In February, 2002, I attended a workshop given by Barb Shovers on the book, From Age-ing to Sage-ing, A Profound Vision of Growing Older, by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.
When we completed the workshop, several of the attendees decided that we still wanted to meet to study the aging process. I was 62 at the time and completed training as a group leader from Sage-ing International, an organization created by Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi. Our group in Sun Lakes, AZ, calls itself Wisdom Seekers, and we have been meeting every Monday morning since 2002. Now that I’m 85, I find I am living a life that is fascinating. Although we age physically as time passes, reaching my 80s, I am viewing life not in terms of what is next, but examining the past with awe and living in the present with contentment. It has been amazing.
Barb and I have designed materials that include the topics of love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, life review and repair, leaving a legacy, mindfulness, finding meaning, facing our mortality, and other subjects related to consciously aging with peace and purpose. Wisdom Seekers groups read and discuss books which raise consciousness and add to the wisdom they are openly seeking. Other groups around the country have followed in the footsteps of the original Wisdom Seekers group.