ions conscious aging facilitator program marketing workbook · program, author of the conscious...

IONS Conscious Aging Facilitator Program

Marketing Workbook

Developed by:Kathleen Erickson Forder

Spring 2016

Copywright 2016 Institute of Noetic Sciences - Conscious Aging Facilitator Marketing Workbook 2

Introduction:IONS Conscious Aging Self Study Program Facilitator Workbook

Progression through phases of the Conscious Aging Self Study Program

A survey of Conscious Aging Facilitators revealed that they are proceeding through the self study program in three main phases as described below. This workbook is designed for supporting facilitators as they move into the “Planners” and “Adopters” phase:

1. “Explorers” are enjoying going through the activities for their personal growth, they may or may not have plans to offer the program as a facilitator. They are enjoying being learners and exploring ways that they might integrate Conscious Aging into their lives and practices.

2. “Planners” have completed the self study program and are actively engaged in marketing and customer research to define when, where and for whom they will offer the workshop series;

3. “Adopters” are offering the program in their communities already. They tend to be;

a. Practitioners such as Social Workers, MFTs, Psychologists, Coaches, Ministers, etc. who have mature private practices, are well known in their field/communities and have existing contact lists and social networks through which they are offering Conscious Aging;

b. Employees of organizations that wish to deliver Conscious Aging programs to their constituents such as Social Service Agencies, Non–Profits, Hospitals, etc.

c. Retirees, Volunteers, Career Changers: Who are offering Conscious Aging workshops in their local communities as a new avocation or career extension or start up. The most successful of these are offering workshops in program partnerships with local institutions.

Workbook Developed by Kathleen Erickson Forder, IONS Elder Education Program Manager, has developed programs at IONS for over sixteen years. She is currently the program director for IONS’ Conscious Aging Program, author of the Conscious Aging Facilitators Guide and Companion workbook and project leader of the Conscious Aging Facilitator pilot test program and online self study program which has welcomed over 600 facilitators since starting in 2014. Kathleen has a 35 year career in professional education program development and group facilitation.


Table of Contents

Section Page

Setting Your Marketing Intentions 5

Identifying Your Target Audiences 7

Pricing Your Workshop 15

Sales Outreach 17

Conducting a Conscious Aging Orientation for Your Clients 22

Orientation Agenda 25

Orientation Presentation script 29

Orientation Power Point Slides and Digital link to Power Point File 41

Conscious Aging Marketing Brochure Digital link 48

Conscious Aging Marketing Brochure 50

Additional Support Needs 58

Additional Resources 60


In his Letters to a Young Poet, Rilke said, “Lifeand Death are the greatest gifts—and usually go unopened.” Shouldn’t our ultimate task be to tear open our gifts of life and use our wisdom and deepened consciousness to ripen the time? We ourselves are ripe—“going to seed,” as they say. So let’s sow those seeds far and wide and see what grows! Might this not be our ultimate evolutionary purpose?— Jane Fonda, Prime Time


Setting Your Marketing Intentions


Setting Your Marketing IntentionsFree Write Exercise:What are your intentions for taking the IONS Conscious Aging program out into your community? What do you wish to accomplish? What are your desired outcomes? What are your target timelines for your outreach?

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Identifying Your Target Audience


Identifying Your Target AudiencesThe best strategy for building a new Conscious Aging practice is to offer the Conscious Aging Workshop series through existing educational event programs providers such as those offered through:

• new thought churches; • university continuing education programs, for example, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute;• wellness education programs (either independent providers or functions

within hospitals or alternative health care provider organizations);• senior centers and retirement living communities.

We suggest you locate and visit these programs in your local community, identify who the education program or wellness team leader is and meet with them to learn how a Conscious Aging Workshop series might fit with their existing programs. (Be sure to bring the IONS Conscious Aging Guide and Participant Workbook to show them, as well as your business card and bio which includes links to IONS website for more detailed information and background on the Conscious Aging program development process.)

Below are examples of possible customer survey questions to ask your potential education partner organizations:• What are the strategic directions, goals and objectives of the institution? • What are the challenges of their residents/customers/members as it relates to aging?• What are the education programs offered now and how

does the program development process work? • What are the critical path timelines?• Who are the stakeholders and decision makers for adding new education programs?• What interest might they have for a Conscious Aging program

and what are the next steps in the process?

Partnership Helpful Hints:University/Adult Education/Continuing Education/Wellness Programs: These often have long planning lead times. It could take a year, from the time you approach them, until the program is delivered. However it can be a good investment of your time because programs that go well are often asked back again and again.

Churches/Senior Centers/Retirement Living Programs: These may have shorter marketing lead times to deliver programs. As largely nonprofit organizations, you may face restrictions on generating fees for your facilitation services. You may be able to negotiate a fee for your services that fits in with their structure and establish another fee for the Conscious Aging participant workbook. The workbooks are not available for purchase to the general public directly. You can charge a higher rate for the workbook to help offset the low income for your services. Facilitators report selling the workbooks directly to the participants for $40 and more. Generally class sizes tend to be in the range of 25-35 participants.


IONS Conscious Aging Workshop Target Audiences

Stakeholders Institutions

Education Team Committee, or Minister

Churches, especially “new thought” such as Centers for Spiritual Living, Unitarian, Unity, Church of Religious Sciences, etc.

Adult Education Department, Continuing Education Departments or Project Leaders for Educational Catalogue Publications

Universities, Community Centers, Park and Recreation Departments, Senior Centers, Gyms and Health/Fitness/Athletic Clubs (e.g. YMCA), National or Regional Education Provider Institutions and/or Retreat Centers (e.g. Omega, Hollyhock, Escalon, Earthrise, etc.)

Executive Directors, Activity Directors, Social Workers, Wellness Committees, Education Team

Assisted Living Facilities, Active Adult Retirement Living Facilities and Communities, and Senior RV Parks

Group Leaders IONS Community Groups, Private Practice Groups

Wellness Education, Community Education and Public Education Program Provider teams

Hospitals, Social Services Agencies, Community Clinics, Alternative Healing Clinics, Group Therapy Office/Clinics, and Yoga Studios


Target Market Worksheet

Use the list of Target Audiences recommended on the previous page and write down the institutions you wish to contact in your local area. (Copy worksheet if more space is needed.)Organization Type Organization Name &

AddressContact Information (Name/Title and phone number)

Church

University Continuing Education Department

Community Center

Park & Recreation Department Education Program Provider

Senior Center

Fitness Center/Athletic Club/Gym/YMCA


Organization Type Organization Name & Address

Contact Information (Name/Title and phone number)

Retreat Center

Assisted Living Facility

Active Retirement Living Community

Senior RV Parks

Hospital Education Program Department

Alternative Health & Healing Clinics

Group Therapy Offices


Organization Type Organization Name & Address

Contact Information (Name/Title and phone number)

Yoga/Pilates Studio

Social Service Agency

Community Health Clinic

Other


Target Audience Outreach

Write down the action steps you will take to prepare to reach out to your target institutions:

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A Word of Caution:We realize that all Conscious Aging Facilitators come to this work from different backgrounds and levels of facilitation expertise. For those who already have coaching and counseling businesses this is just another service to add to your repertoire. For some this might be a first experience with facilitation, and others are in between these groups. The Conscious Aging Facilitator guide gives you a step-by-step process to facilitate this workshop series at any level. However, we want to urge caution, when considering starting a business venture from scratch. Every area and market are different and you need to see how much others are charging for personal growth workshops, when deciding how much to charge for yours. Several facilitators have been unsuccessful in generating registrations, when they proceed independently to rent meeting room space, produce workshop flyers, create new websites and wish to charge high fees for the workshop ($500 per participant per workshop series for example). Conscious Aging practice development is best suited to business development through institutional partnerships, described above, especially for those who are retirees, volunteers or career changers.


