From Age-Ing to Sage-Ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older

Rating:
Summary: A How-To Manual for becoming sages - but for the aged only
Review: My attraction to the first named author, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was due to his reputation as a cabalist, the Jewish practice of mysticsm. When I bought and first read this book, in 1995, I was a mere 48 years old, much too young to put its sage advice into practice. This book is for the retired, and even then is not for everyone. When I lent it to my retired friend in California with whom I swap jokes on the internet, her comment was "Although it was a difficult read, bogged down in places, and I didn't like how it was written, it did say a lot of important things and was worth reading" 3-4 stars would't you say?
In any event, the authors discuss the "theory of spiritual eldering." There are several paths one may take in eldering. First, however, the authors confront the "conscious transit of death." In part three of the book the authors discuss "Spirual Eldering and Social Transformation." This section includes mentoring and elders as healers of family, community, and Gaia-the living Earth.
Finally, an appendix is provided which includes exercises for sages in training.
If you are retired or facing retirement and are at a loss for how to lead a productive life in your 'golden years' your time would be well spent in looking this book over.

Rating:
Summary: A How-To Manual for becoming sages - but for the aged only
Review: My attraction to the first named author, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was due to his reputation as a cabalist, the Jewish practice of mysticsm. When I bought and first read this book, in 1995, I was a mere 48 years old, much too young to put its sage advice into practice. This book is for the retired, and even then is not for everyone. When I lent it to my retired friend in California with whom I swap jokes on the internet, her comment was "Although it was a difficult read, bogged down in places, and I didn't like how it was written, it did say a lot of important things and was worth reading" 3-4 stars would't you say?
In any event, the authors discuss the "theory of spiritual eldering." There are several paths one may take in eldering. First, however, the authors confront the "conscious transit of death." In part three of the book the authors discuss "Spirual Eldering and Social Transformation." This section includes mentoring and elders as healers of family, community, and Gaia-the living Earth.
Finally, an appendix is provided which includes exercises for sages in training.
If you are retired or facing retirement and are at a loss for how to lead a productive life in your 'golden years' your time would be well spent in looking this book over.

Rating:
Summary: Needed Guidance on a Difficult Path
Review: My own spiritual journey was faltering when I met Reb Zalman and bought this book. It was his humor and wisdom that helped me back onto the path. Now I go towards old age with a sense of purpose and a cheerfulness. I feel that this book was a personal invitation (to all of us) to join the tribal council of elders. I am currently rereading the book and again it is strengthening my resolve to take on the role of elder in my community.

Rating:
Summary: Such an Important Message
Review: These days, in our Western culture, for many man and woman over 40, the aging process has become something to fear. Which is utterly crazy, given that most people nowadays are barely half way through their lives at that point. It's like wanting to leave the restaurant somewhere in the middle of the main course and without tasting the dessert at all.
I liked this book because it is one of the few to look deeply into the whole adventure of aging and to broadcast to the world that the later decades of life have a different - and surprisingly wonderful - agenda all of their own. It is time for us older folk to stop cringing about getting older but to open to the process and re-own our place as 'wise elders.' As I was writing my own book - ELDERWOMAN - which is specifically for women, this wise man's book was a marvellous resource for me. It is a full, rich book, worth reading and re-reading. The exercises are useful and practical and the ideas are powerful. Highly recommended.