THE ART OF AGING GRACEFULLY WITHOUT ACTING OLD

CLICK THE > ARROWS TO PLAY MEDIA AND THE DARK GREEN LETTERING FOR LINKS

AS WE AGE IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE WAY WE ACT BUT WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAYS THAT WE BEHAVE

AGING IS ABOUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR ACTIVITIES NOT ACTING OLD! 
iN OUR PRIME
IS THE TIME
​TO ASCEND
NOT GIVE IN
EVERY ACT 
WILL IMPACT 
WHAT WE DO
OR GO THROUGH
THOUGH RETIRED 
WE'RE INSPIRED 
GOING STRONG
MOVING ON
THIS NEW WAY
STARTS TODAY! 
ALAS WE'VE REACHED THE HALL OF FAME ITS TIME TO COACH NOT PLAY THE GAME.
AS USUAL THIS IS OUR EXAMINATION OF A TOPIC FROM A PREDOMINATELY "SPIRITUAL" PERSPECTIVE, THESE ARE OUR FINDINGS!

Growing old is not for the faint of heart. It takes time to get old but less and less time to get older. Today's mid-sixties seems like yesterday's mid-forties. We were made to grow more like trees than like grass. Trees grow slow and their seed or legacy are within themselves, that is their fruit. Aging is a process about change regardless of whether we want to change or not. Change is inevitable. Everything but our spirits will age as we gradually change over time. Spirits are versatile. As we slowly age they gradually adjust their tactics to compensate for our maturity. Change is generally steady but never in a rush. As a matter of fact, although some people and things seem as if they never change, they all do. One thing all of us will discover as we mature, is that some of the things we stop doing while aging will also result in our inability to ever do them again. The natural tendency of most of humanity is to resist change. Today's trend is to try and stay young as long as we can and conceal aging. We should not be battling against aging. We should be welcoming, accepting and treasuring its benefits. Why fight​ against the advantages that aging brings? Yes, as "much as youth" is wasted on the young, is as much as "wisdom" is not treasured by the aged. The maturity of age offers us the opportunity to participate in a new "culture of f-l-e-x-i-b-i-l-i-t-y." Once we reach a certain level of maturity and longevity it brings with it a certain level of peace and tranquility with it. This inheritance comes with age but can be forfeited if we allow "our spirit" to worry. It is important not to give expression to or permit the "spirit of anxiety" a foothold within our environment. When patience reigns, rushing leaves, and peace abides. As our soul ages so must our ways of addressing the demands we put upon it. There will be some old habits to break and new rituals to follow but that comes with most transitions. We have arrived at the point where we can live in the moment and stop living in time. The remainder of time within this dimension of life should be experienced as an ever expanding and evolving expression of what and who we are. This is why "growing" old is not for the faint of heart. ALL of us get older by default, but fewer of us continue to really "GROW." 

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The W.O.W. effect (Worry Over Wrinkles) is making billions of dollars for the cosmetic industry. There are two main issues many people fail to address even after growing older. These are the same two mistakes people make in their youth due to not being taught or knowing better. The two most important factors affecting our "complete" well being are what we put in the body (stress made within) and what we put on our bodies(pressure from without). Too many of us unwittingly sabotage the smooth continuity of the aging process by not properly relating change, heeding signs or embracing the tools that come with transitioning. We no longer have to react to every circumstance, but can exercise the patience and wisdom to allow life to respond to us. Our "spiritual authority" is our assurance that it is well with our soul. Life made its attempts to affect us in unexpected ways but weathering change is nothing new to us. This is a time when it is okay for us to practice letting go of anything beyond our control. We can cast away all of our cares, knowing that we will be cared for. Spirit is ageless but it does adjust. Our demise in physicality often comes along with a gain in mentality. Sensitivities to life must be managed psychologically and spiritually through the wealth of our experiences and the power of our faith. We hope that tomorrow will come, know that yesterday is past and that today is promised because we're here. Now is when we learn to "make" everyday above ground a good day. It feels better walking on grass then laying under it. Waking up is a win - win for us. Each day adds to our winnings. Always remember the 10 W's.  We waste what we've won when we wax weary worrying. Spiritually, stress and anxiety can create memory problems in seniors that fail to manage this transition. The "Golden Years" are just that. We've accumulated the gold and we can now sit back in our dens and contemplate the years. The last lesson in life we must learn and practice is how to enjoy the fruit of our labor without worrying about or emotionally entangling ourselves in current affairs. We care and we contribute but we don't "carry the crap!" [If we're easily upset we're carriers. If we don't live each day, one day at a time, we're carriers. If we nitpick and fuss, we're carriers. If we're cranky and mad, we're carriers. If we remain melancholy or sad, we're carriers. If we don't give or have advice, we're carriers. If we act like we don't care at all, we're carriers. If we care too much, we're carriers.] The "spiritual characteristics" of a carrier is manifested through their attitude. Most carriers are complainers too! We can't carry "cares" with us if we're leaving "them" behind! We're not packing "them!" Leave "them" here! 

