Special to The PREVIEW
More people than ever before in the history of the world are living to an advanced age in relatively good health. There are few guidelines for living past retirement age with grace, courage and enthusiasm.
The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) has developed an eight-session series for older adults who want to age in a conscious way. In the eight interactive sessions, participants will share their views, hopes and fears about a number of topics that are a part of the aging process. One topic will be covered in each two-hour session.
The session topics include “Introduction to Conscious Aging,” “Self-Compassion,” “Forgiveness,” “Life Review,” “Transformation Practices,” “Death Makes Life Possible,” “Surrender and Letting Go,” and “Creating a New Vision of Aging.”
Each session is structured to include time for personal reflection and writing, discussions in small groups of three to four people and large group sessions. Suggested home practices will be offered after each session. Material in the manual from the Conscious Aging program at IONS will be the basis of each of the sessions. The emphasis will be on deep personal reflection, as well as deep listening.
This is not a therapy program, but an opportunity to be with other people who are considering the deep questions that you are as you age. The Conscious Aging series is open to the entire community.
The series will be facilitated by Pam Kircher, a certified facilitator in Conscious Aging. Each session will be held on the last Sunday of the month from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 301 N. Pagosa Blvd., Unit B-15.
The first session is on Sunday, Feb. 22. The topic will be “Introduction to Conscious Aging.”
If you have questions or would like to register, please contact Kircher at pk@pamkircher.com or 264-6129. Space is limited, so preregistration is necessary.
