Notes from an Almost 87-Year-Old Psychologist
3 ways I work with aging to stay engaged with life
Dear friends,
At eighty-seven, the questions people ask me have changed — and so have my answers.
What follows is a short do-list.
Three ways I work with the realities of aging in order to stay engaged with life.
I work with the body I have in order to keep moving forward.
My spine carries significant compression, and some days include strong back pain. Other days feel easier. I meet this by listening closely, pacing myself, and moving with care. Attention to the body allows me to remain mobile, present, and engaged with life.I stay oriented toward contribution in order to give my days direction.
Aging sharpens the question of usefulness. I hold a clear intention to support unity, kindness, and shared ground. I look for ways — modest and meaningful — to encourage connection, cooperation, and respect. Contribution keeps life oriented forward.I practice self-care in order to have more to give.
Care begins with words and continues through action. Each day, I speak kind and encouraging language to myself. I also choose actions that nourish me — movement, nature, rest, enjoyment. Caring for myself expands my capacity to care for others.
There is one more practice that ties all of this together:
I use the past as a teacher to move ahead with skill.
Looking back with curiosity reveals how to act with greater wisdom next time. Learning completes the loop. Forward motion follows.
Regret is what remains when the lesson goes unused.
I don’t claim mastery of any of this.
I practice.
I forget.
I begin again.
Begin with one practice and let it guide your day.
If you wish, you’re welcome to write back and share which one you’re working with.
Golden Light,
Dr. Richard Louis Miller
1-minute mind control (my latest book)
Traditional mindfulness and meditation techniques often require a huge investment of your most precious resource (time) without guarantees of results.
My own version of mindfulness—what I sometimes refer to as “mind control”—can be mastered in much less time if you commit to regular 60-90 second practice throughout the day.
Breathing. Witnessing. Changing the channel on negative thoughts.
I’ve honed these techniques over a lifetime of personal and professional practice, and now I’m sharing them with the world.
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My Other Books:
Psychedelic Medicine at the End of Life: Dying Without Fear (release date: November 5)
Freeing Sexuality: Psychologists, Consent Teachers, Polyamory Experts, and Sex Workers Speak Out
Psychedelic Wisdom: The Astonishing Rewards of Mind-Altering Substances
Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca
Integral Psychedelic Therapy (co-edited with Jason A. Butler & Genesee Herzberg)