Contemplative Play – Do these words even belong together?
For our (not-trying-too-hard) purposes here, what if we played with “contemplation” as a simple slowing down? A resting attention on what Is. A notice-notice-notice approach to everything — even play.
And play? Let’s say it’s imaginative, silly, unstructured-structured, messy, solo-together letting go of the Very Important worries that plague the day.
So, when we’re feeling the ache of, “This all just hurts too much,” or, “I’m just so sad-mad-scared,” what if we turn our full attention, even briefly, in the direction of contemplation of a different sort. Not just prayer, candles, and soft music. Not deep breaths and meditation alone.
A shifting of our active, noticing attention from the Right Now that is overwhelming and disheartening, to the Right Now that is silly, soft, colourful, musical, and maybe even a bit mischievous?
Holy Mischief? What are you even talking about?
We learned about holy mischief and sacred idleness from Margaret Guenther. While the phrase might conjure up images of sacrilegious saints or wayward nuns, holy mischief might be something about subverting the ordinary in order to make room for something extraordinary. It’s a creative, light-hearted, and often humorous way of pushing back against the status quo and making space for love, kindness, and wonder to flourish.
Holy mischief invites people to reconsider their assumptions and priorities, reimagine their routines, and rediscover Hope in unexpected places. It’s the kind of playful irreverence that can turn a mundane moment into something deeply Real. True. Holy. It’s about stepping out of the rigidity of the ordinary and embracing the playful side of life. It’s the small moments where we throw off convention in favor of something equally authentic and loving.
We engage this funny little muscle in our journeying inward toward play that is contemplative: We live in a world full of assumptions, and many of them go unchallenged. Life can feel so solemn and alarming and unmanageable. By practicing some gentle rebellion against our own assumptions about the seriousness of our own life would it be possible to build some healthy resilience in playfulness practice?
Contemplative play or avoidance? Sometimes numb is just so good.
The Goodness of contemplative practice is that it takes popular mindfulness to new depths. Sometimes we need to take three deep breaths, re-set our vagus nerve, and let our minds go empty. Letting go of stress, anxiety, and frustration is good mental health care.
When we talk about contemplation, we’re make space for all of that, and we’re sinking even more deeply into what is going on for us interiorly. So, Yes! to releasing stress, fear, fury! And, let’s pay focused attention to what is compelling those reactions in us. When we offer our disquiet some loving attention, we can listen for what our thinking, feeling, and body self actually need in the moment. Sometimes it’s not a simple letting go at all. Sometimes there’s action to take…contemplatively!
More than just simple distraction or numbing, could contemplative play be a way of engaging with the world (in all of its beautiful-ugly), finding meaning in the moment, and even rediscovering creativity?
When the world is on the wobble and feelings are BIG, it can be easy to reach for all kinds of numbing agents. T.V., gaming devices, substances, food — whatever helps us feel better. Contemplative play offers the relief and reassurance our souls are longing for without the need to dissociate from anxiety, sorrow, fear, and anger.
But what exactly is contemplative play, and why should we make time for it? Let’s jump into the ball pit of contemplative fun and explore how it can benefit our Very Serious, grown-up lives.
What Is Contemplative Play?
At its core, contemplative play could be about engaging in activities that allow you to be present in the moment while also encouraging reflection and personal insight. ‘Less rushing through tasks, or competing to win; ‘more fully experiencing what you’re doing with curiosity and a sense of wonder.
We could think of it as a balance between play and reflection. The play part might involve a creative activity like painting, crafting, or even something as simple as building a puzzle. The contemplative way comes when you notice. Just notice. Slow your attention and let yourself observe, reflect, and absorb the experience. Where are your thoughts taking you? What do you feel in your body? Do you have any emotional feelings in the moment?
No need to fix, solve, or rescue. You don’t even need to comfort yourself (or those you are with). Simply notice what shows up when you engage in playful idleness.
Unlike traditional play, which may be goal-oriented or competitive (like playing a sport or a video game), contemplative play emphasizes exploration and mindfulness. There’s no need to rush, and there’s no need to “win” or “finish” anything. The relaxation and relief rest in the process itself.
Why Contemplative Play Matters
You may be thinking, “I don’t have energy for play—I’m too stressed!” Ooof. That. Our thinking selves are working very, very hard to help us solve, resolve, refute, and dispute! Like, do we ever stop thinking?
