Understanding play and its relation to creativity

 

A Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity discussion topic

Copyright 2006 by K. Ferlic,   All Rights Reserved

 
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Understanding play and its relation to creativity
What Is play from a creativity perspective?
Creative play
Play in creativity and creative play
Play of the mind
Play of what is symbolized in the heart

Play of mind and the play of what is symbolized in the heart
Our creative passion and play of what is symbolized in the heart
The most creative state of play and the play of what is symbolized in the heart
Returning to childhood wonderment - “A place of wonderment and Ah”

Play can be a very powerful creative tool. Our greatest creative power and creative ability is accessed in play. Play can allows us to step out of mind to access information that is otherwise not readily obtainable.

Play as viewed from a creativity perspective and used here, although encompassed by the way mind normally thinks of play, play use creatively is not the what mind normally thinks is play. Play as normally seen or defined in today’s world has a variety of meanings. The following are some of those meaning. Play is: to engage in sport or diversion, to amuse oneself, frolic or gambol; To take part in a game of skill or change or gamble. To act in a way that is not to be taken seriously. To act or behave in a specific manner; To deal carelessly or to behave lightly or insincerely; To make love sportively; To move quickly or irregularly as if frolicking; To discharge or be discharged freely or continuously; To perform on a musical instrument; To give forth musical sounds; To perform or produce as a piece of music, a play, etc; To be performed or exhibited; To act on or as on a stage or perform; To act the part of or assume the character of; To pretend to be someone or something as to imitate in play; To perform sportively or wantonly; To oppose in a game or contest; To move or employ a piece or card in a game; To employ (a player) someone in a game; To cause or to bring about; To cause to move quickly or irregularly; To put into or maintain in action.; In angling, to let a hooked fish tire itself by maintaining pressure on the line; and finally, to bet or bet on.

Although all of these forms of play could be used in creativity in some way, most of these definitions do not emphasize the aspects of play most in line with the type and kind of play most essential form a creativity perspective. Relative to creativity, plays is not competitive, there is no winning or losing and there is no “goal” as such. The attributes of play for creative endeavors can be characterized as: amusing oneself; to act in a way that is not to be taken seriously; to be spontaneous, free, lighthearted, and continuous in one’s movement and free flowing..

What has been observed is that when we enter an unknown areas or a new aspect of life with the desire to explore the new aspect for understanding and/or gather a full range of experience, and we are free to go where you are drawn without the help of any guide or any outside influences, the focus of mind will seem to be scatter and move all over the place. It is much like that seen in a very young child The scattered chaotic pattern is part of the exploration.

When we are in play, our focus is free to be to wander to the most interesting thing or the next thing we need to experience. Our attention is drawn to the energy that is calling for attention at the moment. We are drawn to the next area as it catches our interest and, most importantly, we are free to go there.

What Is play from a creativity perspective? (Top)

Play as used in creativity, is about those activities and ways of being that allows us to be out of mind. That is we are out of the control of mind and in the spontaneity of the moment. We are free to able to step outside the judgments, opinions and biases of the mind to be free to explore the possibilities that are available us. The goal of play in creativity is to lose ourselves in play. In regards to being out of mind and losing ourselves in play, there are an infinite number of ways to be out of the control of mind. However being out of the control of mind really doesn’t tell one what play really is.

Some way to use play in our creative endeavors is discussed in the topic “Ways to use play in our creative endeavors.” The topic “Losing ourselves in play” discusses that losing ourselves in play really means.

From a creativity perspective, there are really only two ways to play. In many ways they are similar but yet vastly different. One is play as defined by the mind and the second is the play of what is symbolized in the heart. But before moving to discussed play of the mind and play of what is symbolized in the heart, it is appropriate to discuss creative play.

Creative play (Top)

The creative state of play is a very powerful state of being. Creative play is related but somewhat different than what is described above as play used in creativity. The state of play which contains the characteristics of the Source of Creation and the most creative state of being, to one degree or another, can be called creative play. It is the state of being from which we are born and carry into the world. In fact, it is our natural state of being. It goes beyond being free and spontaneous. Yet although it is our natural state of being. for many it is frightening because of how we lose the ability to be in this state of play. Rather, mind will mask what is found in the heart before it allows itself to feel what is symbolized in the heart and enter creative play. Creative play is any play which move us toward the most creative state of being and moving in an innocence and spontaneity.

