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The Hindu tradition offers a helpful way to look at the journey of life. In the Hindu tradition life has four stages:
The Student – life is focused on education and discipline
The Householder – life revolves around marriage, family, and work
The Grandparent – life is about letting go of past roles, shifting from material values t o spiritual values, letting go of old ways of thinking and feeling that no longer fit who you are.
The Ashrama (Sanskrit for a place of spiritual exertion or effort toward liberation) – life is about letting go of worldly and ego concerns and turning attention to spiritual practices and preparation for death.
People who have become “Elders” have integrated all these stages into their life’s journey. But it is easy to get stuck in one of these four stages to the exclusion of the others, and to the detriment of spiritual growth or awakening.
The Grandparent and The Ashrama require an ever-increasing letting go.
Death is the great letting go and if we have not attended to our spiritual lives, it is possible to reach our final hours white-knuckling things that not only no longer serve us, but also cause us dread of death.
Getting stuck in any of life’s stages makes the end of life more difficult because we have a harder time letting go.
Life review, is the examination of one’s life with the benefit of hindsight. Life review can reveal our stuck places and offer a broader perspective on our life which assists us in letting go of that which no longer serves us well.
A look at how we have arrived at our “later years” helps us integrate the wisdom we have gained, moves us into Elderhood, and provides a wealth of wisdom to be shared with the generations that follow us.
Life review is a spiritual practice that a spiritual companion can assist you with at any stage of life you find yourself.
Jim Cyr is a trained spiritual companion who helps older adults reflect on the meaning of their lives and how God has been present or absent as they face the challenges of aging and end of life.
You can learn more about Jim at www.jimcyr.com.