I’m 80 years old, however, I don’t move like an 80-year old. Why? Because all my life I’ve kept moving.

Once I let go of my root substance addiction, to cigarettes (VERY hard to do), at 40; once I was no longer undermining my own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being each time I lit up, I was able to recognize, as I’ve constantly reminded my usually much younger friends ever since, that THE BODY IS PRIMARY.

Why? Because without a well functioning body, once you find yourself as a male elder or female crone (assuming you are consciously aging, i.e. truly learning from your experiences), you will not be able to be of service to the world. Instead, you will “end up” (when? at 50? 60?) completely absorbed by the body’s various ills, aches and pains, eventually degenerating into — I hate to say it, but it’s too damn true — a parasite upon society, rather than a contributor.

In my own life, besides eating well and getting enough sleep, I make sure to get in two full hours each day of what I call “physical culture,” which, for me, means one hour after breakfast walking with puppy Shadow (3 to 4 miles), and another hour of yoga, chikung and taichi, broken into two sessions, one in early morning, the other late afternoon.

(If I have a plane to catch at 7 AM, I will get up at 3 AM, to make sure I get my practices in prior to leaving the house. That’s what I mean when I say “the body is primary.”)

If ever there was a need for authentic elders/crones in society it is now, when the connective tissue that binds humans together is disintegrating, at an ever increasing rate; instead, each of us alone, even when sitting or walking together, stares at a screen which simulates that tissue, creates an ersatz connectivity; meanwhile, we breath tainted air, eat processed food, drink poisoned water, sugary drinks and alcohol; prioritize money over meaning, hedonistic pleasure over inborn purpose — plus submit to dangerous, even deadly pharmaceutical and technological intrusions!

Yuck!

Here’s a sterling example of an authentic elder/crone; at 96-years old, Judy Young (her real last name?!) inspires everyone with whom she comes in contact.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/finish-like-judy-96-year-old-swimmer-and-gold-medalist-shares-her-secret-to-health_4990044.html

It begins:

“A lifelong swimmer who is still competing at the age of 96 has become an inspiration for not allowing her age to stop her from taking home gold.

“Native New Yorker Judith “Judy” Young was born in Brooklyn. She has two sons, aged 68 and 70, and today she lives in an independent senior community in Jamestown. She is an unusual resident; up to three days a week she can be found at her local YMCA in a one-piece and goggles with the masters swim team, training for her next competition.

“‘Swimming is definitely responsible for my good health,’ Judy told The Epoch Times. ‘I can only inspire others by their seeing how active I am able to be.'”

_____

And it’s not like she doesn’t experience the effects of aging. Indeed . . .

“Judy’s goal for 2023 is to regain her strength after two surgeries in the summer of 2022. She is ‘doing well,’ and looking ahead to the summer Senior Games.”