The issue and need for creative play is about the fact that the mind which created the problem we face will not be the mind that can solve our problem. The issue is how to ultimately get oneself and/or another to freely play with the situation we face to find those creative solutions that go to the depth of the situation and address the root of the issue we face. If we do not get to the root, we will lack the creative power and creative ability to solve the problem we face. If unaddressed at the root, the issue will only return in a different way, if not the same way. The need for creative play is that no matter how creative and/or intelligent we claim to be, unless the issue we face lies in our particular area of expertise and the experiences we had, we will find ourselves usually looking to someone else to solve our problem. We tend to be creatively blocked outside our direct area of experience and expertise. But this only makes sense. What we desire to create lies outside what we have experienced. Our mind cannot takes us into the unknown and what we have not yet experienced. Mind only knows the past.

Creative play is to experience true freedom. It is to be able to say yes or no without influence  and threat of consequences. There are consequences to all our actions. Some are more enjoyable than others. However, the fear of consequences from external influences or internal past programming does not give freedom. True freedom is being free to accept the consequences whether or not we ultimately judge them good or bad. This includes the freedom of fear of potential pain In many ways innocence and naiveness are the only ways to guarantee true freedom. Hence the state of spontaneous and innocent state of childlike play as being the most creative state you can enter. Spontaneous and innocent play allows one to explore the options without taking any one of then seriously.

Creative play move us toward the play similar to that of a very young child. Creative play is about returning to a childlike play where the play is lead by the what is symbolized in the heart and out of mind. It move us toward the spontaneous and innocent childlike exploration and discovery of ourselves and our world before mind steps in with its judgements and beliefs. Child like play is lead by the body wisdom--those images, thoughts and/or feelings that arise from the nonconscious in response to the energy you experience without mind interjecting itself. Creative play is to move to a way of being that is fully aligned with our intuitive guidance allowing the heart to intend the direction which we travel and the mind attending to the details to make it happen.

Competitive play of any type will not do it. However, competitive play is a state of mind. We can play at something that could be competitive like a ball game, but only if we allow yourselves to step outside of our competitive mind and any desire to win.

In regards to creating creative play as with play described above, we need to look and observe our life to see what exactly is our natural way of playing that allows us to be spontaneous and innocent. It is to be able to be in spontaneous and innocent play that is natural to our being as much as possible. To get there we need to give ourselves permission to play and look to bring a spontaneous and innocent play into our life.

From a creativity perspective, creative play is about having the freedom of movement to explore in whatever way as appropriate and necessary the issues/situation at hand to discover the way or ways you could proceed to create what we seek. It is about following the intuitive guidance we get and being free to explore the limits and barriers imposed by mind in the way it characterizes our intuitive guidance. Because creation is a journey into the unknown, mind will be of limited help in telling us how to face them. We will have to consult our intuitive guidance as to the best way to get past the obstacle we face which arise in any creative journey. It is here the concept of complex integration and the use of metatheater and rituals can often be of assistant. They allows us to address issues in our creative imagination and find solutions that otherwise we could not address. Here our ability to enter creative play especially in our creative imagination becomes very important.

In this state of creative play, our intuitive guidance and honoring your intuitive guidance will keep ourselves aligned with the flow of energy. Only when we deny our intuitive guidance or refuse to honor it will you move away from the flow of energy. But we cannot take our intuitive guidance seriously and as a final answer or word on a subject. It only provides the direction you need to go. In this regard, because the attributes of play are more important than what is done, we need to understand and become aware of what activities in our life really allow what they do to be experienced in alignment with the key attributes of creative play. These activities will open the door for us to enter creative play and will help there to learn how apply creative play to whatever creative endeavor we choose to undertake. In moving into these activities we will be able to create a life that is continually creatively playful. In doing so, one will access heaven on earth in the here and now.

In regards to any discussion on creativity play we can look at the following phrases and terms as synonymous. Creative play = freedom of movement without any impositions of mind = freedom to honor one’s intuitive guidance = freedom to surrender to the flow of energy within one’s being that is manifesting the experience one is having.

