conscientious aging - dr. lindsey berkson · 2019-07-22 · conscientious aging the world class...

24
October 2015 Conscientious Aging The New Old THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE

Upload: others

Post on 12-May-2020

6 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

October 2015

Conscientious AgingThe New Old

T

HE

W

OR

LD

C

LA

SS

M

AG

AZ

IN

E

OF

S

AN

TA

F

E

Page 2: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

2 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

DrivewaysIs it time to redo your driveway with gravel, base-coarse, or simply regrading? Call for an

estimate and references.

470-3227ask for Russ McMillan

we also do:* landscape boulders.

*coyote fences*stone edging on driveways

Cimarron Self StorageOwner / Manager: Kathy Miller

5 Colina Way, Santa Fe, NM  (505) 466-6800-o�ce;

(505) 470-6999 for appointmentor after hours. Ask for Kathy.

Located on US 285 across from Eldorado.Storage units and RV-Boat Parking.Discounts available. Open Mon-Thur-Sat 10-4 NOW OPEN

Page 3: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

Sue & Fred’s Neighborhood News

Fred c.505.577.0143 505.984.7347

[email protected]

Sue c.505.577.2007 505.984.7312

[email protected]

Eldorado285AreaHomes.comWeSellSantaFe.com

Sue Garfitt and Fred Raznick

EldorAdoStunning unobstructed sweeping views to the Southwest and Northerly mountains! Open plan, split bedroom concept, plaster walls, kiva fireplace, a contemporary zen-like ambience throughout inside and surrounding landscape. Two large wonderful patios, and view portal.

$485,000 #201504160

EldorAdoGlorious mountain views to the South, West and North from this delightul passive solar, open plan, split bedroom home with a B.I.S kiva and natural gas, forced air heat. Large detached heated studio with bath and separate office/guest area. Finished two-car garage.

$479,000 #201504377

New l

istiN

g!

New l

istiN

g!

EldorAdoLarge studio/family room plus art display gallery with separate entrance ideal for artist or home business adjoining lovely custom designed and built adobe home. Two fireplaces, romantic owners suite, lovely large privately walled patio and a huge garage!

$389,000 #201501707

EldorAdoFirst time on the market custom home built by BT Homes. Single level, split 3 bedroom, 2 bath design with seperate living and party rooms. Expansive mountain views from a large patio ideal for dining and entertaining guests and two-car garage.

$319,000 #201503186

EldorAdoPrivately located on a large greenbelt at the end of cul-de-sac. Bright custom passive solar design by Chalom. Saltillo tile floors, vigas, and trombé wall. Extra office, large wood deck for private dining and entertaining with Northerly mountain views and two-car garage

$345,000 #201503817

Newly

pric

ed!

Newly

pric

ed!

Newly

pric

ed!

Newly

pric

ed!

EldorAdoA perfact pied-à-terre! Cozy and convenient adobe retreat just off the paved raod within easy reach of the Eldorado area community amenities. This lovely Santa Fe pueblo style home will delight the eye! Xeriscape landscaped and gleaming interior spaces.

$295,000 #201501893

yEAr-to-dAtE StAtiSticS

285 AreA resideNtiAlActive = 51Pending = 9Sold = 37

eldorAdo resideNtiAlActive = 39Pending = 14Sold = 121

285 AreA lANd Active = 85Pending = 1Sold = 10

eldorAdo lANd Active = 20Pending = 0Sold = 4

teRRiFic tReatS - no tRickS!

1000 PASEO dE PErALTA | 5 0 5 . 9 8 2 . 4 4 6 6 | SANTAFEPrOPEr TIES .COm

Experience Counts!

Page 4: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

4 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

New Mexico’s PreMier reverse Mortgage LeNderJohn Ruybalid, reverse Mortgage specialist

505-690-1029NMLS#201470

www.nmreversemortgage.comMortgage Partners - Santa Fe

417 E. Palace Ave., Suite C | Santa Fe, NM 87501Locally Owned and Operated

Sunday Service 10:15 [email protected]

ı Santa Fe, NM ı 505 • 983 • 5022505 Camino de los Marquez

"The Path of Wisdom carries us along the rhythmic waves of life as they ebb and flow.The Path of Love opens every cell in our body to receive the currents of unbounded Joy.The Path of Peace spreads a mantle over all creation, and holds us in its exquisite embrace.All Paths converge, into the One.”

This is so gre

at. Zelda is

teaching me how to

hunt.

Then I get to

the gro

omer

for my very fir

st time. Y

ay!

Love, love, lo

ve. They are

so

into each other. I hope th

ey

remember t

hat today is

the

day I go to

the gro

omer.

466-6708appointment today!Make your

A Great Grooming Shoppeat the Agora Shopping Center

in Eldorado

Eldorado Farmers’ MarketAt La Tienda Shopping Center

Produce, Bakery Goods, Dairy, Plants, Eggs,Snacks, Art/Crafts, Music, Weekly Ra�e and More!

Free Healthy Eating Recipes featuring market products courtesy of doTerra

Every Friday 4pm-7pm through October 16Come join the fun!

The Eldorado Farmers’ Market is operated by Bienvenidos Outreach, Inc.

SALES REPRESENTATIVEBase plus Percent

We are looking for an outstanding energetic salesperson to join our Santa Fe Monthly sales team and succeed to Publishers groundbreaking marketing accomplishments.

We work with our advertisers as their marketing reps, to grow their businesses by advertising with us in a multi-media manner. Duties include prospecting new advertisers and working with existing advertisers, making sales presentations, and building strong marketing relations with advertisers, o�ering great service, completing the sale and submitting reports.

Must be organized, results oriented, and driven to achieve results for Santa Fe Monthly and it’s advertisers. A signi�cant base and outstanding commission will be paid to the new team member.

Apply with cover letter and resume to Santa Fe Monthly, PMB 317, 7 Avenida Vista Grande, St. B-7, Santa Fe, NM 87508 or [email protected].

Page 5: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 5

SANTA FEPublished by: New Mexico Media Properties Ltd.

Executive Editor: Richard H. RogersCreative Art & Publication Director: Alena Hart Publication & Ad Design: Frank Wechsler, fw graphic designs LLC

Contact Santa Fe Monthly:e-mail: [email protected],

[email protected]: www.sunmonthly.com

mail: PMB 317, 7 Avenida Vista Grande, Suite B-7, Santa Fe, NM 87508 / OFFICE HOURS: 9-5, M-Th

Phone: 505-466-4661 / Fax: 505-466-4662Mail Subscription: $50.00/year

All rights are reserved by Santa Fe Monthly magazine. Reproduction of contents in any fashion without written permission from Santa Fe Monthly magazine is strictly prohibited. Santa Fe Month-ly magazine is not responsible or liable for the loss of any unsolicited materials or any misspellings, incorrect dates or incorrect information in any listing. The opinions expressed within Santa Fe Monthly magazine do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Santa Fe Monthly magazine, its owners of any of the agents, staff, employees, independent contractors or distributors of Santa Fe Monthly magazine. By-lined articles and editorial reports represent the views of their authors. Santa Fe Monthly magazine accepts advertisements from advertisers believed to be of good reputation, but cannot guarantee the authenticity or quality of goods or services advertised and is not responsible for any mistakes in any ad.

