Gifts for Generous Donors

90 Minutes

We shall explore Sufi insights and practices to enrich our sacred journey of aging. Sufism, the mystical heart of Islam, abounds in wisdom about evolving into the fullness of our being and finding creative ways of serving creation. In particular, Sufism teaches us to do all of this with love and playfulness in our eyes for this is our greatest witness to God or our Higher Power.

Imam Jamal Rahman is a popular speaker on Islam, established author and teacher on Sufi spirituality and interfaith relations.  Along with his Interfaith Amigos, he has been featured in the New York Times, on CBS News, the BBC and various NPR programs.  Co-founder and Muslim Sufi minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary and adjunct faculty at Seattle University, he travels nationally and internationally, presenting at conferences, retreats and workshops.

105 Minutes

Which country in the world has the oldest population – with significantly more people over the age of 65 than any other? Japan. Which country has the highest percentage of people aged 100-plus? Again Japan. Who is at the top for the country with the highest life expectancy? Japan.

In our webinar we will look at and discuss “ikigai” and how it can impact the meaning we find with our years, as well as how it helps us harvest our own personal wisdom of aging. We will see why learning more about ourselves, accepting who we are, how we relate to others, what makes us happy and what keeps us in the “present”, are all powerful factors in allowing our ikigai to manifest itself deeply.  And we of course will not leave our webinar without a profound question of reflection with ourselves as elders- “What is my ikigai and how am I making use of it at this time?”

Ken Mogi is a neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster based in Tokyo. He has published more than 30 papers on neuroscience, and over 100 books in Japan covering not only brain science but also including philosophy, history, art, education, and linguistics. His first book in English was, “Awakening Your Ikigai: How the Japanese Wake Up to Joy and Purpose Every Day.”

90 Minutes

Service is often framed as a way to change the world. Yet, after a lifetime of service, Gandhi’s words of advice weren’t to preach the change or create the change, but rather to “be the change.” If we serve in a way that transforms us, it inevitably leads to external impact — but not the other way around.

In this talk, Nipun Mehta will share his profound personal experiences with such inside-out service, share stories of how global everyday heroes are responding to today’s unprecedented challenges with creative compassion, and how such small acts collectively allow for the emergence of new narratives and systems.

Nipun Mehta has a simple but profound mission for life: “Bring smiles in the world and stillness in my heart”.  At age 25 he quit his job to become a “full time volunteer.”  Nipun then founded ServiceSpace, a global community working at the intersection of technology, volunteerism and gift-economy.

ServiceSpace’s recent pandemic response has showcased the unique beauty of its ecosystem, with a global social movement of community builders cultivating love, nonviolence, selfless service and compassion.  Their work has reached millions, attracted thousands of volunteers, and grown into numerous community-based projects.

90 Minutes

In pre-industrial societies the knowledge and wisdom of the older generations was often critical to the survival of the community; however, technology and formal educational systems have replaced the dependence on elders in our modern world.  As a result, the value and esteem once reserved for elders has declined in many places; however, the honoring of elders continues to be a living tradition among Native Americans in the United States.

Barbara Aston, facilitator, is a citizen of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma.  She serves as a Faithkeeper for the Wandat Yanohsetsih (Wandat Longhouse) outside of Wyandotte, Oklahoma.  Barbara resides in North Idaho with her husband and has been blessed with children, grandchildren, and so far, one great-grandchild.  She retired in 2019 after a thirty-three-year career at a land-grant university as Executive Director of Tribal Relations.

90 Minutes

Buddhist teachings offer valuable and life-changing guidelines for those of us who aspire to age wisely, love well, and die peacefully. In this webinar, we’ll explore traditional perspectives and practices that empower us to embrace the vicissitudes of growing older with compassion, curiosity, humor, and gratitude. This is an invitation to move far beyond the life-denying attitude of our culture and to celebrate the richness and depth of authentic spiritual maturity.

David Chernikoff, MDiv, LCSW, Certified Sage-ing Leader (CSL) is a meditation teacher, spiritual counselor, and life coach who taught psychology and meditation at Naropa University for many years.

In the early 1980s, he worked at Ram Dass’s Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then became the director of Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces, N.M. He later spent three years in Nepal doing development work for the Seva Foundation and studying with Tibetan Buddhist teachers. After returning to the U.S. he became the education and training director of the Spiritual Eldering Institute. In that role, he taught conscious aging programs throughout the U.S., in Canada, and in Ireland.

David is currently one of the guiding teachers of the Insight Meditation Community of Colorado and has a private practice in Boulder. Please see his website for sample talks and more information. http://www.davidchernikoff.com

90 Minutes

Buddhist teachings offer valuable and life-changing guidelines for those of us who aspire to age wisely, love well, and die peacefully. This webinar is for those who want to live fully, love well, and listen inwardly to what one Buddhist teacher called “the one who knows.” Ultimately, spiritual maturation involves learning to trust our own inner guidance and to rest in the felt realization that we already are what we seek to become. In a caring, supportive atmosphere, David will offer a talk on the webinar theme, lead some experiential exercises, and facilitate a discussion of this important topic.

David Chernikoff, MDiv, LCSW, Certified Sage-ing Leader (CSL) is a meditation teacher, spiritual counselor, and life coach who taught psychology and meditation at Naropa University for many years.

In the early 1980s, he worked at Ram Dass’s Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then became the director of Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces, N.M. He later spent three years in Nepal doing development work for the Seva Foundation and studying with Tibetan Buddhist teachers. After returning to the U.S. he became the education and training director of the Spiritual Eldering Institute. In that role, he taught conscious aging programs throughout the U.S., in Canada, and in Ireland.

