Workshop Diary

How can Older be Better?

Understanding the aging experience. What are the body changes, what else happens? How do we make sense of it and how can we live with it?

A one-day course to discuss creative ways of thinking about what happens as you get older. This is for people in their 50s and 60s who want something more than slow decline and decay as they live longer.

Keeping your body fit and healthy and your mind active are important but I want to go further. I intend to question the common assumptions about getting older and to invite you to think about possibilities that may never even have occurred to you. With inspiring images for later life you may find new ways to develop your creativity, to deepen your spirituality, to become an elder in the community and to fulfil the higher purpose of your life. Ageing can really make you wonder what it is all about!

Facilitated by River, aged 62, an experienced facilitator and founder of the Eldership Project.

Tues 14 Mar 2006
10 to 4.30 Kingsbridge
£40

What is eldership ?

A one-day workshop to explore the concept of eldership and find out what it might demand of us.

We will discuss the qualities and skills needed for this calling and look at how they can be developed. We will explore the roles elders may take on in society and how they may work for the benefit of future generations and for the earth itself.

We will develop understanding of the importance of elders circles in our own development and see how elders councils can have an influence on the local community and on society at large.

This is an opportunity to talk about the ideas and beliefs that form the foundations of eldership before actually embarking on the process of transformation into an elder – although you are unlikely to be interested in the subject unless this has already begun.

Thurs 2 March
10 – 4.30 pm
Kingsbridge
£40

Entering Eldership

A residential weekend course for people who are beginning to be recognised as elders and who want to take the next steps of entering into the role.

The weekend is an opportunity to meet and share with others making the transition into eldership.

You may choose to attend the “What is Eldership” workshop first to get clearer about what you are taking on and to find out more about the facilitators and other people who might be there.

There will be experiential exercises and small group work to help ground the changes in our whole being. There will be place and time to create rituals for initiation into eldership for those who feel ready for it.

Facilitated by River King and Caroline Born

Weekend dates:
Venue:
Costs: £120 + residential fees

Facilitation Skills
For Eldership

The skills we need to manage our relationships with people, particularly in mentoring one to one, in conflict resolution work and for running an elders circle or elders council.

Details to follow.

Designing Rituals and
Rites of Passage

Ritual is a powerful process that bypasses the conscious mind and brings about deep changes in our inner worlds.

As elders we will have made our own rites of passage and now may be called upon to help create rituals for others.

This is an art that needs to be studied. There are certain essential elements that must be understood and included. In this workshop we will study the ingredients of rituals and practice creating them for each other.

Caroline Born has been teaching ritual for many years and is highly experienced as a group facilitator.

Workshop fees

These workshops offer valuable experiences. In return we ask for some sort of payment. We are open to any legitimate offers of help or materials, otherwise we ask for £50 for a one-day event and £120 for a two-day event plus cost of overnight accommodation if relevant. 20% extra for late bookings

A booking can only be confirmed on receipt of payment.

Workshop fee rationale

Workshops need to cover their costs and contribute something to the project. We often have to pay non returnable deposits to rent accommodation. We have to decide whether a course will be financially viable and generally make this decision two weeks before the course is due to start, so that everyone knows where they stand. Any profit after paying costs is put back into the project.

Late booking.

We charge 20% extra for bookings received less than 2 weeks before the start of the workshop. This is because we and the early bookers have had to make commitments in advance.

Cancellation:

If we cancel a course we will send a full refund.

If you cancel:

Upto 2 weeks before the start, we send a full refund.
Upto 48 hours before the course starts, we send 50% refund.
Less than 48 hours before the course starts, no refund is made.
If we find someone to take your place we refund less 10% admin fee.