Invitation - 09-24-25 Sangha Meeting

One Wild & Precious Life

We spent our last session with a writing exercise to get us closer to knowing, caring for and living our higher purpose. With this next session we want to continue that inquiry focused on purpose and time. As those engaged in becoming an Elder, we tend to have a unique relationship to time as we engage our purpose. There seems to be less urgency and a refined awareness of past, present and future. Time can be lived as an emotion where it moves quickly when we’re excited and happy, but more slowly if something goes awry. Elderhood affords the experience of feeling urgency without the anxiety.  

Some of our questions are:

• how do we gain balance and equanimity

• how do we live in relationship to calendars and things to do

• how do we inhibit full engagement with our purpose

• how do we notice the thoughts that distract, the thoughts that liberate

Mary Oliver wrote the following poem which is a marvelous guideline for purpose and time:

The Summer Day

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean--

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

With your one wild and precious life?

***

Come join us for a present-tense look at purpose and time and identity

Join the call using the button below

7:00pm EST / 4:00pm PST / 1:00pm HST

Calls are free and open to all.

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81636149753?pwd=hl9UKRLHACDrHTl1UB7bI9PgOjdylO.1

Invitation - 08-27-25 Sangha Meeting

What’s Next

“Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both.”

                                                                                                  Pema Chodron

On Wednesday, 08/27, the sangha is excited to welcome guest speaker, Alan Cahn, on the crucial topic of Becoming An Elder / What’s Next. We’ve inquired into the challenges (known & unknown, monumental and small) and how we gain access to the core of these issues. Our next step forward will be paying attention and intention into being the person who lives aligned with being an Elder; aligned with being a “you” informed by the past and a “you” liberated from the past.

• what’s calling YOU

• how do YOU listen

• how do YOU take tangible steps forward

• what ARE the tangible steps forward

Alan will be speaking on these topics and providing groundwork for each of us to evolve with authenticity, compassion and kindness for self and others. Alan holds a Bachelor in Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Social Inquiry.  “I’m passionate about helping people identify and overcome the barriers they don’t even realize are holding them back. I pay close attention to what isn’t being said, uncovering hidden limitations and unlocking untapped potential.”

***

Calls are free and open to all.

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85967222954?pwd=bunSojS2z0iuTSGVEM6VhbaIsgy9QN.1

Invitation - 08-13-25 Sangha Meeting

Who are you when you are at risk in the face of unexpected life challenges?

How do you know who you are at those moment?

What are your obstacles to knowing?

What are your obstacles to acting on your knowing?

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Our August 13 th gathering will spend time going deeper to look at what we do in the face of unexpected events (large and small). Are we engaging with life from a position of courage as Elders (which always includes facing fears)? Being Elder is an opportunity to learn to face fear head-on. It’s an approach that’s not about

becoming fearless in the sense of never feeling fear, but about learning to be with the challenge without letting it limit your options or paralyze you from action.

It has been said that engaging obstacles is a “loving kindness towards ourselves that doesn’t mean getting rid of anything. It means we can still be crazy after all these years. We can still be angry after all these years. We can still be timid or jealous or full of feelings of unworthiness. The point is not to try to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.”

The poet Rumi wrote:

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.

When the world pushes you to your knees,

you are in the perfect position to pray.

Remember

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.

We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us,

and whatever lifts the corners of your mouth, trust that.

Join us as we intimately examine what happens when life puts you at risks.

***

Calls are free and open to all.

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84108483536?pwd=NMl9b8K6B6jBCEuhTqjZ4LMH2wGvrN.1

Risk - Vulnerability - Authenticity

A Conversation About Being An Elder

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Pema Chodron has offered the perspective that it is important to engage with risk to live life fully. Living fully involves being willing to risk, being willing to embrace change and chaos as a means for transformation and growth. She encourages seeing risks and uncertainty not as obstacles, but as opportunities for growth.

A critical skillset for elderhood.

