WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
Day 5/Elder Muse: Pillars of Creation
Image: From Near Infrared Webb Space Telescope – Pillars of Creation
.“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you.” ~Rumi
We often think of space and the Universe as “out there” as if it’s there and we are here, as if Earth is separate from the rest of the Universe – but we are technically “in space” right now. The Earth and our solar system is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old.
The Universe is everything. Everything includes all of space and all of the matter and energy that space contains. It even includes time itself, and of course each one of us and all life here on Earth. There are billions of galaxies in the observable Universe beside the Milky Way.
The image taken from the far infrared Webb Space telescope in the short video below is 6,500 light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in one Earth year. One light-year is light zipping through interstellar space at 186,00 miles (300,000km) per second and 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion km) per year.
Humans, and I am among them, forget this vastness and interconnected creation. We live our flash of a lifespan as if we are the center of the Universe and forget the creation that is going on constantly around and inside of us. This image and what it represents expanded my perceptions so quickly it was almost mind blowing.
“Earthrise” taken from by astronaut Bill Anders on Apollo on Apollo 8 Mission orbiting Moon
We all remember when we saw this “Earthrise” image as the astronauts of Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on Christmas Eve, 1968. This image most likely kick-started the environmental movement. The mission “will probably be remembered as much for Bill Ander’s picture as anything because it shows the fragility of our Earth, the beauty of the Earth, and just how so insignificantly small we are in the Universe,”
Many of us embrace that everything on Earth is elegantly interconnected. Yet when we try on expanding to the entire Universe it seems far beyond what the human mind can comprehend. Yet, I am curious how we can take this in and not recognize how vast on going creation is and that nothing is separate – simply a part of the whole….
I wonder when I die if I will become a star….again?
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
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DECEMBER 2022: ELDER MUSE BLOG POSTS: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2022/12/
Day 4/Elder Muse: Circles of Motion
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear;
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
From In Mad Love and War. Copyright © 1990 by Joy Harjo. Reprinted with kind permission of Wesleyan University Press. Image by Sylvain Mauroux/Unsplash
I begin this days Elder Muse post with the poem above. Indeed, I perceive life in its entirety as a regenerative flow of energy in constant motion. The beauty takes my breath away as light weaves a tapestry with shadow.
More now than ever before I feel the fragility that is embodied life. Moments are precious.
Wouldn’t you want your last breath to be “like eagle rounding out the morning inside” filled with the beauty of a life well lived in the elements of wholeness…..
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
Day 3/Elder Muse: Spirits Don’t Age!
Movement, dance, mobility of any kind has been a treasured aspect of being embodied for me. I have always said I desire to live my life as I dance – free, open, uninhibited, and wildly present to following the rhythms of life flowing through in any given moment.
Yet like everyone I get caught up in my mind and every day life busyness….and forget…..while the physical aging process at times reveals itself as an uninvited guest who must be accommodated.
Once we reach elderhood most of us have experienced some sort of compromised mobility at some point, either temporary or more permanent. Over the last 3 months, after an injury, I learned more about the preciousness of movement and lack of, acceptance of what is in the moment, a need to adapt even if simply temporary….and for me a burning desire to keep moving no matter what, even if it was in my imagination.
Movement created from the creative breath of simply being….
I invite you to meet Eileen Kramer through her movement, her words…..and even what is not being spoken but is so apparent – her creative Spirit – in the video below filmed when she was 103. I also wish to express immense gratitude to Julie Wylie, a part of our Wildly Free Elder tribe, for sending a link about Eileen, thus inspiring me to continue moving through body, breath, heart and creative Spirit until the day I am no longer here….
As our lives unfold I wonder what the creative offering will be that lights you up?
And at 107 she is still filled with passion, elegance, humor and a creative uninhibited natural spark that won’t ever go away….
For more on Eileen Kramer go here: https://eileen-kramer.com/
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
Day 2/Elder Muse: Seek Silence
Photo by Gael McKenzie/ https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/creating-ancestral-lineage-with-gael-mckenzie
Queensland, Australia
Being more naturally attuned to kinesthetic and visual stimuli I have always found silence to be a sanctuary for deepening awareness and increasing appreciation for embodied life moments and my place within them. In fact, if the truth be known I go out of my way to avoid the chaos of man made sounds.
