Explore how to live the later stage of your life fully, with joy, creativity, and awareness. In this class, we consider these years of active aging as an opportunity for discovery and growth, in contrast to the ageism that pervades our society and associates aging only with decline and disability. We will discover ways to cultivate a richer social existence, and the opportunity to learn from one another and share optimism, laughter, tears, and new insights.

Current Course Offering, Fall 2025

Introduction to Wise Aging
4 sessions, Mondays from 2:30-4:30pm (PT)
Oct 23, Oct 20, Oct 27, Nov 3, 2025
Hybrid class: In-person at HAMAKOM and via ZOOM
All are welcome! You do not need to have taken any previous Wise Aging courses in order to attend this class. This course (or its equivalent) is the required prerequisite for taking any other Wise Aging course in the series.

Locations: 
HAMAKOM
Social Hall Annex
7353 Valley Circle Blvd., West Hills, CA 91304
and Via ZOOM (link sent upon registration)

Instructor:
Valerie Edwards

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

PURCHASE TEXTBOOK

Course Description:

In this introductory course in the Wise Aging Series, we explore the key background concepts that will enable us to profoundly change how we view the later stage of life. Instead of seeing aging only as a time of inevitable decline and loss, we choose instead to view this stage of life as a time of opportunity, spiritual growth and deep meaning. We engage in the powerful practices of mindfulness and life review, as well as the cultivation of spiritual qualities, in order to transform our lives into the rich journey towards becoming Wise Elders. We draw on text study, discussion, meditation, journaling and other practices that  help us on our way to finding our most authentic, joyful and mindful selves.

​Study texts will be provided. Participants may wish to acquire their own personal copy of  “Wise Aging: Living With Joy, Resilience and Spirit” by Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thal, from which much of our Wise Aging curriculum is drawn. This spiritually and emotionally uplifting book will enable you to deepen your experience of this and subsequent courses. It is available here.

This course (or its equivalent) is the required prerequisite for taking any other Wise Aging course in the series.

During each class, readings and/or exercises may be assigned. The readings may be from the “Wise Aging” textbook, and also from other sources drawn from the great wisdom traditions, and which will be provided.

Courses in the Wise Aging Series

Introduction to Wise Aging

In this introductory course in the Wise Aging Series, we explore the key background concepts that will enable us to profoundly change how we view the later stage of life. Instead of seeing aging only as a time of inevitable decline and loss, we choose instead to view this stage of life as a time of opportunity, spiritual growth and deep meaning. We engage in the powerful practices of mindfulness and life review, as well as the cultivation of spiritual qualities, in order to transform our lives into the rich journey towards becoming Wise Elders. We draw on text study, discussion, meditation, journaling and other practices that  help us on our way to finding our most authentic, joyful and mindful selves. The textbook recommended for this classes is “Wise Aging: Living With Joy, Resilience and Spirit” by Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thal. This course (or its equivalent) is the required prerequisite for taking any other Wise Aging course in the series.

Wise Aging: Living With Joy, Resilience and Spirit

In this course in the Wise Aging Series, we explore the later stage of life through topics that include reflecting on our life stories, relating compassionately to our changing bodies, cultivating spiritual qualities that can sustain and uplift us, building nourishing relationships, and living with loss while finding light and purpose. We draw on text study, discussion, meditation, journaling and other practices to help us live more mindfully, authentically, and joyfully. The textbook recommended for this classes is “Wise Aging: Living With Joy, Resilience and Spirit” by Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thal.  Participants are required to have taken "Introduction to Wise Aging" (or its equivalent) before being accepted into this class.

Wise Aging: Getting Good at Getting Older

With an expanded consciousness about aging, we continue to reject the declinist view of aging in favor of a positive mindset of creativity, renewal and joy. We delve deeper into the tools and techniques that are key to aging wisely, and which help us reframe our vision so as to see ourselves more clearly on the path to becoming Wise Elders. In this class we refine and expand this knowledge about wise aging more fully, and explore ways to put it into practice. This course covers topics that include The Wisdom of Rituals; Impermanence; Cultivating Spiritual Qualities; Getting Ready to Let Go; and Moving Forward With Joy.  The textbook recommended for this class is “Getting Good at Getting Older” by Richard Siegel and Rabbi Laura Geller.  This warm and practical book underlies the curriculum for this course. Participants are required to have taken "Introduction to Wise Aging" (or its equivalent) before being accepted into this class.

Wise Aging With Movies

In this course we explore the later stage of life through the story-telling power of movies.  We use the powerful and insightful techniques of movie plot and character analysis to help us, along with text study, meditation, discussion, journaling, Tikkun Middot (Mussar) and other practices. For each session, a film is assigned and a set of readings are provided. Participants are encouraged to watch the films on their own and to complete assigned readings, because we use the assigned films and readings as the basis for our discussions and mindfulness practices.  Topics covered will include The Hero's Journey; The Opportunity Paradigm; Body, Mind and Identity; Emotional Sobriety; Impermanence and Facing Death; and Life as Spiritual Curriculum. There is no textbook for this class. Readings will be provided. Participants are required to have taken "Introduction to Wise Aging" (or its equivalent) before being accepted into this class.