2015 winner of NICHE Magazine of the SOUTHWEST

Advertising / Sales Manager:Alena Hart, 505-466-4661Classified ads: [email protected]

MonthlyPeople Passion Possibilities

O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 · I s s u e 9 3

Page 6: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

6 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

D E P A R T M E N T S

P U B L I S H E R S ’ T H O U G H T S / 2 2 Richard H. Rogers & Alena Hart

M O N T H L Y M I N U T E S / 2 3

C L A S S I F I E D S / 2 3

Ancient Aged Items Brought to a New Life / 8Dr. Leona Zastrow. Noted American Indian Art Appraiser looks at objects and art possessed by collectors and advises them how to proceed with their prized possessions. Some owners wish to hold onto the objects and re-gift them to family members. Others choose selling them to the highest bidder. Then others wish to donate the objects to a chosen museum. But first you require a qualified appraisal from the expert, Zastrow.

American Indian Art Objects / 9(Objects first appeared in September issue, page 14) – Animals and Tribes identified with photographs attached. / Dr. Leona Zastrow

99 Years Old and Creating Lap Quilts Every Day / 10Isabel Mooney. Amazing lady, this 99 year old creator, Isabel Mooney continues to work hard to produce things of beauty every day. Most days you will find her at her sewing machine making lap quilts and shopping bags. Her daily routine has slowed some in recent years, but she still spends four to six hours each day working on her quilts. She is considered legally blind because of severe macular degeneration.

The New Old / 11Devaki Lindsey Berkson. We all want to live longer and younger, but none of us wants to age. If you’re the one aging, move over, no one seems to want you. “Older”, but “healthier” folks are amazing chroniclers and resources for perspective and wisdom. They have lived to tell their story. But this society does not honor those stories. We should move aside for the fastest growing global demographic and be open to what you might learn when you get here, which is just around life’s corner.

Creative Aging: Embracing Life with Passion, Purpose and Possibility / 12Walter Drew and Barbara Doern Drew. Shifting consciousness away from self-limiting beliefs and fears about aging toward living a life fueled with passion, a sense of purpose and expanded possibilities. If these thoughts are what you are interested in, do attend the seminar offered by the Drews held at the Center for Spiritual Living. The main contents are contained in this article which is con-currently being published by the Science of Mind Magazine.

Choosing Quality of Life With Or Without Diabetes / 14Dr. Sue Perry. Aging is inevitable. But the quality of our senior years is something we have control over. Did you know that the rate of Type 2 Diabetes among American 65 and older is 25.9%. Most important is that the rate of Pre-Diabetes among adults 60 and older is 50%. Dr. Perry guides us through the formula that incorporates an intensive healthy lifestyle approach to living and shows how it works.

Values of Senior Centers / 15Kathleen Roybal. Some people are very skeptical about participating in a senior center. Perhaps they would be considered old or are afraid of not being accepted, but neither of those are facts. Senior centers are important to communities and really assist with keeping seniors active and mobile.

By keeping active, both mentally and physically, a senior persons stays stronger which helps to support independent living.

MonthlyPeople Passion Possibilities

SANTA FEF E A T U R E S

O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 · I s s u e 9 3

On The Cover

A nd re a J . Sha ron, “R aven i n F l ig ht ”, show i ng a t E ldorado A r t s & Cra f t s Fa l l f a i r.

Page 7: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 7

C O N T R I B U T O R S

Judith Fein is the author of The Spoon from Minkowitz, which, among other things, deals with the complexity of the mother daughter relationship. She is also the author of Life is a Trip:The Transformative Magic of Travel and an award-winning travel journalist who has contributed to more than 105 international publications.

Paul Ross is a multimedia travel content provider (writer, photographer and videographer) whose journeys usually take him far away from his home in Santa Fe. He likes culture, history, the arts, fine food, good drink, and the off-beat and humorous.

Walter Drew & Barbara Doern Drew are certified facilitators of the Institute of Noetic Sciences’ “Conscious Aging” program and have been involved in Science of Mind since 1995 (email [email protected]).

Susan Perry is a Lifestyle Coach for the National Diabetes Prevention Program for the City of Santa Fe, and is a Master Trainer for the NDDP, providing Lifestyle Coach training and consulting services for the New Mexico Department of Health. Her career as a Counseling Psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator focuses on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She is a passionate gardener and physically

fit senior who follows an athletic lifestyle.

Devaki Lindsey Berkson

DrLindseyBerkson.com [email protected]

A Story of Love / 16Prudence Adkins. In her own words, Prudence relates that she has learned that perceptions determine my reality. If my perception of a situation or person is positive, my reality will then be positive. Conversely, if my perception is negative, that is what will be mirrored back to me. Moreover, I can change a negative to a positive by redefining my perception of it. “This lesson I learned as a result of having my 88 year old aunt come to live with me,” says Prudence.

3 Chefs, 3 Dishes, 3 Minutes / 18Paul Ross, Photos by Judith Fein. No, it’s not a chef competition TV show. It’s real life on the (cooking) range, here in northern New Mexico. Asian chefs talk about the speed necessary to deliver “wok energy” in the foods they prepare, but the demands of the southwestern influenced multiple kitchens at the Buffalo Thunder resort complex are no less stressful. The pressure in on Paul and Judie but as is expected from those two, they deliver the food, the photos and a recipe.

Project Kindness / 20Thor Sigstedt. When a child is born, they are cute, look a little like a wrinkled little old folk. “ It’s up to me. It’s always up to me” is the mantra repeated until we become all grown up and function as an adult. Read how our behaviors become insanely attached to us, the same old stubborn issues that just keep coming back again and again. Better yet as we age, what can do about the addictions.

Page 8: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

8 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

If you hire a lawyer for estate planning, you should hire a qualified appraiser

of personal property to assist you in planning regarding your American Indian Art collectionAging parents who loved their Indian art collections want to pass it on the their children. Some children have no interest in this family collection. They would prefer, if the collection was sold and the results, money, was theirs.

Yes, I have appraised many American Indian art collections for people who are aging. Several collections I have appraised this year were in Washington State. The elder owners of these collections have died and left their art to their children.

How should the collection to be divided? Should each child choose what they liked as a remembrance from their parents. Would the values of the various art items be similar? Would a family fight break out because of the unknown values?

Here is an example. One daughter wanted a Maria Martinez pot and another daughter wanted a Navajo pot. Their mother did not list any values for these items or for any items in her collection. Also, no appraisal report was found. The daughter who wanted the Maria pot looked up the value on the computer and

was shocked to see the current market value of over $1000 for this pot. The other daughter looked up the Navajo pot and found a value of $80 for the pot.

