Fierce with Age Archives, Vol. 3
Wisdom from Wayshowers
“Plummet into aging, stare mortality in the eye, surrender everything and what else is there left to fear? The way is perilous, danger on all sides. But we are no longer a generation afraid of age. We are becoming, instead, a generation fierce with age.” –Carol Orsborn
Welcome to a new edition from the Fierce with Age Archives. This edition features a combination of new inspiration as well as classics drawn from over 1000 entries gathered by a team of curators and contributors over 15 years.
For the complete collection of best-of-the year-editions, click HERE.
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“What if people began to experience age-related changes in consciousness as essentially mystical in nature? A gradual fading away of identity, as if who you were or think you are is no longer very important or even that real…a loss of ‘high gear,’ that hard-driving, goal-oriented focus on getting things done…memory failures (for names, details, intentions, ideas, and habits) and so on…
As these contents of consciousness empty, we can become aware of consciousness itself, pure and omnipresent…When we experience consciousness directly, free of thought, we are literally experiencing Divinity, and a door to eternity opens in the human psyche. Aging is enlightenment in slow motion.”
–John C. Robinson The Three Secrets of Aging: Seeking Enlightenment in the New Aging
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ELDERS AND YOUNGERS NEED EACH OTHER
“Conscious elders are committed to seeking ways to bridge the current mutually disempowering divide between younger people and older adults so that we can better understand each other’s strengths, challenges, fears, aspirations and dreams for a life-supporting future.
As has been the case throughout history, the role of elder is defined by a mutually empowering relationship with younger generations. Elders have experience, wisdom, and big-picture values and perspectives to share with youngers. They understand that everything in life is related and interdependent. Youngers have energy, idealism and understanding of the technologies and culture of today’s world to share with the elders.
Elders and youngers need each other for their growth and for the synergy that develops when they work together on behalf of their communities and the well-being of life on our Earth home.”
This is an excerpt from the new, 10th Anniversary expanded and updated edition of Ron Pevny’s book Conscious Living, Conscious Aging: Claiming the Gifts of Elderhood. It is available through his publisher, Beyond Words:) and other book distributors.
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“There is no right or wrong way of growing old. A great source of suffering in our culture, and one which hounds many people as they age, is that if they could just figure out how to do things right, there would be no suffering in age. If they could just learn to succeed in aging correctly, as they struggled to succeed in marriage, parenthood, business, and other areas of their lives, age would cease to bring challenges they didn’t quite know how to face.
But when it comes to how we choose to live, creating our lives and the roles we play as we move along in years, the rigid notion of right and wrong, and of success in general, should be irrelevant to how we make our decisions. We’re finally free to make ‘mistakes,’ follow our hunches, experiment boldly, or do nothing at all, as age liberates us from our old roles and offers us the chance to seize an authentic way of living.”
–Ram Dass, Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying
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5 SPIRITUAL BENEFITS OF RETIRING
Fortune.com writer Jann Freed recently interviewed Carol Orsborn for an article about Biden’s retirement and its potential impact on others who are facing similar questions. Carol offered 5 spiritual benefits to retiring.
“· Erosion of ego. Letting go of the ego dominating our lives teaches us humility. This humility relieves us from being controlled by power, competition, and jealousy.
· Simplicity. From a nonspiritual perspective, the simple life often includes downsizing and moving, which can be perceived as loss, grief, and giving up. But it can be a time of gratitude and peace.
· Relishing the moment. Slowing down and becoming less physically active. In reality, it can be time we spend being quiet, noticing more, feeling more, and experiencing more.
· Acceptance. It is hard to give up control (position, family business, identity). It takes faith to let go and trust others to take over…
· Forgiveness. It takes many years to grow old to accept our imperfections. This is a time to forgive ourselves and to forgive others.”
“5 Spiritual Benefits That Can Redefine Retirement In The Post-Biden Era” at Forbes.com
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RENEWMENT: CHALLENGING THE STEREOTYPES OF RETIREMENT
“Renewment is a word we made up. It’s a combination of retirement & renewal, a substitute for the term retirement which often is associated with stereotypes and cliches. In contrast Renewment suggests rebirth, choices, vitality, opportunity and personal growth. It implies that decisions about the next chapter of life can be intentional rather than defined by the needs and expectations of others.”
-- Project Renewment ™ (Scribner)
Thanks to Helen Dennis who writes: “The mission of renewment is to inspire and support career women through transitiion and change — from work to retirement and beyond. (renewment.org)
Been thinking about this a lot lately, thank you for this inspiring read.