In the Scandinavian language, a saga is a female sage.  It is also an epic story.  As we age, each of us is the star, the icon, of our own ‘continuing saga’. 

In our culture, most women fear growing/looking old more than they fear death. For a woman to age—and therefore to come into her true power, to distill to her deepest essence—is taboo in our modern world. 

But in earth-centered cultures, elder women are revered as avatars of the Crone, the most powerful aspect of the Goddess. In such traditional societies, elder women are considered wise and powerful, valued leaders, spiritual advisors. Elder men are equally valued as guides and teachers. As the flavor of fruit intensifies as it dries and wrinkles, an aged person is not seen as frail or helpless, but as potent and powerful.

Useless older or wise elder?  The choice is ours.  Age can be the great liberator, the time when it becomes obvious that there is nothing to be lost, and everything to be gained by harvesting the rich fruit of our hard-won wisdom and sharing it with our communities.

Where there is fear, there is power.  To become elders of power and influence will take courage and determination.  All ages are welcome to gather at this workshop honoring their Saga, to ritually celebrate and reclaim the wisdom journey that waits inside each of us. 

Continuing Saga: Aging, Wisdom, and Power

The evening talk will be an entertaining lecture on the taboo of aging—particularly for women—it’s origins, how to combat it, archetypes and beliefs from ancient cultures which honor the elders. We will discuss ways to antidote our fears around this time of life, and embrace the power and potency of this stage.

Afternoon One: Journey to Meet the Wise One Within

The first afternoon, we will share more information about powerful archetypes that we can use as role models. Then we will go on a guided journey to talk to our inner Wise Old Woman (and Wise Old Man if we have men in the workshop).

Afternoon Two: Transforming Our Fears into Power

The second afternoon we will choose archetypal images from a selection of tarot cards, one for every attachment that keeps us from our power, makes us afraid to age. After meditating on them, we cut cords (black yarn) representing our fears and bury or burn the cords, reclaiming our power.

Afternoon Three: Celebrating Our Wisdom

The third afternoon we will again choose archetypal images, this time focusing on what we love/look forward to about growing older. We talk about the type of elder we want to/choose to be. Then we do a brief ritual welcoming those over 56 to their time of wisdom. Each elder has a chance to share some of their wisdom with the rest of us.

Cerridwen Fallingstar has taught classes in shamanism and personal transformation for over thirty years. Continuing Saga: Aging, Wisdom and Power is one of her favorites. Her past-life book, The Heart of the Fire, a historical novel about Witchcraft set in 16th century Scotland, has sold 20,000 copies in two printings. She published her second past-life novel, titled White as Bone, Red as Blood: The Fox Sorceress in August 2009. This novel is set in 12th century Japan and details the clash between the Heike and Genji clans which ushered in the Samurai period. The second novel in this series, White as Bone, Red as Blood: The Storm God came out in 2011.

Cerridwen has published hundreds of articles, poems, and short stories in a variety of periodicals. She has been interviewed extensively by various media including CNN, the Oxygen Channel, and the Discovery Channel, and is featured in the documentary Dancing with Gaia.

She has two Bachelor degrees from Beloit College and a Master’s degree from U.C.L.A. Cerridwen offers a wide variety of classes, including a year-long Apprenticeship Program. She also works as a professional psychic, offering readings and hypnotherapy. Up-coming non-fiction books include Broth from the Cauldron, a collection of teaching stories in the tradition of Kitchen Table Wisdom, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. A second collection of stories, Rocket in my Pocket is a humor memoir of growing through in the 1960’s Aerospace industry into the sexual revolution. For more information, please visit Rancho La puerta