The eldest daughter, the executor of her Mother’s will, decided that the only fair way to divide her mother’s extensive American Indian art collection was to hire an appraiser so that the current market values were known. She began researching for accredited appraisers of

American Indian art using computer web sites and calling the national appraisal associations for recommendations about their members and who was qualified to appraise American Indian art. Because I am a member of the Appraisers Association of American, my name, telephone number and web site were provided to the daughter. She called me and asked me to provide a bid for appraising her mother collection. She ask me if I would come to Port Townsend, Washington State to appraise the collection or would she need to send the collection to me in Santa Fe, NM.

After several telephone conversations, a contract was agreed upon and dates were set up to appraise 117 items. Yes, I spent one week in Port Townsend completing work files & photos for each of the 117 items. I conducted the research for the current market value of

the 117 items and the writing of the report in my offices, Santa Fe. The final report provided current appraisal values for each of the 117 items. With this report, family members were able to choose items that were equitable in values. This written document provided a foundation for disposing this marvelous collection prized by the deceased mother and now treasured by family members, an equality and peaceful solution.

Tips for Planning 1. Research for a qualified appraiser of personal property.

a. Conduct computer research such as web sites for content area

of the collection,

b. Search the three national personal property associations for qualified appraisers with the proper expertise. (Appraisers Association of American, International Appraisers Association, American Society of Appraisers)

2. Interview qualified appraisers concerning their credentials & experience, their timeline and costs.

3. Contract the qualified appraiser and set up timelines & costs.

4. Establish the purpose for the appraisal such as distribution, donation and/or resale.

5. Utilize the appraisal report for family planning concerning the items in the collection.

Ancient Aged Items Brought to a New Life

A R T I C L E & P H O T O S b y D R . L E O N A Z A S T R O W

Angie Owen earringsMaria potCochiti pot holder

Page 9: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 9

h t t p : / / w w w . l j d e s i g n p h o t o . c o m / p h o t o c a r t

Answers to September Issue Quiz: P H O T O S b y D R . L E O N A Z A S T R O W

Page 10: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

1 0 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

Isabel Mooney reached her 99th year in June of 2015. Despite her age, she continues to work hard to produce

things of beauty. Most days you will find her at her sewing machine making lap quilts and shopping bags. Her daily routine has slowed some in recent years, but she still spends from four to six hours each day working on her quilts. Isabel traces her love of sewing all the way back to when she was ten years old and began making her own clothes on an old treadle machine. This was partly out of necessity, since she and her mother and older brother were pretty much on their own, and had little money to devote to pretty dresses.

Throughout her life there was a connection to sewing. She designed

and sewed custom made woman’s ware and managed a fabric store for a time. Much of this was done while holding down other full time jobs.

Isabel is legally blind with severe macular degeneration. She has been this way for some time. The ability to distinguish colors and shapes has

diminished to the point where she needs help matching fabrics, and can only cut and sew straight pieces. Amazingly, with the help of some tactile aids, she is still able to sew some very nice lap quilts and shopping bags.

She ties the quilts rather than quilting them and attaches yarn tassels to the four corners. This gives her quilts a distinctive “hand made” look and many people use them as decorative wall hangings.

Isabel sells her quilts and bags during the studio tour, but she also gives more than half of what she makes to local non-profit groups like the

woman’s shelter , CASA, and hospitals and rehab units. Quite a few people here in Eldorado have received personal recovery quilts from Isabel when illness or accident laid them up.

At 99, Isabel is the oldest participating member of the Eldorado studio tour. She also traces her roots back to West Virginia and believes that she is now the oldest living McCoy of the feuding Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. Certainly Isabel would feel right at home within quilting tradition of Appalachia.

99 Years Old and Quilting Every Day

Page 11: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 1 1

B Y D E VA K I L I N D S E Y B E R K S O N

We all want to live longer and younger, but none of us wants to age. If you’re the one aging, move over, no one seems to want you.

I’m in my 60’s. I didn’t realize how many examples of “age racism” and “the new old” I could and would bump into in just 24 hours.

Mark drove us to midtown Austin. We just got the patent on our drug to treat difficult to heal wounds.

We work with Dr. Jack Moncrief. Dr. Moncrief is honored as one of the seven men who have made kidney medicine what it is today. He directed a dialysis center for 40 years and co-invented home dialysis. He conceived telemedicine and signed the bill with Bush.

He’s 79.

The office we met at had changed.

“Why the move, Jack?”

“They felt I was too old to be a director anymore.”

Dr. M. radiates strength. He married his high school sweet heart several years ago and still looks like a man on a honeymoon.

“I learn something new about age daily,” Dr. M said.

“I had a new patient, an 89-year old woman. As usual I asked, ‘So what’d your mother die of?’

“Die?” She’s not dead!”

“What?”

“She’s 107. She walks, gardens and reads to kids. She’s fine.”

Dr. M said, “Please, bring your mom at your next appointment.”

Six weeks later in walked two old but healthy women. There’s not much difference in appearance between someone in their late 80’s and someone over 100 if they’re basically “healthy.”

“Aging is changing,” Jack drawled. “More of us are doing it. But not getting respect.”

“One of my patients is 77. Got diagnosed with two cancers. He asked his oncologist what were his chances of beating them. The smug oncologist said, “Don’t you think it’s time to throw in the towel, that enough’s enough?”

The very doctor he was going to, to try to save his life, wasn’t sure his life was worth saving!

We left and those words rang in my head.

We drove past a sign for the Dry Creek Café’. A Texas hole in the wall.

We bought beer and got ourselves koozies out of a pile on a broken table. We tread up the outdoor staircase on to the old terrace looking out over the lake.

A group of young men sat at old wood tables, enjoying the sunset.

Right out of the shoot, they and Mark slid into a dialogue; how today’s a woman’s world, and only the bitchy women who control their men are the ladies who get their men. “But,” they laughed as they toasted their koozies, “All men certainly like their women young!”

“Take Hollywood. I was just there,” yapped one. “It looks like men who go back to nursing homes at night are out for dinner with Barbie dolls.”

Those words rang in my head at I drove to Dallas Night Club later that night. After 35 years, it was closing. An Austin icon honkytonk. Close to a thousand of us, many of us over 60 and even 70, danced till closing at 2 AM.

Dancers live longer.

A girlfriend of mine had two aunts, both healthy till almost 100 years old. One danced. A lot. She only died because a train hit her. Her family laughed that it took a train to take her out. The other was famous for saying, “And that’s that.” She simply didn’t stress. When her husband, whom she loved, was hit by a car and died, she sighed, “And that’s that.”

Perspective. Longer time on this planet births a larger, global picture, if one has intention and health to see it. Older people are remarkable chroniclers for perspective and wisdom. They have lived to tell their stories. And understand them.

I remember a sign on a building in Santa Fe that sums up my thinking: remembering the past preserves your future.

I have actively sought out older wiser mentors. I hung with the Nearings, who I met while in their 80’s and stayed close up till Scott fasted himself peacefully to death when he turned 100, as he felt he was no longer a contributing member of society. They wrote the introduction to my second book “The Foot Book.”