It is from a quiet and peaceful setting where I am presently caring for two elder dogs that in this moment I find silent stillness a balm for my heart and busy mind. I wonder what silence will whisper to my heart today……..
How about yours?
“Do not fear silence. Make peace with silence. For it is in the quiet moments that you will hear a message just for you.”
~Nicky Morris, Springbok, South Africa
Filmed in Springbok, South Africa. Featuring Nicky Morris. All of our films are made possible through the generous support of our patrons. To be part of this journey : https://www.patreon.com/greenrenaissance
Who is Green Renaissance? We are Michael and Justine – passionate filmmakers, living off-grid and dedicating our time to making films that we hope will inspire and share positivity out into the world.”What does silence mean to you? Is it something you fear and fill up with distractions? Or is it something you actively seek as an antidote to a stressful life? Visiting silence can be an adventure, a life changing journey into peace and quiet. In silence we can hear our own thoughts. Silence speaks for the part of life that is beyond words. There is space, inner freedom and creativity. We find a place within us that is centered, a place of trust. As the noisy demands of daily life make us shrink inside, in silence we expand. Don’t underestimate the power of silence.
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
Day 1: Elder Muse -Life Is A Marvelous Gift!
Photo by Gaye Abbott, Blue Ridge Mountain Range, Western N. Carolina
“People in Appalachia insisted the mountains breathed, and it was true: the steep hollow behind the farmhouse took up one long, slow inhalation every morning and let it back down through their open windows and across the fields throughout the evening – just one full breath each day.”
~ From – “Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingslover
The porch vantage point offers a front row seat to the unfolding moment. The leaves left on the almost bare trees acting as nature’s wind chimes giving witness to the ever changing cloud formations dancing across the expanse of blue, almost like playing tag with each other.
Rain during the night has left a glistening freshness to the air. I breathe in deeply and notice the fecund smell of earth freshly christened with the water element. The name for this is “petrichor” – the wonderful, earthy smell that rises from the ground after the first drops of rain fall.
If I look away or become distracted for even a moment from surrendering into the moment, I lose this immersion in the on going choreography of nature breathing….
“Life is precious when we align with the magic in surrender.”
The short film below of Egbert van Bartwas sent from South Africa via Green Renaissance arrived on Thanksgiving Day. When I emailed Justine, one of the film makers, she said they had not intentionally sent it to arrive in the U.S. that day but that synchronicity must have played a part. It made me smile….
Life is precious when we align with the magic in surrender.”
Filmed at Groot Marico, South Africa by Green Renaissance
Featuring Egbert van Bart.
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
The Wisdom of Not Knowing
Blue Ridge Mountains, Western N Carolina, Photo by Gaye Abbott, 9/7/22
Driving home from a temporary job yesterday I was weary and looked forward to arriving to a friends home where I was house sitting for the week. Then it happened all in an instant.
A brilliant rainbow presented in the sky over the Blue Ridge mountain range entwined with buckets of rain pouring down scattered here and there making driving a bit treacherous. I so wanted to capture it in a photo, but could not easily stop along the country road in a downpour so I trusted.
Trusted that if these were the only moments that I had this spectacular and magical rainbow as a companion to lead me home it was enough. The inner child, always along for the ride our entire lifetime, was in absolute delight and of course wondered if there truly was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She was given free reign to dream into that possibility.
Once home, as I took steps along the walkway to the front door, I looked out at the mountain range and was stunned. The rainbow stretched from one end of the valley below to the other and yes was captured in the photo above. Elemental nature’s gift as a reminder that it is the moments of not knowing what will show up next that opens our awareness to beauty, mystery and the wholeness of being embodied here.
I am finding more often that letting go of what the cultural narrative, or the self critical voice inside, dictates we “should be doing and acting like” and instead revisiting the joy of inhabiting a child like curiosity and sense of play is truly freedom. Bringing depth and pleasure to our precious life moments. Even those that challenge us the most.
“I think on some level, you do your best things when you’re a little off-balance, a little scared. You’ve got to work from mystery, from wonder, from not knowing.”
