This article was posted by CrystalWind.ca.
Path of the Wise Elder
- Details
- Written by Cheryl Richardson
In January of 2012, during a TEDx Women talk, Jane Fonda referred to the last three decades of a person’s life as the third act, a developmental stage she sees as a staircase leading to: “the upward ascension of the human spirit bringing us into wisdom, wholeness, and authenticity.”
Jane sees age not as pathology, but as potential. Now that longevity affords us another second adult life, we have time to evolve even more before we die.
I’ve held her perspective close over the last seven years. The challenges and opportunities of aging have become fodder for a new stage of personal growth that has given me some of the toughest challenges I’ve ever faced and some of the best years of my life.
If you’ve followed this blog you know the climb has not been predictable. The unexpected loss of loved ones, the sudden need to care for elderly parents, and the ongoing tangle with an ego hell-bent on returning to the comfort of familiar roles, have made it more like traveling on a spiral staircase with twists and turns that require new skills.
I’ve always been a gal who likes a roadmap – a linear, practical way of achieving goals. I see this as a more traditional, masculine way of navigating life. But the post-midlife journey calls for something different. When I rise above and look down at the last several years since dramatically cutting back my traveling and teaching schedule, I see a more feminine path, a way of navigating the journey toward elderhood with a new kind of artistry.
There are capabilities to be developed if you want to become the kind of elder who is full of life, steeped in gratitude, eager and excited for new adventures, and able to respond to anything placed before you with wisdom and grace. The capabilities include:
The ability to let go of responsibilities that are no longer yours.
The ability to make space and sit with it.
The ability to be with yourself without distractions.
The ability to know when enough is enough.
The ability to stand firm against the ego’s demands.
The ability to return to the present moment.
The ability to set firm, loving boundaries.
The ability to be vulnerable, authentic, and intimate.
The ability to speak the truth with grace and kindness.
The ability to take risks that foster aliveness.
The ability to befriend death.
These are the skills I’ve been working on over the last seven years, sometimes with great joy, sometimes kicking and screaming every step of the way. Here’s what I know: Cultivating these capabilities will not only help us to make the most out of our remaining years, they’ll mold us into the kind of wise elders so many of us wish we had when we were growing up (and maybe even now).
I plan to write more about these abilities. As you look over the list, I’d love to know the one you’re currently working on, the one you feel more proficient in already, and the one with your name written all over it because it’s your next new frontier?
Love,
Cheryl
Posting on CrystalWind.ca ©2024. All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce any content without written permission. The article's title was crafted by CrystalWind.ca.
© CrystalWind.ca 2025. All content (articles, imagery, fair use) & design protected. Written permission required for copying. All rights reserved.
Join the Conversation Now! Comment Below!
Spirit Animal Totem Of The Day!
Crystal Of The Day!
Latest Articles
CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of
donations from people like you.
Donate Now »
Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!
Follow Us!
Who is Online Now
We have 20596 guests and no members online
Featured This Month
Aquarius Mythology
The Aquarius Myth The Aquarius myth follows the story of Ganymede, a young ... Read more
Imbolc - The Feast of Brighid
Image source: The Crystal Wind Oracle Myth & Magic Card Deck.Get it here... Read more
The Rowan Tree - January 21 - February 17
The Fire Festival Of Brigantia Celtic Symbol : The Green Dragon Zodiac Deg... Read more
Amethyst: A Stone for the Age of Aquarius
Amethyst has long been thought of as a "stone of spirituality and contentmen... Read more
How to Make a Brigid's Cross
The Brigid's Cross is a traditional craft made at Imbolc and Candlemas by Pa... Read more
Imbolc and the Promise of Spring
Winter’s medicine is about rest, recovery, and withdrawing inside ourselves.... Read more
Birth Totem - Otter
Birth Totem Otter Birth dates: January 20 - February 18 Birth Totem: Otter... Read more
Imbolc Lore
Imbolc (pronounced "IM-bulk", "IM mol'g" or "EM-bowl/k") is one of the Great... Read more
Rest & Cleansing Moon
Otter – Quaking Aspen – Silver January 20 to February 18 The Rest and Clea... Read more
Brigid, Celtic Goddess of Fire
Image From the Crystal Wind Oracle App Available on IOS, Android and Am... Read more
Sun in Aquarius
An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristics for Aquarius The ruler of Aquarius ... Read more
Imbolc Customs
Imbolc, (pronounced im-bolk) or Candlemass, Imbolg, Bride's Day, Oimelc, and... Read more