David is currently one of the guiding teachers of the Insight Meditation Community of Colorado and has a private practice in Boulder. Please see his website for sample talks and more information. http://www.davidchernikoff.com

90 Minutes

The aging process includes stressful difficulties for every human being. Buddhist teachings offer life-changing guidelines for dealing with this inevitable suffering and teach us the art of what Tibetans call “turning poison into medicine.”

We come to see the ways in which our own challenges deepen our empathy and sensitize us to the suffering of others. These experiences can transform us into wounded healers, people who move through the world as instruments of love, blessing, and spiritual freedom.

This uplifting process of becoming a wise, open-hearted elder is a birthright that we all share and that is much needed in today’s world. In this online gathering, there will be a talk on the webinar theme, experiential exercises, and opportunities for discussion.

David Chernikoff, MDiv, LCSW, Certified Sage-ing Leader (CSL) is a meditation teacher, spiritual counselor, and life coach who taught psychology and meditation at Naropa University for many years.

In the early 1980s, he worked at Ram Dass’s Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then became the director of Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces, N.M. He later spent three years in Nepal doing development work for the Seva Foundation and studying with Tibetan Buddhist teachers. After returning to the U.S. he became the education and training director of the Spiritual Eldering Institute. In that role, he taught conscious aging programs throughout the U.S., in Canada, and in Ireland.

David is currently one of the guiding teachers of the Insight Meditation Community of Colorado and has a private practice in Boulder. Please see his website for sample talks and more information. http://www.davidchernikoff.com

90 Minutes

Traditional or “Orthodox” Judaism is often misunderstood by many as being primarily concerned with legalistic and ritualistic interpretations governing Jews.  On the contrary, there is a wealth of wisdom within traditional Judaism that guides the individual along the evolving spiritual path of aging.  “With aged men comes wisdom, and understanding in length of days” (Talmud).

In this workshop, the facilitators will demonstrate and model learning from a Jewish text on the wisdom of aging, in a traditional learning method of the Talmud called “Havruta” (or “Havrusa”) – which is a “dynamic and challenging” conversation and learning in pairs to gain insight into interpretations of texts (a method which Reb Zalman practiced abundantly in his earlier studies).

Participants will then continue in their own “Havruta learning” in breakout rooms, followed by a group discussion and Q & A.  The goal of such learning and interpretation is to cultivate seeing multiple perspectives on understanding what is behind the wisdom of age from within Jewish tradition.

Rabbi Daniel Bialik has been a teacher in Religious Zionist school and a Rabbi in Israel for nearly 30 years.  Rabbi Bialik has been trained and inspired by the teachings of the late eminent Israeli Rabbi, Abraham Isaac Kook, who was booth a renowned Talmud scholar, Jewish thinker and mystic.

Ronnie Dunetz is a Senior life coach, group facilitator and story-teller.  Born in the US to a traditional Jewish family, Ronnie received the roots of a strong Jewish education which he has taken with him throughout his travels in the world.

60 Minutes

Dr. James Hollis will summarize some of the cultural changes which lead to personal stress and anxiety, and explore briefly some historic perspectives and some techniques for developing personal resilience in the face of change and ambiguity.

Jerome Kerner, CSL and former Co-chair of Sage-ing International, will interview Dr. Hollis with questions submitted by participants.

James Hollis, PhD, is a world renown psychoanalyst and lectures across the country.,  He is a Jungian Analyst in Washington, DC; a professor of psychology, and author of 16 books, the latest, Living Between Worlds: Finding Personal Resilience in Changing Times.

His book, Living an Examined Life: Wisdom for the Second Half of the Journey, is a favorite in the conscious aging community.

90 Minutes

This webinar will share the primary gems of wisdom gained from writing Leading with Wisdom: Sage Advice from 100 Experts.  The book was framed around the main components of sage-ing from Sage-ing International.  Participants will learnhow to engage in practices to lead their lives with wisdom.

Jann’s book on leadership is based on interviews of more than 100 thought leaders.  She captured the insights of gurus such as Rick Moody, Bob Atchley, Christina Baldwin, Warren Bennis, Stephen Covey, Marshall Goldsmith, Peter Block, Margaret Wheatley, and shares their wisdom.  One of Jann’s conclusions is that personal development and growth never ends.

Jann E. Freed, PhD, CSL, lives in Des Moines, Iowa.  Jann is professor emerita of business management and the former Mark and Kay De Cook Endowed Chair in Leadership and Character Development at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Presently Jann is a leadership development and change management consultant with The Genysys Group.  She is also a director on Bank Iowa and serves as chair of the Plan and Zoning Commission for the City of Des Moines.

Jann has a monthly podcast called Becoming a Sage where she interviews the top thought leaders in positive conscious aging.

90 Minutes

A central tenet of Buddhist thought is that in life “everything is forever changing.”  Cultivating wisdom within our spiritual journey of aging calls us forward to appreciate how the transformation can bring new possibilities, fresh beginnings, a zest for life and profound gratitude for every breath we take.

Lewis Richmond has been a meditation teacher, musician, and software entrepreneur.  He is the author of four previous books, including the national bestseller, Work as a Spiritual Practice: A Practical Buddhist Approach to Inner Growth and Satisfaction on the Job and the more recent award-winning Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser.  In addition to these books, Richmond’s essays have appeared in such magazines a  Tricycle, The Buddhadharma, Turning Wheel, and Shambhala Sun.  While in retirement he remains a musician and composer, and an editor and mentor to other authors.