Willem Dafoe
Within the uncertainty of our present world and our individual unique lives we are offered the opportunity to practice spontaneity, awe, wonder, curiosity – embracing the terrain of each unfolding moment – especially in those moments when we are off balance, challenged or scared.
As Hanna Naude says in the video below we all have an “inner child” that travels with us our entire life. Why not indulge and simply trust life unfolding…..all of it, even the hard parts.
“Why are we so obsessed with knowing everything? While there’s nothing wrong with knowledge and understanding, our insatiable desire to know and control all aspects of our lives often gets in our way of trying new things.
There is no shame in not knowing, there is only freedom. An uncertain mind is an open mind. It is a mind which is curious and interested. It allows us to be creative and willing to live in a state of wonder and possibility, like children do.
When we meet life with a genuine sense of uncertainty, we cease to project that which we think we know, and we instead begin to see life for what it truly is. It is life itself, unfolding before our eyes.”
Filmed in Montagu, South Africa by Green Renaissance.
Featuring Hanna Naude.
WILDLY FREE ELDER LINKS:
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Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page if you scroll down to the bottom for Archives
You can find ALL of the 31-Days of Joy & Laughter Project posts in the archives here: http://atomic-temporary-171801894.wpcomstaging.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 9/8/22. Please feel free to share this post.
The Door Is Wide Open – But Don’t Let The Old Man In
WHY DO YOU STAY IN PRISON WHEN THE DOOR IS SO WIDE OPEN?
Rumi
Facing the fact of our own mortality is something we fall into intimacy with as we enter the elder years of our embodied life.
What is dignified aging? Feeling the pain and the joy. The challenges and the easy parts. The tapestry of life we weave for ourselves and with others.
Living and acting from a place of peace, serenity, humor and gratitude is not always easy. We forget.
Open your eyes and your heart.
Engage with that which uplifts and inspires you.
“Don’t let the old man in.” ~Michael Canfield
People often assume that if someone is giving thanks, it’s because their life is easy and that they have nothing to be negative about. This is not the case at all. Those who practice gratitude understand that it’s how you think about a situation, that makes it easier or more difficult.
As you practice gratitude, the focus shifts from what is lacking in life to the abundance that already exists. It is a matter of retraining the brain to see all the wonder and possibility that lies before us each day.
So.. what are you grateful for today?
Filmed in Tulbagh, South Africa.
Featuring Michael Canfield.
To hear more of Michael’s music, visit:
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/52kdadFLUpEh2v8fZPDGO6?si=n9xgY6UYQ7ioFd14iNULyw&nd=1
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/RhythmSectionAfrica
WILDLY FREE ELDER LINKS:
NEW OFFERING ON WILDLY FREE ELDER
FREE download! To see contents and description click on this link: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/e-book-finding-home-preview/
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page if you scroll down to the bottom for Archives
You can find ALL of the 31-Days of Joy & Laughter Project posts in the archives here: http://atomic-temporary-171801894.wpcomstaging.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 7/22/22. Please feel free to share this post.
Letting Go of the End of the Rope
We were standing in a circle all blindfolded. This was the beginning exercise of the ropes course that some of my “sole proprietor” business women friends and I had signed up for when I lived in Sonoma County, in Northern California.
If you have never done a ropes course it is quite an adventure and a test of courage, balance, trust, discovery, team support…..and willingness to let go and try something that you may never have done before (and may not ever do again!).
Granted this was decades ago I did this, but my body still remembers the experience. More about the standing in the circle blind folded in a moment…..
The image above is an example of what ropes course participants navigate. In the very last exercise of the day we were actually blind folded once again and asked to climb up a skinny tree with some narrow pegs to climb upon, get to a very small platform (that wiggled when you stepped upon it) and then trust that you could catch a trapeze ring that was somewhere in the air ahead of you.
For those of you who are gasping at this daring feat, we were indeed harnessed in so if you miss the trapeze ring you would bounce and then be lowered to the ground. After watching some of my team members miss the ring and simply bounce up and down I thought I was teaching my body that this would be OK.
