Frequently Asked Questions about Conscious Aging
2) Do I have to be a certain age to participate in or appreciate Conscious Aging?
No. The material does often refer to a person's later years, but the skills and insights that are part of the workshop relate to any stage of life. Many young people have found tremendous value in this workshop as they learned how to live life more intentionally and fully. Also, we are adapting this material to create a workshop on Conscious Living for all Ages, which we expect to offer in 2019 or 2020. Click here to add your name to the mailing list so you will be notified when that workshop is scheduled.
3) Does this workshop talk about the physical changes of aging?
No. The Conscious Aging workshop is about the psychological and spiritual aspects of choosing to live life with joy and meaning. Of course, the physical changes of aging have an effect on how anyone thinks about aging, but the workshop does not spend time on those topics. There are many other resources out there to address those questions. The workbook will point you to some of those resources.
4) What if I would rather not even think about aging?
Most of us who live in a youth-valuing culture (i.e. the United States) have pretty big misgivings about aging. We are told repeatedly that "age" and "old" are bad things. Conscious Aging is all about reversing and countering those cultural messages and finding your own way to embrace the advantages and opportunities of age. And yes, there are many!
Conscious Aging - Lafayette, LA - by Patricia Sidman
1. What if I can't be at all of both weekends?
While it is true that some of the value of the Conscious Aging workshop comes from the wisdom of the group expressed during discussions and sharing, the workbook you will get contains all the readings and exercises. You can review and work on these on your own and still keep up with the group. I am also available to work with you by phone if you miss part of a session to be sure you feel confident about the material going forward.
If you will miss one whole weekend, however, I recommend you give me your contact information here so I can let you know when the workshop is offered again. I expect to offer other intensives in 2019, and I want you to have the full experience of the workshop!