Eldering
putting our aging to work
“To be an Elder is not a default of aging’.”
Stephen Jenkinson
As I step into my own aging, I rejoice in the opportunity I have been given to experience being alive in a vulnerable body – unthinkable for many of my forbears. I find myself feeling into the spaces where we can learn together what this means, not only for us but for the wider earth community.
How to ‘Elder’ feels like an interesting enquiry, and one to share. What might it look like? How might it feel? How do we know we are one?! Being in community helps us answer these questions.
To honor and own this life stage takes courage in this age defying, death denying culture. Yet the next generation needs initiated adults as never before, they need to feel our breath on the back of their necks as they forge their way into an uncertain future.
My prayer is that the longing to explore a creative and useful old age is the call that draws us into the firelight of an Elders Council. I believe they rejoice when we hear that call.
Elders Council
A way to support us in stepping into service of the wider earth community. In this good company, we safely sit and share our experiences, our griefs and sorrows, learning from each other. We speak from the heart, listen with undivided curiosity and compassion, and build courage and confidence to be that which we were born to be. A place of support for the next generation. A simple opportunity to gather with others exploring their usefulness in later years and cultivate regeneration and peace- not only for ourselves, but for the world. We sit in circle according to the tradition and guidelines of The Way of Council, namely creating a safe space to share from the heart and be heard without judgement or the need to ‘fix’ each other. We learn to listen to what is not said, like the whisperings between the leaves of a tree. Allowing ourselves to be seen in our all our vulnerability, grief, shame, and pain can be life changing.
Sitting together in good company, listening to each other with undivided curiosity and compassion, builds courage and confidence to be that which we were born to be and support the next generation.