When I bravely took my turn and landed on the wobbly platform it was then shear terror coursed through my body. Feeling through my other senses to assess right timing and where the ring was ahead of me in the air (ground facilitators could move it back and forth), I took the leap and actually caught the trapeze. With a whoop of delight from me, and a rousing cheer from my team and the facilitators on the ground I was lowered back to stand on the safety of the earth.
Sometimes I feel like the leap into elderhood is like this. We are supposed to know what we are doing as our body ages and challenges we have never experienced arise without the benefit of an elder rites of passage.
I have found, like the ropes course, it takes courage, trust, a willingness to let go – to not only accept limitations when they present – but also to test those perceived limitations, cultivate curiosity leading to discovery, and most important a supportive community along for the ride.
Now back to the beginning of standing in a circle with blindfolds on. Though I knew a couple of the women in the group the others were strangers to me. We heard the facilitators say to us that they just placed a long length of coiled rope in the middle of the circle. Our task was to make a perfect square on the ground from that rope.
As I bent down to start the process of trying to find a part of the rope I was surrounded by everyone’s voice posing a way to perform this task. It was like a cacophony of voices competing with each other saying they knew how to do this.
Meanwhile I had miraculously found the end of the rope and instead of moving around stood rooted to the earth saying over and over “I have the end of the rope, make the square from me.” It seemed like a very long time before anyone really heard me and I was partly in despair that they ever would. But I held my rooted place and finally the din ceased as a few got what I was saying.
After that it didn’t take long for the perfect square to be formed on the ground – starting from where I “had the end of the rope.” Afterwards when we were instructed to take off our blindfolds and hear the facilitators comments I was the first to be targeted.
They pointed at me and said, “”You are the type of person any company/business would value a great deal. The person that grounds and anchors everyone else in order for tasks to be completed, effective actions planned and carried out, and teamwork enhanced.”
I learned a lot about myself that day in so many ways. What the facilitators told me of my pattern of being in life and with others has now come full circle. It feels like I am indeed blindfolded and taking a leap of trust without always being the one to “have the end of the rope.”
Both experiences now blend together. In the dark liquid of creation never having navigated this terrain before. Like being in a chrysalis and emerging as something entirely different.
Today is the day of my birth 74 years ago. Some say that birthdays no longer matter to them, they don’t care about being recognized or celebrated. I on the other hand say why not? There are so many that never make it into elderhood. We are the privileged ones, though sometimes it may not feel like that, to have these elder years to keep exploring, sensing, feeling, offering our wisdom, humor, compassion and love, creating….and simply being.
I envision a rites of passage into our elder years where we support each other along the way by taking turns having the end of the rope….and encouraging each other to leap into the exploration of new territory, though we can’t quite see where we are going to…. or who we are becoming.
See, smell, hear, touch…appreciating what each day has to offer as we fling ourselves out into our lives….one step at a time.
“The beauty of withering is actually moving towards a simplicity of living and an acceptance of living.”
Annie Norgarb.
“Wrinkles, lines, scars – there are many ways that time leaves its mark on our bodies. Yet mainstream culture dreads getting older – we are urged to fight the ageing process, and many feel pressure to lie about their age. But as Betty Friedan famously said: “Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” With age can come confidence, and freedom to realize who we really are. As we age, we grow into a deeper kind of beauty, one which works its way from the inside out. It’s a more authentic beauty because it radiates from within. So let’s celebrate lives well lived. And feel lucky to wake each morning to appreciate what the new day has to offer.”
Filmed in McGregor, South Africa. Featuring Annie Norgarb.
Filmed by Green Renaissance: All of our films are made possible through the generous support of our patrons. To be part of this journey : https://www.patreon.com/greenrenaissance
WILDLY FREE ELDER LINKS:
NEW OFFERING ON WILDLY FREE ELDER
FREE download! To see contents and description click on this link: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/e-book-finding-home-preview/
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page if you scroll down to the bottom for Archives
You can find ALL of the 31-Days of Joy & Laughter Project posts in the archives here: http://atomic-temporary-171801894.wpcomstaging.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 7/7/22. Please feel free to share this post.
Aging Priorities
“Don’t prioritise your looks my friend, as they won’t last the journey.
