elders’ Rites of Passage
Elders’ rites of passage (EROP)
The Elders’ Rites of Passage (EROP) is a five-day intensive retreat that serves those beginning or already on the eldering journey. Eldering like all of life, has its own seasons, beginning with the most socially active and energetic eldering years, through the release of roles and responsibilities, the lifting of the eye to a broader more distant horizon, and the dawning of the Holy Fool within. The EROP holds all these seasons of the Elder, tending to each in turn.
Thus for some the EROP serves as an entrance into the journey, and for others it is a deepening of work that has been ongoing for a long time. Using ritual, story, time in nature, council, and image, participants are invited to harvest all that has been, sit with death, practice deep listening to the cries of the world, and discern what is theirs to do (and not do) in their final chapter. It is an encounter with life and death that is uncontainable, and calls one deeper into their own story as well as The Great Stories.
After the EROP one finds they have been ushered into a community of Elders, who have gone before, and are welcomed into a council of elders in which the work began can continue. In the end, how each Elder chooses to bless the world is as varied as their fingerprints, but one thing in common is that one cannot elder alone- there are no solo journeys into the sunset, eldering is a communal experience.
The EROP is a program hosted by Illuman of Washington and is designed specifically for men ages 65-80.
erop details
Step One – Take Stock
The EROP is not just another event to attend. It is a decision that for many comes out of a sense that they are ready for to release an old way of life and begin entering a new era in their evolution. Discern what your gut is saying, read, pray, listen, discuss this shift and call with friends both young and old. Review the application and all the EROP pages on this website.
Step Two – Submit Application
Go to the registration page, for further details and to complete and submit your Elders’ Rites of Passage (EROP) application. After the phone interview, if accepted, a full confirmation package will be sent to you with further instructions for preparations and payment. You can also get started on the rest of the registration process right now if you don’t want to wait.
Step Three – Get Started!
The EROP is less a five day event, and more a process which involves preparations, the 5 days onsite, and ongoing work afterwards. Thus there is no time like the present to begin your own EROP, even if your actual rites might be some time in the future. Consult the preparations page for thoughts on how you might choose to approach this.
There are two options for preparing for the EROP, which varies only in intensity. The lesser intense default option will have you do some writing and a bit of reading. The other option includes this, and much more. The EROP Journey, is a 12 session course with readings, council, teachings, and ritual work that will support you both before and after the EROP experience in at Ekone Ranch. More information will be sent to help you choose which option is the right one for you.
I live my life in widening circles
that reach out across the world.
I may not ever complete the last one,
but I give myself to it.
-Rainer Maria Rilke