In our youth-obsessed culture, aging is often seen as a process of loss—of beauty, productivity, even relevance—something to resist or endure. We tend to dwell on what aging diminishes, rather than exploring what it discloses. This workshop takes a different view. We explore aging as a vital stage of life —one that can bring deep meaning, renewed purpose, and a distinctive kind of strength.

Together, we’ll examine different historical and cultural perspectives on aging, asking how—and why—our contemporary society has come to frame it the way it does, for better and for worse.

We’ll also challenge some of the common myths of aging and consider alternative frameworks. Drawing especially on the work of Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, we’ll reflect on his call to reclaim the second half of life as a profound inner journey—an invitation to live with intention, gratitude, and wonder.

This workshop takes seriously the insights of psychologists Erik Erikson and James Hillman, who warned that without strong, respected elders, a culture loses its ability to transmit wisdom and maintain continuity. Becoming an elder is not simply about years lived, but about insight earned and knowledge shared with others.

This is an intergenerational discussion. We invite adults of all ages to attend together with family members or friends who seek to gain understanding and share ideas about navigating the days and years ahead with meaning.