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Empowered Elder Workshop
Mar 10 @ 9:00 am - 11:15 am PDT
EAN’s Foundation Workshop
Tuesdays: January 28 – March 10, 2020
10:00 am–12:15 pm PT / 1:00–3:15 pm ET
(Seven online sessions via Zoom video conferencing)
Purpose of the Workshop
The purpose of Elders Action Network is to grow a community of interconnected Elders, a movement of active Elders dedicated to collaborating and learning together while actively addressing Earth’s vital issues: social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, sustainable and regenerative living, as well as the restoration of democracy.
The purpose of the Empowered Elder Workshop is to provide a safe space for Elders to explore and share deeply what is on their hearts about the world, the future and their roles as elders. We investigate what it means to be an empowered elder, why the world today especially calls us to step into our roles as elders to address the social and environmental challenges humanity faces and to do this together.
The Empowered Elder Workshop provides:
- a deeply connected learning community of awesome Elders;
- seven weekly live interactive webinars;
- resources, readings, videos, poetry and books to educate and inspire;
- guidance to discover our roles as elders and how we can take action for positive change on personal, community and global levels;
- experiences that allow us to move from our individual self to a sense of self that is one with the whole living Earth;
- a deeper understanding of the core environmental, social/economic, political and spiritual crises facing our world today;
- practice in the use of the transformational tools of mindfulness, deep listening, journaling, nature connection and dialogue.
What participants have said about the workshop…“I went from worrying about how I would fill my time in retirement, to wondering how I would manage to get all of the important things done! I’m so energized now and stay busy everyday.” “Becoming more aware of my ability to make a difference , as an elder, in my community and the world!” “I came to realize more clearly than before the healing power of interconnectedness with others, human and more than human! I felt supported and connected to the group in a way that surprised me. This Elderhood work is crucial work, actually astonishingly deep and meaningful work, both for us as individuals and also for our culture. This course is answering a profound need, and all the resources and practices are rich and powerful.” “If you are an elder and want to give back to your community and the world, EAN Empowered Elder webinar is for you!“ |
Overview of the Workshop
Session 1 – Being an Elder
- Introduction to EAN and to the values, roles, and tasks of elderhood
- What it means to be an Elder today. What roles are calling you?
Session 2 – Growing in Consciousness
- Introduction to the science of mindfulness and the Story of Oneness
- How growing in mindfulness/consciousness/awareness supports our understanding of ourselves as part of the larger living system of Earth
Session 3 – State of the World
- Introduction and exploration of environmental, socio-economic, and spiritual crises and divides in our world today
- How squarely facing our grief at the state of the world empowers us to act on behalf of Earth
Session 4 – The Great Turning: The Sustainability Revolution
- Introduction to the Ecological/ Social Revolutions of our time and some of the new sustainable models of environmental, social and economic systems
- How shifting from “there’s little-or-nothing I can do” to understanding what I CAN do and changing my behavior is part of the solution
Session 5 – Sacred Activism
- Exploring and connecting to what is “sacred” and important to you, as well as how to take action from love not hate, from unity not division
- Finding your calling – what is being asked of you now as an Elder?
Session 6 – Taking Action Together for the Earth
- Sharing our visions for engagement; Forming Elder Circles, Climate Action Chapters, self care, spiritual practice or other community groups;
- Shifting from “not knowing what I can do” to commitment with others to take action on behalf of Life
Session 7 – Closing Circles and Celebration of our Journey Together
- Hearing from the Elder Circlers, Action Groups, and individual projects that have formed about their plans and next steps
- Celebrating our time together and reflecting on what we have learned
Foundational Resource Books
The following books have provided key source material for this workshop. We highly recommend them but they are not required reading.
- From Age-ing to Sage-ing (2nd ed.) — Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
- The Great Work — Thomas Berry
- Active Hope – How to Face the Mess we are in without Going Crazy — Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone
- The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism — Andrew Harvey
- The Sage’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for a Modern Revolution — William Martin
Workshop Dates
| Tuesdays 10:00 am–12:15 pm PT 1:00–3:15 pm ET | |
| Session 1 | January 28 |
| Session 2 | February 4 |
| Session 3 | February 11 |
| Session 4 | February 18 |
| Session 5 | February 25 |
| Session 6 | March 3 |
| Session 7 | March 10 |