Copyright 2015. All rights reserved Anne McGhee Stinson.
Description
The final third phase of life is a great opportunity for spiritual, emotional, and psychological growth. It’s a time to celebrate a life journey, to harvest the wisdom of those experiences, and to share what was meaningful in the company of others. And yet in our youth-obsessed culture, there is a lot of fear and anxiety about growing older.
This program , developed by the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is for anyone who is ready to embrace this final stage of their journey. Based on over fifteen years of research on transformation, Conscious Aging was created over four years and field-tested across a broad range of practitioners and settings.
Inner Guidance: We provide opportunities for participants to tap into their own inner guidance and wisdom and bring hidden beliefs and assumptions into conscious awareness. Research shows that reflection tools can improve our psychological and biological well-being. These activities stimulate and draw on inner guidance which helps shift attention from external to internal forces.
Inspirational Ideas: We present inspirational ideas from trusted sources that help to seed learning and spark new understanding. Key ideas are followed by questions designed for reflection and self-discovery, prompting a shift in focus from outer to inner authority.
Collective Wisdom: These activities help the group listen to one another’s insights, perceive patterns, connect diverse perspectives, and experience a sense of wholeness and community.
Conversation Circle: The design of the workshop is a receptive space of deep listening and speaking from the heart. The goal is to draw out what truly has meaning and to bring that forward via thoughtful speaking and listening. This is facilitated by creating small groups and of no more than three to four participants. These small groups are conducive to intimate conversation and allow time for each participant to share thoughts and ideas, regardless of how many participants are in the larger group.
Participants in the Conscious Aging program will:
• explore their unexamined, self-limiting beliefs and assumptions about aging and learn to make better choices about how to age more consciously;
• develop the skills of self-compassion to cope more effectively with the stresses associated with aging;
• discover what has given heart and meaning to their lives and how that can enrich their intentions for a healthy aging process;
• identify the regrets, sufferings, and negative self-concepts that have kept them from more fully appreciating themselves and their lives;
• minimize any feelings of isolation from others and deepen their relationship with the world around them;
• learn to manage their fears and those of their loved ones in the presence of death through the transformative power of surrender and acceptance; and
• cultivate a personal roadmap for their own aging journey by deepening their spiritual life and learning to make each moment matter.
We have found that seniors are yearning to engage in dialogue together on these issues. They are looking for guidance, meaning making, connection, and community to help fortify themselves for their aging years. They will experience all of that and more by participating in this unique program.
CONSCIOUS AGING COURSE Cultivate Wisdom, Connect with Others, Celebrate Life
