Category: Mindfulness

Children's Play, Connection, Early Childhood, Education, Life, Mindfulness, Philosophy, Play, Poetry, Self-Care, Spiritual

A World Without Play?

Renee

What would it be like in a world without play?

Wouldn’t it be boring, dull, dark, and gray?

What would we see when we looked around?

No shapes, patterns, nor colors would be found?

There wouldn’t be any grief or any sorrow.

There wouldn’t be any hope for tomorrow.

No hobbies, no interests, there’d be no joy.

No games or toys, for adults, girls and boys.

No curiosity or wonder, no where to wander.

There wouldn’t be anything for us to ponder.

No creativity and no imagination.

No inventions, nor great explorations.

No books to read or stories to write.

Would we even have both day and night?

In a world without play, what would happen to all of creation?

Wouldn’t we lose all of our sensation?

Wouldn’t we lose all of our emotions?

And what would happen to all of Earth’s oceans?

What would happen to all creatures, both big and small?

Wouldn’t all of nature just crumble and fall?

Would we be able to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel?

How would we know what could or could not be real?

We would have no knowing, no intuition.

No sense of belonging, no connection, or even religion.

No beliefs, philosophy, or any spirituality.

We wouldn’t even have any sexuality.

We would not be fully conscious,

Have no awareness to fully process.

What would happen inside of our brain?

Wouldn’t we all just go insane?

Howard Gardner, Mildred Parton and B.F. Skinner,

Erick and Joan Erickson, and Bronfenbrenner,

John Dewey, Vygotsky, and Jean Piaget,

What would they all have to say?

“The Father of Kindergarten,” Friedrich Froebel,

Most likely would say that we live in Hell.

Malaguzzi, Gerber, Steiner, and Montessori,

What would happen to all of their theories?

Has anyone read or listened to Dr. Peter Gray?

What would he think of a world without play?

Or what about Einstein, Freud, or Carl Jung,

Doctors Stuart Brown, Walter Drew, or Sir Kenneth Robinson?

Without any of these many theories,

Where would they, or all of us be?

Would there even be any education?

Would we have any communication?

Play isn’t measured on standardized tests,

But play is how we all learn the best.

In a world without play, there’d be no careers.

From physicians, lawyers, construction, and all engineers,

To teachers and healers, artists and musicians,

Even military, government, good and bad politicians.

We need to shout it out loud, for all to hear.

“Play is nothing that we need to fear.”

Millions have talked and wrote about play.

It’s not something that will just go away.

From doctors, professors, and scholars,

To many theorists and philosophers,

Even spiritual leaders, mystics, and seers.

There are so many play pioneers.

Our children are here to remind,

That play can be so easy to find.

Look within and let out your inner child

To find strength, calm, and your wild.

Play is structured in our DNA.

It’s innate, it’s natural, for us to play.

It’s part of our spiritual and human design.

To move, dance, love, and to explore our mind.

It is definitely time to shift the play paradigm.

Play is the revolution.

Play is part of the solution.

Play is part of our evolution.

In play, we find our purpose, passion, our role.

That is our meaning, that is our goal.

It’s not possible to have a world without play.

This is what drives us each day.

Play is for all of us, from birth to old age.

We need play in order to survive.

We need it in order to thrive.

Play is what helps us all feel alive.

Play is for learning, our health and well-being.

Play is what gives our lives full of meaning.

So, you see, play is something that we cannot resist.

Because, in a world without play we wouldn’t exist…

Mindfulness, Play

Mindful Eating

Renee
If you’re mindful about what you eat, how you eat, and when you eat, you don’t need to diet.
-Renée

I figured this would be good topic to discuss right after the Thanksgiving holiday and right before the winter holidays and festivities. Mindful eating.

Most of us stuff ourselves, gain weight, then work hard to get it back off through spring up to summer.  We bring mindfulness to our daily lives from taking breaks, having mindful minutes, breathing, and meditation. So, why not just take a step back and bring mindfulness to our eating habits. Not just through this time of year, but all year around.

We listen to advertisements and others opinions what’s good or bad for us and what’s healthy or not. We all know what is and what isn’t by now. If we just listen to our body we can manage to eat better, healthier, and wiser. It’s all about knowing what your body needs at the right time. It’s about what you eat, how you eat, and when you eat. Even throwing in some kind of detoxing and/or fasting routine for the unhealthy stuff we consume. 

Along with this, be mindful during mealtimes. Instead of “your eyes being bigger than your stomach,” eating too fast, or scarfing down your food, take the time and slow down. Enjoy your food. Get the right portions your body needs. Take in all the essence of the food with your senses. Feel the textures and listen to it as you’re preparing it, the cutting of the knive into the vegetables you might be slicing or the sounds it’s making while it’s cooking. Feel the difference of textures from raw to cooked. When looking at it, notice the colors of the food. Smell the food, smell all the ingredients/spices you might be adding to your dish. Then of course, as you’re eating, slowly taste each ingredient as it enters your mouth. Notice the texture of the food in your mouth. This is a good way to slow children down that are fast eaters and want to shove their faces.

At meal times you can discuss what they think it smells like, what colors they see on their plate, and what they think it tastes like. I’ve done this with groups of children I’ve had in the past and currently. They really delight in it, it gives them a chance to talk while enjoying their food at meal times. They’re actually learning a lot doing this, as well. From using their senses, learning colors (for the young,) to social skills. It may even ease them into trying new foods. Make it a new habit, or add it to your mealtime ritual.

Another thing I would like to add, it’s okay to play with your food, respectfully. For children, as long as they’re still eating, there’s nothing wrong with them playing a little, they’re learning through their senses about their food.