In my September Deb’s Picks, I shared about my new awarenesses and ongoing exploration around Caregiving, especially related to my husband Peter and my mom.
It was a looong one and writing about it really helped me to begin to understand better the shifts I’m navigating, so thanks to those of you who reached out with support and stories of your own.
It also triggered even more ruminations about AGING in general… big surprise! Not that I haven’t been thinking about it lots already as I’ve moved into my 70s, along with so many of my friends of all ages.
AND the digital photo series highlighting older women that I mentioned in that same Deb’s Picks definitely kicked the conversation about Conscious Aging into high gear. If you haven’t had a chance to take a look at the series and the amazing women who launched it, you definitely should now: Meri Frischman at The Pro-Age Woman and Susie Lang at @women.60.plus. (And if it resonates with you, they’re always looking for terrific older women to participate — just let me know and I’ll put you in touch.)
So, as often happens, this theme of Conscious Aging seems perfectly aligned with the energy of the upcoming Taurus/Scorpio Full Moon on October 26th.
With the moon in earth-y, sensual Taurus, we’re drawn to nourish and pleasure our beautiful bodies, to re-connect with our core values and to the wisdom of Mother Nature. We might ask ourselves, “what am I able to cultivate and sustain?”
And with the Sun moving through deep, transformative Scorpio from October 23rd to November 21st, we’re called to embrace the regenerative cycles of death and rebirth — maybe even our own mortality — and to face what we must surrender so something new can emerge.
Whew… a powerful combination!
So maybe the larger question to ask oursevles on this Full Moon is…
How do we inhabit our changing bodies fully while consciously embracing the transformations that come with age?
It’s a question I’ve been exploring with several of my friends and clients, and while we can acknowlede that adapting to our changing bodies is certainly a major preoccupation in this process of Consiouse Aging, there are other big considerations, too:
>> How has my definition of success changed?
>> How might I use my years of experience to support and/or mentor others?
>> What are my hard-worn gifts of wisdom that I want to pass on to my loved ones… what is my legacy??
>> What has become more important, even precious, as I’ve aged?
>> Who am I becoming?
Juicy questions… and this would turn into book rather than a short blog if I really dove into them all here! So, I’ve included LOTS of ways for you to do your own exploration in my Deb’s Picks below.
We’ll actually be exploring some of them in our Taurus/Scorpio Full Moon 🌕 TeleMeditation this Monday, October 26th at 11AM ET as well — click HERE for details on how to join us. Hope to “hear” you then! (NOTE we’re meeting at 11am vs. Noon this month!)
(And after that, I’d love for you to come to my upcoming Scorpio New Moon SisterCircle through the Wellness Universe on Mon, November 9th when we’ll be “Reclaiming our WiseWoman Crone Power” — a perfect time to identify some of those pearls of wisdom you’ve collected in your deep soul-dives, no matter how old you are!)
Now, please do read on for my Deb’s Picks, presented a little differently this month so I can offer you even more resources than usual. 😊 Enjoy!
STAND UP, SPEAK OUT DOCU-SERIES produced by BC VOICES
I’ve highlighted this powerful, award- winning docu-series produced by my dear friend Katherine in past Deb’s Picks, but never described what BC Voices is: it’s a non-profit organization founded in 2012 by alumnae from the Barnard College Class of 1971 to document and share the generational experiences of women coming of age during the social and cultural changes of the 1960s and 1970s. Talk about lived experience! On a recent walk, we acknowledged that we as elders, have a unique ability to offer a wide historical perspective that can really educate and inspire others to take action. They’ve just released Episode 4 (of 6): To Marry Whom We Love, or Not At All, and need at least $30,000 to put the finishing touches on & release for wider distribution. Definitely click on the link above so you can see what they’ve created so far and be inspired to donate!
A FEW FAVORITE BOOKS ON AGING
OK… this is one of those places that I have to just pick a few gems from my HUGE library of books on aging! Here goes:
Decades of Gratitude, Gusto, Grit & Grace by Master coach, poet (and dear friend!) Minx Boren offers a mix of delightful stories, juicy wisdom, sage perspectives, terrific resources, and just fun reading — all focused on what it takes to grow older boldly, to remain involved with and connected to one’s own true self as well as to others and to the larger communities in which we all participate.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by American surgeon and writer Atul Gawande — examines the limitations and failings of modern medicine regarding aging, frailty, and the end of life, and explores possible solutions.
Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser by Buddhist priest and meditation teacher Lewis Richmond — guides readers through the four key stages of aging—such as “Lightning Strikes” (the moment we wake up to our aging)—as well as the processes of adapting to change, embracing who we are, and appreciating our unique life chapters.
The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul by retired Jungian psychotherapist Connie Zweig, PhD — provides a guide and toolkit for transitioning from the first half of life—defined by external roles, career identity, active achievement, and the “Doer/Hero” ego—to conscious, purpose-filled Elderhood.
SAMPLING OF SUBSTACK NEWSLETTERS ON AGING
Again, there’s no way I could list all of them, but here are some of the juiciest…
Susie Kaufman — Seventysomething
— Retired hospice chaplain and archivist and author of Twilight Time: Aging in Amazement. Her focus has always been on lifting up people’s stories and seeing them in the context of the larger story that embraces all of us.
Oldster Magazine edited by writer and teacher Sari Botton — explores what it means to live in a human body over time, featuring essays, interviews, and contributions from writers of all ages.
Mirabai Starr — brilliant teacher and author of many spiritual books. This recent blog focuses on aging specifically.
The Divine Feminine App — the original platform for finding Circles, events, retreats, online & resources since 2016. This recent blog on “Grandmother Moon, the Elder” is one of many celebrating elders.
CONSCIOUS AGING ORGANIZATIONS — A TASTE!
Once again, there is a wonderful array of organizations who look at the deeper (i.e. conscious) path to aging. I’ve listed some here but had to start with a local favorite that I’ve mentioned here before –The Three Tomatoes: “For Women who aren’t Kids”!
And here are some others…
Sage-ing International Offers workshops, elder wisdom circles, and training based on Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s teachings to transform aging into “sage-ing”.
The Center for Conscious Eldering: Based in Durango, Colorado, provides retreats, coaching, and workshops to help individuals step into the archetype of the conscious elder.
The Center for Conscious Aging: Founded by Catherine Dockery, this organization runs donation-based online Zoom programs, support groups, and emotional wellness workshops.
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS): Features experiential online courses designed to reframe aging, release disempowering beliefs, and move past the fear of death.
AGE OF CAREGIVING FREE VIRTUAL SUMMIT; NOV.14th, 10am-5pm ET
Funny, how things show up in their right time — I’m excited to be speaking at this virtual summit that popped up right as I was starting to explore my own caregiving journey! My session is “Managing Life’s Big Changes: A Caregiver’s Guide” and I’ll be joining an incredible group of speakers for a FREE virtual summit focused on the many realities of caregiving. We’ll be talking about aging parents, dementia, parenting children with complex needs, family dynamics, caregiver stress, physical wellbeing, identity, self-care, grief, long-term caregiving, and navigating major life transitions. If caregiving is part of your life now, or may be in the future, I hope you’ll join us.
With deep Fall blessings,
Deborah