Eldering in Times of Transformation

With Cheryl Rose, Juana Berinstein and Zhiish McKenzie

October 6 - 10th, 2024 | Hollyhock Retreat Centre | Cortes Island BC

 

“A human being would certainly not grow to be seventy or eighty years old if this longevity had no meaning for the species.”  – Carl Jung

There comes a time when you find yourself, perhaps to your surprise, in a new land which is unlike any part of the long life journey you’ve made so far. You enter into “the third third of your life” and you’ve got some big questions. What does it mean to grow fully into the elderhood phase of our lives with both deep humility and brave fierceness? After decades of initiation through life’s triumphs and losses, what are our most pressing questions, our strongest intuitions, and our boldest desires for our world as we journey into our 60’s, 70’s, 80’s? And how might exploring those offer us insights into contributions that we might still make, that we must make, as systems of all kinds collapse and are reimagined?

Join with a small group of peers to explore questions together, to challenge ourselves with continued growth and development, and to prepare to move forward now in distinct, heart-centered ways for a future that is not ours but one that belongs to those that come after us.

Program Highlights

Participants Will be Invited to…

  • Identify patterns and insights from your life journey; consider next steps for eldering and meaningful social contributions.

  • Explore concepts of elderhood across cultures – avoid disrespectful cultural appropriation.

  • Manage your ego and develop humility – access other internal sources of knowledge and meaning.

  • Deepen your capacity for compassion; practice open-heartedness in times of stress.

  • Acknowledge and access your unique internal well of wisdom – become comfortable sharing wisdom.

  • Make peace with mortality – expand consciousness of death and grief to enhance gratitude for life.

  • Review and reinterpret a spectrum of complexity leadership skills – commit to your ongoing, relevant development, particularly relevant to elderhood.

Who Will Benefit?

  • Family leaders, community leaders and system leaders who hear a call to grow into roles as mentors, guides, advisors and sages

  • Adults 50-90+ years, curious about their own human development potential in life’s later years

  • Older adults interested in contributing to a better world for planet and people

  • Social change agents who want to explore how to most relevantly stay involved as they age

  • Anyone interested in the concept and potential of positive elderhood in society