By Sabrina Chaw, host of the Resilience and Renewal in Your Third Act Summit

If you could wield a magic wand that could soothe the suffering and remedy the ills that our planet and our global family are now experiencing, where would you find that wand? What power would this wand have? Does this wand even exist?

Rest assured, this wand does exist. 

This wand is your truth, as a woman over 50.

It's you, as well as other women over 50 who want to emerge from the past few months of sheltering-in-place and unrest more resilient than ever: emotionally, physically, and spiritually. You desire to weave the lessons learned into your "new normal" and reimagine yourself by harvesting the wisdom of your years and deepening your connection with yourself, with Nature, with community, and with what it means to live the third act of your life. 

We are not here to just learn how to survive these times. We are here to transform them.

Women coming together creates the power of this wand, especially women over 50, who are in a better place than ever before to defy society's myths about youth and beauty, and redefine what love, true beauty, and success is... and the courage it takes to get there. We then empower each other by empowering ourselves.

We come together by listening to the wisdom of our elders and the wise souls who have a message for us in these turbulent times. We come together by knowing that we matter and that we truly make a difference in the world. We start by making a difference in our own world, and by living the life we yearn for.

The Resilience and Renewal in Your Third Act summit, which I’m privileged to host, is where we gather to watch and listen to our elders and wisdom keepers, receive the powerful tools to transform our own lives in the third trimester of our life, and regenerate our lives in the ways that deeply nourish us, enliven us, and inspire us. I invite you to join us from June 15-19, with 36 incredible women who know what it's like to walk the path of this generation, and who have forged a path forward for those yet to come.

Women pioneers such as Lynne Twist, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Anodea Judith, Bernadette Pleasant, Sandra Ingerman, Sarah Crum, Judith Kravitz, Sharon Salzberg, Carol Orsborn, and many more are here to support you in creating a life of resourcefulness, replenishment, and rebirth in these uncertain times.

You’ll explore profound teachings and leading-edge practices to optimize your health, sexuality, relationships, economics, community, and connection with Nature and the Divine so that you can live with more confidence, peace, love, and meaning after 50.

The message you’ll embody after the summit is: 50 isn’t the new 30, it’s a brand-new chapter. It’s a chapter that I write. It’s magic that I create. 

Our world needs us. We need us. Let's discover our magic together.

You can register for free for this free 5-day summit here.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “The Master Key” by Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit, is one of the most profoundly important books I’ve ever read. I can say that it’s life-changing with complete confidence, because it changed my life before I even finished reading it. I was so impressed with this book that we are serializing the section called “One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light” in future issues of Catalyst. You can read the sixteenth installment (as well as the previous ones) here.
— Phil Bolsta

The uplifting stories in this issue’s “The Nicest Thing” section come from Sabrina Chaw, the host of the Resilience & Renewal in Your Third Act Summit, and two other summit speakers: meditation pioneer and bestselling author Sharon Salzberg… and Ashanna Solaris, a co-founder of Clarity Breathwork.

You’ll also hear a wonderful story from shamanic teacher Evelyn Rysdyk, whose new 7-week course, Norse Shamanic Practices to Restore Emotional & Physical Wellbeing: Find Harmony Amidst Challenge Through the Creative Regenerative Energies Within You, begins Tuesday, June 16.

 Finally, we’d love to hear your answer to the question, What activity or skill would add an exciting new dimension to your life? To share your thoughts in our Facebook Page community, click here.
 

And the beauty of a woman, with passing years only grows!
— Audrey Hepburn

Hello, this is Sabrina Chaw, CEO of A Feminine Feast and your host for the Resilience and Renewal in Your Third Act Summit. 

We are in unprecedented times. As a woman over 60, if I listen to the news, my body, my life, my world feels more threatened than ever. The news aren't encouraging. Yet, if I listen to my soul, I know I'm the one who creates the news, my news, and as women in our third act, we have the wisdom to know how to unlock ourselves after the lockdown.

The word “corona” means crown, and in this new era before us, we are claiming our crown. For women over 50, it's time. We know we aren't here to just act in accordance to our surrounding circumstances, but we are here to shape them.

To watch this 4-minute video and read the rest of the text, click here.

President's Note from Stephen Dinan

While this issue is dedicated to an exciting Summit this week, we wanted to continue sharing valuable resources with you around transforming racism. We hosted 30 speakers this week in the free Transforming Racism Facebook Live Series, which was amazing. I felt particularly blessed by hosting sessions with Elaine Whitefeather, Spring Washam, J. Manuel Herrera, Lawrence Ellis, and Grandmother Flordemayo. If you haven’t heard of Elaine, she offered a particularly powerful transmission of deep, heart-opening wisdom, cut to the core of what we're facing as a world, and set it in a beautiful divine context.

