In years past, I studied at Columbia

In years past, I studied at Columbia College or university for a doctorate in Adult Understanding and I was shocked to discover of which adult development theories stop at 65 and very few of the theorists even brooch the subject of spirituality. So I decided to get it on. I've since discovered a variety of organizations that discuss spirituality, but most of them talk about spirituality and wellness or how to cope with dying. While these are generally important topics, this article takes a diverse approach, and talks about LIVING, and just how the aging process actually helps us to produce ourselves more spiritually.

Spirituality isn't only one aspect of life; it spreads throughout and is what gives meaning to all of life. Spirituality is not religious beliefs.

I've heard it said that even more older adults become religious even if they haven't been earlier. One particular comedian said, "It's because they are cramming for the final exam! "

Spirituality can certainly include religious practices, which can be supportive, but, for me, it is something that gets us in touch with the fact that A LOT MORE MORE THAN WHAT it APPEARS to be and that The fact is not what we SEE, but more by what we cannot see. When the eyesight and our hearing apparently get worse, our insight and the KNOWING actually get stronger.

In the next few articles, I will include four themes about spirituality plus aging. The first one is:

One of the most essential spiritual teachings for every liquido hangsen religion and spiritual philosophy is about living in typically the NOW. Ask yourself,

How much of your life is without a doubt spent looking back? I'm certainly not saying not to have wonderful recollections. But I have come to a final result about this time of life. Probably the unhappiest older people I have seen are those who also long to be as they once were, rather than as they are now. Those who compare their selves with the way they were 20 years earlier are engaging in an exercise certain to keep them in an unhappy state. Striving to be happy with who and what you are at the moment is essential to happiness as we age.

One of many spiritual tasks of aging is normally learning to live without regret.

Whenever you really are anxious it is because you are living in the near future. When you are depressed, it is because you are surviving in the past.

One of the reasons we reject how it changes our bodies, for example, as we age, is that we are able to no longer do the things we used to do.

I was once a dancer (even danced on TV on the Children's hour with Ed Hurlihy. ) Does anyone do not forget that one? I won contests ?nternet site got older and could do just about every ballroom dance then imaginable. However a few years ago, I had my very first hip replaced and now the second an example may be acting up. I could make me pretty miserable over that. However rather than regretting that I am not able to dance, I use DANCE as a metaphor for living fully. That I can perform at any age.

I used to be a musician. I had a beautiful voice, which of course, I didn't really ever consider was good enough. But I played out the guitar and sang before significant audiences and once even at the Asbury Park, NJ band pavilion. I just even got to sing with the Vonseiten Trapp family once, but this is a whole other story.

Today, I can hardly carry a tune. The voice has dropped significantly and my breath doesn't support possessing high notes anymore. I have a couple of choices: I could be upset plus discouraged that 'It ain't what used to be, " or I could rejoice that I had all those wonderful activities and spend my time producing new ones. I'm choosing the latter.

The columnist Jan Glidewell once said, "You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest it leaves your arms too total to embrace the present. " TAKING what is is probably the MOST important of all spiritual practices. And certainly as we age, we have a lot of opportunity to practice that.

Just about every spiritual teaching emphasizes the importance of Residing the NOW.

Letting go belonging to the past can get very practical, and for us, spirituality is nothing if it is not practical.

I'm in the process of going and I'm following the advice which was given to me years ago when I kept California for Florida. The person assisting me sort and pack would hold up everything before we loaded it and say, "Is this specific who you are today? " I even let go of my doctoral dissertation for the reason that I realized that the learning is now inside me and someone else could reap the benefits of all those books and research elements. They are no longer serving me and are not part of my NOW.

I do think that most people, as they get older, also learn to live more simply. Living is another spiritual practice. When we accumulate things, we are really telling the Universe that we don't trust that will we'll have what we need when we need it. Or that we never believe we have enough. Any collectors right here? Take heed.

The very search System.Drawing.Bitmap for more is often a denial of the interesting depth and beauty of what is present at this time.

A guru once asked his / her disciples what they would choose should they were offered 10 million money or 10 children. Of course, most of the people shouted out, "10 million, " to which he replied, "You would be better off having 10 children, for the reason that then you wouldn't always be wanting even more. "

One of the other ways that aging helps us to live in the present is the approach our memories seem to be challenged.

Try this one on. I believe that failing to remember is the wisdom of spiritual evolution forcing us to stop living yesteryear.

They say that one thing good concerning getting over the hill is that you don't remember climbing it.

I say that forgetting is under-appreciated and should be re-examined. It isn't time solely that heals things. It's negelecting that smoothes the edges.

And this brings us to another Spiritual principle which usually comes under the heading of permitting go of the past,

the exercise of Forgiveness. I could write for the on this one alone. But for these days, I'd like to present what may seem as an unusual idea.

The ultimate spiritual progress and experience is coming to realize there is NO NEED TO FORGIVE.

What do I mean by that will? I believe that as we age, we come to understand that Life doesn't just happen to all of us. We are NOT victims of situation. The ultimate spiritual understanding is that were responsible for everything that happens to us and through us, and that no one or any experience comes into our lives by accident. Almost everything is a function of our consciousness. Consequently, every insult or hurt we think someone caused us was really an image reflection of something our spirits wanted to learn, and the person together with circumstance just obliged so we could get that gift.