This Elder Speak manual will take you on a deep, rich, and rewarding journey. It is a guided journey that includes the Elder, their family and friends, the Elder Speak Program facilitators and, eventually, the greater community.
The journey of Elder Speak is one of taking away layer upon layer of the dust and grime that cover the Elders' life experiences. Through repeated exploration from the questions asked, an Elder remembers long-forgotten details, including emotions, people, thoughts, and related experiences. The outcome of the exploration shifts from bare bones reliving until the essence of it gleams: it is the golden nugget; the wisdom piece hidden in the story. This is what the Elders share at the Elder Speak Community Event. This sharing of wisdom strengthens our communities.
This is a manual of two parts. Part I presents and instructs readers how to create an Elder Speak Journey of their own. This Journey leads Elders to discover their own wisdom. Part II presents and instructs readers on how to create an Elder Speak Community Event. In this Event, Elders share their wisdom with community. Part II contains detailed explanation and includes an appendix with forms for readers to copy and use for their own Event.
The Elder Speak film is a companion to the manual. It brings insight to the processes of interviewing Elders in such a way that their wisdom begins to reveal itself. We hope this film inspires you to embark on the Journey to Wisdom with the Elders of your community.
D-Litzenberger, Theresa: - Theresa was born and raised in Michigan and moved to Leavenworth, Washington in 1980 to live in a historical log house in the mountains. She married Richard two years later. Together they opened a bakery alongside their home, using a 7-ton masonry oven in which to bake so that Theresa could live her passion for bread baking. Twenty-two years later, Theresa began a new adventure attending Barbara Brennan School of Healing for four years and received her Certificate of Healing. Simultaneously, she worked at the local independent bookstore until 2020. In those years, she joined as staff The Ripple Foundation. Together with Deb Pobst, Theresa began the Elder Speak Program.
Pobst, Deb: - Growing up in a remote farming community on the South Fork of the Nooksack River, Washington, Deb roamed free as a child. Her Elder neighbors, Tom, George, and Johnnie Nesset became the most important influences in her life. They shared their life wisdom freely through stories, and by example. This created the foundation that guided Deb toward Elder Speak. Deb earned a Bachelor's of Science from the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, studied Transformational Breath, ran a healing practice for 10 years, and volunteered for 5 years at Little Bear, working with the Elders of the Lummi Nation. She is a founding member of The Ripple Foundation. Deb lives in Plain, Washington with her husband Dennis. They have two grown children, three grandchildren, a dog, cat, horse and burro. Deb loves hiking, skiing, gardening, reading, being part of the Elder Speak Journey, and best of all, her grandchildren Renn, Conan, and Juan.