She also shares that people are inherently vulnerable. Shielding from discomfort and uncertainty hinders personal and spiritual growth. Instead of avoiding vulnerability, she encourages cultivating a compassionate and open heart, accepting that feeling vulnerable is a natural part of the human experience

Join us as we intimately examine what happens when life puts you risks.

***

Calls are free and open to all.

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82964456430?pwd=gv28Hp6zotucaQkZM3wComG1Ga7bbl.1

Challenges - Everyday To Massive

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Massive changes are happening all around us, and as Elders we might feel marginalized.  But at the same time, there are many elders who are instigating these global changes and challenges.  How do we, from our center, deal with those challenges? It’s a safe bet that we are always going to have some type of conflict or challenge and the most vital question might be how we choose to address those.

How do we see what’s here?

How do we deal with the ordinary challenges of daily life?

What brings you out of challenge and changes your perspective?

Being an Elder is a privilege no matter what the future holds. What do you witness of your habitual choices in daily life?

Is this a story that resonates…

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

By Portia Nelson

I.

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

II.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I still don't see it. I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in the same place.

It isn't my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

III.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it there; I still fall in.

It's habit. It's my fault. I know where I am.

I get out immediately.

IV.

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

V.

I walk down a different street.

Come join us on July 9th for a lively and timely inquiry into the stimulating world of Elderhood.

***

Calls are free and open to all.

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89966406667?pwd=z0k77GnyzZK0dbHwo4P4blKkcjJR0G.1

01-08-25 Sangha Meeting Invitation

The Importance of Ritual

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Happy New Year to All!

In our first gathering of 2025 we invite you to join us as we take up the conversation and inquiry into what rituals are in our lives and how our lives gain value by acknowledgement and practice of rituals.

A ritual, generically speaking, is a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order, and which is often embedded in a larger symbolic system, such as religion or philosophy. But in actuality, rituals are everywhere. For example, the very specific way one makes tea or coffee in the morning is a daily ritual.

What part does ritual play in your life and what do you feel, in body and mind, when performing a ritual? How do we define ritual at an individual level and in a social context? These are just a few of the questions we encourage you to consider. We’re excited to learn what perspectives you’ll bring to the conversation when we meet.

Also, please enjoy the videos listed below:

The Sangha call is January 8th,

7:00pm EST / 4:00pm PST / 2:00pm HST

Please join us for this Sangha meeting using the link information below

Please be sure to watch these very insightful short videos below by ‘clicking’ on the italicized titles. You may find they make entry into the discussion more fruitful.

7 Daily Shinto Rituals

Rituals For a Calm & Intentional Day

Top 5 Rituals For Wellness

Rituals Will Transform Your Life

Join our next Call

Calls are free and open to all.

Join

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87225646688?pwd=Hw82VrmQbURPP41toi374yjGP5VO0D.1

Grief is not a problem we’re supposed to solve.

As Elders we hopefully come to learn and share that grief and loss are inevitable parts of life. As odd as it sounds to say, what all of us go through, relative to grief, is normal. Becoming more knowledgeable about grief will help in navigating this life experience, helping perhaps to feel less confused and alone.

“Though each experience is unique, we all grieve in our bodies,” says Meghan Jarvis.

“By recognizing grief as a kind of trauma, we better understand why our mind and body respond in sometimes perplexing ways to loss.”

Tenku Ruff has said that “Grief is not a thing, or even a feeling, it is a process—a continuum of emotions that unfolds at its own pace. We don’t get to know in advance how much time it will take, and no one can tell us. Just like everything else, we have no choice but to be present with what is, in each moment. Sometimes grief feels like an open, gaping wound, sometimes like an immense purple bruise, and sometimes like just any other day. Sometimes we can even laugh.”

If you’ve experienced the trauma of loss, you might find yourself struggling with the “whys” of grief, but you are also free or liberated to discovering ways to navigating challenges learning/knowing:

• “I am allowed to grieve in my own way and time.”