You can watch all 30 sessions here: 

Elaine Whitefeather / Kaira Jewel Lingo / Spring Washam / Don Samuels / Grandmother Flordemayo / Shariff Abdullah / Rabbi Michael Lerner / Luisah Teish / Victor Lewis / Pastor Joy Johnson / Steven Newcomb & Shawna Bluestar Newcomb / Bernadette Pleasant / Dereca Blackmon / Arisika Razak / Grandmother Mona Polacca / J. Manuel Herrera / Dr. Micah Johnson / Gemma Benton / Michelle Johnson / Brandon Jones / Tamara Smiley Hamilton / Davey D Cook / Sister Jenna / Milton Reynolds / Lynice Pinkard / Quentin & Amanda / Lawrence Ellis / Roxy Manning / Piper Dellums / Louis Gossett Jr. & Sister Jenna

You can also watch these 20 archived interviews from our African American Wisdom Summit, and the 23 archived interviews in the Healing Cultural Wounds section of our World Peace Library. 

This week, we also watched 13th, an eye-opening and heartbreaking documentary that depicts the history of race, politics, and mass incarceration in America. Highly recommended. Yesterday, much of our team participated in a training called Seeing the Racial Water with Robin DiAngelo, the author of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism. I also recommend Robin’s half-day training (next dates are July 18 and September 12). Robin and author and historian Ibram X. Kendi explained how to become aware of privilege in this 6-minute segment on CBS This Morning.

Each week we are deepening our commitment to move forward in ways that honor BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and support that the global shift in race relations now underway leads to lasting, meaningful change. We invite you to do the same.

Click here to read our Company Statement regarding George Floyd and incidents of police brutality.

You’ll find more resources and information here and in the “Racial Justice and Healing” section in future issues of Catalyst.

Healing Our Nation: Addressing Systemic Trauma with Communities of Color

The recent senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have been devastating for our nation. These and related events have spurred a rising global awareness of a long-existing US public health emergency caused by ongoing racial injustice. While this health crisis has been apparent for decades to some in the healing and medical professions, we have not adequately or consistently addressed the ongoing USA public health emergency caused by racial inequities, racially motivated violence, and lack of appropriate handling for addressing grievances on racial injustice.

This joint letter on systemic racism, trauma, and health was signed by many, including Shift Network founder and president Stephen Dinan. To read more, click here.

Jane Elliott on The Rock Newman Show
Reflections on her famous "Blue Eyes Brown Eyes" exercise

Jane Elliott, known worldwide for her "Blue Eyes Brown Eyes" exercise, is an internationally known educator, anti-racism activist, and feminist. A day after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jane, then a third-grade teacher, created the "Blue Eyes Brown Eyes" exercise that has brought her international acclaim and notoriety (including family shame and death threats) for her courageous stand. This eye-color-based exercise gave white children the experience of being victims of the racism that is so pervasive in American society. Learn about this courageous educator in her own words on this episode of “The Rock Newman Show.” To watch this 57-minute video, click here.

The "Check Your Privilege" Challenge

Kenya Bundy is teaching thousands of people online that privilege exists — and why you should recognize if you have it. To watch this 3-minute video, which was featured on Good Morning America, click here.

The Athletes Speak

In these essays from The Players’ Tribune website, professional athletes share their harrowing experiences about and profound insights into racism.

Do You Believe Me Now?
By Gary Sheffield, baseball superstar

The first time I experienced police brutality was in 1986, when I was 18. I was with my uncle Dwight Gooden — the Michael Jordan of baseball at the time — and some friends... As we were leaving in three separate cars, we were all pulled over without cause. The police detained my uncle — put him in cuffs and slammed him face-first to the ground.

Black People Are Tired
By Dawn Staley, South Carolina’s Women’s Basketball Coach

Just watch, when that police officer goes to trial, watch how they can flip it. Now they’re going to go through George’s autopsy and see if there were drugs in his system. They’re already talking about previous health complications. Come on now.

That Could Have Been Me
By Maurice Cheeks, NBA coach

The officer jumped out of his car and yelled, “Get off your bike. Stand up and put your hands behind your back.”

We’re Just Trying to Get Home
By Usama Young, retired NFL player

The first time that the police put me in handcuffs and sat me down on the curb for display, I was 12 years old.

Dear America
By Lisa Leslie, basketball Hall of Famer

I have a black husband, son, brothers, uncles, cousins and nephews. I stay in prayer in hopes that the men I love don’t come in contact with the police. 

