Bone Woman: Conscious Eldering
Image: Purification ceremony.
It may be that the word wisdom refers not so much to what one knows but to a quality of listening, both internal and interpersonal.... putting a lifetime pattern of experience
and reflection to work.
The Age of Active Wisdom, Mary Catherine Bateson
64-70years
Septennial #10
This period of our lives prompts a desire to understand human evolution, tuning in to the deeper impulses and purpose of life. Appreciation of the bigger picture may come, with the ability to listen more, to see the truth of others in our orbit and to feel compassion for their struggles.​​
Unrealised goals may surface, asking for either completion or release. For some, it may be a time of retirement from paid work, and the navigation of a new lifestyle and identity. House moves, downsizing, or shifting of priorities related to home and ageing may occur.
The years of this septennial are sometimes called the 'Fire Trials' - burning away illusions and all that is unecessary. The process may be painful but the emergence of Truth is significant.
Exercise
What crossroads have occurred? How have you navigated them?
What has been burned away? What remains?
What are your truths?
How have your outer life circumstances shifted? How is that?
How do you feel about ageing?
What plans or hopes do you have for your future?
What action are you taking toward them?
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After completing the prompts, divide a page into two columns. The headings for each column should be ‘negative’ and ‘positive’. In the ‘negative’ column, write a list of negative experiences, emotions, themes, actions and reactions from this septennial. In the ‘positive’ column write the positive experiences, themes, actions, gifts, relationships from this septennial.
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Then, take a few moments with your eyes closed to feel into the negative list, considering each item you have written down. Then do the same for the positive list. Now, allow the two lists to merge – try to sit above or apart from the two lists and allow them to merge into one list, being, or energy – however you like to think about it. From this place, ask for a seed image to emerge, which represents the summation of this septennial, of the two lists and the merged lists.
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Your seed image may appear in your mind visually, or as thoughts describing the image, or in another way. Go with the first image that arises and open your eyes and draw it on the next round piece of paper.