Yoga & Aging Part V

I am on the cusp of physical old age. So I have taken up a new challenge to help define for myself what old age and the end of life really is. Billions of creatures have done it before here on earth and billions more will continue to do so.

There must be lessons out there to be learned. In this quest I discovered some good stuff that I'd like to share here, in case you happen to be on a similar journey.

I recently found a new podcast called "Wiser than Me" wherein the actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld and Veep fame interviewed accomplished older women. Julia's first guest was the iconic Jane Fonda. I was so excited by this inspiring interview. Jane Fonda at 85 is an amazing example of what kind of life we can make for ourselves as we age into our more elderly years.

Her first bit of advice was, "stay healthy and keep moving." I'm onboard with that! That's why we have yoga as an option. I advise doing your yoga asana practice everyday or at least 3 times a week. As we age, we lose muscle mass faster so we've got to do even more exercise.

Another point I'd like to share with you is that Jane wished that she hadn't had a face lift. The reason? She really wants to be a witness to the full aging process. Being the witness to our experiences enhances our inner explorations and understandings of our true selves. In yoga nidra we witness our experience during the Journey phase of the practice.

What Jane's comment translated to me was that we can look for ways to accept what we look like and feel like now in this present moment. That it is a form of discovering who we really are.

Having grown up in a culture requiring women to conform to a certain type of beauty, I find this to be a struggle every single day as I age. My journey right now is to embrace what my body and face are right now in this very moment.

Make the best of what is. Embrace what you look like and feel like. Enjoy each and every moment. It's a mantra that bears repeating.

There were many other lessons in the Jane Fonda interview that struck me and I highly recommend a listen with your favorite Podcast app to learn more.

Other media outlets are beginning to cover the perspectives of older people. (Baby Boomers here we come again!) The New York Times did a focus group on the perspectives of elders. People in this focus group said that old age was the best time of their lives (Rivera et al., 2023)! With less demands on their time, elders have more occasion to pursue meaningful activities. Whether it is giving back to the community or taking the time to enhance one's well being through mindfulness and self-care activities.

As humans, we are all headed to the same final outcome, i.e., death. Staying healthy mentally and physically is the key to aging successfully. Make the most out of the time that is left for you. Of course things in the body will break down. That's inevitable. When they do, jump on it to fix the problem right away.

With all this said, I am working to embrace a better perspective of the inevitability of old age and I hope you will join me on this continuing adventure that we call life.

How do we change perspectives? By embracing it and taking good care of yourselves.

Take Good Care of Yourself

Physical and mental challenges can be postponed by doing exercise and meditation. Really turning inward and discovering what is there. Who is your true self.

Find the joy of where you are in your life at this moment and embrace it.

Then do what is best for you to enhance it. For me, this means a healthy yogic lifestyle. For you, it may be something different, but now may be the time to explore the things that you have put off. It may also be the time to explore new things in your life.

Tracee Stanley (2021) has some tips to begin this exploration by writing down the answers following a deep meditation such as yoga nidra.

Remember that no one but you will read these writings. So avoid the worries of spelling, grammar or sentence structure. Just write. Write your responses straight from your heart.

1. "In what environments do you feel most at ease?
2. With whom do (did) you feel most at ease? With whom can you be your most authentic self?
3. How easily can you move past anger? What are your tools?
4. Which activities bring you the most joy?
5. Describe a time in your past when you felt blissful. Give details: What were you doing? What season was it? Where were you?
6. How can you cultivate more time for joyful experiences and heart-centered friendships in your life?"

Further Readings and Resources

Louis-Dreyfus, J. (Host). (2023, April 11). Julia gets wise with Jane Fonda [Wiser than me]. Retrieved from URL.Retrieved from https://omny.fm/shows/wiser-than-me/julia-gets-wise-with-jane-fonda.

Rivera, A. J., Healy, P., & Anderson, K. S. (2023, April 11). What happened to America? we asked 12 people in their 70s and 80s. The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/10/opinion/older-americans-focus-group.html

Stanley, T. (2021). Radiant Rest (pp. 153-154). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.