Silence Is Violence
By Mark Fraser, professional hockey player

When I was 33, a GM who was looking to sign me asked his team captain if I’d be “bad for team morale” because I was black.

Y’all Hear Us, But You Ain’t Listening
By Tobiah Harris, basketball player

We have normalized this to the point where it’s common to see videos of people on social media being bashed by officers. For people who want to make this about anything but race, it’s like, Dang, do y’all really not understand what’s going on here?

The Master Key
By Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit

It's 1972 in the industrial city of Xiangtan, China. A frail child with a heart condition sneaks into a hotel boiler room and befriends the elderly yet vibrant attendant, who eventually reveals his true identity as a revered Qigong master. He heals the boy and, for the next 13 years, secretly teaches him the keys to unlocking the spiritual and healing dimensions of the Life Force.

It sounds like a modern-day fable, but the story is true. And with The Master Key, that grateful student, Robert Peng, invites all of us to enter the next chapter of this empowering path. Here, Master Peng brings together the unique insights of his teacher with the moving account of his own journey.

Click here to read the sixteenth installment (as well as all the previous installments) of this profoundly moving book.

In this special video series, prominent authors, speakers, thought leaders, and others answer the question, “What is the nicest thing a non-family member has ever done for you?”
 

Sabrina Chaw's Story
CEO of A Feminine Feast and host of the Resilience & Renewal in Your Third Act Summit

EXCERPT: So I was running up the stairs, my house stairs, and a sudden wave of panic came over me. I had left my purse on that park bench and realizing that the likelihood of seeing my purse again was increasingly slim as time passed, I ran, ran, ran higher and adrenaline back to the park. By the time I reached the park being an asthmatic, I was severely out of breath. I hurried as fast as I could for the remaining say, 200 yards to the park bench. As I got closer to the bench, came into view, my purse was gone. So, exhausted, I just collapsed in front of the bench. 

To watch the video and read the transcript of Sabrina’s life-affirming 9-minute story, click here.

Sharon Salzberg's Story
Meditation pioneer and bestselling author, and a featured speaker in the Resilience & Renewal in Your Third Act Summit

EXCERPT: I think I would choose the time that my goddaughter chose me as her godmother. She was three or four years old, and I had known her mother somewhat, and we were friendly and I met the little girl. Her name is Willa, then a little girl. She's not anymore. And later she told her mom, "Sharon is my fairy godmother." And her mother said, "You know, you have to ask." So they asked me, and I was so delighted and honored and I thought, "Oh, this is a nice gesture. This will be a great thing." 

To watch the video and read the transcript of Sharon’s delightful 3-minute story, click here.

Ashanna Solaris' Story
Co-founder of Clarity Breathwork, and a featured speaker in the Resilience & Renewal in Your Third Act Summit

EXCERPT: So I started to pray. And I started to imagine money raining down in my car, piling up on my car seats, filling my bank account. I just visualized the money. And I got home that night on New Year's Eve, and on my pillow in my room, in a beautiful envelope, it said, "Tee-hee-hee, we thought giving you $2,000 on 2000 would be so fun." And it was a check for $2,000 from the Angels. And I just cried thinking, I am supported; here it is. And these were true Angels in my life.

To watch the video and read the transcript of Ashanna’s 11-minute story about her own personal Angels, click here.

Evelyn Rysdyk's Story
Shamanism teacher for The Shift Network

EXCERPT: I had a group of students, and one who became a dear friend of mine and my partner, who got together and paid for a trip to send us to visit the polar bears in Churchill [Manitoba]. This was years ago. And at that time, that felt so out of reach financially. But they raised the money together and actually bought the trip. 

To watch the video and read the transcript of Evelyn’s 3-minute love affair with polar bears, click here.

"Adventures for Healing in the Dreamtime" Facebook Live Q&A with Robert Moss

Would you like to go on wild dream adventures in imaginal and mythic realms to places of healing, initiation, and creation? Bestselling author and dream shaman Robert Moss will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Thursday, June 18, at 10:00am Pacific to share how you can apply gifts from the dreamworld to empower your everyday life and shine through the dark times. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

"Advanced Qigong to Release Stress for a Balanced, Joyful Life" Facebook Live Q&A with Daisy Lee

Would you like to detox, heal, and revitalize your wellbeing for a balanced, joyful life? Renowned Qigong teacher Daisy Lee will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Monday, June 22, at Noon Pacific to share how you can deepen your Zang Fu Gong practice with sound healing, color visualizations, deep meditations, and powerful movements. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

"Reclaiming Original Goodness" Facebook Live Q&A with Matthew Fox

Would you like to learn how St. Thomas Aquinas’ philosophical works paved the way out of the plague-ridden Dark Ages and can illuminate the path for us in these days of uncertainty? Matthew Fox, a renowned activist and bestselling author of more than 30 books, will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Thursday, June 25, at Noon Pacific to share how you can build bridges out in the world and within you to rejoin what has been pulled apart — science from religion, masculine from feminine, “have” from “have not,” God from nature. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

Your Voice:

We want to know: What activity or skill would add an exciting new dimension to your life? To share your thoughts in our Facebook Page community, click here.

