The Play Revolution
On January 1, at 3:00 in the morning, Patrick, the girls, and I bundled up and piled into the frigid car for a long drive to the airport. The excitement was palpable; we spent the time acting like (Patrick may kill me for sharing) “My Little Ponies.”
I was Fluttershy, Patrick was Spike, Abriella was the leader, Rainbow Dash, and Dabney Rose was Twilight Sparkle.
Who has this much fun at 3:00 am?
A family about to board a plane to meet the grandparents at Universal Studios Orlando! Their Christmas gift to us and the trip of a lifetime.
This week of play unveiled some profound spiritual truths for Patrick and me. I will share just one here.
I have heard from many that:
"Our culture sits in front of screens way too much!"
We have become too serious. Paddling upstream, we have lost our ability to connect human to human, and our frustration levels are higher than ever.
Do you see this too?
Perhaps you are being called toward your own Play Revolution.
When our children were young, we followed the Waldorf philosophy.
One idea in Waldorf is that children learn best through play. In daily school life, they learn that cooking, cleaning, nurturing, and gardening are joyful, and they tackle these tasks with creativity and play. We witnessed that when given time to play, kiddos and adults, tap into our inner creative and inner guidance system. A type of flow state results and timelines stretch and blur. Young children (1-7) by nature are often living in this type of flow state. Linear time is a construct that is part of our cultural domestication and fitting in. Yet, in those rare moments, during play, our spirits peek out, and we experience creativity and joy.
Can you remember the last time you felt in the flow?
Maybe you were on vacation, immersed in an art project, playing a sport, dancing, or deep into a project that inspired you.
In that state, remember how you felt.
When we get into a Flow State, the brain produces higher dopamine levels. Dopamine is the “happy hormone,” which leaves you joy-filled and motivated!
Prioritizing time to get completely lost in something has been scientifically proven to create joy! And for years, science has concluded that happier people have better markers in almost every area of health.
In my experience when I get lost in play, I let go of my concerns, laugh more, and become immersed in a state of presence, flow, and gratitude. Play allows us to reach states in waking life that are similar to what we experience in deep meditation.
What we focus on, we bring to life.
Are you ready to start a PLAY revolution in your life?
Consider this, you still go to work, care for your family and household, and take care of your responsibilities. AND, you will consciously sprinkle in several hours of play each week!
How to start?
Our family has a Sunday ritual called family putter days. On Sundays, the only thing planned is Patrick’s class, otherwise, the calendar is free. We often spend the day around the house following our bliss: art supplies fill the floor, we take naps, read books, talk with friends, and cook for fun. We started our Play Revolution when the children were very little, one day a week. This gives us enough time to fall into a couple of flow states and see where they take us.
Patrick and I, consciously remind ourselves that each moment is a gift and that our best life takes FULL advantage of remembering play and presence in each moment.
How you will decide to embody the Play Revolution?
Share with us your experience as we collectively make a stand for our souls to flourish, our creativity to sparkle, and our joy to guide us into this new year!
