Courtesy of the Manitou BeeHive
When we look around the world today, we might notice heightened levels of anxiety, acts of anger, rage or shutting down, or a general sense of unrest in ourselves and those around us.
How can we work to calm the effects of this dysregulation? Mindful play.
Play is an essential component for a healthy mind and body, as it allows us to engage our sympathetic nervous system while stopping shy of deploying our defense system, which comes in the form of a fight, flight, freeze or fawn responses.
Mindful play allows us to be present, calming our crazy monkey mind that leads to so much anxiety and worry.
Those of us who have witnessed dogs playing know that, sometimes at first glance, it may appear that they are fighting. But, on closer inspection, we see they’re engaged in play
How do they know the difference? Watch their eyes, their faces — they are constantly signaling each other that they are playing, that there is no threat and that they are safe.
Humans do the same thing through our own built-in threat radar: neuroception.
Science shows us that playing and being mindful may be the closest reality to the mythical fountain of youth. Mindful play brings us to the present moment and calms the storm of the worries we flood ourselves with.
Play is also a wonderful way to connect with others, which is essential for our nervous systems to thrive and allows us an opportunity to become aware and manage our condition changes.
For those of us in dysregulated conditions, play may seem like a threat in and of itself. It requires a bit of vulnerability: we may look silly, others might see, we may not know how to engage in new games or activities. Embrace it!
The study of play will show us that learning and participating in activities that are new to us promotes growth and allows us to thrive, as we are firing new neurons in our brains.
So go out and try something new: find some play partners, do yoga in the park, throw a Frisbee, play a game of catch, go to the drum circle, learn a musical instrument, play on a playground, go barefoot in the park, feel the Earth under your feet, try a handstand, be silly, laugh and smile … your mind and body will thank you for it.