I hung with Bucky Fuller when he was in his 80’s. I lived with Swami Satchitananda in his 70’s. I did my 1st rotation in integrative medicine with Dr. Jonathan Wright, the father of bioidentical hormones. He and his wife recently bought a $3.5 million building and opened a new

clinic. They’re both almost 80. I got to work and hang with environmental scientists at the estrogen think tank at Tulane. We threw a 70th surprise birthday for my mentor, John McLachlan PhD. I’ve teamed with Dr. Jerome Block, learning from his 50-years of functional internal medicine.

Two years back I took a relicensing course with the neuro-surgeon turned nutritional doc; Norm Shealy MD PhD. He gifted the conception, land and buildings for a new genre in psych called “Conscious Psychology.” Shealy is going strong in inspiration and creation. He is 82 years young.

We are the NEW OLD.

Hopefully you’re coming our way.

Move aside for the fastest growing global group.

Be open to what you might learn when you get here, which is just around life’s corner.

The New Old

Page 12: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

1 2 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

Many people navigating the second half of their lives are searching for a greater sense of purpose. There

is a longing to tap into their authentic calling and make a meaningful contribution, in new and creative ways, to the world in which they live. The beliefs, attitudes, stories and behaviors that served them so well in the first half of life no longer apply. They are changing physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and it is time to engage practices that will keep them fulfilled, thriving and serving in an age-appropriate way.

The question is, how do we harness the creativity and vitality of the population in the second half of their lives, which has a distinctly different quality from the first 50 or so years? We are here to tell you from personal experience that at 73 (Walter) and 67 (Barbara), we are in the most creative and exciting period of our lives, feeling called to an expansive future in which we are giving our authentic gifts in service to “creating a world that works for everyone,” which is the vision of Centers for Spiritual Living (publisher of Science of Mind magazine). This is something you can experience as well.

Spiritual Practices For Aging WellResearch about aging almost universally indicates that spiritual practices are critical in the shaping of the new paradigms that are necessary for enlivened later years, where more profound meaning, a deeper sense of purpose, living from our highest human potential and being of service in a world that dearly needs creative, soulful solutions are the motivating factors.

The focus of life shifts from doing, accomplishing and acquiring to being, and then interacting with the world around us from a new place of conscious intention, understanding that every stage stage of life is valuable, from birth to death.

As Carl Jung so clearly stated, “A human being would certainly not grow to be 70 or 80 years old [and possibly decades longer in today’s world] if this longevity had no meaning for the species. The afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own.” Discovering and defining that significance is our task.

Following are some key spiritual practices recommended by the experts in the field. Each has contributed to our path of “creative aging.”

MeditationMeditation is the foundational practice that anchors our days, as this is our time to go within and establish connection with our Source and listen for the “still, small voice” that is wanting to communicate with us and offer guidance.

One of our favorite practices is offered by Zen Buddhist priest and meditation teacher Lewis Richmond in his book “Aging as a Spiritual Practice.” He refers to it as “just sitting” or “just

awareness.” Sitting with eyes partially open, first ground your awareness in your breath, allowing your attention to fill your body. Let go of any effort and completely relax, totally sinking into the present moment. As thoughts and distractions arise, simply observe them and then let them go. There is nothing to do or achieve, no need to be different from what you already are, as you rest in your own basic goodness.

In this way we touch our divine nature, which is ageless. This practice also helps prepare us for our final moment in this life, when, Richmond says, all that is needed is to just “rest in awareness.”

Nothing more is required.

Here is a forgiveness exercise that has been very beneficial for us .in healing longtime pain. Think of an area where someone has wronged you .in some way and you have not totally forgiven him or her for it. Be clear about what you are going to forgive them for. Now, in the quiet of your mind, say, “I forgive [insert name],” and repeat it 70 times. Do this for seven days in a row.

Then do the same thing relative to yourself. Think of an area where you feel badly about something you have done. Then 70 times a day for seven days say, “I forgive myself.”

Creative Aging - Life with Passion, Purpose & PossibilityB Y B A R B A R A D O E R N D R E W & WA LT E R D R E W

Page 13: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 1 3

Releasing & Letting GoAnother beneficial practice for letting go of our old attitudes, beliefs, habits and stories about ourselves and replacing them with something more life affirming also uses the “70 times seven” exercise. First, identify a false/disempowering belief you have held about yourself, such as “lack” or “rejection,” and then the backup behavior you fall into when that belief comes up.

Now, affirm a quality of Spirit with which you want to replace it. Do this 70 times a day for seven days. ~

An example: “I release my belief in unworthiness; I release my need to be fearful and avoid; I am grateful that Spirit is the love that I am.”

Reviewing Our LivesAn important practice that can assist us in moving from the concerns of the first half of life to those of the second is reflecting on our important life experiences to date. One way to do this is to journal about our life by decades. This process will bring forth strengths and positive gifts we have and want to take with us into the future, as well as call attention to attitudes, patterns, beliefs and “stories” in our lives that no longer serve us and need to be released so that we can be open to the new opportunities that await us.

Self - CompassionLife review can bring to light area where self-compassion is called for. When we find ourselves being self-critical and judgmental, it is important to be gentle with ourselves - it is easy to feel stressed and then rail unkindly against ourselves for physical changes occurring in our body or some unskillful way we handled a situation, hurt someone’s feelings or did something embarrassing. Having compassion for ourselves will also assist us in being more compassionate toward others in their aging process.

ForgivenessAnother value in life retrospection is that it brings to light old wounds that still need healing before we can freely embrace the aging process with openheartedness and positive anticipation.

In her book “The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity,” Unity minister Edwene Gaines says, “Harboring a grudge completely blocks our ability to have peace of mind. All sorts of studies indicate that negative thoughts, feelings, words and behaviors affect our mental and physical health, our success and our self-worth .... Forgiveness is something we do for ourselves.”

7 Qualities Of Creative Aging1. Consciousness: Be mindful of our automatic beliefs, habits, attitudes and stories, and instead intentionally choose new responses that better serve us at this time.

2. Gratitude: Every day we can cultivate, as Ernest Holmes recommends, an “attitude of gratitude” - for all that life brings us, embracing the changes of the aging process with grace.

3. Solitude: This is not withdrawal but a time for reenergizing, revitalizing and re-centering ourselves to be able to go forth more creatively into the world.

4. Curiosity: Looking at life in all its stages with wonder, awe and delight.

5. Say “yes”: Be open to possibilities we haven’t thought of before - the field of creativity is endless.

6. Flexibility: Like the weather, things are always going to be changing. Instead of complaining and lamenting the physical, mental and emotional changes you are experiencing, see the spiritual blessings in the situation and move on.