Pricing Your Workshop


Workshop Series PricingIONS Facilitator Pricing Online Survey Results:

Twenty-five facilitators reported their pricing in an online survey organized by IONS. We report a summary of their pricing below to give you a sense of what others are doing. There are three main pricing approaches used by facilitators. These are: Per Session, Per Series and No Fee as below:

Per Session

• Six responders charged both a per individual session attended fee and a separate workbook fee. The average price per session in the workshop series was $12, with a high of $25 and a low of $5 per session. The workbook fee charged averaged $20 with a high of $40.

Per Series

• Five responders charged a flat fee for the whole workshop series with no separate workbook fee. The range of the flat fee was $80 to $1,000. The mean was $195 for the series. Not all series contained 8 sessions, some were less;

• Four responders charged a onetime fee for the workbook only. The workbook fee charged ranged from $10 to $60 per workbook with an average of $32.50;

• Two respondents were paid by the offering institution one at $200 and one at $1800;• One respondent charged $130 for the series and $20 for the workbook.

No Fee

• Seven responders offered the program for free and did not charge for the series or the workbook.• A discussion at one of the IONS Teleconferences revealed that many facilitators are using

Pay Pal to collect fees, while others are collecting cash and checks at the session.

Give Input to the Online Survey: Please help IONS track where Conscious Aging Workshops are being conducted and how they are being priced so we can all benefit from your experiences. Please visit the link below to log in any workshops you have delivered or have scheduled upcoming to deliver. The information you list is not open for public viewing but will be shared as general themes in the Self Study Program: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CA_Event_Tracking


Sales Outreach


Conducting Sales Outreach in Your Community

Sample Script – Getting to the Decision MakerDo your research and find out whom you need to speak to at the organization. Take a few minutes to think about your focus of your call. Think about how you are going to approach the conversation. Put yourself in the mind of the person you are contacting. How would you want to be approached?

Good Afternoon. My name is ------ Is Ms. McGee in at the moment?

Yes.

May I speak to her please?

What’s it about?

It’s about facilitating a program at your organization. May I speak with her please?

(If pressured…I facilitate a Conscious Aging Program workshop series that might fit in with your existing programming)

If you still cannot get through outline benefits and utilize your elevator speech to generate interest and if the person is interested, ask if you can come in and further the conversation. Set up a meeting

Or you get through….

Good afternoon Ms. McGee. My name is ---------------. I am a facilitator for a time tested workshop series that has been conducted across the U.S. in organizations just like yours. The reason I’m calling you today is that I believe your organization (your members, your staff, whatever) would greatly benefit from participating in this program.

Yes.

As I mentioned, I’m a Conscious Aging Program facilitator and what I do is facilitate a program that is based on 40 years of research that suggests that our consciousness determines how we experience aging.There is a growing body of evidence that elders who transform self-limiting beliefs, thoughts and emotions are able to more fully engage in this, their third passage of life. Does that make sense to you?

Yes, it does


What I can do, with your permission, is come into your organization and meet with (you, your members, your patients, your staff, whatever) as a group. I’d like to conduct a sample workshop to share with people the role that consciousness play in how we relate to the world around us. It will be an interactive and engaging exchange and will give your (members, staff, etc.) an opportunity to learn more about the program and how it will enrich their lives even more.

Answer any questions Ms. McGee may have for you

May we set a date for me to conduct my introductory workshop?

She may ask how soon she can set up a meeting for you to do this (set a date).

She might say she’s not interested.

May I ask why?

Listen to answer. Respond if appropriate. Thank her for her time and leave. Go to the next organization on your list.

Once you set the date ask:

May I meet with you privately for approximately 15 minutes before I conduct my workshop?

Why do I ask for this? Because I want to go into her place of business and meet with her privately to begin to build relationship. Remember, even if the CA program is not a fit for her, she may know other organizations that might be interested in what you have to offer.

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about this for a few days do you have any questions for me?

If yes, answer them, if no, say…

I have a few questions for you. Do you have a moment to answer them?

Use Appropriate Probing Questions found on page 16.

Let me ask you this, when I do my workshop demonstration today, if you are happy with the content, will you be ready to talk about the next step we need to take to set up this program in your organization?

This is a crucial question. Don’t be shy about asking it. Your goal is to, at the very least, leave with the next step in place. Ideally, you work out the details right then and there and put the program on their agenda. Be prepared to discuss pricing and details.

Do the Intro workshop as planned.

Meet with the decision maker to discuss pricing/details and contracting.


Probing Questions You can use the preceding script to schedule a meeting to go into the organization and discuss the potential of you conducting a CA workshop. This system is based on the premise that you offer a solution for a problem they have, such as lack of programming, for example.

The goal of having this meeting would be to discover their dominant problems and motives. You can then elevate those motives to an emotional level and encourage them to take the next step.

Scene: You have made contact and you are sitting at the decision maker’s desk:

What motivated you to allow me to come in and speak with you today? (Motivation)

What are the challenges of your residents/customers/members as it relates to aging? (Motivation)

This may or may not be a fit for your organization so may I ask you a few more questions? (Advance Permission)

You said…. reframe their reasons for allowing you to come in/challenges they face (Probing)Could you tell me more about that please?

Presently, are you completely satisfied with the educational offerings that you have available?How does the program development process work in your organization?

These questions get your prospects to elaborate on their possible dissatisfactions or to help them begin to think about new possibilities. Many times their real needs are below the surface of their initial response to your motivation question. Probing questions will help you to understand their emotional concerns.

More probing questions:

What did you mean by?Tell me more about…Give me an example of…What else would help me understand…Am I hearing you say you’re not able to…..Does that mean that you’re not getting…Are you worried that….I sense that you’re frustrated by…am I right?Is it hard for you….What is the impact for you….How will this affect…..


Handling ObjectionsTalking Points for Overcoming Sales Objections

Recognizing the fear and anxiety surrounding getting older, the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) developed a program specifically for seniors who are ready to embrace this final stage of their journey.

This program consists of a series of eight facilitated sessions designed to shift participant’s consciousness from self-limitation, lack, isolation and fear toward expansiveness, inclusiveness, wholeness, connection and compassion.

Seniors are yearning to engage in dialogue together on the issues of aging. They are looking for guidance, meaning making, connection and community, all of which they will experience by participating in this unique program.