• “I am not alone in my pain; we are all interconnected in our suffering.”

• “I release my attachments and allow the natural flow of life to unfold.“

• “I honor the memories of my loved one and carry their love with me always”

• “I am worthy of self-compassion and kindness during this difficult time.”

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82258649519?pwd=JzbNtu5laKCleHHeEJoQ2zo1M5C5ZV.1

Almost everything we do depends on trust.

This week at our Sangha zoom gathering, we will be exploring the obvious and the nuance of trust.

A major foundation for almost everything we do depends on trust. Trust, i.e., the belief that someone or something can be relied on to do what they say they will—is a key element of social relationships and a foundation for belonging and cooperation. And… trust comes in as many varieties as there are connections between people. Trust functions in many ways as the key to social harmony and can also develop a larger sense of safety, allowing more effort towards improvement versus self-protection. It’s been said that "If we can learn to trust one another more, we can have unprecedented human progress".

The 7 Pillars of Trust

How to build (and rebuild) trust

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85879417869?pwd=1TqGCcH7NNrbEUgxN8qkcQ8txmryop.1

Our upcoming Sangha session will continue our journey in conversation and investigation into the subject of abandonment. Our main focus will be on the three main parts of abandonment which are:

1.  I have been abandoned!

2.  Who have I abandoned!?

3.  Have I abandoned myself and in what ways!?  

In having more awareness and understanding of the many forms of abandonment we take steps towards getting beyond the wounds of abandonment and reconciling those wounds from being adopted as our identity. This is the beginning of healing and acceptance and progress in becoming Elders, gaining equanimity. Following are a couple of short videos which are not mandatory to view but can be valuable in gaining insight on the subject.

7 signs of abandonment issues

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=talks+on+abandonment&t=h_&iar=videos&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJWufGU2h3vQ

Brene Brown – true belonging

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=brene+brown+belonging+to+oneself&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DEcAM5Hc7HPk

Alan Robarge - The abandoned self, wounds and identity

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=talks+on+abandonment&t=h_&iar=videos&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3ckydksLycE

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84344996695?pwd=XWxihr2kf4uGQqTkoucRGXPb4SSRBU.1

Greetings Everyone -

“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle,

but you are worthy of love and belonging”

        Brene Brown

As human beings we are possessed with a natural, inborn powerful need to belong. We live our life’s searching to satisfy that need by joining, searching and sometimes surrendering to people, places and things. When we believe we are left out, we can experience painful feelings of rejection. As elders this can be especially common and deeply troubling. How do we react? Do we become more aggressive? Withdraw? Rationalize the feelings away?

This week at our Sangha Zoom gathering, we will be exploring the powerful feelings related to the need to belong. Please join us. 

With Gratitude - The Contemporary Elder Sangha

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86806709953?pwd=ViSf76jSf8AuPCWrfP7nbOqUKxVG6f.1

Join us on Wednesday, August 14th at 7pm EST/ 4pm PST for a thoughtful Sangha call. All are welcome.

The topic of the call is based on a TED talk by Brene Brown (click her name for the video) where she explores the nature of interpersonal connection and speaks to what keeps us connected and what gets in the way. Issues we’ll discuss are vulnerability, whole heartedness, self-worth, and self-compassion.

As we engage in this discussion, consider what are your barriers to love of self, of others? What does it mean to be wholehearted?

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89644436732?pwd=1vUtv6gbW4tqoqCQpXpbOIVU9SoOFc.1

Join us on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm EST/ 4pm PST for a thoughtful Sangha call. All are welcome.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89644436732?pwd=1vUtv6gbW4tqoqCQpXpbOIVU9SoOFc.1

Join us on Wednesday, July 10th at 7pm EST/ 4pm PST for a thoughtful Sangha call. All are welcome.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84766918858?pwd=JzoWHy7JZZvIDXCxbrzY1PCGCeLAuO.1