Resources

Conscious Aging/Elderhood
Bolton Anthony (ed), Second Journeys: The Dance of Spirit in Later Life (Second Journey Press, 2013)
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Angeles Arrien, The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom (Sounds True, 2005) 

Allan B. Chinen, In the Ever After: Fairy Tales and the Second Half of Life (Chiron, 1989) 

Joan Chittister, The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully (Bluebridge, 2008) Wonderful compilation of short essays on issues we confront in aging from a wise former nun.

Gene D. Cohen, MD, Ph.D., The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life (Avon/HarperCollins, 2000); The Mature Mind: the Positive Power of the Aging Brain (Basic Books, 2005)

Marc Cooper and James Selman, The Elder (Sahalie Press, 2011)

Ram Dass, Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying (Riverhead Books, 2000. See also the related documentary, Fierce Grace.

Scott Eberly, The Final Crossing: Learning to Die in Order to Live (Lost Borders Press, 2006)

James Hillman, The Force of Character: And the Lasting Life (Random House, 1999)

Richard Leider and David Shapiro, Reclaiming Your Place at the Fire: Living the Second Half of Your Life on Purpose (Berrett­Koehler, 2004) 

Helen Luke, Old Age, Journey Into Simplicity (Parabola Books, 1987)

William Martin, The Sage’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for the Second Half of Life (The Experiment, 2000, 2010). Beautiful translation and expansion of Chinese Taoism. See also The Activist's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Wisdom for a Modern Revolution (2016)

Marian Van Eyk McCain, Elderwoman: reap the wisdom, feel the power, embrace the joy (Findhorn Press, 2002) elderwoman.org.  Later books on simple, sustainable living. 

H.R. Moody, Ph.D., Human Values in Aging Newsletter. Monthly e-newsletter. To subscribe, contact [email protected]. See also his books, especially (with David L. Carroll) The Five Stages of the Soul: Charting the Spiritual Passages That Shape Our Lives  (Anchor/Random House, 1998)

Ron Pevny, Conscious Aging, Conscious Living: Embrace and Savor Your Next Chapter (Beyond Words, 2014) centerforconsciouseldering.com. Masterful overview of conscious aging/eldering, with vignettes and exercises.

Bill Plotkin, Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World (New World Library, 2008)

Lewis Richmond, Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser (Gotham Boois, 2112)

John C Robinson, Ph.D., D.Min., The Three Secrets of Aging: A Radical Guide (O Books, 2012)

Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (Jossey-Bass, 2011)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller, From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older (New York: Warner Books, 1997; new edition, 2014). A still invaluable classic. The concepts plus exercises to take readers through the “sage-ing” process. See also sage-ing.org. Also, Sara Davidson’s collaboration with Reb Zalman: The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life’s Greatest Mystery (Harper Collins, 2014)

Kathleen Dowling Singh, The Grace in Aging: Awaken As You Grow Older (Wisdom Press, 2014). Buddhist perspective.

Robert L. Weber, Ph.D. and Carol Orsborn, Ph.D., The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Growing Older (The Park Street Press, 2015). Two professionals at the intersection of aging, spirituality and psychology, grapple personally with the meaning and issues of aging. Rich resource section.   

​Karen M. Wyatt, MD, What Really Matters: Seven Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying (Select Books, 2011)

Two Organizations:
Elders Action Network (formerly Conscious Elders Network) (www.eldersaction.org)
​Sage-ing International (www.sage-ing.org)
More Resources