The IONS Conscious Aging program builds on IONS 40 year history of research on health and healing, and the belief that consciousness matters….because the quality of our consciousness determines how we experience life, including our aging.

The Conscious Aging program has been tested and proven effective with groups in multiple settings around the USA and now internationally with great success.

The program helps seniors to deal with the opportunities and stresses of aging from an emotional, psychological and spiritual perspective so that regardless of the external circumstances that may befall them, seniors have the tools and resources to keep an open and accessible heart throughout.

The program offers meaning making through conversations and activities on topics such as legacy leaving, conducting a life review, building forgiveness to heal old wounds and betrayals that may be holding us back, and building skills for self compassion.

It helps us deal with the stresses of aging in ways that give us hope even in what could be dire circumstances of loss and death by using the tools of consciousness. For example learning how to reframe limiting beliefs and self defeating thoughts, reflecting on how we have used our love and gifts to meet past challenges so that we bring that forward in our aging and rewire our intentions and vision for aging to one that meets our values and our most noble aspirations for our life and aging.

Life gets better as we age in all ways except with the body. We can’t cure death and dying, and we can’t always choose the external circumstances surrounding our aging. But we can choose the consciousness with which we meet it all and practice that today so that we have a strong foundation to build on when we need it most in the end.


Conducting a Conscious Aging

Orientation for Your Clients


Conducting a Conscious Aging OrientationMany IONS Conscious Aging Facilitators have been asked to conduct an orientation or introduction to the workshop series. To support this and make it easier for new facilitators to set up and conduct a program orientation, IONS has created a model session for you. The model in this packet consists of a detailed agenda for a one hour-long session, a sample script and companion power point slides. This model can be used exactly as it is structured or it can be adapted in several ways to suit your needs, including:

• Creating a shorter or longer time for the session, depending on your audience by adding or subtracting activities or abbreviating the presentations;

• The ability to tailor the presentation by adding in your own personal stories to make the key message come alive with your own authentic experiences;

• Choosing whether to use the power point slides or not as it suits your group, your style and/or meeting space;

• Tailoring the presentation to the specific needs of your audience (e.g. age or gender specific issues, work roles, personal or institutional focus, culture, etc.);

• Delivering the orientation session live in person or via teleconference or recording segments of it to post on your website, etc.

The orientation session is created based on two key principles:

1. Process: The process provides an experience of the key design of the IONS Conscious Aging workshop series. The orientation session is interactive and includes, opening attunement, Free Write exercises, inspirational ideas, small group discussions (in dyads) and large group discussions. This process is key to engaging your audience to relate to their own subjective experiences of aging and bridge them with key research ideas and wisdom from the group. This design will help participants understand how the workshop series would be conducted.

2. Content: The content sets context and explains in brief how consciousness matters in our aging, how IONS research grounds the program, how transformation of consciousness can help us cope with the stresses of aging, what some basic tools of working with our consciousness are and how they benefit us in our aging and it provides more details about the specifics about the workshop series.


Examples of how you might use the orientation session include, but are not limited to:

Engaging decision makers at an institution: This can be a good way to bring many stakeholders together to get a sense of the program and how it would fit into their organization. For exampleat a retirement or assisted living community where you could work with your contact to invite the Social Worker, Activity Director, Executive Director, Wellness Committee and a few residents for a session.

Introduction to a workshop series: You could set up a free orientation open enrollment session to gain visibility for a possible workshop series you might conduct to assess potential interest in it or for a series you have already set up to give more information to potential participants and to enroll them in the series.

General orientation to your work; You could set up an orientation for your friends, family, work colleagues, neighbors, church groups, book clubs or other affinity groups you may participate in, as a means for them to learn more about your work and/or to assess potential interest in conducting the workshop series;

Presentation for local civic groups: You could adapt the interactive orientation to a presentation style and deliver a speech at local civic groups such as the local Lions, Kiwanas, Rotary clubs or other social/civic groups that have speakers come in from the community to give short presentations. This could be delivered either as a community service or as an outreach effort to spread the word about a workshop series.

We hope you find the orientation packet useful in taking the IONS Conscious Aging Workshop Series out into your community. We welcome your feedback and ideas on how it works.


Orientation Agenda


IONS Conscious Aging Orientation Session Agenda

Audience: Four or more persons who are interested in learning more about the IONS Conscious Aging program so that they can further decide whether they wish to attend the full workshop series or bring it inside their institutions.

Format: A facilitated one-hour session in a conference room, meeting room or suitable group space.

Materials: IONS Conscious Aging workshop series manual to hold up, enough copies of the marketing brochure to hand out to participants, inspirational reading, paper and pens for participants Free Write exercise, a bell to signal time to change partners, a watch/cell phone or timer.

Desired Outcome: By the end of this one hour session, participants will have more awareness about how consciousness matters in aging in general, what the content of the IONS Conscious Aging workshop series is in particular and have an experience of the process used in the eight session workshop series.

Agenda:

Who Description Process Time

Facilitator Welcome & Introductions

Introduce yourself and your role today and in relation to IONS, ask everyone in room to introduce themselves by name and title, if appropriate, review agenda and desired outcomes for the day.

5 minutes

Facilitator Opening Inspiration

Read one of the attunements from the manual, the I AM OLD poem or select a poem, reading or other inspirational item of your own.

3 minutes

Facilitator Presentation: Life Gets Better and Better…

Presentation: Key message life gets better and better as we age, in every way except with the body

10 minutes

All Free Write Exercise

Take 5 minutes to reflect and write about persons you know who have aged well or not aged well. Write down what you learned about aging from them, noting both the positive and negative aspects.

5 minutes



All Dyad sharing of Free Write exercise

Turn to a partner. Each person will have 3 minutes to share what came up for him or her in the Free Write. Person with the longest hair goes first. Set timer for 3 minutes and alert when time to change partners and when to conclude.

6 minutes

Facilitator Group Discussion

Bring group back together and gather statements from them about what was shared or insightful for them.

4 minutes

Facilitator Presentation: Transformation

Present how the IONS Conscious Aging program offers transformational tools and practices to maximize the opportunities of aging and cope with the stresses of aging.

10 minutes

All Reflection What negative stereotypes or limiting beliefs do you have about your own aging or that of others? Make a list. Then reframe them in a more positive and affirming statement that truly reflects your highest values.

5 minutes

Facilitator Large Group Discussion

Ask group if anyone has something that they would like to share? Take a few statements from the group, as you have time.

4 minutes

Facilitator Summary Hand out the IONS Conscious Aging marketing brochure (or read from it and tell that you will email them a copy of it).

Go over the programs history at IONS, general format, session topics, and general overview of the workshop series. Hold up the workshop participant manual.

Point out to them the audio, video and print resources available to them in the brochure to discover more about the Conscious Aging program content, history and applications around the world.

Discuss next steps.

Answer questions.

8 minutes



All Optional: Bonus Free Write Exercise

If you have additional time you can add in another Free Write exercise. For this one ask participants to take 5 minutes in silent reflection on these questions: The question is: How have you used your love and positive character traits to meet any challenges you may have encountered in your life? How would this serve you in meeting the challenges of aging?

