Age New Spirituality - Inspirational Stories ( Part 47 )
The New Spirituality is a new movement founded by spiritual teachers who have been teaching modern-day spiritual practices for decades. As the New Spiritual Age values people of all ages, it's natural that many older adults have gravitated towards this brand of spirituality.
There are plenty of wonderful examples out there - like Eddie who quotes "I am ageless" in his book and lets the world know that age is just one number on his dashboard and what matters more is how he lives, or Ruth Ann has found a way to live with her aging father because she can trust herself in each moment and knows what to do.
These are wonderful examples of how the New Spirituality can help older adults face their aging experiences and play an active role on a high level.
And what about you? How do you like your body, mind and spirit at age 50, 60 or 70? What do we think about aging itself?
Here is the story of David Steindl-Rast who was born in Vienna on 19 March 1934 to a family of Jewish heritage. He entered the Theresianum Academy - a school that has educated many notable individuals including Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann - in 1940 and graduated with an M.A. in Classics in 1954 as well as an M.A. in Theology in 1958.
In 1957 he became a novice at the Benedictine Abbey of Beuron and studied philosophy and theology. In 1959, he traveled through the Far East for almost two years with his brother, John. After returning to Austria, Steindl-Rast went to Rome for doctoral studies in 1961 and 1962.
From 1962-66, Steindl-Rast lived in New York City where he helped to establish the urban branch of the Abbey of Beuron in Fort Tryon Park near Manhattan. Then from 1966-68, he lectured on philosophy at Yale University.
In 1968, he obtained his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Yale University and went on to become a professor at the University of Salzburg from 1970 to 1974 where he continued to teach philosophy until his retirement in 1998. From 1974-1998, Steindl-Rast served as an elected member of the Austrian Parliament for the Freedom Party (FPÖ).
During this time, he also worked with several renowned artists and writers including Franz Kline, John Cage and Aldous Huxley. In 1978, Steindl-Rast co-founded the non-profit organization Hunger 2000 which continues today under the name Food for Soul.
In 1999, he was hired by Emory University in Atlanta to teach a course on contemplative prayer and spiritual direction. Additionally, Steindl-Rast has been traveling around the world giving talks and teaching workshops on meditation and spirituality.
So how does this 78 year man see the New Spiritual Age? Here is what he said: "I'm convinced that this so-called new age is not a question of age at all, but that it's something timeless … It's a way of being in relationship with creation, with God and neighbors. It's not a relationship to time, but an insight into what time is."
He continues, "The New Spirituality is the way of being of the universe. That's where we find our spiritual home." And he concludes by saying, "That's where I belong and that's why I call myself a New Soul."
And here are just a few more precious examples of people who are living in their bodies, minds and spirits like a New Soul:
• Robin Stanley who transformed her body through the practice of ecstatic dance. She is still dancing and has created two books about it; her third book will be titled "Age Without Age" and will be released sometime this May.
• Peter C. Berresford Ellis who was part of the New Age movement since he was 16 years old; he is now 70 years old and continues to share his journey over the Internet in videos that have been viewed by millions of people.
• Michael Driscoll who has published three books on aging including "Age Without Fear". It's not a struggle, he says, just an invitation to be with your true nature. It's a way to arrive at freedom, love and joy.
• Edith Fiorelli who wrote "Women at Seventy-Five" which has changed the way many people look at aging later in life. She is now 82 years old and she just wrote a new book called "Serendipitous Love" that's due to be released soon.
• Jamie Marich who was featured in the first New York Times article about the New Spirituality and has been interviewed by many other media outlets since then. She has published four books including "The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry".
• MaryAnne Warren who is a retired banker and author of many books including "The Purpose Driven Life". She says, "I have found out at this stage of my life that I am here on this Earth to experience joy. It is my nature. The more I do what I love doing, the more joy I experience." She is now 66 years old.
• Roy Masters who founded the Foundation for Human Understanding and is an advocate of Yoga in Western culture. Two of his books are "Ageing Without Stress" and "The Truth About Life". He has also been featured on radio shows around the world including China, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia.
• Aubrey Hampton who started the first Spirituality of Aging Festival in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has published a book titled "The Spiritual Life - A Simple Guide to Connecting with Your Soul." She has also created 2 CDs called "New Souls: A Journey of Awakening" as well as online materials; she is now 63 years old.
• Monica Karrer who teaches movement classes to help others have a better relationship with themselves and others. She is also the creator of ''The Heart Series" which features one-minute videos that offer simple tips for living in your body, mind and spirit like a New Soul. Her YouTube channel has over 250,000 subscribers.
• Susan Weeks who is a professor in the Department of Dance at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She and her husband have written two books on meditation titled "Free to Dance" and "Dance and Meditation: The Art of Expression" which includes a CD of meditative music. She continues to share her message through speaking engagements and workshops. Her website also includes many resources for people who want to relax into the joyfulness of life. That's why she calls herself, "A New Soul Woman".
• Valentin Petkantchin who has published four books that are now translated into eight languages. His most recent book is called "The New Spiritual Man".
Conclusion: The New Spirituality is not just a new age but a new way of being that is changing the world! If you are looking to change your life and find joy, love and peace, then you need to transform the way you live.
I'm sure that you may have heard of Thomas Moore who wrote in his book "The Pursuit of Happiness" about what he called "The New Spirituality" or "The Age Without Age".
You can learn much more about this topic, for free, at www.newspiritualmanifesto.com .