The Dalai Lama: Scientist
Documentary film

Eighty-five years ago, a little boy was born in a remote corner of Tibet. One day, miraculously, he was discovered to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, and he was soon carried away to the capital city of Lhasa to become the political and religious leader of the vast kingdom of Tibet. But the little boy had a secret, locked inside his heart. In "The Dalai Lama: Scientist," the Dalai Lama tells the unknown story, in his own words, of his lifelong journey into the world of science and technology, and how the world has changed as a result. With extensive, rare, and never before seen footage, this film tells the very human story of the Dalai Lama that no one knows. Click here for more information.

Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection
By Carol Orsborn, a featured speaker in the Resilience & Renewal in Your Third Act Summit

We who are old did not ask to be tested by time, to learn through our suffering or to become heroes. Transiting my seventies, I am overflowing with more emotions than I know what to do with. At once, grieving and celebrating—age-appropriate and well-earned. And what is it I’ve found on the final stretch of the journey? How magnificent this life we’re living, if only we let it be.” This fierce book of essays serves as both a record and instigator of profound spiritual growth. Click here to order your copy.

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race
By Reni Eddo-Lodge

Award-winning journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge was frustrated with the way that discussions of race and racism are so often led by those blind to it, by those willfully ignorant of its legacy. Her response, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, has transformed the conversation both in Britain and around the world. Examining everything from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, from whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge, and counter racism. Click here to order your copy.

Three Red Suitcases: A Southern Childhood
By Levonne Gaddy

Three Red Suitcases is the true story of a white-looking black girl as she transitions from 1960s racial segregation to the integration of southern schools; the challenges of her first job, at age 11, as the live-in caregiver for an elderly white woman; a rape; the death of her father and estrangement from her mother are all part of a past with which she struggles to make peace. Levonne easily engages the reader in a sad, funny, and poignant story of her childhood as she recounts a past marred by racism and the dysfunctional family life she left behind. Click here for more information. Click here to order your copy.

For several years, The Shift Network has hosted Indigenous leaders from around the world and invited them to share their sacred knowledge, rituals, and practices to guide us in a way of living that is sustainable, healthy, and just. We’re thus delighted that the Global Indigenous Wisdom Library makes this “virtual council” of leaders and their wisdom available for everyone, everywhere for free. The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a collection of audio and video interviews featuring Indigenous leaders from around the world sharing prayers, sacred songs, prophecies, spiritual teachings, and pathways to healing, as well as concrete examples for birthing a new era — one in which all members of the human family are treated with respect, understanding, compassion, and justice. This sacred wisdom is important medicine for us all.

The production of The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a gift from The Shift Network, designed to inspire, inform, and involve you by highlighting the voices and important messages of Indigenous leaders from around the world. We want to give a heartfelt thanks to Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr. (“Brother Phil”) for his partnership in helping create this Indigenous Wisdom collection. And we thank all the speakers who have contributed to this body of knowledge. To discover more, click here.

World Peace Library. Designed for the layperson and professional peacebuilder alike, the World Peace Library has over 425 audio and video interviews with some of the most remarkable, inspiring peacebuilders in the world available to you at NO COST. You’ll find hundreds of hours of inspirational, peacebuilding, compassion-spreading talks and trainings at your fingertips with this FREE global resource. There’s no way you can’t come away from the World Peace Library deeply inspired, transformed — and part of the solution. Click here to find out how to take peace to the next level — and help co-create a global culture of peace that leaves a legacy of good for our children, our children’s children and all of humanity and life on earth.

Book by Stephen Dinan: Sacred America, Sacred World. Infused with visionary power, Sacred America, Sacred World is a manifesto for our country’s evolution that is both political and deeply spiritual. It offers profound hope that America can grow beyond our current challenges and manifest our noblest destiny, which the book shows is rooted in sacred principles that transcend left or right political views. To order your copy, click here.

If you would like to submit something to Catalyst, please see the submission guidelines: click here.