5 minutes

Dyads Bonus Free Write Dyad Ask participants to choose a partner. Each takes 3 minutes to share. The person who is the shortest shares first.

Set timer for 3 minutes and alert when it is time to change who is sharing and when it is time to conclude.

6 minutes

Large Group

Bonus Large Group Discussion

Ask participants to share in the larger group what may have come up for them in the Free Write or dyad work.

4 minutes

Note: A suggested guideline for the above presentation sections appears on the following. It is not an exact script, but an outline of how the content may flow and stories that you can share as examples. We encourage facilitators to think of their own stories that can embellish the points you are covering in this orientation as well so that they come from your own authentic experience.

Facilitators can also access to two recordings from the links below. These are presented by Kathleen Erickson Forder and will provide you with more information/context/background about how Consciousness and Transformation apply to aging.

IONS Conscious Aging Intensive conference pre workshop conducted July 2015, Chicago, IL. One program is a 42 minute audio orientation on how consciousness and transformation matter in aging.

http://noetic.org/education/CA/2015-pre-conference-recordings

1. Audio Interview: A link to The Shift Network -Transforming Aging Teleconference Interview on Why Consciousness Matters in Aging recorded March 2015.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/conscious-aging/TransformingAgingTeleSummit.mp3




Orientation Presentation Script


IONS Conscious Aging Program Orientation Sample Script

Welcome and introduce yourself

I AM NOT OLD

I am not old…she saidI am rare.

I am the standing ovationAt the end of the play.

I am the retrospective Of my life as art I am the hours Connected like dots Into good sense I am the fullness Of existing.

You think I am waiting to die… But I am waiting to be found I am a treasure.

I am a map.

And these wrinkles are Imprints of my journey Ask me anything.

- Samantha Reynolds

IONS Conscious Aging Self Study Program Orienta9on Session


This poem suggests a different worldview about getting older that could transform our limiting societal stereotypes and beliefs into something positive, it suggests that this part of life can be valued and treasured. At the Institute of Noetic Sciences we believe that consciousness matters. It matters because the quality of our consciousness affects our experience of the world and our aging process.

Wendy Lustbader, MSW and author, in her book Life Gets Better: The unexpected pleasures of getting “older” states: “rather than experiencing a decline from youth, aging people were happier, more courageous, and more interested in being true to their inner selves than were young people.” Lustbader goes on to claim that life gets better and better as we age in all ways….except the body.

So how do we deal with that duality? How do we maximize all the ways that life can get better as we age and yet also meet the very real stresses of aging with as much grace and control as we can?

To meet these needs, the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) developed a Conscious Aging program, which examines the emotional, psychological and spiritual issues of aging. The goal of which is to harvest the opportunities of aging and cope with the stresses of aging so that regardless of the external circumstances we may encounter in our later years, we meet them with an open and accessible heart.

How do we keep an open and accessible heart, regardless of change and loss? An example comes to mind in the story of Irv. Irv was a robust, gracious, charismatic gentleman in the middle years of his life. When he was 98 years old, his life had constricted to living in a nursing home. His world was confined to a bed, nightstand, and wheel chair. Despite these reduced circumstances Irv was positive and always found a way to share a joke or a little tease with those around him. He was kind and loving and all who came in contact with him enjoyed him and his twinkling eyes. His life had become restricted, but his heart was open. How was he able to build resilience as his life so transformed? In part we can look to the Institute of Noetic Sciences research to offer some answers.

Wendy Lustbader MSW “Life Gets Be*er: The unexpected pleasures of ge9ng older”

Life gets be*er and be*er in all ways….. except the body…..

Defini&on of IONS Conscious Aging

Examining our emo&onal, psychological and

spiritual responses to the challenges and

opportuni&es of aging so that we live with an open

and accessible heart regardless of the external

circumstances we may encounter.


For decades, the Institute of Noetic Sciences(IONS) has conducted research, created educational programs, and engaged in community conversations on transformations in consciousness. In 1997, a multidisciplinary team of researchers initiated a series of studies on the process of worldview transformation. The goal has been to understand the process by which people experience fundamental shifts in perception that alter how they view and interact with themselves and the world around them. In particular, IONS investigated factors that facilitate the kind of worldview transformations that result in people’s increased sense of purpose, meaning, and pro-social behavior.

We published our findings, at length, in the book Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life which describes common elements of transformation across a variety of traditions, while affirming and supporting the diversity of approaches across religious, spiritual, scientific, academic, and cultural backgrounds. This research and these practices are applied to the issues of aging in the IONS Conscious Aging program. (Facilitators may wish to read this paragraph.)

So how does life get better as we age? We have more time for creating meaning in our lives. As we are freed from the demands of productivity so present in our middle years, we can turn our attention to: asking what legacy do we want to leave behind us and invest in with our remaining years; mentoring children and middle aged adults; healing old wounds and betrayals, protecting what has heart and meaning for us and making sense of our lives through a life review reflection process. We have more time for positive solitude and time to attend to things that truly have heart and meaning in our lives. These are a few ways that we can focus on things that make life better.

One example of this is the story of Carolyn. Carolyn was a devout Catholic grandmother of five grandsons. She focused her time on the spiritual direction of her grandchildren. She would read them children’s adaptations of stories from the bible and apply the lessons to their lives, as they coped with issues such as classroom bullying or cultural stereotyping. She was very aware of the grandson’s worldviews and looked for ways to positively shape them, as they developed. Their parents did not have time

EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL & SPIRITUAL ISSUES OF AGING

OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANING – LIFE GETTING BETTER •  Freedom from produc@vity demands

•  Legacy leaving

•  Mentor children and adults

•  Heal old wounds and betrayals

•  Harvest our strengths, love and wisdom

•  Protect what has heart and meaning

•  Making sense of our lives through a life review process

RESEARCH BASED •  Understand the process by which people experience fundamental shi?s in

percep@on that alter how they view and interact with themselves and the world around them.

•  IONS inves@gated factors that facilitate the kind of worldview transforma@ons that result in people’s increased sense of purpose, meaning, and pro-‐social behavior.

•  Published our findings in the book Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transforma@on in Everyday Life which describes common elements of transforma@on across a variety of tradi@ons.

•  These prac@ces assist elders to avoid becoming trapped in fear, limita@on and lack related to the stresses of the aging while enhancing those prac@ces that help us grow in wisdom and wholeness.


for such activity. They were thinking about work, homework, car pool and more of the logistics of busy hectic lives. So this was a legacy gift she could give to her grandchildren born of the wisdom of her years and the time available to do such nurturing. (Give some more examples of this from your work/experiences.)___________________________________________________________________________

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We all know the stresses of aging….solo aging in our modern society where family and community ties may be thin or nonexistent, having loved ones precede us in death, potential losses of mental or physical abilities, loss of relevance, former roles and/or activities we once enjoyed in life. Fears, isolation and loneliness can become unwanted guests. (Give some examples of this from your work/experiences.)