Wise Aging: Gaining Clarity, Finding Meaning

In this course we continue to expand our consciousness about aging. As Wise Elders in training, this stage of life comes with key developmental tasks that we need to accomplish and deep questions that we need to answer.  In order to answer these questions truthfully and authentically, with courage and wisdom, we need inner clarity-- but there are obstacles in the way of our gaining inner clarity. In this class we identify and investigate those obstacles, engage in practices for wisely de-conditioning them, and explore new ways of seeing clearly. Inner clarity gives us freedom to follow what is true and meaningful and to live the remainder of our lives with purpose and joy. As always, we reject the declinist view of aging in favor of a positive mindset of creativity, renewal, and joy, and we continue to explore the tools and techniques that are key to aging wisely and that mark the path of the true Wise Elder. There is no textbook for this class. Readings will be provided. Participants are required to have taken "Introduction to Wise Aging" (or its equivalent) before being accepted into this class.

About the Instructor:

Valerie Edwards, now a HAMAKOM member, was a long-time member of Shomrei Torah Synagogue. A devoted spiritual seeker, Valerie has been engaged in contemplative practices and the study of wisdom traditions for over 40 years. Valerie holds a Wise Aging Instructor Certification from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and has been teaching Wise Aging courses since 2017. She hosts HAMAKOM's Cinema Journey Film Series, teaches Wisdom Journey courses, and is a co-leader of the Shabbat Contemplative Circle. Valerie was a professional orchestral musician from 1972 to 1994, and an urban planner from 1990 to 2022, and is now retired. Her mission for this stage of life is to live and age wisely and joyfully, and to help others do the same.

More About Wise Aging

(From Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thal)

A growing number of people are devoting themselves to this fascinating and creative work, which aims to reframe what it means to grow older in our society.  Contemporary Western culture provides little support or guidance for the journey some are calling Second Adulthood, The Third Chapter, Encore, or Prime Time. This stage of later adulthood allows us to appreciate more fully our lives as a gift of time, and to acknowledge this time as all the more precious because it is limited.

The ageism that pervades our society, and associates aging only with decline and disability (which we call the Declinist paradigm), works against many older people’s natural drive to continue growing and deepening in later life. In contrast to this view, we consider these years of active aging an opportunity for discovery and growth (the Opportunity paradigm). 

Swedish sociologist Dr. Lars Tornstam proposed a theory of positive aging that he called gerotranscendence: breaking through the limited perspectives and awareness that characterized our younger years. In earlier stages of life, we are by necessity focused on a largely individualistic agenda, achieving an education finding a job establishing ourselves in a career, raising a family. In later life, we begin to understand that our lives are deeply linked to our past and to history that goes back even before our birth. Likewise, we are connected to an unknown future that we are in the process of creating. During these years, we learn more about ourselves, appreciating our complexity, accepting our limitations, and developing a new kind of inner confidence and wisdom. We enjoy fewer, but deeper relationships and find pleasure in solitude. We are less interested in material possessions and freer to be ourselves, even in the face of social conventions.

Perhaps the most important opportunity at this stage of life is to engage in the inner, spiritual work that requires a passage from constant doing into the cultivation of being.  While the concept of spirituality can mean different things to different people, in general we may say that it is the search for something greater than the material world we can see with our eyes and understand with our rational minds.  Rabbi Arthur Green speaks of it as an inner life where a person reaches beyond their individual self to link with all other selves and to the single Spirit or Self of the universe which we might call ‘God’.

Why do we need spiritual practices? It would be nice to assume that a person becomes wise and compassionate just by gaining years, but that isn’t always so. For many people that growth must be fostered by spiritual practices adopted and followed in a disciplined way, practices which are intended to develop our awareness and mindfulness. To this end, Wise Aging encourages contemplative practices such as meditation, journaling, walking in nature, reading poetry, and listening deeply to a friend. Similarly, Wise Aging incorporates ideas that are present in all the great spiritual traditions, drawing on wisdom texts not only from Judaism, but also from Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.

So welcome to the club of thoughtful wise agers! We believe the experience will enrich your life and deepen your relationships with those around you. Our society aches from the lack of the voices of wisdom of its elders. Indeed the nature and quality of our lives on this planet depends as much on the wisdom gleaned from our experiences, as it does on the energy and discoveries of younger generations. Our voices, ripened with time and experience, must be heard. We may protest or lobby or speak out, or we may display our power through the way we are: loving, generous and wise. We are a blessing!

Elders are the wisdom-keepers who have an ongoing responsibility for maintaining society's well-being and safeguarding the health of our ailing planet Earth. They are pioneers in consciousness who practice contemplative arts from our spiritual traditions to open up greater intelligence for their late-life vocations. Using tools for inner growth, such as meditation, journal writing, and life review, elders come to terms with their mortality, harvest the wisdom of their years, and transmit a legacy to future generations. Serving as mentors, they pass on the distilled essence of their life experience to others. The joy of passing on wisdom to younger people not only seeds the future, but crowns an elder’s life with worth and nobility.  — Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller - “From Age-ing to Sage-ing”