Your sense of humour though, will only get better with age.
Your intuition will grow and expand like a majestic cloak of wisdom.
Your ability to choose your battles, will be fine-tuned to perfection.
Your capacity for stillness, for living in the moment, will blossom.
Your desire to live each and every moment will transcend all other wants.
Your instinct for knowing what (and who) is worth your time, will grow and flourish like ivy on a castle wall.
Don’t prioritise your looks my friend,
they will change forevermore, that pursuit is one of much sadness and disappointment.
Prioritise the uniqueness that make you you, and the invisible magnet that draws in other like-minded souls to dance in your orbit.
These are the things which will only get better.”
Judi Dench
No matter what your gender is these words by Judi Dench remind me what is important as I age….and what is definitely not. What a remarkable face she has, as does the man below.
I would imagine that the stories these elders will tell you and the wisdom they share is worth the price of admission. Admission to elderhood and the remarkable and at times challenging journey of aging.
I decided in an instant today to really look at my aging face in the mirror….. like a lover would gaze at their beloved.
Each line and furrow telling a story about my life laid down over the years, soon to be 74 of them. I used to make people guess how old I was. I don’t do that anymore because it no longer matters.
Are the lines radiating out from my eyes born of laughter and smiling, from squinting at too much Southern California sun, or even being near sighted and attempting to see more clearly. I choose the laughter!
The faint horizontal lines between my eyes at the bridge of nose go completely away when I open my eyes wide and raise eyebrows. A reminder to open vision to see life more clearly?
The furrows traveling from side of nose to corners of my mouth, then artistically traveling down to chin. If I make faces at myself and move my mouth around, especially in a big smile, they disappear and then fall back into place when my face is at rest. And when I really let go I am surprised to see my father’s mouth and furrows of his elder years looking back at me.
As I gaze ever downward at the loose folds embracing my neck I wonder just when my skin decided to let go of its elasticity. One day it was just there….or so it seems.
The horizontal lines marching across my forehead like railroad tracks laid down by drunken laborers or artists with a flare. Though no grooves to fall into here….yet.
Oh, and the droop of eyelid at half mast over my left eye. Will I not be able to see out of that eye one day because it simply can’t hold itself up any longer?
And where did the long black hair come from growing out from my chin? It wasn’t there yesterday I swear!
Age spots, moles, acne scars oh my, reminding me of beach time in the sun and challenging teen years when appearance was so very important.
When did this sneak up on me, this aging face that tells my life story?
Thank God for it all as they say in novels, I have finally grown some “character”!
For a moment I flash on the young elastic skin of youth and the innocence in feeling I would always look this way.
But you know what? My face now reveals the depth of living that has brought me to now and the stories I can tell about my life.
….and I have fallen in love with this elder whom I am becoming – all of her.
One last note is gratitude to humor, constantly breaking into the day pleading to not take ourselves so seriously. To let go and “lighten up a little why don’t you”. And that will be revealed in our face as well.
Humor – the antidote and the connector – a facelift for the heart and soul. When shared with others it ripples out and gathers others into its warm and hilarious embrace creating a feeling of vibrant aliveness.
Besides, aging begs us to have a sense of humor! You know what I mean?
RESOURCE: The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul by Connie Sweig
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Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 6/23/22. Please feel free to share this post.
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Grounding Anchors In A Crazy World
Nature Park, Weaverville, N. Carolina. Image: By Gaye Abbott
“To find some footing amidst all this instability, I’ve had to dig deep within my heart, body, mind and intuition to identify some anchors, some practices that can stabilize and help me to stay centered to move forward in a good way.” ~Nina Simon,, Co-Founder of Bioneers
Where to place attention when the world seems to have gone crazy…..
I find it is not easy these days to find a space of well being, calm and peace inside amidst all that is going on in our human created world. Even to find solitude that is not cluttered with stimulus.
We each have unique ways and practices to center, increase resilience and stay grounded amidst intense change and uncertain times. Most can be simple, sustainable…… and elemental.