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So how can the tools of consciousness help us transform as things change in our lives as we age? We will explore this shortly, but before we do, I would like to invite you to participate in a reflection activity. Introduce Free Write exercise now.


STRESSES OF AGING •  Solo aging

•  Death of loved ones

•  Major life changes

•  Loss of mental or physical abiliJes

•  Loss of relevance, former roles and/or acJviJes

•  IsolaJon and loneliness

How do we meet these challenges and opportuni4es with as much grace and control as we can?


Who Description Process TimeAll Free Write Exercise Take 5 minutes to reflect and write about

persons you know who have aged well or not aged well. Write down what you learned about aging from them, noting both the positive and negative aspects.

5 minutes

All Dyad sharing of Free Write exercise

Turn to a partner. Each person will have 3 minutes to share what came up for him or her in the Free Write. Person with the longest hair goes first. Set timer for 3 minutes and alert when time to change partners and when to conclude.

6 minutes

Facilitator Group Discussion Bring group back together and gather statements from them about what was shared or insightful for them.

4 minutes

Transformation of ConsciousnessNegative States of Consciousness

Positive States of Consciousness

FearLimitation

LackIsolation

GreedAnger

ResentmentIrritationHatred

LoveForgivenessGratitude

CompassionKindness

JoyPeace

AbundanceSufficiency

FEAR LOVE LIMITATION KINDNESS LACK COMPASSION ISOLATION INTERDEPENDENCE

From: To: Transforma9on


As human beings, we all flip between negative and positive states of consciousness as we move throughout our days. We want to remain in positive mindsets, but things trigger us throughout the day. Traffic, interpersonal conflicts, delays, and things not going as we expected or wanted can trigger us into negativity. It is not that we get triggered, we all do, but it is how long we stay in negative and nonproductive mind states longer than is healthy or productive for our and others wellbeing. As we work on our shadow sides over time hopefully we evolve so that we get triggered less and less by things. When we do get triggered we are easily able to move to positive mindsets. This is the transformation of consciousness over a lifetime as we grow in wisdom and maturity.

Sometimes, however, we can encounter thunderbolts in our aging that shake our very foundation and some individuals may become stuck in an almost permanent state of negativity. We can become calcified in these negative states. For example, consider the story of Mary. When Mary’s husband died at 65 years of age from cancer, she became very bitter and withdrawn in mourning over his death. She became calcified in anger, despair, and bitterness. She became a professional widow. Every interaction with her was characterized by these negative mind states. In essence she was not present in her life and that of those around her. For the next ten years she lived this way. This affected not only her life, but also that of her daughter. Her daughter needed and wanted her mother’s positive attention and presence in her life. She wanted to be seen and understood, but her mother was so clouded by negative states of consciousness that she could not be present to her daughter in an authentic way. (Facilitator can add in your own experiences here, if you wish, or ask for others to tell of one.)

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Conscious Choice We don’t get to choose the external circumstances of our aging, so how do we:

Avoid: Le0ng the challenges of aging keep us from being locked in fear,

limita<on and isola<on? Increase: Our ability to stay in love, kindness and compassion as oAen as

we can, in as many ways as we can and for as long as we can regardless of the external circumstances?

Transform our Consciousness: From where we may be stuck in fear to love

even under the most challenging of external circumstance?


We may all know of other stories of people in our lives who for some reason become stuck this way. There are situations in our aging that can trigger people to become stuck in negative mind states. Death, loss, pain, disease, isolation can be very hard to accept and deal with. So how do we transform our consciousness? The tools and practices of consciousness can provide guidance to us, in this type of situation.

A few tools are:

• Intention: Creating an intention for the qualities of being we want to bring forward in our aging. (Do we intend to let life’s setbacks keep us down, or do we envision meeting them with intentions for compassion and love, regardless of the circumstances? How does setting a conscious intention for our aging shape our experience?)

• Worldview: Examining our limiting worldview/beliefs/perceptions about aging and reframe them to more positive and affirming ones. (For example, do we look at an aging body with disgust for its lost youth or do we see it with neutral or loving eyes? Do we tell ourselves we are useless if we have to cope with a body disability/ limitation or are we able to rise above?)

• Attention: Reflecting on where we place our attention in our lives; does it match our core values and priorities? (For example: Do we say we value our grandchildren, but when we look at our calendars realize that we do not give any time to them? Do say we want to meditate but do not find the time and yet spend time on Facebook or other social media?)

• Inner Listening: Taking time in solitude to listen to our own inner guidance. (Do we listen to our inner voice, the shy voice that is soft and needs quiet time to be heard? Or do we keep our lives so busy we don’t have time to hear it?)

These essential tools of consciousnesses can help us move from negativity to more positive and pro social behaviors and create more peace in our aging.

For an example of intention’s importance, let’s look at the story of Elizabeth. Elizabeth had a friend named Geramy, who had been in a very dangerous and life-threatening earthquake. Geramy thought he was going to die and was very fearful and afraid. Then Geramy had a transformative moment in which he realized that if he was going to die, he wanted to die in love

Noe%c Sciences

Inten%on A.en%on Worldview

Meaning Making Inner Knowing/Listening


and not fear. He said he screamed out I CHOOSE LOVE! Elizabeth resonated with this shift in Geramy’s consciousness as he faced fear and made a conscious intention to remember this if she or her loved ones should be in perilous circumstances. Many years later Elizabeth’s husband of 32 years was dying in the hospital ER. She remembered this intention and despite the fearful circumstance shifted into a loving mind state to meet what was about to unfold. Elizabeth’s husband died that night surrounded by her love and calm. This is the power of intention to shift our consciousness from fear to love.

In the Conscious Aging workshops we spend time in conversation circles of four persons to attend to this work together. Now let’s explore using the Reframe tool in our own lives with a reflection exercise about stereotypes.

Who Description Process TimeAll Reflection What are negative stereotypes or limiting beliefs

do you have about your own aging or that of others? Make a list. Then reframe them in a more positive and affirming statement that truly reflects your highest values.

5 minutes

All Large Group Discussion Ask group if anyone has something that they would like to share? Take a few statements from the group as you have time.

4 minutes

SummaryThe IONS Conscious Aging program has been developed over many years and tested in various settings. It was pilot tested by 30 practitioners around the USA and Canada to create the final program available to us today. The program is based on the rigorous research of IONS. Today over 700 facilitators around the world are conducting the program in churches, community centers, continuing education programs in hospitals and universities, retirement communities, park and recreation departments, and more.


(Hold up the IONS Conscious Aging participant workbook)

Workbook:

Participants who participate in the program will have a valuable workbook that can be used as a journal in the workshop, a summary of the content being delivered and more resources for continued home self study.

