“What are your doing with your one wild and precious life, in your 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s?”*
As elders, many of us have a freedom now to try out what we have never done before; to experiment with new colors in our painting; write essays or poems about our life experiences; begin creating black and white photographs compared to creating only color photography.
We find ourselves content with not always knowing what is next as we demanded a decade ago.
We increasingly have a sense of a leading that has come to us and which we follow, not knowing where we are going.
We speak our minds despite the risks but we also remain silent when what we might say would harm another person.
Sometimes we get ahead of our guide and laugh. In these years we are walking, listening, seeing, and writing, with more attentiveness than ever. We are discovering parts of our selves we did not know about until now. All of this remarkable discovering and adventure and creating we do alone with focused intensity.
Then occasionally we wonder, what are others my age exploring, discovering, and creating?
In this time apart we will meet as elders of the tribe, elders who share their knowledge and wisdom freely, like “You’re not too old to begin…” “You can do that.” “It’s OK to be a beginner.” “I will help you.”
We will focus on three questions:
1. What one thing have you always wanted to do?
2. What have you been doing that has run its course, and you want to stop?
3. Are you thinking you would like to do what you do now, differently, but you do not know what that is?
You are invited to bring one thing you have created or have found especially meaningful; a beach stone, wood carving, driftwood, pottery... You might write a paragraph or two that tells the story of what you have brought. We’ll have time to see what each has brought and read the story in silence, as a way to activate our imagination and creativity in new, unexpected ways.
A. Working with these questions, I will offer stories of artists with quieting music, poetry, and beautiful photography. I will introduce each question and speak about it, not to provide answers for you but to invite you to imagine your life in new ways, from a different slant.
B. Silent Reflection on the three questions and pondering what others have brought.
C. I will offer practical spiritual habits for creating elders from Elton Trueblood, Julia Cameron, poets William Stafford and David Whyte, with quieting music, nuggets of wisdom, and beauty.
D. Silent time to journal, walk, go apart.
E. A concluding Elder Conversation.
1. What we are experiencing today?
2. What are your thoughts about the three questions?
3. What are your next steps?
If this interests you, email me and let's "talk" via email: [email protected]
As elders, many of us have a freedom now to try out what we have never done before; to experiment with new colors in our painting; write essays or poems about our life experiences; begin creating black and white photographs compared to creating only color photography.
We find ourselves content with not always knowing what is next as we demanded a decade ago.
We increasingly have a sense of a leading that has come to us and which we follow, not knowing where we are going.
We speak our minds despite the risks but we also remain silent when what we might say would harm another person.
Sometimes we get ahead of our guide and laugh. In these years we are walking, listening, seeing, and writing, with more attentiveness than ever. We are discovering parts of our selves we did not know about until now. All of this remarkable discovering and adventure and creating we do alone with focused intensity.
Then occasionally we wonder, what are others my age exploring, discovering, and creating?
In this time apart we will meet as elders of the tribe, elders who share their knowledge and wisdom freely, like “You’re not too old to begin…” “You can do that.” “It’s OK to be a beginner.” “I will help you.”
We will focus on three questions:
1. What one thing have you always wanted to do?
2. What have you been doing that has run its course, and you want to stop?
3. Are you thinking you would like to do what you do now, differently, but you do not know what that is?
You are invited to bring one thing you have created or have found especially meaningful; a beach stone, wood carving, driftwood, pottery... You might write a paragraph or two that tells the story of what you have brought. We’ll have time to see what each has brought and read the story in silence, as a way to activate our imagination and creativity in new, unexpected ways.
A. Working with these questions, I will offer stories of artists with quieting music, poetry, and beautiful photography. I will introduce each question and speak about it, not to provide answers for you but to invite you to imagine your life in new ways, from a different slant.
B. Silent Reflection on the three questions and pondering what others have brought.
C. I will offer practical spiritual habits for creating elders from Elton Trueblood, Julia Cameron, poets William Stafford and David Whyte, with quieting music, nuggets of wisdom, and beauty.
D. Silent time to journal, walk, go apart.
E. A concluding Elder Conversation.
1. What we are experiencing today?
2. What are your thoughts about the three questions?
3. What are your next steps?
If this interests you, email me and let's "talk" via email: [email protected]
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