Why would we want to relearn creative play? To answer this question, we only need to remember we create our experiences through the intention we set and hold. We only need to set the intention to create the experience to surface what we desire from the past. By setting the intention to become who we are and returning to a state of creative play, we can access who we are and why we have incarnated. By returning to a childlike play, we remember why we have come to play. In doing so we will see that we are consciousness/Consciousness at play. But this is something you will have to experience for yourself. (More on ..... accessing creative play)

When we look play to explore the unknown in pursuit of a creative endeavor, there are some “criteria” that are characteristic of creative play. If these criteria are met without them being controlled or forced by mind, we will enter a state of creative play. If we can enter a state of being in which these “criteria” can be met, our creativity will be enhanced and move us toward the most creative state of being. In looking for such a state, there is one state that we all have experienced in our lives that meet these criteria and that is the state of play of a young child of about one or two years old. These criteria are discussed in the topic “Creative play - the key characteristic of the Source of Creation.” Using the creative pay is discussed in the topic, “Using creative play

The “goal” of creative play, although creative play has no goal for goals are controlled by mind, is: (1) to get out of the controlling mind; (2) to be totally in the spontaneity of the moment to go where the flow of energy that is manifesting the experience you are having is leading as presented to us by our intuitive guidance; (3) to freely explore and discover where the energy is leading us; and (4) be free to explore the source of the flow of energy we are experiencing.

Play in creativity and creative play (Top)

Relative to play in creativity and creating creative play, there are really only two types of play. Each can be seen lying on the ends of a spectrum. One is play of the mind and the other is play of what is symbolized in the heart. Play in creativity being at the one extreme with play of the mind and moves along the spectrum and evolves into creative play. At the other end of the spectrum is play of what is symbolized in the heart and the doorway to the most creative state of being. The most creative state of being lies just beyond a full embracement of the play of what is symbolized in the heart.

Play of the mind is in essence any thing less than play of the heart and lies on a spectrum from the mind exerting no control or extremely little control to totally controlling on what happens such that there is, no freedom of movement, no spontaneity, no innocence. The important point here is which we direct our play. If we move toward spontaneity, freedom, innocence and the like, we move in creative play toward play of the heart. If we do not allow freedom of movement, spontaneity and/or innocence, we move more and more into play of the mind and play used creatively.

Play of the mind
(Top): Play of the mind is play which only occurs when it is within the boundaries of the mind. That is, the play in which we engage never allows us to leave what mind thinks and believes. It is creative only in the sense it allows us to use what mind already knows and rearranges it in new and different ways.

Play as used in creativity is directed toward a type and kind of play can allow one to step out of the controlling mind into a space considered by mind to safe and secure to explore new options and ways of being where it doesn’t leave its control. Although it is not as powerful as state as play of the heart, it nevertheless can be extremely useful.

The issue with creativity, mind and play used in creativity is that as we grow into life we each learn what is acceptable and not acceptable to our care givers and those with whom we interact. In time, each of us develop what is an acceptable form of play. As such, we each have our own understanding and definition of play. However, not all our definition of play encompasses the attributes needed to become creative. As noted above, we should evolve our definition and understanding to encompass those attributes of not taking what we do seriously, becoming spontaneous, lighthearted, and free in our movement to flow with the energy which arises in the play.

In particular, the definitions of play that involves competition and/or “winning” are not play that allows one to leave the control of the mind. In such cases the opposite is true and mind is often more controlling than usually in such play competition. Achieving were success and/or completion is more important than the journey is not the kind of play to which we refer. Because so many of us have learned to call play activities where mind never loses control, we will have to relearn to play and give ourselves permission to play in the way described above.

The biggest hurdle we will have to break through is the limits and barriers imposed by our mind. We will have to step past our judgments, opinions, biases and the like. One of the quickest ways to do this is some type and kind of “not doing” practice. On this point, a not doing practice is greatly enhance if one can do it without taking it seriously in a lighthearted fashion.

Play of what is symbolized in the heart
(Top): Play of the heart points to the direction to the origin of all play and to the source/Source of creation/Creation. It takes us totally out of the control of our conscious mind where we flows in total alignment with our creative life energy. Play of the heart totally honors our creative living process and we are free to unfold within the environment in which we find ourselves. Play of the heart is the most creative state that one can possible enter without doing any work to reenter the most creative state of being. Any play that moves us toward play of the heart is creative play. Why we would desire to enter play of what is symbolized in the heart is discussed in the topic “Reason for living from what is symbolized in the heart.”

Play of the heart takes us totally out of the control of the conscious mind. It is a type of play which has characteristics of the Source of Creation and is the first step and becoming consciousness/Consciousness at play with itself/Itself. It is the state of being within which we are born and is inherent to our being. We all have experience it and it is still within us. We have only forgotten how to access and embrace it. (More on ..... loss of creative play and the Understanding the impacts of the loss of creative play)

Play of the heart is the spontaneous and innocent childlike play of discovery and exploration at every level of one’s being without regard for the judgement of mind. It is a state of wonderment and Ah at the workings of Creation. It is directed totally by our body wisdom, what we feel and what gives rise to our intuitive guidance. When entered in consciousness it is the most mystical state of existence we can experience in Physical Creation. However this spontaneous form of play is lost as we grow into physical life and over time. Rather, we each evolve a concept of play that resided in the mind and replaces play of the heart.

