The Artistry of Aging
“What would it feel like to know that aging can simply be resilient ripening. Ripening into a completeness within from where peace and acceptance is generated. No longer using life energy to compete for attention, but instead radiating presence even in the most challenging of circumstances and in our inevitable moments of suffering.”
“A book came into my life this week that speaks to “Kokoro” – heart mindfulness. Living from an intelligent heart and feeling mind. A bit of Japanese cultural wisdom to actively live within.
What I am also calling audacious aliveness – fearlessly free, courageous nourishment, embodied wildness, intimate relationship with nature, and at times daring to create our own language free of fear and anxiety, all while cultivating stillness even among great uncertainty.”
“How often do we choose stillness over the endless call to do. It may surprise you to find a gift wrapped in the calm and peace of simply being present. Something you left by the wayside when you put on your human agendas and expectations.
Caught in a whirlwind of doing, surrender into stillness. “
“How about self care as a revolutionary act? Our nervous system doesn’t think in pieces. The fear, the rage, the anxiety and uncertainty — isn’t just intellectual. It’s physiological. Our bodies are absorbing this era in our tightened shoulders, our sleepless nights, our frayed tempers.
There are ways to unplug from all of this…..”
“I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn’t spent so much time trying to control the events of it. If I had stopped running away and instead ran towards the center of my being trusting life’s unfolding and synchronicity, and my own unique style of expression. If so much attention hadn’t given such importance to others opinions, demands and expectations….”
“As this year soon comes to an end we enter the holidays – a time of year that is ripe for magic, connection, laughter and play. If we could only let go of needing to “know”, embrace a genuine sense of uncertainty, and see through the eyes and perceptions of a child – or a dog….”
“Adversity and the exquisite vulnerability of being human is a reminder to extend compassion and kindness. To return to a conscious relationship with a natural world that gives us life. To participate fully in our lives even within the inevitable challenges.”
“This morning the video that you will find below inspired me to complete this series of Elder Muse postings on “Being the Spark”. Being the spark no matter what age you are.
I believe that as elders we have decades of experiences and wisdom to become the spark that could potentially ignite something as Payton McGriff did with SHE (Style Her Empowered).”
“With one more post to go in the total of 31 days it felt right to simply share one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems. Such a gift she had for tapping into the beauty and wisdom of nature. To teach us what it is to be still with wide awake senses, at peace and ease with what is unfolding in the moment….”