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Table
of Contents
Beginner's
Mind
New
Books We Endorse
Cool
Career #118, Concierge for Older Adults
The
(Other) Rolling Stones Calendar 2006
"In
the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's
there are few." - Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi
As
we begin the new year, our thoughts turn to the value of adopting a
beginner's mind in planning our futures as mature adults. Beginner's
mind is a concept invented by Zen master, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, to describe a
mind that is child-like and 'not already made up.' It's a curious,
inquiring mind, open to what comes, with no preconceived ideas or
expectations. Many of us approach the second half of life with
habits of mind that can hinder or slow down the process of change.
Of course, transition takes time and effort, as well as
introspection, research and some risk-taking. If you're ready to
think out of your own comfort zone and see where it could lead, we
offer you Ten Ways to Experience Beginner's Mind. Give it a try in the
spirit of fun and exploration intended. And let us know what worked
for you, if you wish: marika@2young2retire.com
Other-handedness.
Spend a few hours, half a day or longer, switching hands, e.g.
Brush your teeth, comb your hair and butter your toast with your
left hand if you're a righty, etc. Practice awareness of how this
feels inside and/or make some notes to yourself.
Here's
a version of the dictionary game that can be revealing about one's
tolerance for not knowing. Open a dictionary and choose a word you
are not familiar with and use as often as you can, in speech or
writing, for a whole day.
Ask
your partner or a trusted friend to blindfold you and lead you
through your own environment for 10 minutes. What did you discover
about the space and its contents when you were dependent on your
other senses?
Attend
a service in a religion or denomination different from your own,
e.g. A Buddhist temple or mosque. Take it in, take it all in.
Sign
up for a class in a subject you would normally avoid, math or
accounting, auto mechanics, line dancing, and so on. Note how it
felt to be 'lost' in a different world, and what personal resources
you had to tap to hang in there. Note it down and learn.
Turn
the sound off during your favorite TV program and see how much of
the story line you can pick up through lip reading and body
language. What else did you notice?
Write
instructions for an activity that is second nature to you for a
small child or someone whose use of your language is limited. What
did you notice about your sensitivity to another person's age or
culture?
Walk
in someone's shoes by shadowing a willing subject for an hour or
two, at their place of work or during a familiar routine. How was
it to just watch? Note it.
Found
poetry. Gather a stack of magazines and a pair of scissors. Cut
words or phrases that interest you into strips and paste them onto a
new sheet in the form of a poem. If images rather than words are
your thing, try Found Art. From your stack of magazines, choose
images, words, swatches of color, logos, anything that appeals to
you and create a collage. Note how this felt while you were doing
it, and after it was done.
Talk
to a stranger about anything other than the weather or other
safe subject.
Get
down on all fours and follow a crawling child for 15 or 20 minutes
(tip: wear knee pads). What did the world look like from ground
level? What else did you notice? Note it.
Say
“Yes,” the next time you are asked to do something or go
somewhere you'd rather not. How did that feel? Record it.
Dream
up an activity of your own that is totally out of character for you.
White water rafting for the fearful. Drawing for the artistically
challenged. Juggling for just about anyone. Do it for fun, and write about it after.
Good
reads to cultivate beginner's mind:
Not
Always So : Practicing the True Spirit of Zen
by Shunryu Suzuki
Learning
to Fly : Reflections on Fear, Trust, and the Joy of Letting Go by
Sam Keen
We'd love to hear from you about other ideas for beginner's mind
practices: marika@2young2retire.com
Book
Notes
Two
books we endorsed were just released.
The
Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to
Pick Just One (Broadway
Books), by Margaret Lobenstine. We said, “Sure to speak to Boomers
and older people who have done many things well yet feel sidelined by
a culture that rewards consistency and focus. Margaret Lobenstine
makes the world safer for the multigifted of any age who are well
served by her wit and wisdom. Bravo!” www.renaissancesouls.com
(Full review in the next Reinventing Retirement)
Build Your
Money Muscles: Nine Simple Exercises for Improving Your Relationship
with Money (Prosperity Place), by Joan Sotkin. We said, “For
the millions of Boomers clueless about how to plan a future that
won't include traditional retirement . . .” www.prosperityplace.com
Quick Takes
Boomers
TV. Boomers! Redefining Life After 50! a 13-part series hosted by
seasoned broadcast journalists, Nancy and Mark Mills, began airing
in selected public television markets January 8. See
http://www.boomerstv.com/for
more about individual episodes, a list of stations, a blog
http://www.boomerstv.com/blog/and
resources (including 2young2retire.com).
Seeking
External Reader (Ph.D) for dissertation on Adaptive Creativity:
Innovative Responses to Physical Sources of Loss in the Older Adult.
Contact Patrick Roden, RN, runpatrick1@aol.com
Reminder:
Tuesday, February 21, 12 Noon
and 7 PM: 2young2retire Facilitator Certification Course first
sessions begin. To register:
http://www.2young2retire.com/facilitatorform.html
-
Classic
JFK: “Today
we are wasting resources of incalculable value; the accumulated
knowledge, the mature wisdom, the seasoned experience, the skilled
capacities, the productivity of a great and growing number of our
people – our senior citizens. “ Senator John F. Kennedy, 1956
Stay
well, make it new, make it better.
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