Dear Friendlies, Greetings!
Writing in a rush, my fingers tangling in the keyboard. Please excuse if incoherent; excited.
I think I’ve understood something (again), and wondering if any of you have advice in this direction.
An aspect of my life that is lacking in cultivation is the eleventh parami.
Humor. Levity. Actually I think the best word right now is _playfulness_.
When I look at the places I’ve been unskillful, the thing that would most gratify my heart is not that I had responded with greater gentleness, greater tolerance, sometimes not even greater friendliness. I wish I had responded with _playfulness_.
So now, in my characteristically earnest way, I wish to learn about cultivating playfulness.
Short of converting to Tibetan, have any of you suggestions? Do you know particularly playful dharma teachers? Alan Watts of course, and I think Rob Burbea… both dead… telling. Any living ones you might recommend?
There is Ted DesMaisons, author of _Playful Mindfulness_ (improv and mindfulness). Also the teachers Phoenix Soleil and Dawn Neal recently hosted a half-day “Awareness and Improv” workshop. So there’s a start.
Other recommendations? Teachers, books… entire retreats? How do _you_ cultivate playfulness in your life?
With friendliness!
Dharma PhD 
2 replies on “Playful Dhamma”
Shannon, your t-shirt shares are a wonderfully playful practice, for which I’m grateful. And your intellect has a delightfully playful element. Please consider that the playfulness of intellectuals might look and sound different from ordinary associations with “playfulness.”
Anyway, your query got me thinking. Thank you for helping me appreciate having come to Buddhism through the Plum Village Tradition, which emphasizes joy and playfulness. However, the “cultivation” of those practices took many years, upon which I’m just now reflecting.
In the beginning, I thought the children’s songs with hand gestures were too “silly” for adult practitioners. I was slow to participate. Over time – at retreats and local sangha meetings – I became more comfortable with the silliness. It took MANY years for me to appreciate that the “ditties” are profound practice songs. Now they’re part of my spiritual dna.
Thinking back to the talent shows, the arts and crafts tables, playful group exercises, frequent singing, and lots of laughter at the ADULT retreats over many years, I realize that my tradition was cultivating playfulness in me. Those sly devils!! It worked. :-)
How do I now continue to cultivate playfulness in my life? (1) Seven months ago I adopted/rescued a playful adult cat. (2) As a fan of irony, I use mindfulness to spot irony in unlikely places. (3) At the end of profunctory phone conversations, when the other person says “Is there anything else I can help you with?” I say “Yes,” to which they worriedly ask “What?” My comeback is something like “You can help me by having a good weekend [or afternoon, or evening].” The other person has to think about it, and usually responds with a happy voice. I view that as a “playful” exchange. Sometimes it leads to conversation. (4) In almost every encounter, I TRY to share a knowing smile or a chuckle with the other person. (5) I laugh at myself – lovingly, of course.
There are kinda nerdy ideas about playfulness aren’t they? I’m eager to hear what you discover about cultivating playfulness. Please report back.
Smilingly, Sharon
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Dear Sharon, what a treat. So nice to hear from you. :))) I have been on the road; retreating in Cali starting in about an hour. Thanks _enormous_ for your response to “how you cultivate playfulness”. During the drive I’ve listened to an audiobook _Playful Mindfulness_ about the two worlds of Mindfulness and Improv. It’s good to know these things are already out in the world.
Also, you know I love the nerdy. Bring. It.
Okay. Off to notice things for fourteen days.
With friendliness!
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