Is there an interest in connecting generations to share wisdom experienced from a lifetime of learning? There is no doubt that there is a need for wisdom sharing! Do the Elders in our culture want to leave a legacy of wisdom to assist broadening the perspectives of younger generations? Do the culturally admired youth in our society want to hear from Elders and gain wisdom from learned experience? Is anyone interested in an honest sharing of the struggles and the insights coming out of the pursuit for higher consciousness and spiritual development?
If I had the answers or found the model of these queries being answered, I would not have to write this blog post. My relatively recent new role as a Grandparent has me considering how I can best serve my grandson, Mr Milo. I am creating resources for him including: a list of books I have read, blogs and articles I have written, videos I have recorded, and even specific writing on subjects “Guidance” has asked me to share with him. Storytelling and holding him in love is also part of this process. But, I am not the only Baby Boomer who has a legacy of chasing after consciousness to share. So, I ask again, Is it worth the effort to attempt to create resources of wisdom to offer to younger generations? Or, should the coming generations be left to find their own way without any possible shortcuts or support from their elders? For thousands of years, old and young would sit in circles around the campfire and share stories. Has our new worship of technology made this inter-generational activity unnecessary?
Sharing your story is not simply for the witness/listener. It is a blessing for the storyteller. The wisdom sharing elder can revisit, even relive, their transformative experience and from the new perspective of distance and growth, can learn new, vital elements of past revelations. 40 years after I had compelling information from meditations in my 20’s, I recently learned new things from recent retelling of these stories. Stuff I did not know, or was willing to know, from those experiences of 40 years ago. (Or, perhaps I was not ready to “know” back then…)
What experiences in your life created massive change for you? Chances are you had a major life challenge and somehow you survived. Perhaps, you were able to adapt and integrate this new perspective into your life. It may have even sent you off into a different direction than you might have expected. This wisdom can have value to other people, especially, the younger generations who will be confronted in similar ways at some point in their lives. If nothing else, it is great to know that someone else survived these similar challenges and can feel supported by a parallel story.
Can the younger generations put down their technologies and look into the eyes of a wise, caring storyteller? This is not in vogue or discussed much in social media. (At least not in a positive, open to listening, kind of way.) Valuable insights can be lost with this separation of generations. Our culture looks to divide older people from the youth. Fear drives this reduced interaction. Impatience and Judgement get in the way. Attention spans are shortening and not for the better of considering consciousness and mindfulness. The “present” is being lost to upsets from the “past” and fears/anxieties of the “future.”
What needs to happen (for your consideration):
TRAINING what questions to ask… yourself and your children regarding what details AND EXPERIENCES to share.
Building your Legacy of Wisdom from the challenges you have survived. Look into your feelings and not the projection of dogma which may have been imposed upon you. (Be authentic, and real, and genuine in expressing your struggle and how you found your way through very real and very common interactions.)
Preparing the storyteller to share their story most effectively can be helpful.
Preparing the witness/listener to focus, to ask open ended questions, and avoid distracting interruptions can be helpful.
Inter-generational communication and interactions serve both sides of this experience.
Share Your Wisdom to assist the future generations. It is Your Legacy.
Share Your Wisdom to assist YOU! By retelling your story you gain perspective of the person you are NOW as you share your story from past experience. You get to see it and know it from a different angle.
YOU are a Blessing!
Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…
If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.
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