Photo by Anne Geddes

As we remind ourselves that we are not separate nor apart from the divine mind of Christ, we also need to remember that a consciousness of Christ does not die – because it is not of the world.

A consciousness of Christ is not merely within us, we are in it, living and moving and having our being in its agelessness, beauty and grace.

It is not simply that we grow old depleted of wisdom and energy and fortitude, but we grow stronger, wiser, and more powerful, as long as we are disciplined, determined and devoted to Spirit.

In Life is For Loving, the late Eric Butterworth says:

“Life cannot grow old. God is life –
in us, through us, expressing as us.”

Eric says that what is called “old age” has not come about through any toxicity of age itself.

Diana Nayad in her mid-60s: after her swim from Cuba to the U.S.

“Age is not a disease but an expression in consciousness.”
He teaches us that the poisons that deteriorate our bodies are only in the flesh realm of consciousness, but Spirit is not limited to the physical realm.

Age is the advancement of new opportunity through the victory of remaining here and now.
Every acknowledgment of the birth of Christ is also the acknowledgement of news souls realizing God as them.

Ernestine in her 70’s

In The Longevity Factor, Lydia Bronte says we’ve added 15 years to our lives.  I say, we have added even more in the Spirit.  But where do these years go?  At the end of life, patching on additional days of suffering and confusion?  Or in our most vibrant adulthood, where we celebrate our bodies growing stronger and healthier and our minds embracing spiritual truth in a powerful new way?

Ernestine training her shoulders

Ernestine “Ernie” Shepherd transformed herself from an average middle-aged woman to bodybuilding diva at age 71.  She began weight-lifting at 56.  She also competes in 5K and 10K races and run marathons. She rises at 4 A.M. to get in 10-mile runs and sometimes puts in upwards to 80 miles a week when training for an upcoming marathon. She also strength trains four or more days a week.  Timelessness takes place at the point at which we know that we are one with an infinite source that defies age, and space, and time.

Rev. Loving

When I tell people that next year, I will be celebrating my 40th high school reunion for Cass Tech in Detroit, they are shocked.   Slowly, I adopt Eric’s teaching that “my age is none of my business.”  To dwell in the realm of age is to dwell  in a consciousness of limitation.  God is not old, God is ageless.  In the image and likeness of agelessness, we are not limited by the stress of negative toxins or worldly disease unless we want to be.

Deep in my mother’s silvery white hair roots are new black hairs grown in fearlessness.  I am stronger than I ever was in my 20’s or 30’s because I have learned over the course of time to exercise the right muscle.  I practice the presence by unlearning what I have learned.  I return to the core roots of simply being in the realm of pure possibility.

In Star Wars, the oldest Jedi Yoda teaches that  “Fear is the path to the dark side… fear leads to anger… anger leads to hate… hate leads to suffering.”

Yoda

Yoda fights better than the other Jedis, even though he is around 800 years old.  Luminous beings are we, he says, not this crude matter.  We are not of the world.  We are of Spirit.  The light is the illumination of God that never falters and grows brighter and more significant with increased use and improved understanding.

Dear Mother, Father, Ageless God of Perfect Health and Perfect Peace and Perfect Love, we redeem and restore our commitment to radiate your lasting grace in the perfection of our bodies exuding you and the wisdom of our minds channeling you and the power of your love shining through our agelessness.  I stop huffing and puffing and running from time, oh Lord, and wrap myself in the joy of your grace.  I wash myself in the pool of your prayers, cleansing deep places where the toxins of fear linger.  I liberate myself from the dark side of worry, and the dark side of anger, and the dark side of fear.  I suffer no more the foolishness of believing that I am less than because I know I am more.  These are my prayers that fall from the heart of your love with the anointing of new days.  Thank you for the truth that my soul is constantly renewed in you.