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​Motion is lotion: Get up off of those ASSETS. As we age estrogen for women and testosterone in men decreases. What does that mean? The transition that our bodies, mind and spirits go through as we age has stages. Dealing with unexpected experience of simultaneous evolution and involution can be traumatic. As age increases, our negative thoughts, bad habits and weak character traits may become more permanently ingrained, if we are not careful. What many of us forget or neglect is the spiritual aspect of our existence. Stress is the fuel behind "the spirit" of Dementia and Alzheimer disease. As we age it is important to free ourselves from the cares of this world and allow the wisdom and purpose of our passion to speak for us without wasting to much energy in the effort. What we can't control we let go of while allowing the grace and tranquility of a "carefree concern" towards anything we face. Learning to "let go" and "flow" is paramount. We may not go with the popular flow, but we still flow none-the-less. Our posture is paramount. Believe it or not, our bodies signal our systems partially based on our posture. The energy our bodies call for, need or use differ according to whether were laying, sitting, standing or moving. Now is the time to practice standing and bending without breaking. Even if we work part time, daily movements of bending, dancing and/or routine exercises are mandatory! If we don't do anything else, it is essential to at least do the W.U.A.S.E. (Warm Up And Stretching Exercise) daily. The spirit is willing but at times the flesh is weak. We must consistently dedicate a minimum of 60 minutes a day every day to physical activity. Even these 60 minutes can be broken up into multiple sessions. New evidence strongly recommends about 3 minutes exercise for every hour of sedentary relaxation. The flesh may act reluctant, but a motivated spirit will keep us moving along. The task becomes easier when we use the "spirit of music" to oil the engine of our mental, physical or psychological endeavors. This is why slaves sang songs as they toiled in the fields. They did not sing because they were happy, they sang to ease the burden of their task. Maya Angelou explained to us why the caged bird sings! The "spirit of music" is so underappreciated as well as the "spirit of colors" and the "spirit or sense of smell" called aromatherapy. Our sensory faculties connect us to energies that "they only" are capable of detecting. Touch, taste, spacing, smelling, seeing and hearing all interact and connect with our intangible spirits. Our spirit is designed to easily adjust to the vicissitudes of life. The "nature of spirit" never changes but can accommodate any environment. "Spirit" properly directed, goes with, flows with and rolls with the punches as it bends with the wind. Even our bones and minds bend. Bones are composed of solid yet supple substances. The idea that our skeletal system is called a bag of bones is short sighted, our bones connect with our mind. The mind is not the brain, yet has its own doing, thinking and feeling attributes. Sometimes we can "feel it in our bones." The mind is a distributed attribute. The heart and the brain are a part of the mind as well as muscle memory. Every part of our body has a mind of its own and sometimes joints and old injuries can sense changes in weather. The agility and flexibility of the body and mind go "spiritually" hand in hand. Our bodies can sense and adjust to environmental changes. Once we understand a change, we can more easily embrace it. Maintain a standard of health. Sometimes if a poor standard of health is accepted to long we tend to become comfortable living that way. This is a personal formula we created, try making one.
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THIS BASIC FORMULA USES TIME IN POSTURES AS A CRITERIA TO MEASURE HEALTH