The spontaneous and innocent childlike play of discovery and exploration in wonderment and Ah cannot be adequately described for it was experienced before our conscious mind fully developed. In many ways you can say the development of our conscious mind is what takes us out of play of the heart. Although it appears that way, it is not really true.

Play of the heart is a play rarely obtained by adults and even less seen in an another. It is a form of play that celebrates what is possible in ANY situation. It is simplistic, yet we can be engaged in the most complicated aspects of Creation. It never loses the childlike sense of optimism and doesn’t give in to cynicism and discouragement. It is certain of what is found in our internal truth and knowledge and that our internal truth and knowledge is more real than the knowledge of the mind. One reason for this of course is the our internal truth and knowledge is timeless where as the knowledge of the mind is only for a given time and place and be even then it is often outdated.

In this state of being, we being we being conscious contact what the Source for it is the state out of which Creation manifests. It is here one has access to the wisdom of the ages past, present and future. One such phenomenon regarding the future that as been observed in entering the play of what is symbolized in the heart available to all of us is discussed in the topic “A View from the Mountain.”

What needs to be noted is the play of what is symbolized in the heart expressed as a child within a child’s body and with a child’s mind and its set of limited experiences and education will look quite different than that same heart expressed as an adult with an adult body and the adult mind and its corresponding experiences and knowledge. Our perspective has and will change over time. The “I” is not frozen. In the past we may have entered innocent child like play and suffered the displeasure of our early care givers. In this regard, we need to allow our existing images of the past to dissolve and realize all those who created the limits and barriers that exist in our mind are no longer present. We are free to live the way we choose to live and express ourselves. We only need to create a safe and secure space where we can fully express exactly who you already are.

It needs to be emphasized and understood, that any child, especially a very young child, has very limited ways of expressing what it is they feel and wish to do. They have not yet learned the variety of ways of the world or ways in which the world can be experienced. We, as an adult, have a much greater set of experiences and knowledge to draw upon. The way an adult’s mind is capable of framing the energy it experiences is much deeper and broader because of their knowledge and life experiences than a child’s. In this regard, as an adult, we can have a much richer, fuller and more diverse way of experiencing the energy that is sustaining our being.

However, an adult and an adult body is not a child and it functions somewhat differently that a child. We only need to realize that our play will feel and be quite different than that as a child. But, similar to a child in the innocence of play, we need to allow ourselves to be free to explore the full range and depth of both our consciousness and our body for the two are integrally connected. If we deny one in any way, we deny the other. The limits we impose on one, we impose on the other. In the same way the subconscious mind and conscious mind are interconnected in the patterns they utilize so too is our consciousness and our body. To know who we really are and the depth and breadth of our creative abilities, we will have to explore in the innocence and freedom of child like play, the full range of our consciousness, its conscious and subconscious mind, and our body and the myriad ways it interacts with the external world.

It is realized we can’t leave the world in which we currently find ourselves and we can’t live in and explore this same world like a innocent child. So what is one to do? The answer is to first realize that we are split between these two worlds- the world of the way we need to be to live and survive, yet simultaneously we need to be like that innocent child exploring both our internal and external world in intimate detail. How we actually do this is unique to our being and our needs. Each of us will do it quite differently. What we need to do is to spend some time exploring this world of the heart and following the creative life energy that is sustaining our being. Once we get a feel for what this world of the heart looks like and how our creative life energy communicates, we will see how this world of the heart is different from the view of the mind. We, in our own way will learn to walk in balance in a way that both meets our needs and what we wish to create

Play of mind and the play of what is symbolized in the heart (Top)

The major difference between play of the mind and play of the heart is that play of the mind only occurs when it is within the boundaries of the mind. Play of the heart begin when we step out of mind it is fully obtained when we are totally out of mind at each level of our being.

In play of the heart there is a natural alignment with the source of our creative life energy. Play of the heart opens the door for a conscious experience of the source/Source of creation/Creation. The reason for this is quite simply. When we fully embrace play of the heart at each and every level of our being we are at the source of our being. But our creative life energy flows directly from the Source of Creation. It is only a matter of which we look whether we experience the source or the Source. It is the bridge point where our inner world and inner creative power come together with our outer world and our outer creative power.

