Sage-ing is a spiritual practice that involves harvesting the wisdom of our lives and finding ways to transmit that wisdom as a legacy to future generations.
In developing an elder spiritual practice we pursue the path proposed by Rabbi Zalman Schacter in his seminal book From Age-ing to Sage-ing which involves, through introspection, the following:
- Examining our attitudes and fears about aging and our culture’s stereotypes and claiming our rights to promoting and practicing a new paradigm
- Connecting to our inner wisdom through growth techniques of psychology and spirituality including meditation, contemplation, journaling and spiritual intimacy (sharing)
- Learning to nourish ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually
- Drawing on the wisdom of what we know now, examining our past through a ‘life review’ process and‘life repair’ exercises
- Gaining an understanding that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves, we learn to forgive those who have offended us, ask forgiveness of those we have offended and practice self-forgiveness above all else
- We face our own mortality with courage and serenity
- We identify ways in our own lives toserve as mentors and healers