THERE ARE 24 HOURS IN A DAY, WE SHOULD SCORE (3) OR MORE

Embrace neuroplasticity - Forget the details! Maybe using the word "forget" is somewhat insensitive in that memory problems are a sign of aging. One of the most significant adjustments to make up within our minds is to realize that we don't need to keep up with all of the details. Trusting our minds instead of our memory is a major leap forward. The distinction between the brain and the mind is quite significant. The brain, always at our disposal, is tasked with constantly coordinating multiple functions throughout the body. Our brain is definitely located within our head, but each part of our body has a mind of its own. The brain and our minds constantly monitor both the activities and posture of our body to provide each part with the energy it requires. The average person's day can consist of 7.7 hours sleeping, 10.4 hours sitting, 3.1 hours standing, 1.5 hours doing light physical activity, and 1.3 hours doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This shows that our posture plays a big role in our health. The body sends out unique signals dependent upon whether it is laying, sitting, standing or moving around. It is quite possible to overload the brain but not the minds. The brain is generally predisposed to use, adhere to and depend upon our familiar and usual ways of doing and thinking about everything. Most of the methods we've practiced over the years for executing our daily tasks are our default go to strategies, so we know they work. Seeing our physical and/or mental faculties compromised is probably the most frustrating thing we will ever experience in this life. For some people it's like losing a child. The gradual diminishing of our physical abilities, that is later accompanied by questionable mental abilities may seem devastating. Many of the methods and ways we've created, developed and perfected throughout our lives lose effectiveness as we age. This is why Dementia and its first cousin Alzheimer's disease is so scary. Stress is one of the main driver behind the fear associated with this "spiritually" mind boggling condition. Many people panic and fight an "unnecessary battle" trying to hold on to, or regain what they have seemingly lost. But we believe that there are other ways to face and deal with this dilemma. Fortunately the brain is extremely resilient if we are mindful of this ability and allow it to be! There's more then one way to skin a cat! A memory is a used thought. Memories are found in the part of the brain where all of our data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. All of this happens without our conscious awareness, but it uses a substantial amount of our integrated energy. It's important to know that memories can be lost but they can't be erased. The process where thoughts or experiences are converted into memory is autonomous. We use a certain amount of energy in every conscious moment doing this. Memories are as permanent as the events they recall. We cannot change history or rewrite a memory! We might forget it but nothing can erase it. Just because we cannot find a memory does not mean it is not there. The process of recall is both volitional and autonomous in its functioning. The "spirit of frustration" can subvert this process and distort or redirect the energy normally allocated to this dual source function. This is why sleep is so important. The the conscious mind and the ego that drives (the psyche) it, has no power when we sleep. The "spirit of sleep" brings healing and restoration to the mind by constantly renewing our soul. A restless soul is a recipe for disaster. Managing our sleep must be included with all of our practices and techniques that we update and integrate. Proper sleep is a critical component of refueling. We waste energy when we insist on trying to recall "exact instances" of "different episodes" in an ever growing library of experiences. This can easily become a vexing and insurmountable task. Now is the time in life to subordinate the tyranny of the "spirit of the ego." We must refute the ego's claim that things we don't remember are that important! It is the ego that so stubbornly insists on things being precisely one way or another. It is the ego that spoils our harmony with others by making us angry, or upset. The ego prefers to rage rather then relax. It rages inside of our emotions masked as frustration or "vexation of spirit." How many of us have lost track of a particular thought in the middle of a story and never finished the story because of a stupid detail. We should be satisfied with telling the tale to the best of our ability. Don't let the story or the lesson of the story get lost in our ego's tantrums. The ego cares more about its own agenda rather than what is good for the soul. The ego's arrogance can prove  to be self destructive towards the entire body, hence the advent of disease. The ego is a "carrier" and stubbornly holds on to anything that allows it expression. We must remind one another that the wisdom flowing from the mind and lips of our experiences speaks for itself when we let it. All of our life experiences have value in and of themselves. We do not have to be 100% precise or accurate in our expressions, just truthful. The best advise we can offer to those who have shared their sage wisdom throughout life is to rest. Rest in the "Sabbath of life." Whatever we encounter outside of our control we let go of. Anything in the universe we encounter at this stage of life that doesn't bend to our will should be discarded or ignored. 

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No man is an island! The universe connects us all spiritually. We individually chose to separate ourselves into smaller units called couples, families and groups. We are designed and meant to be interdependent. It is vital that certain aspects of our lives be shared with friends, family or loved ones. As we age, we must actively restructure our personal lives in a manner that maintains a certain degree of privacy while leaving other areas open to outside influence or intervention. The task of balancing independence with interdependence is challenging. We all need to form a personal network of "dependable's;" a private "circle of trust." There may be situations that will have to be addressed through that personal "circle of trust." Delegating particular individuals to advocate on our behalf in certain situations is a "spiritual tool" for reducing mental stress. The universe operates through a shared division of all of its labor. When we pattern our lives after the "order of life" most things will fall into place on their own. God has established principles that serve as "everlasting habitations" if we follow them. When we  put these principles to work they are naturally compatible with aging. These principles require using the art of assignment and delegation. Sometimes It is hard to just trust. Can we stop worrying and place our confidence in others? Can we quench our concerns and surrender our anxieties without giving up.​ Interdependence is the ultimate "spiritual" state of existence, but trusting others can be challenging. It's not about making perfect arrangements; it's more about getting out of our own way and allowing life to dictate the terms. The grace that comes with age allows us the opportunity to leave our mark on life. We can leave the world a better place then it was when we got here. The wisdom of the aged allows a greater accuracy in foresight and predictions. The aged ones get to see over the horizon with the clarity to anticipate the needs of the future. The respect that comes with age also comes with power. The ability to challenge any rule, ruler or authority is an inheritance and right that comes with age. This is a position of power that should be treasured, not warehoused or ignored. However it is important that those of us entrusted with this authority exercise it periodically. As we age we must stay committed to gently guiding the next generation, while imparting the legacy of life long learning. We live in a time of accelerating change that rapidly impacts both ourselves and the world around us. It's not difficult staying current if we "continue to care." The final battle of this quest no longer requires much active physical effort, but rather passive mental energy.  Although we may retire from a particular occupation in life we should never retire from living life to its fullest. As a matter of fact leaving a particular job allows us the freedom to pursue even better one. Retiring is more then an ending it is a new beginning. When we tire of an old job its time to begin working on another one until we tire of it and retire again.