The main difference between play of the heart and play of the mind is that in play of the heart we align totally with the flow of our creative life energy and live our creative passion doing whatever we are lead to do by our body wisdom, our intuitive guidance and the flow of energy. In this way of being, our mind’s function is to create the space for play and figures out how to safely achieve what the spontaneity of the moment and flow of energy calls us to do. Mind does nothing other than work to make happen whatever our intuitive guidance and body wisdom directs. In play of the heart, we lives our truth and we don’t deny the truth of our being in any way.

Play of the mind is different in that mind is always standing guard. It allows us to play in a space large enough that it doesn’t have to step in because it is afraid and/or doesn’t like something. In play of the mind we are not free to transcend what mind thinks. Nevertheless, although any concept of play we have that is based on what mind thinks is a very poor substitute for play of the heart, any play as defined by mind can be used very powerfully in our creative endeavors. The only requirement is that whatever play we employ, we need to allow ourselves to begin to step out of mind by becoming lost in play to at least have the freedom to become spontaneous.

Our creative passion and play of what is symbolized in the heart (Top)

When, and if, we are capable of fully embracing our creative passion and allow it to freely flow into the world, we will be in the play of what is symbolized in the heart. In some ways it can be said our creative passion forces us to fully embrace what is symbolized in our heart. Or, alternatively, it can be said what is symbolized in our heart is our creative passion and it has a way of expressing itself in the world that is experienced as a creative play which has the characteristics of the play of the Source of Creation. For all practical purposes, we can use the free expression of our creative passion, the free expression of our creative spirit and play of what is symbolized in our heart interchangeably.

The most creative state of play and the play of what is symbolized in the heart (Top)

Although the description of the most creative state of play and the descriptions of the play of what is symbolized in the heart look identical, there is one significant different. Play of what is symbolized in the heart is to be totally our of our conscious controlling mind. It contains the freedom to move past any of the limits and barriers imposed by the mind and totally surrender to the flow of our creative life energy as we experience it in the moment.

The most creative state of being includes the play of what is symbolized in the heart but it is also about having aligned our subconscious programming and any necessary changes in our unconscious programming to be able to move past any limits and barriers of the conscious and nonconscious mind. Or alternatively said, to be able to move past any of the limits and barriers imposed by the enculturated mind and/or the transcendental mind. It is to be free to spontaneously and innocently discover and explore at each and every level of our being. It is to become consciousness/Consciousness at play with itself/Itself.

Hence the importance of the play in creativity, creative play and the play of what is symbolized in the heart. They create a path to the Source of Creation. Play in creativity leads to creative play which leads to play of what is symbolized in the heart. Play of what is symbolized in the heart then lead to the most creative state of play which is the play characteristic of the Source of Creation. That then opens the door for a direct experience of the Source of Creation which, in turn, is simply consciousness/Consciousness at play with itself/Itself in one of the many dances of creation/Creation.

Returning to childhood wonderment - “A place of wonderment and Ah” (Top)

The most powerful creative state is a conscious clear intention held in our mind coupled with that way of being as characterized as a place of wonderment and “ah.” It is to be an innocent child experiences at the discovery of the universe. To live in wonderment is to live in “ah” at the universe. To fully experience our unlimited creativity we needs to return to a child like state of play where there is a wonderment and “ah” at experiencing and discovering the workings and manifestation of creation.

Being in a place of wonderment and “ah” is not about sitting and meditating to the sound of “ah.” In some ways we can do that and begin to embody “ah” and that can help us to manifest what we desire. It can help us for we focus our attention and awareness on the wonderment of creation. However, mind is still involved. The creative play is to be so enamored and fascinated with the world as we see it, all that you are capable of uttering is “ah.” Mind is so overwhelmed and out of the picture that words cannot be formulated. Consciously meditation to “ah” is quite different that being in wonderment such that “ah” is the only sound we can make. Our recommendation is not to meditate to “ah” but to become so enamored with creation such that “ah” is the only sound we can utter.

The next step
Creative play - The key characteristic of the Source of Creation

Related topics
Losing ourselves in play
Ways to use play in our creative endeavors
Using creative play - Using play other than the most creative state
Loss of creative play
Understanding the impacts of loss of creative play
How mind masks the heart
The reason for living from what is symbolized in the heart
Accessing our creative play
Ultimate goal of our journey into play

The need to play - a playful creative spirit

Obtaining the freedom to play and the awareness of the body

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