(Hold up the Marketing Brochure and go over key elements per the below)

Session Topics: 1. Introduction to Conscious Aging2. Self Compassion3. Forgiveness4. Life Review5. Transformative Practices6. Death Makes Life Possible7. Surrender – Letting Go8. Creating a new Vision for Aging

Workshop Desired Outcomes:

The desired outcomes of the Conscious Aging workshop program are to:

• explore unexamined, self-limiting beliefs, stereotypes, and assumptions about aging and make better, more conscious choices about our worldviews on aging;

• develop self-compassion to cope more effectively with change, worry, and stresses associated with aging;

• discover and reflect on what has given heart and meaning to our lives and how that informs our intentions for our aging process;

• enhance connection and reduce isolation from others and the web of life by understanding our shared humanity in the aging process; and

• reduce fear and increase acceptance in the presence of death and dying for ourselves and for our loved ones.

IONS Conscious Aging Workshop Series Conscious Aging Overview

Life Review

Transforma=ve Prac=ces

Forgiveness

Self-‐Compassion

Death Makes Life Possible

Surrender

Crea=ng a New Vision of Aging

Workshop Series Desired Outcomes

•  Explore unexamined, self-‐limi;ng beliefs

•  Develop self-‐compassion

•  Discover and reflect on what has given heart and meaning to our lives

•  Enhance connec;on and reduce isola;on from others

•  Reduce fear and increase acceptance in the presence of death and dying


Workshop Series Structure:

Typical structure of the series is eight sessions of two hours each conducted over sixteen weeks. However, it can be tailored to meet different institutional needs as to number and length of sessions and intervals of time in between the sessions. (Discuss ways you are thinking of conducting the program or that which you have done.)

Format:

The format of each session is a balance between inspirational readings from thought leaders on the session topic, small group discussions and self-reflection exercises. This orientation today modeled the format that would be used as we listened to short presentations, shared in discussions and reflections of our own inner subjective responses of the material.

Question & Answers:Answer any questions the group may have.

Next Steps:How they can learn more (electronic copy of the marketing brochure emailed to them?) Where do you go from here.

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Optional Bonus Exercise:

Who Description Process TimeAll Optional: Bonus Free

Write ExerciseIf you have additional time, you can add in another Free Write exercise. For this one ask participants to take 5 minutes in silent reflection on question. The question is: How have you used your love and positive character traits to meet any challenges you may have encountered in your life? How would this serve you in meeting the challenges of aging?

5 minutes

Dyads Bonus Free Write Dyad Ask participants to choose a partner. Each takes 3 minutes to share. The person who is the shortest shares first.

Set timer for 3 minutes and alert when it is time to change who is sharing and when it is time to conclude.

6 minutes

Large Group

Bonus Large Group Discussion

Ask participants to share in the larger group what may have come up for them in the Free Write or dyad work.

4 minutes


Orientation Presentation Slides

Power point file can be found at:https://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/IONS_Conscious_Aging_Facilitators_ORIENTATION_SESSION_SLIDES.pptx

https://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/IONS_Conscious_Aging_Facilitators_ORIENTATION_SESSION_SLIDES.pptx

https://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/IONS_Conscious_Aging_Facilitators_ORIENTATION_SESSION_SLIDES.pptx


IONS Conscious Aging Self Study Program Orienta9on Session

Orientation Program Power Point Slides


Wendy Lustbader MSW “Life Gets Be*er: The unexpected pleasures of ge9ng older”

Life gets be*er and be*er in all ways….. except the body…..

Defini&on of IONS Conscious Aging

Examining our emo&onal, psychological and

spiritual responses to the challenges and

opportuni&es of aging so that we live with an open

and accessible heart regardless of the external

circumstances we may encounter.


RESEARCH BASED •  Understand the process by which people experience fundamental shi?s in

percep@on that alter how they view and interact with themselves and the world around them.

•  IONS inves@gated factors that facilitate the kind of worldview transforma@ons that result in people’s increased sense of purpose, meaning, and pro-‐social behavior.

•  Published our findings in the book Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transforma@on in Everyday Life which describes common elements of transforma@on across a variety of tradi@ons.

•  These prac@ces assist elders to avoid becoming trapped in fear, limita@on and lack related to the stresses of the aging while enhancing those prac@ces that help us grow in wisdom and wholeness.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANING – LIFE GETTING BETTER •  Freedom from produc@vity demands

•  Legacy leaving

•  Mentor children and adults

•  Heal old wounds and betrayals

•  Harvest our strengths, love and wisdom

•  Protect what has heart and meaning

•  Making sense of our lives through a life review process



STRESSES OF AGING •  Solo aging

•  Death of loved ones

•  Major life changes

•  Loss of mental or physical abiliJes

•  Loss of relevance, former roles and/or acJviJes

•  IsolaJon and loneliness

How do we meet these challenges and opportuni4es with as much grace and control as we can?

FEAR LOVE LIMITATION KINDNESS LACK COMPASSION ISOLATION INTERDEPENDENCE

From: To: Transforma9on


Conscious Choice We don’t get to choose the external circumstances of our aging, so how do we:

Avoid: Le0ng the challenges of aging keep us from being locked in fear,

limita<on and isola<on? Increase: Our ability to stay in love, kindness and compassion as oAen as

we can, in as many ways as we can and for as long as we can regardless of the external circumstances?

Transform our Consciousness: From where we may be stuck in fear to love

even under the most challenging of external circumstance?

Noe%c Sciences

Inten%on A.en%on Worldview

Meaning Making Inner Knowing/Listening


IONS Conscious Aging Workshop Series Conscious Aging Overview

Life Review

Transforma=ve Prac=ces

Forgiveness

Self-‐Compassion

Death Makes Life Possible

Surrender

Crea=ng a New Vision of Aging

Workshop Series Desired Outcomes

•  Explore unexamined, self-‐limi;ng beliefs

•  Develop self-‐compassion

•  Discover and reflect on what has given heart and meaning to our lives

•  Enhance connec;on and reduce isola;on from others

•  Reduce fear and increase acceptance in the presence of death and dying


Conscious Aging Marketing Brochure

Digital

Click here and save this this PDF to your computer so you can email it to potential clientshttps://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/CA_Marketing.pdf

https://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/CA_Marketing.pdf


IONS Conscious Aging Marketing BrochureIONS has created an electronic marketing brochure that you can email to prospects and clients to give them more detailed information, resources and web links about the Conscious Aging program. There is a box where you can add your name to the letter page one before you print or send it. You can email this link to your prospects either after you have spoken to them on the phone or in person to give them more information and for them to send to others in their organization. You can also print this brochure out and use it as a handout in meetings, orientation sessions and as a calling card when you visit institutions in your area.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/product-development/conscious-aging/CA_Marketing.pdf


Conscious Aging Marketing Brochure

Dear Education Program Partner:

I am pleased to speak with you about the IONS Conscious Aging Workshop series. As a graduate of the Institute of Noetic Sciences Conscious Aging program I am authorized to set up and conduct this workshop series in my geographical area. I am one of over 600 facilitators worldwide offering this program in a variety of settings.

Conscious Aging is an emotional wellness program designed to offer seniors hope and meaning to better cope with the stresses of aging and to harvest the opportunities of aging to grow in wisdom, depth and creativity. Below are a few of the benefits of offering such a program in your organization.

I look forward speaking with your organization further about how the IONS Conscious Aging program can benefit you.