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A vibrant sensual and social life is one of the greatest benefits of aging gracefully. As we age many of us grow intolerant. Some of us will make a nuance of odors, interruptions and injustices. Others may find it difficult to tolerate children or noises. Although most of us simply desire peace and quiet, peace is not necessarily quiet. And although some of us desire to be left alone, loneliness can be experienced in a crowd of people. We are social beings and require some level of interactions with other people. No man is an island and as such we have dependencies. Dependence embraces a "spirit of helplessness," Independence embraces a "spirit of isolation" and Interdependence encourages a "spirit of integration." When we share experiences or merge ideas our working memory accesses our long term memory and engages in the episodic stimulus of our minds. Every sensual experience, whether smells, tastes, physical or visual stimulus has meaning. These expressions of  physical, mental and emotional origin must be interpreted, understood and applied. The meanings behind feelings is important to grasp correctly. Our brain can play tricks on our mind if we don't filter what goes inside.  A healthy life style is just as important as a healthy meal and a healthy mind. ​The seduction of a sedentary lifestyle lures us into physical, mental and spiritual laziness. If we allow ourselves to settle down into a diminished lifestyle sometimes this "new norm" lulls us into a sleep called death. Life is manifested through movements consisting of waves and vibrations. The more time we spend playing, talking, building or doing something the more energy we put in play and the more energy we have to play with. For couples intimacy is energy. Not necessarily participating in sexual intercourse as often as in the past but definitely pleasing and pleasuring one another by and through all of the sensual pleasantries of life. There are far more sensual experiences then just eating food. Although we must be careful not to overindulge, this is definitely the time to savor the flavor of eating. Looking forward to meals should have such a great appeal that we make each event special. There is no need for couples to transition from real mates into roommates. As children we would ask our parents permission to go out to play. Now is the time to give ourselves an unlimited "Play Pass." We are empowered to create our own curfew and even break our own rules if we chose to.

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Redefining feelings: Some of the emotional and physical feeling we've experienced all of our lives may need to be reinterpreted and reapplied. Everything from physical pains to emotional strains can have new meanings. "Hunger pains" can be deceiving and trick us into eating when we require very little nourishment. As we age physical feelings and sensations like hunger are more likely to be "habit pains!" This is part of the reason older people generally carry slightly larger guts. The physiology of the body is and has always been in transition we simply have to adjust with it. The body functions as one unified interconnected unit. Every action, position or posture interacts in sync with one unified body. Sitting signals one message throughout our body. When we stand it sends another. Even singing, showering or swimming messages the entire body and causes chemical reactions and release of other complementary energies. The body has a mind of its own and our habits speak to that minds subconscious. Our little habits send signals about our state of affairs. It may be wise to accept a minor weight increase as we age. Our bellies are the bank account for our bodies, so a little something extra in our savings account is okay. Part of our minds job is to compensate autonomously just in case the brain forgets. Many of us will discover that we don't necessarily have to eat three meals a day. As a matter of fact, some of us may simply eat multiple smaller "snack size" meals or just eat when we feel hungry. The three meals a day routine may become more of a myth then a necessity. The idea is to eat consistently and maintain a consistent weight. Eat and cheat, live a little, but remember to always watch whatever comes out of the body, both language and poop. Every physiological manifestation will have an accompanying physical sensation or feeling. Feelings, forgetfulness and forgiveness go hand in hand. The capacity to forget is an ability and a gift most people fail to embrace. The mind and the brain are constantly learning and by nature remember their experiences. However it is important after recovering from an injury that the mind and body are retrained through therapy to forget about the injury and resume their full range of motion and functioning. This principle applies physically, mentally and spiritually. Most of us submit to the physical therapy recommended when we've sustained damage to a muscle or a limb. But few of us rehabilitate our brains or minds after experiencing emotional, psychological and spiritual trauma. Healing is both a process and a feeling.