7. Humor and laughter: A good laugh is beneficial on all levels. Laugh and smile your way into the future.

Creative Aging - Life with Passion, Purpose & PossibilityB Y B A R B A R A D O E R N D R E W & WA LT E R D R E W

Reprinted with permission of GUIDE FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING: SCIENCE OF MIND magazine. www.ScienceOfMind.com

Page 14: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

1 4 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

b y S U S A N P E R R Y, P H . D . , C D E , L P C C

Conscious Aging: Choosing Quality of Life With or Without DiabetesAging is inevitable. But the quality of our senior years

is something we have control over. An example is the Diabetes* and Pre-Diabetes** (elevated blood sugars not yet in the Diabetes range), epidemics that are frequently in the news.Fact: The rate of Type 2 Diabetes among Americans 65 and older is 25.9%.

Fact: The rate of Pre-Diabetes among adults 60 and older is 50%.

Fact: Getting Pre-Diabetes and/or progressing to Type 2 Diabetes are not inevitable.

A research study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Called the Diabetes Prevention Program, it focused on the effect of intensive healthy lifestyle practices. This study demonstrated that persons with Pre-Diabetes who participated, and achieved the end point goals of a of 5-7% weight loss, and a regular practice of at least 150 minutes of cardio activity per week, did not progress to Type 2 Diabetes at a rate of 58% for adults under the age of 60. Further, a remarkable non-progression rate of 71% among participants aged 60 and older was demonstrated.

The power of this intensive healthy lifestyle approach was so profound and effective that the study was ended early. That research was translated and formed into a community-based program called the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which was designed to be provided through community settings such as YMCA and local Recreation Centers for easy public access. The program is implemented by Lifestyle Coaches; often lay persons and para-professionals who have attended a two day training provided by a Master Trainer for the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

How does the program work?

Participants who sign up for this program are making a commitment to the following: weekly weigh-ins; participation for 12 months; attendance at 16 weekly meetings followed by one to two meetings per month for the final 8 months; track everything you eat and drink for the duration of the program; try the strategies and activities suggested at weekly meetings; and work up to a goal of 150 minutes of physical activity per week as a regular practice.

Lifestyle coaches provide: support, guidance on tasks such as food tracking and finding activities that will be interesting and flexible; group facilitation to enhance learning and group support; and accountability (records are turned into Lifestyle Coach weekly for feedback).

For more information about the National Diabetes Prevention Program in New Mexico, contact Sue Perry at [email protected] or (505)660-9567.

Does this program really work? It works as well as the participant’s

commitment to the program and the regular practice of the skills and the use of tools provided. There is no special diet. The only specific dietary assignment is a maximum number of fat grams per day, based on each participant’s starting weight. The goal is for each participant to develop a customized approach towards daily eating practices and activities that fits their personality, likes and dislikes, and achieves the “Lifestyle Balance” goal of weight loss and accumulation of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

Why even bother, if you don’t have Diabetes yet? Elevated Blood sugar, even in the non-diabetes range, increases symptoms of depression; interferes with our ability to think clearly (cognition); depletes energy; increases risk for Alzheimer’s disease; and inhibits the immune system, increasing risk for colds and the flu.

Don’t you want to create your own little “fountain of youth”?

If so, get moving, and check out the links below for more information on the National Diabetes Prevention Program, and Age Consciously!!

Statistics in this article and more information about Diabetes, Pre-Diabetes and the National Diabetes Prevention Program can be found at these sites:

www.cdc.gov

www.diabetes.org

www.ndei.org

www.diabetes.org

*Diabetes is diagnosed with a Fasting Blood Sugar of 126 mg/dl or higher or an A!C test of 6.5% or higher.

**Pre-Diabetes is diagnosed with a Fasting Blood Sugar of 100-125mg/dl or an A1C test of 5.7-6.4%.

Page 15: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 1 5

Some people are very skeptical about participating in a senior center. Perhaps they are afraid they would

be considered old or are afraid of not being accepted, but neither of those are facts. As an activity coordinator for a senior center I have seen new long term friendships be made, companionship, and in a few cases love. It warms my heart to work in an environment where people are allowed to meet others, learn of a special talents individuals didn’t know they had, as well as enjoy amazing food with great company.I can say from experience Seniors Centers are not what they are made out to be. We offer delicious homemade meals daily, a variety of free classes, computers, gardening, a library, Ping-Pong, cards and so much more. Not only do we cater to our seniors who are high functioning we also provide services to those individuals who are also homebound. Our staff delivers a fresh meal daily; provide companionship, as well as an extra pair of eyes ensuring our homebound seniors are safe.

Not only are the services that we provide amazing but here at the Adam Senior Center in Eldorado the environment and building we have is spectacular. We have areas for activities as well as relaxation. Not to mention we are in the process of getting an additional 3500 square feet to expand the excitement.

Senior centers are important to communities and assist with keeping seniors active. Senior centers also assist with independence for aging adults while socializing can help seniors with depression, dementia, or Alzheimer’s. We also go on outings around the community and enjoy lunch. For individuals who are caring for Mom, Dad, or loved one, can also see the things that a senior center has to offer that just might be interesting or joyful for parents. Knowing that your parent is at a center, or on an escorted day-trip can reduce the stress and anxiety you may have about your parents sitting home watching television all day or being alone. The main thing is to get them out and about.

In our community any aging adult who is 60 years old or older, or an individual who is married to a spouse who is 60 or over can join a senior center. We have individuals of all ages who come and participate in the variety of activities that we offer. It may help to define the purpose of Senior Centers, which is: to provide programs and activities in your neighborhood accessible every day to you and the benefits are that this will help keep you active as you age. By keeping active, both mentally and physically, you stay stronger which helps to support independent living. This is especially important to those who are aging in place in their own homes.

If you have not experienced a senior center we welcome you to stop by, receive a tour, and get any of your questions or concerns answered. We ensure you will be pleasantly surprised of the overall experience you will receive along with the ability to meet the friendly people who make our center a part of his or her daily lives.

The Adam Senior Center is located in the heart of Eldorado and is operated by Santa Fe County Senior Services. Santa Fe County is committed to serving the needs of its elder citizens. We are working to promote and enhance the physical, intellectual and social well being of seniors living in Santa Fe County. We hope you will join us for the opportunity to develop new friendships, participate in recreational, education and social activities. The Senior Services Program is offering a wide range of quality programs and services to residents of Santa Fe County through County operated Senior Centers.

Seniors of our center comment frequently. Some of the comments received are “wow, great group. I was pleasantly surprised!” along with “ great way to meet our neighbors and members of the community,” and last “fabulous place to try, wonderful lunch, and fun place to try new activities.”

For additional information please contact the Adam Senior Center at 505-466-1039. We look forward to seeing you! ~ Kathleen Roybal, Activity Coordinator.

Values of Senior Centers

b y K AT H L E E N R O Y B A L

Page 16: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

1 6 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

A Story of Love

I have learned that my perceptions determine my reality. Thus, if my perception of a situation or

person is positive, my reality will then be positive. Conversely, if my perception is negative, that is what will be mirrored back to me. Moreover, I can change a negative to a positive by redefining my perception of it. I learned this lesson as a result of having my 88 year old aunt, Angy, come to live with me. She lived alone in Los Alamos. I, and other family members, would visit her weekly to take her to buy groceries, clean her house, and, generally, make sure she was comfortable. Even though she was in the beginning stage of dementia, she was determined to live alone.