In service,

Your IONS Conscious Aging Facilitator

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Over 600 IONS Conscious Aging Facilitators are conducting workshops globally

Table of Contents

Welcome Letter....................... page 1

Benefits of the ConsciousAging Program ....................... page 2

About the IONS Conscious Aging Workshop: Introduction............ page 3 Desired Outcomes... page 4 Workshop Design..... page 5 Background Information..page 6

Institute of Noetic Sciences........ page 7

Benefits of the Conscious Aging Program

Research Based: For decades, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has conducted research, created educational programs, and engaged in community conversations on transformations in consciousness. In 1997, a multidisciplinary team of researchers initiated a series of studies on the process of worldview transformation. The goal has been to understand the process by which people experience fundamental shifts in perception that alter how they view and interact with themselves and the world around them. In particular, IONS investigated factors that facilitate the kind of worldview

transformations that result in people’s increased sense of purpose, meaning, and prosocial behavior. We published our findings at length in the book Living Deeply which describes common elements of transformation across a variety of traditions, while affirming and supporting the diversity of approaches across religious, spiritual, scientific, academic, and cultural backgrounds. The practices assist seniors avoid being trapped in fear, limitation and lack related to the stresses of the aging while enhancing those practices that help us grow in wisdom and wholeness.

Time Tested: Conscious Aging workshops have been tested around the world in many different settings including retirement and assisted living facilities, churches, community centers, senior centers, park and recreation departments, complementary healing clinics, private practice groups and more. The program has been tested rigorously for over seven years to ensure a workshop series

that works well in a diversity of settings and communities.

Conversational Style: The workshop centers on a conversational café style where everyone has an opportunity to speak. Participants are encouraged to relate to various topics covered such as forgiveness, self compassion, surrender, life review and creating a new vision for aging from their own subjective

experiences. This, combined with the research based inspirational ideas from the workbook create a robust and engaging workshop.

Workbook: Each participant in the workshop receives a workbook that ensures standardized and discerning content is delivered. The workbook functions as a writing journal, offers inspirational material on a variety of topics and provides many rich suggestions to further self study and find additional resources on topics covered.

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“This remarkable program takes readers through a series of explorations, reflections, and exercises, turning the challenges of aging into opportunities for growth. This can be the most meaningful and fruitful time of all, but it doesn’t happen automatically. It takes mindful effort; this workbook will show you the way.”

—Tom Pinkson, PhD, author of Fruitful Aging: Finding the Gold in the Golden Years

About the IONS Conscious Aging Workshop:Introduction

According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, by 2030 there will be approximately 72 million people aged 65 years and older, more than twice the number in 2000. That will represent 19% of the population, up significantly from 12.4% of the population in the year 2000. In our youth obsessed culture, there is a lot of fear and anxiety about aging. Many people will face their later years as solo agers. Fears about aging or facing death and dying alone are painful for many. Tom Herington, MD, PsyD, expresses the challenges elders face:

“ Our elder years can present us with some tough experiences. Changes in our bodies and minds often feel unwelcome and can leave us struggling as our faculties soften things just don’t seem to work as fluidly and easily as they used to. These are tremors that can shake us off our feet, can undermine us at a time when we most need a strong sense of self and well-being in order to meet a radical set of changes to the very structure of our lives. Think about facing the impact of retirement, loss of faculties, loss of home, the merciless onslaught of pain, and the dissolution of relationship and family as our spouses, partners, and loved ones precede us in death. Think about facing these trials without our best self at hand or worse, with a stricken or weary remnant of self.”

—from the Preface to Fruitful Aging: Finding the Gold in the Golden Years by Tom Pinkson, PhD, Preface by Tom Herrington, MD, PsyD

Aging is indeed challenging, and it requires our strongest inner core to come forward to help us survive – and thrive – during these life stages. However, it is also a time of great opportunity for spiritual, emotional and psychological growth. Over the past four years IONS has been developing Conscious Aging programs for hundreds of seniors to address these challenges and opportunities. We have found that seniors are yearning to engage in dialogue together on these issues. They are looking for guidance, meaning making, connection, and community to help fortify themselves for their aging years. That’s what the IONS Conscious Aging program is designed to provide.

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Desired OutcomesThe desired outcomes of the Conscious Aging workshop program are to:

• explore unexamined, self-limiting beliefs, stereotypes, and assumptions about aging and make better, more conscious choices about our worldviews on aging;

• develop self-compassion to cope more effectively with change, worry, and stresses associated with aging;

• discover and reflect on what has given heart and meaning to our lives and how that informs our intentions for our aging process;

• enhance connection and reduce isolation from others and the web of life by understanding our shared humanity in the aging process; and

• reduce fear and increase acceptance in the presence of death and dying for ourselves and for our loved ones.

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Definition of IONS Conscious Aging

Examining our emotional, psychological and spiritual responses to the challenges and opportunities of aging so that we live with an open and accessible heart regardless of the external circumstanceswe may encounter.

Workshop DesignThe overall workshop is an interplay of activities that are based on the following four guiding principles: listening to our own inner wisdom and guidance; integrating inspirational ideas and best practices; sharing in intimate conversation circles; and harvesting the collective wisdom of the group.

Inner Guidance: These workshop components provide opportunities for participants to tap into their own inner guidance and wisdom and bring hidden beliefs and assumptions into conscious awareness. Research

shows that reflection tools can improve our psychological and biological well-being. The primary activities that stimulate and draw on inner guidance include the Attune, Free-Write, and Self-Reflection Journaling exercises, all of which help shift attention from external to internal forces.

Inspirational Ideas: These components present visionary ideas from trusted sources that help to seed learning and spark new understanding. Activities include readings, listening to IONS audio recorded lectures, and the use of other audio /visual materials. Each one presents key ideas that are then followed by questions designed for reflection and self-discovery, prompting a shift in focus from outer to inner authority.

Collective Wisdom: These components help the group listen to one another’s insights, perceive patterns, connect diverse perspectives, and experience a sense of wholeness and community. Activities include the Small Group Debrief, Large Group Report Out, Summary (of themes and insights from the group), and Checkout.

Conversation Circle: The design of the workshop is intended to transform the meeting venue from a setting of informal socializing and/or opinionated debate into a receptive space of deep listening and speaking from the heart. The goal is to draw out what truly has meaning and to bring that forward via thoughtful speaking and listening. This is facilitated by creating small groups and by the arrangement of chairs in circles (if small tables are not available) of no more than three to four participants. These small groups are conducive to intimate conversation and allow time for each participant to share thoughts and ideas, regardless of how many participants are in the larger group. Each circle becomes a reflective conversation that truly matters. Avoid the-atre seating or seating at long tables. Room arrangements may seem like a superfluous detail, but they are key to facilitating intimate interactions within larger groups. Arranging partici-pants in circle is optimal for convening deeper conversations.

Inner Guidance

Conversation Circle

Inspirational Ideas

Collective Wisdom

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Background Information:

The below materials will give you more detqiled information about the philosopy, applicatoins, and impact of the IONS Conscious Aging program. We privide you with links to audio and video files as well as printed material.

