Day 47: Into the woods to meditate

One of the categories on which I’m rating each day’s play activity is ‘resemblance to play’, and this whole 100 Days of Play thing is intended to be an exploration of play. That means that some of the activities are going to be a little outside what might be traditionally thought of as play – but at the very least I’m testing for myself if they are play.

I suspect for many, this will be one of those days whose focus is considered to be outside the normal definition of play. On Day 47 I ventured out into the forest to find a secluded spot to meditate!

So if you’re one of those people thinking ‘that isn’t play’, I might gently ask you to really consider how you’re defining play – and why you are defining play at all. To me, play is an approach and a mindset, and you can bring it to bear when cleaning, or at work, or in times of hardship.

In fact, I think meditation by necessity has to be playful. When I don’t approach it with curiosity and an open mind I find myself thinking ‘Am I doing this right? Is it working? Have I reached enlightenment yet?’ When I’m able to let go of that, to approach meditation with lightness, delight and a timeless, effortless feeling, that’s when the practice really starts to bear fruit.

Try it for yourself. Sit in silence for ten minutes, focusing gently on your breathing. See if you can have fun with it, enjoy it. If play is the opposite of boredom then meditation is the true test of your playful self!

The problem with introspection is that it has no end ― Philip K. Dick

Ease of play: 4/10

Resemblance to play: 3/10

Aggression: Low

Speed: Very Slow

Enjoyability: Low-to-Medium

Potential frequency of play: High