To aid in her independence, she had a Life Alert necklace should she fall or, generally, need medical help. But, she would only wear it when she went out. She felt no need to wear it in the house.

Nevertheless, on January 2, 2015, I received a message from her stating that she was fine. Yet, that was not the message in her voice. It was weak and desperate. I asked my daughter to go with me because I was afraid of what we would find when we got there. We found her totally naked (apparently she was getting ready to shower when she fell) and on her back, unable to get up. She had been scooting, so her elbows were abraised, as was her back. How she got to the phone, called the operator, remembered my phone number, and called me was miraculous! She had probably lain on her back for two days with nothing to drink or to eat. After finding that she had no broken bones, the ER doctor kept her overnight in the hospital to be rehydrated. It became very clear that she could no longer live alone.

Yet, she had no other place to go than to move in with me. At first, the thought was depressing to me because my home is my sanctuary and now I was inviting in a person whom I loved but who had a very proprietary attitude towards me. I had lived with her and my grandmother for

the first seven years of my life and again when I attended high school in Los Alamos. She had always been very strict and very controlling in her efforts to make me succeed in life by telling me how I should feel and what I should think. But, it was also she who opened me up to the world of books and to the world at large. So, for me, our relationship was rather conflicted and, as an adult, I had spent years healing myself in it. With her coming to live with me came the test of this healing.

Initially, she was ready to go into our relationship as we had always lived it with my acquiescing to her desires. So, I quickly had to become very clear about setting boundaries, such as letting her know that my home is a place of peace and that words of discord or gossip are not welcomed. This, for her, was a huge adjustment. However, she recently told me that living with me is boring because I don’t talk about anyone, but that she likes living with me anyway.

So, how did I redefine my situation? Foremost, I had to state my needs. Then, I had to make sure that I was taking care of myself. For, if I am not eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, I cannot take good care of her and I react to her. Lastly, I had to realize that, when she is being mean, she is really in fear of being out of control (of her bladder, her bowels, and, worse, her mind). I am learning not to take her remarks personally; she is merely acting out of this fear. I may be the one she is lashing out at, but I am not her victim. Consequently, I have gained a better understanding of her need for control.

When I was small, she took care of me. Now it is I who zips up her jacket so that she can walk down the driveway to get the newspaper, who cleans her up when she has an accident, and who tells her to sleep with the angels at bedtime. I have come full circle and yet with new eyes and tremendous gratitude that I can serve her in this new place.

b y P R U D E N C E A D K I N S

Page 17: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 1 7

Securely nestled in the heart of

Eldorado, we have been providing

friendly service for 27 years.

Units: 5x10, 10x10, 10x20, RV and car spaces.

call Russ or Amy McMillan- 466-1810

ELDORADO SELF STORAGE

Now, ELDORADO ROCK behind Blue Moon Restaurant• Sand and gravel base course • Santa Fe Brown

• Mulch• Your complete mulch, sand, stone and gravel supplier

466-1050

Road Grading Dump ServiceDriveway Grading General Excavation

Sand/Gravel/Base Course

Office (505) 466-2493 • Mobile (505) 690-9972KEN BLAKE

Daily lunch and dinner specialsSoups - Sandwiches - Salads

Take out one of our pre-made sandwiches,made fresh daily, or we will custom make one just for you!

We have a full line of natural and organic products - Meat, Produce, Groceries and dairy

6am to 9pm Every Day - 466-2602

RANDY EGANFinancial Advisor

7 Avenida Vista GrandeSuite D3Santa Fe, NM 87508

Bus. 505-466-4058Fax. 866-832-9794

[email protected]

S er ving the 285 Corr idor • M ak ing S ense of I nvest ing

Now o�ering solar panel cleaning using a nano based cleaner

Page 18: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

1 8 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

b y P A U L R O S S ;

P H O T O S b y

J U D I T H F E I N No, it’s not a chef competition TV show. It’s real life on the (cooking) range, here

in northern New Mexico. Asian chefs talk about

the speed necessary to deliver “wok energy” in the foods they prepare, but the demands of the Southwestern-influenced multiple kitchens at

the Buffalo Thunder resort complex are no less stressful.

There are seven restaurants spread

out across the hotel, casino, and golf courses; each one with its own particular menu, style, needs, hours and clientele. The pressure is on. And it was on me, as I tied my apron on in Red Sage restaurant, and cooked under the close watch of

a trio of the resort’s top chefs: Luis Quezada, Executive Chef; Thomas Hartwell, Executive Sous Chef; and Edgar Morales, Chef de Cuisine. Their professional credentials were intimidating and ranged from Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas to kitchens in more than a dozen U.S. cities and at least half as many countries. They know their stuff. I know that they know their stuff. But they wondered if I had the right stuff, or for that matter, any stuff at all.

To level the field somewhat, I requested that the representative dishes we were going to prepare would contain no beef ––and Red Sage is a steakhouse. “No problem,” smiled Quezada. (Check.) “Easy,” agreed Hartwell. “We do vegan requests all the time,” confirmed Morales. (Checkmate.)

Red Sage was designed as Buffalo Thunder’s high-end dining experience eight years ago by celebrity chef Mark Miller (of “Coyote Cafe” fame). He even crafted a cookbook featuring the eatery’s most popular recipes but is no longer connected with the enterprise. However, the overriding spirit of adventurous experimentation remains ...especially when it comes to its locavore profile. This year marks the first harvest from nearby Tewa Farms which, like Buffalo

Thunder itself, is tribally-owned. Chef Hartwell explained to me that “Fresh basil, onions, fingerling potatoes, and one of the items you’ll be making today, padron peppers, comes from two miles up the road.”

The farm-to-table endeavor began as a program to encourage and, in some cases, bring back traditional growing to ancestral lands and has profited members of the Pojoaque (Po-suwae-geh) Pueblo in both economic and

healthfully-beneficial ways. “They (the local tribal farmers) were taking food elsewhere,” continued Hartwell, “so we thought, ‘Why not use it here?’” The decision is win-win

for all parties concerned; the farms have a ready and eager market and the resort restaurants have the freshest of local produce. Future plans include green and hothouses, expansion of selections, and, at Buffalo Thunder, on-site herb gardens. Quezada chimed in, “If you don’t care about health, ecology, and a healthy, tasty end product, you shouldn’t be in the business.”

The philosophic part of the conversation continued as we started the actual cooking. I looked at my watch. It was 12:05 p.m.

We began with the padron peppers, an appetizer prepared in the same manner as its more familiar shishito cousin: flash-fried, drizzled with lemon oil, and lightly dusted with smoked sea salt. Served hot, the peppers are true “finger foods” in that you pick them up by the stem and bite off as much, or even more than you can chew. “We went with the padrons,” said Hartwell, “because the shishitos are more bitter, whereas these can surprise you ...being sweet or hot.” (I can vouch for the last part and was hiccupping from the heat of one of the peppers.)

Next came sautéed mushrooms and, just as with the

A trio of Buffalo Thunder chefs at Red Sage: (left to right) Thomas Hartwell, Luis Quezada and Edgar Morales.

