What might it be like to play more often? Where are opportunities to add play to your day?
Play can mean inviting a sense of lightness and experimentation. On a walk, you might stray from a clear patch of sidewalk to take crunchy steps through the fall leaves. In the kitchen, you might playfully tinker with an old recipe or invent a new dish, guided by a spirit of curiosity. Play can be delightful to the senses, thrilling, exhilarating, fun - even a little scary. This summer, two friends and I happened upon an empty playground; we did a lot of running around and giggling, but there were also moments of fear as I tried my hand at the monkey bars, uncertain if my grip would hold. On my first attempt, I slipped off - a short drop, no big deal - then tried again. I remembered this had happened as a kid, too. The mix of fear and excitement. The falling. The eagerness to try again.
For kids and grown-ups alike, play is often about exploring boundaries, dipping a toe outside our comfort zone, seeing what happens when we try something new. It doesn't always turn out, but that's okay. Play is all about the process – the unfolding of discovery, moment by moment – without requiring a particular outcome. In other words, play is a wonderful encapsulation of both mindfulness and creativity. It has the non-striving of mindful awareness plus the experimentation and discovery of the creative process.
In our November Mindfulness & Creativity drop-in, we'll explore being a little more playful in our mindfulness practices. We'll consider what happens when we let go of seriousness, and bring play to the creative process. What might we learn from play - about working with fear? About releasing the inner critic? About living more fully?
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
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