
Access to the 10 interviews in the Conscious Living Summit series is free. You can learn about and register to watch this complimentary 5-day series, which starts July1st, by going to this link:
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Ron Pevny brings passion and clarity to the sacred passage into conscious eldering. Realistic about challenges along the way, filled with wisdom and inspiration, this brilliant new edition of his classic book is a gem. Ron is the real deal, a faithful companion on our journey into the unknown territory of aging, guiding us to a deep appreciation of the resilience, meaning, peace and wholeness conscious eldering brings to us and to our world.
Dr. Joan Borysenko, NY Times bestselling author of “Minding the Body, Mending the Mind”
The expanded, updated 10th Anniversary Edition of Ron's book will be released July 16th.
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Few of the numerous books I have read on aging have touched me at the visceral, emotional level of myself as has Helen Wilkes’ book, which I felt compelled to read in one day. It’s greatest strength lies in its tapping into the great power of story. Telling the story of key landmarks on the journey of growth into elderhood, Helen has done a magnificent job of employing core conscious aging concepts, a richness of quotations from wise “authorities”, and heart-opening personal experiences to paint for readers a dynamic, living picture of what elderhood can be for those willing to live with commitment, curiosity and courage.
Ron Pevny
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The Summer of Love. Vietnam. Woodstock. These are the milestones of the baby boomer generation Theodore Roszak chronicled in his 1969 breakthrough book The Making of a Counter Culture. Part of an unprecedented longevity revolution, a large segment of those boomers today form the most educated, most socially conscientious, politically savvy older generation the world has ever seen. And Roszak says they are preparing for Act Two.
In The Making of an Elder Culture, he reminds the boomers of the creative role they once played in our society and of the moral and intellectual resources they now have to draw upon for radical transformation in their later years. He sees the experience of aging as a potential revolution in consciousness, and predicts (or at least envisions) an “elder insurgency” where boomers return to take up what they left undone in their youth. He writes that idealism is still alive in many of this generation, although it has often been submerged beneath the necessities of making a living and the enticements of a way of life that our idealism sought to transform. “Fusing the green, the gray, and the just, an Elder Culture can play a critical role in achieving a truly sustainable future.”
Ron Pevny and Amazon
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Online course taught by Center for Conscious Eldering guide emeritus Anne Wennhold
Aging Into the 80s
Beginning in mid-September
This is an eight-week Zoom seminar focused on the continuing transitions of growth and development beyond the active 70s. The focus off this seminar is to identify and develop ways of managing the unexpected turns taken by the transitions of later elderhood and to provide windows into topics and fears often hidden by cultural denial: such as Balancing One's Life Style, Continued Growth Practice, Letting Go and Facing Mortality. Now in her early 90s and no longer co-guiding conscious eldering retreats, Anne will be bringing her own aging experience to this unique class.
For more information or to register, Contact Anne annewennhold@gmail.com.
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The Human Values in Aging Newsletter
The newsletter you are reading is not intended to provide a comprehensive listing of workshops and other resources available these days to help support people in aging consciously. That job is well done by Rick Moody in his monthly Human Values in Aging newsletter. To receive it on the first day of each month, send an email to hrmoody@yahoo.com
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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
*The new Sunrise Movement - an intergenerational collaborative effort between EAN and Sage-ing International
*The Elders for Regenerative Living initiative
To learn about EAN and its initiatives and programs, visit www.eldersaction.org
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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
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The Pathways to Elderhood Alliance (PEAL) is a newly forming alliance of organizations, including the Center for Conscious Eldering, who offer programs that support the journey into elderhood. To learn about this promising collaboration, click here: Passageways to Elderhood Alliance
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Ron Pevny, Founder and Director
970-223-0857
3707 Coronado Ave, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
ron@centerforconsciouseldering.com
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The risk it took to remain tight within the bud was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin
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