Nondual Play

There is a myth that play is only for children. We associate play with the childhood development of discovery of ourselves and social relationships. We all have memories of playing by ourselves and with others of peek-a-boo or of tea parties, stuffed animals, toys and dolls and our imagination filled with possibilities and discovery.

However, for many of us, what is also true is that play was cut off abruptly in favor of a type of growing up or taking on the responsibilities associated with becoming an adult. Play then became synonymous with doing something that was not worthwhile or important; or even seen as indulgent and extravagant.

In the western dualistic model of childhood vs. adulthood, we have learned to be suspicious of play and the consequences and effects of play. We have learned to associate being an adult with being serious and hard work only and pursuing goals and play as something we only do in our off time such as a hobby. This dualistic perception of play could also have us semi-consciously pitting the serious work of healing and transformation as being in opposition to play.

However, play is truly nondual and it is actually extremely important for healing and transformation and life as a whole. We cannot be truly intimate with life if we do not have the ability to play. Play is vital for us to grow and change and transform and invite in new creative possibilities of relationship and expressions in life.

Without the capacities associated with play which include curiosity, change in perception, focus, freedom, vitality, choice, discovery ─ we are often locked into the past ─ and unable to perceive alternative ways to be in relationship with ourselves or others beyond how things have always been. Instead, we spend our lives making up who we are like gathering together scraps of cloth with a thousand threads and then hang on to these scraps as tightly as we can believing it is the whole of us. The unintended and sad consequence is we view anything new as suspicious and potentially dangerous.

However, engaging in nondual play allows us to engage with aspects of ourselves that are enfolded and less visible or available to us on a day to day basis and also encourages us to perceive the more familiar aspects of ourselves in completely new ways. Play can often succeed when engaging places of confusion and pain where dualistic approaches or attempts to heal would not work as well.

To choose to engage in nondual play is to choose to engage in ongoing intimate contact and play with all of life. To choose to engage in nondual play begins with us in our hearts, minds, bodies and to descend and awaken in life in the wonder and joy of the world.

In Brenda’s work with clients and in her writings and teachings, she engages in exploring and engaging with the ability to imagine and discover new possibilities and ways of relationship.

Here’s an idea: Go to the mirror. We all tend to notice the content of our awareness: the objects we perceive, such as our hair, nose, eyes, lips, wrinkles and so on. Notice them.

Now go a step further. How old do I feel? Are there different ages present? How old do I perceive myself as ‘looking’? Do I enjoy what I see? Do I not enjoy what I see? Now notice your breath, in and out a few times.

Now go one more step. WHO IS it that is noticing/aware of what you perceive in the mirror? Pause and Stay there, notice what happens.