Just a moment ago I was standing on the earth barefoot and closed my eyes. I felt pulses of earth energy move through opening up spaces inside that felt protected and closed off. An energy we cannot directly feel as well if wearing shoes. All of a sudden I felt raindrops softly falling on my upturned face and a huge smile broke out across my face.
My world suddenly became that of a child about 8 years old who with her brother, both wearing bathing suits, scampered about on the sidewalk outside the house laughing at the sun shining and rain falling at the same time – nature’s playful game to delight children. I remember we lived away from the ocean at that time, rare for the 40 years I spent in San Diego in Southern California where I was born and grew up along the coast, beaches and tide pools.
“Anchors” and practices to stay grounded in a time of global instability? So many to choose from. Here are a few that align with our senses and the elements of earth, water, fire and air.
EARTH: The natural world is a definite anchor for me. Purposefully choosing landscapes over the years where I could wander and find solace. Much of that spent barefoot where it was safe to do so. Little did I know back then that “earthing” would scientifically be found to “improve circulation, lower blood pressure, improve digestion, lower inflammation, assist in wound healing, combat jet-lag, and slow free-radical damage associated with aging.” It simply felt right and good as a child. That was enough. As was communing with a tree, riding a wave with my body, or simply being still to listen to birdsong.
FIRE: Though sunlight has gotten a bad rap these days, and my aging skin certainly shows the damaging affects from too much Southern California beach living, experiencing bright, natural, unfiltered sunlight first thing upon waking up is an ideal way to reset your circadian clock. We now know that Vitamin D from direct sunlight exposure plays a critical role in healing, immune function, and overall well being. Another way to positively impact and optimize our brain, mood— even digestion!
WATER: This anchor I have had a love/hate affair with for many years. One of the most compelling links to a “stronger immune system, better sleep quality, improved mental health, and even relief from symptoms of certain autoimmune diseases is either plunging in cold water or 1-3 minutes of “as-cold-as-it-can-go” temperature at full blast at the end of your shower.” While living in Austin, TX for 5 years the 68 degree spring fed pool near downtown was a regular enlivening and “wake-up” practice and though I didn’t always want to jump in invariably I felt renewed, rejuvenated and intensely alive after doing so. Certainly brings attention into the moment….. and your body!
AIR: Down through human history the simple act of breathing in and out has always been a way to ground, come back into the moment and the body, and a means to raise consciousness and increase well being. That hasn’t, and will never, change as long as we have lungs to move air in and out.
We are each breathed over 20,000 times each day. Yet how often do we pay attention to this, our most intimate partner in life? ~Richard Miller
Simply stopping what we are “doing” and witnessing the breath move in and out is a simple means of “being” always at out disposal. Instead of “coffee breaks” I wonder what it would feel like to have “breath breaks”?
EARTH/WATER/FIRE/AIR: All of the elements collaborate when we bring nature indoors via potted plants, herbs and other edibles.
Caring for plants/gardens aligns with sustainability, helps cleanse the air of toxins and pollutants, brings us into the moment, and connects to the natural world. Even living in an urban setting, small space or with intense seasons where nothing can grow outside there is a way to grow indoors or on a screened in porch. Make it simple. (see Resources below)
Cherry tomatoes, apple mint, cubano peppers, wild ginger, clary sage.
Perhaps you would like to share your anchors for grounding and centering here. Who knows when it might just be the perfect one for someone who is reading this!
RESOURCES:
*Here is a tip I just found. Click on this link for an innovative way to grow indoors: https://www.clickandgrow.com/pages/about-us
*Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath by Gaye Abbott: 52 weeks of breathing spaces to delight, rest and reflect in: http://gayeabbott.net/books/
*Earth Runners, Earth-connected sandles created to re-wild our lives and connect with the earth’s energy: https://www.earthrunners.com
*What Is Your Frequency, by Diana Turner-Forte on raising your vibrational frequency: https://dianaturnerforte.substack.com/p/whats-your-frequency-?s=r
WILDLY FREE ELDER LINKS:
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page if you scroll down to the bottom for Archives
You can find ALL of the 31-Days of Joy & Laughter Project posts in the archives here: http://atomic-temporary-171801894.wpcomstaging.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 6/9/22. Please feel free to share this post.
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