The Wisdom of Being an Elder
*Additional fee of $45 for paperbacks of Clarissa Pinkola Estes, payable to the instructor or purchased on your own. Using the books of Clarissa Pinkola Estes: The Power of the Crone: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype, The Late Bloomer: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype, and Dangerous Old Woman: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype, I would like to explore the changing nature of female identity as we move forward into a new era of what it means to be an 'elderly' woman. I recently heard a statement that we have lots of elderly women but very few Elders. What does it mean to be elderly as opposed to being an Elder? Now more than ever, in a world moving too fast for our own grasp on ourselves, and our feminine selves, we need this wisdom of the Elder. We need to come into our own as Elders and not to be afraid of who we are and what we have become. 'Entering the terrain of wisdom comes at any age. We sometimes step, sometimes stumble, and other times are pulled into the territory of the Crone when the need for a deeper, larger understanding of our most meaningful paths in life can no longer be denied, and when the gifts are hidden in our challenges must be brought forth.' Using the myths of her people and the life she grew up in, Clarissa Pinkola Estes uses these to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly a Crone -- not something to be ashamed of but a title to wear proudly. Using her books, i would like us to journal together, identifying passages that strike us and to spend time together discussing what it means to us today and tomorrow and to discuss how our own understandings helped us to develop into who we are in the present. This is a highly interactive class - no one is asked to speak who is uncomfortable but all are being challenged to move beyond our space of comfort and to examine ourselves in new ways. Dr. Anna Karola holds a PhD in Educational Administration and Educational Psychology. She was a co-founder of two international schools devoted to working with children having learning disabilities. She has worked internationally as an Director of Schools in five different counties in the Middle East and Africa. Currently, Dr. Karola has worked and continues to work as a School Psychologist in Virginia School Systems, A published author of short books on child rearing and a speaker at many international conferences, Dr. Karola is well acquainted with the subject of becoming an Elder in a society that admits the elderly but which has lost contact with the process of how aging and experience brings wisdom and compassion. As a developing Elder herself, at 77, Dr. Karola looks forward to working with interested individuals in this course to each examine our own process of aging in a changing culture.Please contact our office regarding availability of this course:
540-568-4253
pce@jmu.edu