Welcome!
In this first episode I’ll be speaking about Play.
What makes up the characteristics of play and how to live a more playful life and incorporate play throughout your day?
In Peter Gray's book, “Free to Learn” he shares, his definition of play and elements that make up the sense of play.
Five key elements of play:
1.) Play is self-chosen and self-directed.
It's voluntary, so that you can choose to participate or choose to not. There's an opt-in or an opt out. It is not forced. There is no coercion or manipulation. It is self-chosen and self-directed where the person is choosing to participate or not.
2.) Play is an activity in which means are more valued than the ends.
I invite you to wonder - how can you enjoy the process more in your body in whatever activity you're doing? How can you enjoy the means more than the ends?
3.) Play has structure or rules that are not dictated by physical necessity, but emanate from the minds of the players.
Play is not determined by some outside, external authority that determines the rules or structure. It comes from the minds of the players or something that they all agree to or something that they decide.
4.) Play is imaginative. It's mentally removed from real or serious life.
Our imaginations give us the capacity to use play to create a sense of fantasy and wonder.
We can imagine alternative possibilities of who we are. Such as today, I'm a pirate or an astronaut or ballerina or some other character and you can be that in the moment and it can be very playful.
As adults people, may enjoy going to Renaissance Festivals or fairs - where you can dress up as a fairy, princess, goddess, knight, or prince.
That's out of your ordinary routine, normal life.
5.) Play involves an active alert, but non-stressed frame of mind.
So, for me, I interpret this as relaxed engagement - where you're engaged with life, you're present in that moment.
You're coming from a non-stressed frame of mind.
When you're in this state you can choose more from this place and respond to what shows up in any given situation rather than reacting and coming from fear and contraction. You are in a more expanded consciousness. This embodied present open relaxed state of mind is an important element of play.
