I realized that play needs rest – as much as rest needs play. For as much as we all wanted to play all the time, there were needed moments of rest and quiet, and they were as essential to cultivating play as actually experiencing play itself. So here are some of the photos of our […]
Carmel: Play and Surprises
I had the joy of the group planning a special outing to the Spanish Inn on Pebble Beach – the highlight was waiting for the surprise. As I listened, I heard the remarkable sound of the bagpiper. Seems it’s a nightly ritual, but for me and this experience – to smell the salt water, to see […]
Carmel: Using Someone Else’s Toys
On the 18 mile drive we came across these cairns – someone had a great sense of humor – and we decided to join in their fun. Truly we had to stop to see what they had done. Sometimes we create fun and have no idea how others might experience it later on. I think […]
Carmel: Dr. Stuart Brown, part 3
One of the fun discoveries about Stuart Brown is he isn’t just a brainiac espousing theories and hypothesis about play; he embodies his own theories and loves to play. We discovered upon meeting with him that he has an amazing tree house!! Four flights up to a location way up in the trees of Carmel Valley […]
Carmel: Dr. Stuart Brown, continued
Stuart listened as each of us shared our thoughts and hopes of this time and the whole summer. He shared the biological evidence, after extensive experimental work on rats, that play is indeed not something we learn or are conditioned, but truly a part of our DNA. It is woven in our very genetic fiber. At […]
Carmel: Dr. Stuart Brown
We met with Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute of Play and author of Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, which was an amazing time for us all. What an amazing man, in touch fully with both masculine and feminine sides, authentic, genuine, funny, brilliant, a story teller, Stanford […]
Carmel: Getting Your Grove On
At a wonderful Greek restaurant, after the appetizers were served, the owner and the waiter and the chef came out with guitar and tambourine, and started playing. The atmosphere of the place shifted radically as everyone joined in clapping and cheering then they brought out two belts with bells and invited Kay and Nicki to play – and […]
Carmel: The Power of Kelp
As we would sit quietly watching the otters play and eat and groom, we were aware our boats would drift with the tide. Our guide, John, educated us to a natural braking mechanism: kelp. By holding onto the kelp we could hold our position to keep our eyes open to see each angle of the […]
Carmel: Team Work
We all decided to paddle in tandem with the kayaks which involved a lot of communication, a great deal of trust, a lot of laughter, and an ability to work as a team. We were successful in doing all of these…well for the most part!! It was a time of bonding for us all. And […]
Carmel: Getting It Right
Patti and Dee ready for sea kayaking As we set off to sea kayak, they gave us brief instruction on kayaking, paddling, and keeping the boats upright. After spending a great deal of time on the water, we felt confident in our ability to not tip the boat over. As we approached the shore, we […]