The Quiet Power Of Eldership - Feb 26

05:24

05:24

The Quiet Power Of Eldership - Feb 26

Rated

5

Type

talks

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Everyone

Plays

60

In today’s 5 Minutes in Nature, Liz reflects on her inner call to step into eldership — even as she questions what that truly means. In a culture that rarely celebrates older women, she senses a powerful opportunity: to listen to and honour the depth, wisdom, and richness that elder women bring to the world.

Eldership Wisdom Community Nature Reflection Elder Woman Reflection Community Role Exploration Grief And Loss Palliative Care Support Ancient Wisdom Nature Connection

Meet your Teacher

Ivybridge PL21, UK

Meet your Teacher

Ivybridge PL21, UK

Transcript

Hello and welcome to five minutes in nature with me Liz Scott up on Dartmoor sheltering behind a gorse bush this time not because it's windy but because the rain has come in. It's been dry all day and I've been out for a couple of walks I just thought I want to get a bit of fresh air before darkness falls and as I stepped outside the grey clouds came over and it started to spit and spot with rain but I've decided to come out anyway and to take you up here into this bracing cold damp February day up on Dartmoor and my reflection today is a reflection I've had for some time and I'm trying to find words to articulate it and I thought I'm gonna share this today share my journey and it's all about elders and for me in particular being an elder woman now I'm not talking about old age I'm not talking about getting old I'm talking about this role of being an elder in society and for me it really feels like I've moved into that stage I've moved into that place of taking a seat at the table of being an elder a woman elder the only trouble is here I am in my late 50s is that there aren't really elders in our society or at least our society isn't really designed in a way that celebrates elder woman and yet my hunch is that in eras gone by thousands of years gone by in indigenous populations there is a place for the elder woman and there is some women that I come across in my friendship groups or with my line of work and I see them and I just think they are an elder woman and in a different era in a different age they would have been an integral part of a community and I'm going to tell you about one of my friends who really falls into this category and then I just want to explore a little bit more about what it feels like for me in this stage of life but my friend she's 10 years older than me and is an expert around the area of grief she's experienced some really traumatic times both her son and then her husband died in close succession to each other and she'd always been intrigued by the area of grief and of dying and suddenly she felt herself catapulted well and truly into this world one of the things she's endeavoured to engage with over the years is actually being part of a choir a small a cappella group of older women and this group of women they go into hospices and they sing to people at the end of life people who are in palliative care and these aren't jolly songs they're not even songs you would remember or recall these are almost like lullaby songs and it's beautiful to hear her work and it felt to me when I realized the work she was doing that the work she's involved with feels like it's a part of an ancient right of women older women elder women who would have held the space around death and dying and grieving and it's got me thinking I feel that I am drawn very much into being an elder woman and the truth is I don't really know what that means our culture doesn't seem to have a template it doesn't seem to give an idea or there aren't people who are held up in our society as elder women that I can go oh that's me but I really feel a strong urge to explore this to find out what it is to be an elder woman in my community in my society in my friendship groups what does that mean it doesn't mean that if you get older that you automatically become an elder in a community what I see is that there is a space for everybody in community but there is particularly a space for those who hold the line for love who are deeply rooted and grounded who become the elders in a community and I see that is potentially a role I am being called into it's just I don't know what it means exactly I'll be ever so curious what being an elder means to you an elder woman or an elder man but someone in a community that is taking that role of being an elder what does it mean to you I'd really be curious to know more about what you think on this I'll be back tomorrow with another five minutes in nature hopefully not in the rain I look forward to joining up with you again tomorrow

5.0 (20)

Recent Reviews

F

Felise

March 13, 2026

Thanks 🙏🏼 Liz A Capella is wonderful and what a glorious idea to sing lullaby’s to people passing. That is extremely sweet and gentle and feels like the way it ought to be. And your friend has weathered so much grief. 💚 I see an Elder as someone who has authority in a community, who is looked up to and respected , who offers counsel … like an extension of family. An elder carries the wisdom and knowledge and passes it to the young generation. It is the way of life here in Australia with Indigenous folk. We honour Elders past present and future and emerging. 🌟🙏🏼🌟

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Sandra

March 3, 2026

Thank you Liz. I live in a small village that has a large population of elders. A lot are very active in the community, volunteering at the many non-profits that were started by mostly women who, despite their dedication being appreciated the next generation of elders, including myself at almost 70, don’t want to step into this role. I teach yoga and in my chair yoga classes I am one of the youngest! These (again mostly women) travel a lot, are involved in friendship and community groups and living their best lives! I could go to anyone of them to get great advice so it seems times have changed/evolved 🥰🩵🙏

A

Alison

February 26, 2026

Interesting. I wonder if it's because "community" is much more diverse these days? Gone are the small village and/or church communities than would once have been the centres for multi generational community where I'm sure the Elder woman would have been of some importance. Now as our communities are much more fragmented, we don't have that ability to follow on from the generation before. I feel it's up to us to carve out those communities once more and be the example that we wish to see. Like you I'm not sure what an Elder woman looks like or does but it does feel as if it should be of importance that there are some, and they act as guides towards living in maturity.

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Debi

February 26, 2026

Elder status…grounded, available, listens always but speaks infrequently, slow to conclude. Maybe other things too, but I’ll have to think!