The Living Spiritual Elders Project is an idea developed by Meredith Jordan for women and men over the age of 50 who stand at the threshold of becoming the next elders of their own families, communities, churches and the world-wide family of creation. Many participants are already serving as elders; some seek to learn from them about how to fill that role with integrity and wisdom.

Jordan has turned to those elders of every faith or spiritual tradition who are still actively teaching, preaching and making their wisdom legacies available to those of us who follow in their footsteps. She has gathered a library of rich resources from Nelson Mandela, Thich Nhat Hahn, The 14th Dalai Lama, Father Thomas Keating, Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Jane Goodall, Elaine Pagels, Frederick Buechner, Pema Chodron, Robert Thurman, Deepak Chopra, Diana Eck, Bernice Reagon Johnson, Maxine Hong Kingston, Toni Morrison, Huston Smith, David Whyte, Angeles Arrien, Eckhart Tolle, Reverend Lauren Artress, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sufi teacher Llewellyn Vaughn Lee and many others.

In each session, participants hear a CD or watch a DVD of these learned elders and then participate in Wisdom Council, where we discuss how these teachings influence and even shape the kinds of elders we hope to become. Emphasis is placed on the differences between "becoming an elder" and "being elderly." Each of us has a choice to develop in ourselves those qualities or character traits which others trust to represent wise leadership.

A new Sarasota, FL, Elders Project series will start Tuesday, January 6th-March 10th, 2009 from 4:00-6:30 pm. Location to be announced when we have a head count of participants. Please note that this is a 10-week series this year instead of two 8-week series. We have some extraordinary wisdom teachings from the elders in this most historic of times.

The cost of this 10-week series is $265 with an early registration fee of $235 if registration is received before January 1 (Sarasota).

We are also offering an opportunity for a limited number of participants from at least two previous LSEP sessions to join an individualized certification program which, on completion, will honor them as a "certified spiritual elder." More information on this program will be available on request.

"The Living Spiritual Elders Project" is available as an on-going weekly program or as a 4-5 day retreat. It's portable and can be taken to many parts of the country and Europe. If you are interested in LSEP, please contact the Rogers McKay office. Reach us at 941-378-3863 or (until November 15th) at 207-283-0752.

We welcome your inquiries into this fascinating project to prepare ourselves to serve well when it is our turn to step into place as keepers of meaning and practitioners of wisdom.

READ NEWSPAPER INTERVIEWS WITH MEREDITH JORDAN ABOUT THE PROJECT:

Sarasota Herald Tribune

Portland Press Herald

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