At Seek, we talk a lot about the true integration of mind, body, and spirit. More specifically, we inspire folks to constantly grow in each of the six areas of focus to become their happiest and healthiest selves. These include movement, nutrition, sleep, spirituality, connections, and intention. I’ve been focusing lately on the concept of "movement as play” and realized that one of the reasons it is so effective is that it hits on three levels, not just one.
“Movement as play” is the ability to find joy in spontaneous and natural movement, just as our children do. For some, this may be a living room dance-off, for others a swim in the ocean. For me, it often manifests as a quick game of basketball with my six and seven-year-old boys or a game of tag with my three and four-year-olds. The point is that we end up moving our muscles and elevating our heart rates with the multitude of associated benefits and without any of the mental activation energy of having to “exercise.” Furthermore, I find it satisfies my craving for connection and mindfulness as I will explain.
If you are anything like me, you love your children and crave a dynamic and meaningful relationship with them. You are not, however, particularly stimulated by playing Candy Land again or eating more pretend food from their kitchen. And as we know from modern science, despite our best efforts at connection, we are often distracted within minutes by our mysteriously addictive smartphones and the little dopamine surges they offer. When we make the decision to physically (not just mentally) engage with our children, it requires that we put our phone aside and commit to the experience. I find that my children can sense the difference by a certain joy that arises within them. And I feel a relief that I don’t have to be doing 200 things at one time, if only for ten minutes. I believe, that this may be a truer manifestation of the buzzword “mindfulness” than many of its more picturesque representations.
This is what “movement as play” looks like for me due to my current stage of life. If your life doesn’t involve a handful of little ones running about, please do find your play in a way that brings you joy and connection. I suspect your loved ones may be as inspired as my children as they see you put down your phone, put on your sneakers, and join them for a game of pickleball, a long walk, or whatever rings true for you. And as always, keep seeking!