Welcome,
Everyone.
My name is Eleanor Medina,
And I am the daughter of Henry Hooper.
And my dad has asked me to share a meditation with you as you enter your 70s and beyond.
It is a privilege to address the Loyola-Blakefield class of 1972,
A group of men who have shared so many experiences together,
Who are now stepping into a new phase of life.
I know from my dad that Loyola-Blakefield has instilled in you the values of wisdom,
Service,
And spiritual growth.
And these values will guide you to embrace the role of elder.
This is a meditation for good health and for stepping into eldership.
My prayer is that this meditation supports this process for you.
Let's begin.
Find yourself sitting up nice and tall,
Either on the floor or in a comfortable chair.
Place your hands on your legs and soften your eyes closed,
Taking a few slow breaths into your low belly,
In and out,
In.
Keeping your breath nice and slow,
Each exhale,
Relaxing the body.
Each exhale,
Softening,
Quieting,
Moving into stillness.
As we settle into this space,
I'd like to share a quote from a mentor of mine named Bill Plotkin.
He runs the Animus Valley Institute and he says,
An elder has managed to liberate their soul and align it with the soul of the world.
Elders are not appointed,
They are recognized by the quality of their presence and the integrity of their actions.
Exhaling,
Releasing,
Keeping the breath nice and steady.
This day and age,
A true elder is rare in the modern Western society.
But as a Loyola Dawn,
You,
I believe,
Are called to this important role for us.
By connecting deeply with your soul,
Understanding your unique gifts and offering them to the community,
You nurture the greater good.
Each exhale,
Softening,
Feeling your soul,
Your gifts.
One way to really become an elder is to take care of your health and honor the body,
The mind and your soul with the support of the Holy Spirit.
Each exhale,
Feel the presence of the Holy Spirit around you,
Offering its guidance,
Support and love to you now.
As you breathe in,
Perhaps you're imagining your body filling with this divine love.
And as you breathe out,
Release tension or worries that you may be holding on to.
Breathing in,
Filling with the Spirit,
And exhale,
Releasing tension.
Keep following the breath like this.
Now let's honor our bodies,
Feeling the breath flowing within you,
Nourishing every cell of the body,
Bringing vitality and strength to this beautiful body.
No matter how the body feels,
Breathing spaciousness into the body,
Breathing energy into the places of tightness or stiffness,
And each exhale,
Releasing any tension.
Take a moment to thank this body for all it has done and continues to do for you.
Bringing in gratitude for this vessel that houses the soul of yours.
Some traditions see the body as a house,
An expression of the soul.
Taking care of our bodies is so important as an expression of who we are.
Take a moment to listen to this body of yours and see what it might need from you to be more aligned with your truest expression.
Now Dawns,
It's time to honor your minds.
Visualize your thoughts gently settling,
Like leaves floating down to rest on a calm lake.
In this stillness,
Allow your mind to be clear and open,
Ready to receive wisdom and insight that you can share with others.
The mind might drift and you settle it with each exhale.
Next,
Let's honor your souls,
Imagining a warm glowing light in your chest,
Around your beating heart,
Representing your soul.
This light around your heart is your unique gift,
Your wisdom,
Your love.
As you inhale,
Feel this light expanding,
Filling your entire body and each exhale radiating that light out into the world.
Know that this light is from God.
This light is illuminating your path.
This path to elderhood,
To eldership,
To being and embodying what it means to be an elder right now,
Not just for you,
But for all of us who need this guidance from you.
As you embrace this light,
Know you are stepping into this role of elder,
This great honor and responsibility that you hold as Loyola Dawns.
As elders,
You have the power to guide younger generations and cultivating the cultural and spiritual health for your community.
We need you.
Take a moment to reflect on the unique gifts that you bring into this world.
How can you share your wisdom and love with those around you?
How can you support and uplift your community?
Let us also take a moment to honor those in this class of 1972 who have passed and who are no longer with us.
We bless them and we thank them for their contributions,
Knowing that their souls and wisdom continue to guide us,
Thanking them,
Feeling that gratitude in our hearts.
Take a few more final breaths in this meditation.
Feel the support of the Holy Spirit,
The body,
The mind,
The soul united in harmony.
Tune in to all of the classmates that you can remember,
That you know,
And send them your heart,
Send them some love.
Maybe you reach out to them,
Send them a note,
Give them an in-person or virtual hug.
And when you're ready,
You can start to bring some movement into the body and just breathe in this gratitude of what it's like to have been a part of such a beautiful community,
The special community of Loyola-Blakefield,
And all of the wisdom and the lessons that you all learned as young men,
That you're now carrying through to become the elders that we need you to be.
When you're ready,
Gently opening your eyes to the elder you're meant to be,
Carrying this sense of peace and purpose within you to share with the world.
Thank you,
Loyola Dons,
For allowing me,
Eleanor Medina,
To share this meditation with you.
And thank you to my lovely father,
Henry Hooper,
For inviting me to make this meditation specifically for the celebration of you all as elders.
May you continue to walk your path with grace,
Health,
And wisdom.
That is my prayer.
Be well.
Take care.