3Chefs, 3 Dishes, 3 Minutes!!!

“If you can’t take the heat…” As I attempt to cook to beat the clock, they’re just kidding around —I hope.

Page 19: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 1 9

peppers that preceded them, they were done rapidly: cooked to chewable, flavored perfection in a small skillet. Customarily presented as a side dish, they could easily be a vegan main.

Two dishes down and it was... can’t be; less than two minutes later!?

Another “side,” with vegan ingredients was an asparagus risotto. For a dish usually loaded with dairy, I was impressed that the Red Sage variation was really creamy, despite the lack of anything of bovine provenance. Asparagus can be tricky to time and I’ve slurped more overcooked offerings (even my own) than I care to remember, but these were in the “Goldilocks zone:” bright green, bursting with flavor and just the right amount of toothsome snap – a great compliment to the luxurious rice that enfolded them.

I looked at my watch: it was 12:08 p.m. My entire cooking time was three minutes! Though, in all honesty, the chefs had not completely waited for me: the rice has been precooked and the peppers deep crisped.)

When I mentioned that the three dishes I’d prepared, and received a unanimous “not bad” rating on from the three chefs, could easily be a satisfying and very accessible meal in themselves, Quezada smiled and said that there is a concerted effort to make Red Sage offerings that appeal to a broad

range of clients ––even vegetarians, and to position the restaurant as “an everyday and not just a ‘special occasion’ restaurant.”

As for affordability, Quezada challenged diners to compare the restaurant’s food prices to anywhere else in town. Hartwell topped him by adding that he thought “restaurants in Santa Fe are overpriced ...$78 for a ribeye (steak)? Ours are $28!” All three chefs admitted that, coming from Las Vegas, Nevada, they had to adjust to local tastes and preferences. “You have to understand your market,” said Quezada, emphasizing the need to deliver “quality and value.”

And they certainly don’t need to worry about speed.

4-5 medium asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped1 ¼ cup Arborio rice¼ cup fresh shelled English peas2 tbs olive oil¼ cup white wine1 ½ cup vegetable stock salt & white pepper to taste

Simmer 1 cup vegetable stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add rice, stir until blended, reduce heat. In a separate pan, heat olive oil, ½ cup vegetable stock, white wine, salt and white pepper. Add risotto and mix all together, add peas, stir and serve.

serves 4

4 medium carrots, chopped6 small celery stalks, chopped1 lg white onion, chopped2 medium leaks, chopped1 fennel, chopped4 bay leaves1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

1 tbs whole white peppercorn3 qts water kosher salt, to tasteIn a stock pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil,reduce heat and let simmer and reduce down for 2 hours. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes, strain, pour into container and chill overnight.

I pour on lemon-infused oil and toss the peppers with smoked sea salt to finish.

Behind me; 3 Chefs. In front of me; Padron peppers, sautéed mushrooms and asparagus risotto.

AspArAgus risotto [vegAn]

vegetAble stock [vegAn]

Page 20: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

2 0 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

When a child is born, they are cute; look a little like a wrinkled little old folk, so we may look like that, but must go through many stages of

development, which is not obvious to untrained eyes (including parents, sometimes). “It’s up me. It’s always up to me”, bemoans the little 5 year old (about not being able to bring his own candy into the preschool and eat it there), having been trained to have personal responsibility since a toddler by none other than Miss Belle, the

“fairy queen of the classroom”, who uses frozen grapes as legal tender; like they were the edible

crown jewels worth behaving for, for sure...

and.....language c a r e f u l l y developed to “Talk So Kids Will Listen and

Listen So Kids Will Talk” (The

book to read !), thus setting the stage for

the use of

“ p o w e r f u l words” and methods for taking personal responsibility for one’s (at

this point; little) self and finding ways to navigate their lives. How does this work? Let’s take a walk into the pre-school classroom and examine some details. “Let’s talk about ‘Project

Kindness’”, states Belle, to the 2, 3, 4 or 5 year-olds. Some little person just hit another (hoping to feel bigger that way…..a big deal to these slow-budding pre-”Dolts”* (how my

kids unwittingly referred to ‘adults’...of course….but…funny)*. “If you want something, put your hand out and say, ‘l want (such and such)’. If a kid is in a hitting mood, put your hand up and say, ‘STOP’ and say,’ I am just playing here; I don’t want you to hit me’”. And the other kid often gets it; visually and ‘auditorially’ and with rapport built over time…. (move away or go to Belle if it looks eminent…teacher creates safety). “Before you can go out,’ you put (the train set) away. He (the new kid) sat down, “I don’t want to; I’m not doing it!” The other kid’s mouths drop and say, “You can’t say that” (to the Fairy Queen of the Classroom !). Belle says, “You can say that and part of getting (something) is to put the train away. He looked at the train and says “…this is boring…” “You can change that; put the train away. Here is how you get out of that and do what you want; you put away toys first if you want to go outside (a directive...’do this, do that’… doesn’t work...) ...is that jacket partially zipped, want me to help zip it?” “OK” ....then zip it. “I know how you can go outside!” You do?” Yes; you can put the toys away.” “OK”. The goal is ‘trust’: look into each other’s eyes, stay in the trance of the present moment. To kids, everything is ‘right now’, specify non-judgement, not labeling and using modeling; right

here, right now; parents come to pick up and kid is involved in an activity, but it is time to go; kid cries, “ I don’t want to...” (with no concept of time), so I say, “OK, you are really having a good time; you probably would like to play all night. I am not going to be here all night. I lock the doors. Here is an idea, “You can come back tomorrow and I will remind you and let’s go over to the freezer for a frozen grape. I get paid and so can you…for cooperating”. It’s not a bribe; it is ‘pay’; use of a model that we live with (pay for work), so they get a medal, at the end of the day... a reward for cooperating and being kind….and if the kid mis-behaves on the way out the door; have her eject it out to you on the spot…(tip #23)! If he eats it while misbehaving…remind them of your good memory….(tip #24).

The pros say….. be self-controlled, responsible to others, hard-working, orderly; impulse control, responsibility, orderliness, industriousness, and conventionality ( well I’m not sure about all that — this here writer’s note..) helps define what some call conscientious (sounds like we are not at pre-school anymore, folks, but let’s plow through anyway). “The compensation of growing old (is) that the passions remain as strong as ever, but one has gained ...at last! ; the power which adds supreme flavor to existence; the power of taking hold of experience, of turning it around, slowly, in the light.” ...that behind (all the stuff) is hidden a pattern; that we — I mean all human beings — are connected with this; that the whole world is a work of art; that we are parts of the work of art. Hamlet or a Beethoven quartet (..or some other less classical and yet powerful image...like eating well or dancing,

S U N R I S E - S U N S E T I N S A N T A F E

P H O T O & A R T I C L E b y T H O R S I G S T E D T

project Kindness

Page 21: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 2 1

etc..... author’s note...) is the truth about this vast mass that we call the world”. - (Who wrote this? Uh oh...not being very conscientious about research...oh well.....hmmm...still like it)....sorry... anyway, this is all about a cool new word that just grabs me....denouement; the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear....the final part (of a play, movie, or narrative) in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved. In other words, it is about time we older folks ‘Get It’.

