If you look up the definition of the word play you’ll find a number of meanings:
- to partake in an activity for enjoyment “let’s play a game”
- to produce music “she played the piano”
- to move lightly: “the leaves played in the wind”
- to utilize something in a creative fashion “word play“
There’s no question that play is a remarkably versatile word. But all of these meanings have a common implication: exploration. Children exploring social interaction. The musician exploring the possibilities of their instrument. This sense of discovery without unnecessary constraints or rigid goals is such a powerful idea.
Of course humans didn’t invent the idea of play! Just watch a litter of puppies as they play together and discover their own emerging physicality. They don’t realize it, but the play serves an important purpose in teaching them to understand and grow into their own bodies. Science has a name for the kind of body awareness that this type of play develops: proprioception.
What is Proprioception?
Proprioception is the awareness of your body’s position and movement in space. This is the combined sensation of joint position and movement, muscle force and effort and arises from our nervous system. The vestibular system in the brain co-ordinates proprioception. The more this system is utilized in new and varying ways, the stronger the connections become between our brain and body. This is the reason why unstable surface training (eg balance boards, yoga balls) is recommended to improve functional stability, prevent injury, improve physical performance and aid with rehabilitation. We explore this concept in our on demand video The Spine and the Small Ball, which incorporates (you guessed it) the small ball into a Pilates session which will challenge your body awareness and build proprioception.
Bringing Play into Yoga
But what does all this talk of proprioception have to do with play or yoga practice? It’s easy to fall into a routine in our practice where we do the same poses the same way. It can become predictable for our bodies and our minds. When we play, we are presenting ourselves with new challenges to our proprioception. The more we challenge our balance in new and interesting ways the more we develop our mental and physical strength and flexibility. This is why it’s so important to take some time during your practice to play around, experiment, get creative and try new things.
Tips and Ideas for Playing in Yoga
- Play with the theme of your practice: For example, if you’re doing a grounding practice, you could try poses that involve your feet and legs, such as Tree Pose, Warrior Pose I, and Warrior Pose II. If you’re doing a heart-opening practice, you could try poses such as Camel Pose, Bridge Pose, and Bow Pose. Every month at Living Lotus Online we have a monthly theme. Sign up to our Email Newsletter to get access to a free yoga video each month based on the monthly theme as well as tips and thoughts on how to integrate the theme into your practice.
- Use props to challenge yourself: Yoga blocks, straps, and bolsters can all be used to modify poses and make them more challenging. For example, you could use a block under your hand to help you reach the ground in Downward-Facing Dog, or you could use a strap around your feet to help you deepen a stretch.
- Make up your own poses: The possibilities are endless! You could try combining two different poses into one new pose, or you could come up with a completely new pose altogether.
- Play with your breath: Try different breathing techniques during your practice, such as Ujjayi Breath (Victorious Breath) and Kapalabhati Breath (Skull-Shining Breath). You can also try playing with the rhythm of your breath, such as inhaling for four counts and exhaling for six counts. Check out our on demand video Breathe for a full 1 hour Hatha practice that explores the connection between breath and brain!
One of the places I love to find inspiration for play is in nature. While enjoying a hike you get the whole package: walking meditation and opportunities to explore, climb, traverse uneven surfaces and play in a beautiful, inspiring environment! I encourage you to try it out and look for opportunities to incorporate play into your daily practice.