Video About IONS Education Programs: In this xxxminute video you will hear how the IONS Conscious Aging Program has impacted the lives of a few elders who have participatd in th eprogram. You will hear in their own words and self reflections how the program has been meaningful to them.

Article: A Curriculum for Conscious Aging by Marilyn Mandala Schlitz, PhD, Cassandra Vieten, PhD, and Kathleen Erickson-Freeman For decades, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has conducted research, created educational programs, and engaged the consciousness community in conversations on transformations in consciousness. In 1997, a multidisciplinary team of researchers initiated a series of studies on the process of worldview transformation. The goal has been to under stand the process by which people experience fundamental shifts in perception that alter how they view and interact with themselves and the world around them. In particular, our team investigated factors that facilitate the kind of worldview transformations that result in people’s increased sense of purpose, meaning, and prosocial behavior. Through this research, we identified a naturalistic model of worldview transformation. http://consciousagingalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/curriculum-for-conscious-aging.pdf

Tele Summit: Why Consciousness Matters in the 3rd Phase of Lifewith Kathleen Erickson Forder: IONS Elder Education Program ManagerThis 42 minute audio was recorded at the Transforming Aging tele Summit hosted by The Shift Network in March 2015. Conference Director Ron Pevny interviews Kathleen Erickson Forder, IONS Eleder Educaiton Program Manager about how consciousness matters in the thrid phase of life, defined as 60 years and beyond. In this interview you will hear how IONS Conscious Aging program serves as an effective emotional wellness program to help elders better coap with the stresses of aging. You can download your audio here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/conscious-aging/TransformingAgingTeleSummit.mp3

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“An inspiring vision for aging that recognizes the vast potential for life’s elder chapters to be infused with purpose, passion, and continual growth! It is critical that the rapidly increasing number of people approaching their senior years have access to this rich program—helping us shine brightly as we age consciously.”

—Ron Pevny, Director of the Center for Conscious Eldering

http://consciousagingalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/curriculum-for-conscious-aging.pdf

http://consciousagingalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/curriculum-for-conscious-aging.pdf



Newsletter: This is a link to a newsletter that was prepared for the IONS Conscious Aging Facilitaotrs, Members, and Friends. In it hyou will rad about how the workshop series has been used in the local communityies of various facilitators, the different settings it has been used in, and what facilitators have lerned in working with the program.http://www.noetic.org/sites/default/files/uploads/files/CA_NewsletterFall-Winter2014-2015.pdf

Institute of Noetic Sciences:The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is a 501c(3) that conducts scientific research into the many facets of consciousness and extended human capacities. IONS puts its research into action toward the creation of a better world through its experiential education programs for every phase of life, and its EarthRise Transformative Learning Center, which provides an inspiring place for people to explore the outer limits of their inner selves.

What are the Noetic Sciences?The noetic sciences bridge our inner subjective experiences, with the rigor and

discernment of science, and the perennial wisdom traditions. These three elements bridged together form the core of the noetic sciences. This core is represented in the design of the worksop which builds on the experiences of the participants, brings forth the latest research and study on issues of aging from a variety of thought leaders and researchers,

and sets up converstation circles where individul and collective group wisdom can emerge.

IONS’ Research and Educational Offices625 2nd St., Suite 200, Petaluma, CA 94952, 707.775.3500, www.noetic.org

EarthRise at IONS: IONS Retreat Center is located on 194 acres of rolling hills about 30 miles north of San Francisco: 101 San Antonio Rd. Petaluma, CA 94952, 707.781.7401

Conscious Aging Licensing: If you would like to learn more about licensing the Conscious Aging program in your organization. Contact: Katia Petesen at 707-779-8217

Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life by Marilyn Schlitz, PhD, Cassandra Vieten, PhD

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“This program gently leads participants toward compassionate self-understanding. Though written for people past midlife, it is a guide for all mature people who seek connectedness and inner peace, for it identifies those qualities in oneself that bring about fulfillment.”

—Nan Merrick Phifer, author of Memoirs of the Soul: A Writing Guide

http://www.noetic.org/sites/default/files/uploads/files/CA_NewsletterFall-Winter2014-2015.pdf

http://www.noetic.org/sites/default/files/uploads/files/CA_NewsletterFall-Winter2014-2015.pdf

http://www.noetic.org


Additional Support Needs


Getting Support for Implementing your Marketing PlanReflection - Additional Marketing Support Needs: What coaching support would be useful to you?What support would you like in setting up, marketing or delivering Conscious Aging workshops in your local areas? What are the top two areas where you would like support? Be specific. For example, rather than stating just “marketing support” in your answer define it in more detail, (e.g. developing a brochure, targeting my audience, conducting a partnership interview, pricing, etc.) How can you obtain this support? What support is available to you (e.g. working with a coach, taking a class, research in your local library, reference material, online resources) Three support resources available through IONS are suggested on the next page.

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Additional Resources


IONS Conscious Aging Self Study Program Monthly Teleconference ArchivesYou can click on the link below to listen to any of the prior IONS Conscious Aging Facilitator monthly teleconference recordings, dating back to February 2014. If you are new to the Conscious Aging Self Study program, we recommend that you minimally listen to the first six sessions recorded in early 2014, and more if you have time. The material covered in the first sessions will provide you with more context about the self-study and how to market the workshop series in your community. This material is not repeated in subsequent teleconferences. The sessions dated January through March 2016 focus on marketing (e.g. using the marketing brochure in your outreach, conducting an orientation session, pricing and adapting your workshop series to other formats) and are especially useful as a support to this workbook and your marketing efforts.

http://noetic.org/education/conscious-aging/calls/

IONS Conscious Aging Facilitator Facebook Group:You can join the IONS Conscious Aging Facilitator Facebook group. You must request to join (become a member), when you first visit the group and once you do, an administrator will need to accept you - so please bear with us, if it takes a day or two to connect you.You can track conversation threads that relate to marketing and you can ask for support for marketing issues you may be contending with. To join, click here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1252220044804317/

Marketing Coaching VideoBelow is a link to the audio and video recordings from the IONS Conscious Aging Intensive conference pre workshop conducted in July 2015. It contains a 45 minute video of Diane Contrambone delivering a marketing coaching session to IONS Conscious Aging Facilitators.


http://noetic.org/education/conscious-aging/calls/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1252220044804317/



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Institute of Noetic Sciences

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is a 501c(3) that conducts scientific research into the many facets of consciousness and extended human capacities. IONS puts its research into action toward the creation of a better world through its experiential education programs for every phase of life, and its EarthRise Transformative Learning Center, which provides an inspiring place for people to explore the outer limits of their inner selves.

IONS’ Research and Educational Offices 625 2nd St., Suite 200Petaluma, CA 94952-5120 707.775.3500 www.noetic.org

EarthRise at IONS IONS EarthRise Transformative Learning Center is located on 194 acres of rolling hills about 30 miles north of San Francisco: 101 San Antonio Rd.Petaluma, CA 94952 707.781.7401 www.noetic.org/earthrise/

ions conscious aging facilitator program marketing workbook · program, author of the conscious...

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