For many of us, the years leading up to sixty have been consumed with doing. Raising children, building careers, navigating mortgages and relationships, keeping pace with a world that seems to move faster each year. In all that busyness, it’s not unusual for deeper questions about purpose, meaning, or faith to be put on hold. There simply hasn’t been time. But as we step into this next stage of life, something often shifts. Space opens up, whether through retirement, a change in routine, or simply the wisdom that comes from lived experience. And in that space, questions of spirituality often begin to surface again. 

It doesn’t always mean a return to traditional religion, although for some, that is exactly what happens. People raised in a particular faith sometimes feel a pull back towards it, not necessarily because of a sudden conversion, but more often as a kind of reconnection. A familiar rhythm of ritual or community that once felt restrictive may now offer comfort or clarity. Places of worship may become places of reflection. The hymns or prayers that once felt rote can take on fresh meaning when viewed through the lens of a life that has known joy, struggle, loss, and growth. 

But spirituality after sixty doesn’t always follow a familiar script. For others, it might mean stepping away from organised religion altogether and turning instead to a more personal sense of the sacred. This could be found in nature, in meditation, in music, in acts of kindness, or in quiet reflection. It’s not always about belief in a higher power, but about feeling part of something larger than oneself. The beauty of this stage in life is that there is no longer the same pressure to get it right. We’re allowed, perhaps for the first time, to explore what feels true for us, without trying to fit into a box. 

There is also, quite naturally, a growing awareness of mortality. Not in a grim or fearful way, but as a simple fact. More of our life is now behind us than ahead. That can feel sobering, but it can also bring a kind of focus. The question of what it all means begins to take on a different weight. We might find ourselves wondering not just how to fill our days, but how to live them well. What legacy are we leaving, not just in a financial or familial sense, but in terms of who we are and how we’ve treated others? 

For some, these thoughts are expressed in a renewed interest in philosophy or poetry. For others, it’s about finding peace with the past and making sense of the road that brought us here. It may involve rituals or practices, or it may be something as simple as walking each morning and taking time to notice the world. It might mean praying again, in a quiet, uncertain sort of way. Or it might be about sitting in silence and listening to what arises. 

What’s important is that this journey inward is deeply personal. At TurningSixty, we don’t presume to offer answers. We’re not aligned with any one tradition. But we do believe that this period of life invites us to ask deeper questions, and that doing so can be enriching, healing, and even joyful. Whether you’ve been devout all your life, turned away from faith long ago, or never given it much thought, now might be the time to pause and ask what spirituality means to you. 

There’s no need to rush the answer. Like everything else at this age, it’s less about proving something and more about discovering it. If nothing else, it’s about being present to the wonder of being alive, and being open to the idea that meaning might still be found in unexpected places. Whether in a church pew, a garden, a line of poetry or the sound of the sea, we each find our own way. 

And perhaps that, in itself, is a kind of faith. 

Sources

State of Ageing Report Centre for Ageing Better