So, what if we just did not ‘get it’ for so many years; struggled over the same old stubborn issues that just seem to keep coming back (addiction to substances or behaviors that were fun at first and became insanely attached to us until we....tum tum tum turn....’bottomed out’; a ‘system’

that has the direct benefit of scaring us into changing somehow...usually with help that we need...sometimes it only takes one person at a good time.... and maybe ask for; most of us don’t ‘quit’, we get ‘stopped’..)? No worries; just learn about gratitude and a set of (spiritual) values...honesty and truth; kindness and honor.... that seem powerful and use the tools that are all around us and are just begging us to incorporate them into

our toolbox or kitchen drawers; pretty much the same set that the fairy queens of the classroom put on our little tables by our little chairs and helped us feel, not BIG, but just.... right sized (and kind)!

Happy growing !!! You ‘…dolt’*

*as in, “you get to do that because you are a-dult..”

Page 22: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

2 2 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 f S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y

P U B L I S H E R S ’ T H O U G H T SP U B L I S H E R S ’ T H O U G H T S

The legendary comedienne, Joan Rivers possessed an uncanny ability to find humor in otherwise grim topics

like “aging”. She constantly approached the subject by admitting that she suggested that we “should never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century.”Rivers also quoted, “Getting older basically stinks!”. Body parts begin to sag and appear bagging as opposed to being supple or tight. Then there is the ultimate sojourn to the medical doctor, optometrist or worse yet the restorative / cosmetic dentistry specialist.

Most recently I felt the compulsive need to just check out different modalities on the current conditions of body parts . Never in a million years did I contemplate that my healthy gums would recede ever so slightly and my jaw shift just a millimeter. In your mouth, when the teeth don’t meet perfectly, the ever so slightly separation in your tightly clinched jaw feels like the chasm of the Rio Grande Gorge in Taos.

What else is demeaning is when the medical specialist peers over your medical chart and looks at you with a discerning eye and proclaims to anyone within ear shot….”well, you are getting older and things do dissipate with the years encroaching and adding up. What can you expect? “

What I can expect since I don’t “drink alcohol, don’t touch, inhale or snort drugs or smoke. “ is the best that life has to offer. Consistently I am a 7 o’clock AM girl at the local gym. Plus, I am very choosy about my food intake. For these efforts, I expect that everything should not only stay intact but I should experience a gentle positive improvement, like getting taller.. After all isn’t Piloxing, Pilates and yoga supposed to lengthen most everything instead of shrinking the height by an inch or two?

After all this contemplation, is it any wonder that the topic of conversation this month is CONSCIENTIOUS AGING? In fact, the subject is so comprehensive in Santa Fe with more mature people deciding to move to this land that the staff of the SF MONTHLY very well might decide to make the subject of aging an annual endeavor. That’s when we will expand the topic to include baby boomers and millenniums.

Residents of Santa Fe are engaging life with passion and purpose and attaching everyday with gusto. Read about 99 year old Isabel Mooney who is legally blind yet she creates lap quilts and works in her quilting studio from 4 to 6 hours a day. She has a thirst for living life and has no intention of slowing down.

Then there are Barbara and Walter Drew who are currently presenting a Creative Aging seminar at the Center for Spiritual Living, a method for initiating a life brimming full with passion, purpose and possibility.

Now for an explanation of the Publisher’s photo this month. First and foremost are the mechanical aids and gear that you commonly visit when stopping in a retirement center. They are purposely presented in a separate photo, not touching us as I don’t envision needing them in the near future.

As you read and enjoy this enlightening issue about the “new old”, I just know that you will wish for the SF MONTHLY to be an additional 24 pages of ah-ha’s. Instead get out there and taste, relish, smell the incredible brilliance of every day.

C L A S S I F I E D S

Photos by Lorissa J. Longfellow

Look for Our October TV Schedule

Channel 11-”Issues and Answers” with

Diane Kinderwater

Oct. 14 Wed. 6:30pm

Oct. 17 Sat. 7:30pm

Oct. 25 Sun. 2 pm & 11pm

Page 23: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

S A N TA F E M O N T H L Y f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 2 3

C L A S S I F I E D S

Please e-mail text to us at [email protected] providing credit card information. No telephone calls please.The deadline for the November issue is Thursday, October 15

M O N T H L Y M I N U T E SPlease e-mail (no phone calls, please) your copy written as a 100-word paragraph in complete sentences to [email protected]. Be sure to state what, when, where and who to contact for further information. Photos are welcome! Include the date of the event and its subject in the e-mail title bar. $50.00 charge per 100 words or less. Nonprofit organizations pay $30. Provide credit-card information with e-mail or fax to 505-466-4662. Deadline for the November issue is Thursday, October 15.

“Reaching the Deeper Self”Wednesday evenings for Four Weeks. October 28th thru November 18th, 7- 8:30pm. Course Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Bernardo Monserrat. Santa Fe Harmony Center, 27 Two Trails Road.Cost: $99, some insurance companies may cover.

This course will offer the students the opportunity to explore and heal life-long patterns that have sabotaged their Good.

BROKEN SADDLE RIDING CO.Walk, Trot, Canter or Gallop

Tennessee Walkers · Missouri Fox TrottersRide the Beautiful Cerrillos Hills State Park

Silver & Turquoise MinesSmall Groups · Private Rides

Knowledgeable Professional Guideswww.brokensaddle.com

In Cerrillos · 505 424-7774

[email protected]

(505) 466.7802Danette Shirley, Owner

NESTOR HANDYMAN SERVICESAND LANDSCAPING

NESTOR [email protected]

QUALITY, RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE

(505)316-1636 (SPANISH)(505) 920-8388

Page 24: Conscientious Aging - Dr. Lindsey Berkson · 2019-07-22 · Conscientious Aging THE WORLD CLASS MAGAZINE OF SANTA FE The New Old ... and building strong marketing relations with advertisers,

14TH ANNUAL ELDORADO ARTS & CRAFTS FALL SHOWSt. John’s United Methodist Church (the Pumpkin Church!)

1200 Old Pecos Trail at Cordova Rd · Santa Fe, NMFriday, October 16, 3-7pm

Saturday, October 17, 9am-5pm

2014G A L I S T E O S T U D I O T O U RT H E A R T A N D A R T I S T S O F T H E

2 7 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

OCTOBER 17 & 18, 2015

G A L I S T E O S T U D I O T O U R . O R G

1 0 A M - 5 P M • R T 4 1 & 4 2

f G A L I S T E O S T U D I O T O U R

Acr

yli

c p

ain

tin

g o

n c

an

vas

by

Am

y S

ea

love

M A P S A V A I L A B L E A T A L L S T O P S A N D O N - L I N E

10am - 5pmMap & Directions: www.abiquiustudiotour.com