at integral naked there’s a discussion on Play as Practice. below are some of my thoughts on the subject… of course, i’d love to hear yours!
let’s play! let’s get down in the mud, roll around, get ourselves dirty, and pee in our pants just the tiniest bit from laughing so hard!
let us celebrate this opportunity to share our ideas and stories and opinions and beliefs. let us laugh outloud as we read and write, a smile curling about our lips, the face of confusion or contemplation taking our features for hostages… transforming our bodies into clear expressions of that which is moving through. fully engaged, let us be seduced by the flavors and sounds and textures and magic catching our attention. let us follow our sensations sharing the ground of discovery with our open eyes and curious minds, diving into the deliciousness of Being. oh, yes, let us play.
play is vital. rather than it being something partitioned off as separate from “normal” life, let’s imagine it as a basis of one’s mode of operation. DavidD quotes J.P. Carse:
When we are playful with each other we relate as free persons.
relating in the world as a free person touches a fundamental core of our essence. once tickled at the core, this quality of relating has potential to permeate our thoughts, emotions and actions.
for me, play is the heart of doing. for example, moving through the motions of making cereal for breakfast can be a task to be completed or one can play while making the cereal, engaging in the delight of the present moment — hearing the Fruity Pebbles fall into the bowl, watching the milk pour, feeling that suction as the refrigerator pulls the door close upon being shut, noticing the cereal swishing around as it’s carried to the table. on the surface it all looks the same, and yet the flow of the experience is free and playful, a simple act has become fun. play is the heart that brings action to Life.
It is, in fact, seriousness that closes itself to consequence, for seriousness is a dread of the unpredictable outcome of open possibility. To be serious is to press for a specified conclusion. To be playful is to allow for possibility whatever the cost to oneself. ~J.P. Carse
i really appreciate this line. i wonder, how do you define seriousness? to embrace the Practice of Play, it seems important to recognize when we are not at play, to recognize when seriousness is stealing the show and collapsing possibilities.
as always, it’s a treat to play with you in this world of words and thoughts!
(big smile)
in my excitmnet of the moment i forgot! (bummer) but i will remember next time. oh and i forgot to add that they were washable markers (ha)
Mmm, I’m so glad I stopped by at this happy place for a few minutes this weekend! Here’s some more from the playful genius who is J. P. Carse (I know you like these Ashley):