 Remember The Sabbath! A life that balances rest and relaxation with ritual and routine provides us with structure. To be in sync with life we must align ourselves with it. Life is impartial. When we match its cadence things tend to work well for us. If we fail to follow its laws and principles we are simply working against the current while attempting to paddle upstream. The closer we pattern our lives in alignment with the universe the easier life becomes. As we adjust to life it may seem that things are conforming to our whims and desires, but that is not true. What is actually happening is that we are increasingly conforming our thinking and ways in alignment with the rest of life. Creating can be seen as a work in progress. As long as were creating we are at work. When we cease or end our creating we are at rest. This is how the universe operates. The depiction of creation in the Bible illustrates this pattern. The first 6 phases (days) of our lives are creative, we labor and FIGHT against the wiles of the ego. The 7th phase (day) is a time of rest we FORGET about the wiles of the ego by ignoring it and rest within the work we've already done. At this point our active efforts are transformed into passive expectations. This allows GRACE to work on our behalf while we rest in the blessed assurance of this spontaneous process left in God's hands. Sometimes being spontaneous means responding in a quiet and unassertive way. For most of us this skill must be studied, practiced and learned. Stepping back to move forward seems counter-intuitive, how can it possibly work? Practicing principles we may not understand is an act of faith and obedience. Whenever we apply an unknown technique we bypass our intellectual prowess and force the ego to accept it without consent. This moment of freedom from the tyranny of the ego stimulates our ability to adapt, adjust and apply principles we may have heard about but never practiced. At this point in life the thought of a new adventure only requires obedience and belief. Once we live an experience we incorporate it with the rest of our memories. This is where the ego gets to twist, bend and reinterpret their meanings. All memories whether long term, short term, sensory or working function together. Our habits of thought engineered by the ego interprets them. It is the experiences that we "relive" through our memories that are the most precious commodities we possess. At maturity, the last stage we live through, according to Erickson's eight stages of life, we should find ourselves resting in integrity or living in despair. Why worry about the past we can't change it. But we can manipulate thoughts and memories that create great and happy endings even from bad experiences. Each phase of our lives offered us different opportunities and just having experienced them is an accomplishment to talk about. It is somewhat uncanny that by the time most of us become aware of the different phases of existence, or the progressive stages of life, that we have already been through most of them. The physical changes are obvious but many of the psychological, social and spiritual ones just blended together or were obscured by the vicissitudes of life. 

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Applying the process of rehabilitation allows us to recognize, correct and restore conditions that may make life more enjoyable at this stage. This stage in life offers us the opportunity of hindsight and greater accuracy in evaluating both our accomplishments and mistakes. Rehabilitation is about both physical, mental and spiritual adjustments. Past actions and attitudes can be reevaluated outside of the dominating influence of our ego if we subordinate it. There is plenty of work to be done for our new careers and fortunately we now have the liberty to take time to work on it. Many of us will be arriving at this stage of life with multiple kinks in our armor. Regardless of the conditions we may find ourselves in this is the time to optimize or best working resources, incorporate them and synchronize our desires with our abilities. Doctors visits and therapy should be apart of the "lifestyle" we lead. Getting to and maintaining a minimum standard health is essential. The better we feel the more we can enjoy the possessions we're willing to share with others. We pervert the purpose of an object's existence when we have or posses something that is no longer functions in its capacity to help or serve anyone. Continually buying stuff, saving things and hoarding possessions is counterproductive. We may feel good about it but we only pervert the purpose of its existence. "Things" are made to be used and "people" are here to be loved. Now is the time when our lives must be all about purpose and meaning. We should consider adopting and involving additional people, pets or plants as a part of our daily agenda. Caring for and about other people and/or things adds enjoyment and purpose to life. It is easier to manage memory when our responsibilities involve sharing and caring with and for others.

To sum it all up much of this stage in life is about transitioning to the next stage smoothly. Finding another or new way is like teaching an old dog new tricks. It's not as hard as we think. The trick must suit the dog and the dog must be willing to learn. In the final analysis we  are responsible to leave more in life then we received from it. Remember, that even after we get to where we're going, we are obligated to turn back and help the next one in line; "always stay humble and kind." We know that history does not repeat itself, but it does resemble itself repeatedly. In the end we'll find purpose in the suffering and joy of the journey. We have had the opportunity to leave our mark upon the world; but more then just a mark, the ultimate hope is that our "presence" or "spirit" will always remain.