We recently participated in a guided meditation practice that invited us to imagine our thoughts as television shows, or movies. Turning our attention fully to the thoughts scampering (careening? tilt-a-whirling?) around in our busy brains, the facilitator said, “Now, imagine that you are holding a remote control. Can you click it and change the channel?”
This is a bit of the holy mischief that contemplative play has to offer. Our thoughts are our thoughts; maybe sometimes we can just give the clicker a nudge and change the channel?
‘Imagining a T.V. remote uninteresting? Perhaps your thoughts are more like an orchestra and you’re holding a conductor’s baton? Maybe your thinking self is a canvas and you’re holding a paint brush?
What would aid your thinking self to simply shift its attention from the busy-stressed-anxious-overwhelm to Something Different?
8 practices that invite the sacred idleness and holy mischief of contemplative play
Eight seems quite limiting…and decidedly unplayful. In fact, limiting the list kind of stomps on contemplation, too! But perhaps these ideas will offer some happy pathways into your own unique exploration of contemplative play:
Grab some crayons, markers, paint brushes, sidewalk chalk — all of the colourful scribbling things! Pick a canvas: a wall, a walkway, a journal, a page in the back of your favourite book. And splash some colour around. Without agenda or perfection. Just Be With colour.
Dig in the dirt. Like, really get in there with your bare toes and fingers. Feel the earth and find a worm; notice the changing behaviour of the birds around you as you upend the soil. Watch a beetle for a minute or two.
Knit. Sew. Cross-stitch. Weave. Feel the fabric, the tools, the creation unfolding.
Build something with your own two hands. Not aiming for perfection, you’re exploring texture, sound, smell. Notice: what is it like to focus in on creating, just for the sake of creating?
Sit under a tree. Sit IN a tree! Find a hollowed-out space under a rock overhang and climb on in. Make up a story about who you are and why you’re there: are you fighting dragons? Fleeing danger? An explorer making new discoveries? Be With the You that has some surprising fairy tales to tell.
Play with toys: Toss a Frisbee, swing on the swings, get muddy in the sandbox, haul out the bean bag toss. Contemplative play encourages us to reconnect with a sense of wonder, curiosity, and openness. Maybe play is not just for kids. Could it be for anyone who wants to (needs to?) bring a little more lightness into their life.
Get into a sport or an online game. Build a community of people around you that are looking for the boost of shared silliness. Notice what it’s like to be you when you’re just enjoying human connection in playful places.
Crack out the Play Doh, your button maker, or stack of old children’s books (Have you heard about our Story Weavers retreats?). Revisit some of the not-so-serious things that gave you joy as a little kid. Without judging yourself at all, what memories burble to the surface that feel a little bit free? It’s okay if hard memories come up, too. Turn your attention toward those fully when they arise. Remind your brain, your heart, and your body that you’re not back there any more, and wonder, “Do I have any lighter memories of this time?” Then, stay with those in the same way, letting your Being know that, right now, you are safe, resting, playing, and wishing for a Hope-filled life.
Contemplative Play on the Go
Space to explore doodling, daydreaming, or constructing something with our hands isn’t always available. Wouldn’t it be bolstering to engage our inner playfulness on the fly? When we’re reaching for Hope, or even Peace, are there ways we can be with ourselves, and each other, that are a kind of sacred idleness, or holy mischief?
Could it be that part of this deepening practice begins with how we think about play? Perhaps even allowing our thinking to shift from taking ourselves and our lives so very, very seriously to getting deeply curious about the creative wellspring that is within each of us? As we engage in contemplative play, will we notice that we don’t need to be “good” at these activities to benefit from them? The aim is not perfection but exploration and fun. ‘That as we engage in the silly of our humanness we simply become more…human. But in a weirdly divine way.
Slow down and check in with yourself throughout your day. Where are there moments or hours where you can engage this practice? When you’re absorbed in a creative process, your mind has room to wander and explore thoughts, emotions, and insights that you might not have had space for during your busy day. Whether you’re rearranging a collection of rocks or writing in a journal, the act of play invites you to reflect on your feelings, thoughts, and aspirations in a way that feels gentle and non-judgmental.
How about giving yourself permission to enjoy the simple act of being present, creating, and reflecting—without any need for outcomes or achievements? Whether it’s through art, nature, or quiet moments of reflection, contemplative play invites you to reconnect with your inner Wonder, spark creativity, and reduce anxiousness. If you find yourself in need of a break, consider diving into a moment of playfulness — or even just a thought about playful You. Your mind, soul, and body will thank you for it.
