When I was a young girl I loved to play outside. We lived across the street from a park in Minnesota where I had the joy of swinging on the swings, climbing on the monkey bars and going on that “thing” that spins you round & round. Anything having to do with being in nature made my heart sing.
My Mom used to tell me that she would have to change my clothes three times a day because I got so dirty. I didn’t care if I was messy. I was playing!
Me at my childhood park in Minnesota
As I turned 8 years old, I recall always wanting to play school. I was the teacher. I loved my crayons, chalk and “school supplies”. I even had a life size easel chalkboard.
By the age of 10 I was immersing myself in National Geographic magazines, fantasizing about studying chimpanzees with Jane Goodall or diving for lost treasure with Jacque Cousteau. This was my natural way of creating time for my soul to play.
Somewhere shortly thereafter, my parents divorced and the burden of responsibility slowly eroded my feelings of playfulness. I babysat my younger brother, worried about the power bill, became an overdoer and didn’t dream big because I thought I probably couldn’t have it anyway.
Although I had a great time in high school, I carried that sense of responsibility with me no matter what I was doing (I still have to be aware of when I am being overresponsible & overdoing). I sent myself through 4 years of college and then grad school. I was working hard vs. playing, and feeling more goal oriented and stressed out than happy or fulfilled. I had forgotten how to play.
In my early 30’s I experienced a health issue that scared me enough to take a deeper look at myself and the choices I was making in my life. I consider this a turning point which sparked the journey that led me to my soul’s purpose and the work I do in the world today.
I realized that in many ways I was living for and taking care of everyone else. I was out of touch with my wants and needs and even more importantly my desires and what sparked joy.
I knew that in order to fully heal, I had to go within and heal the past and remember who I was.
I had to set myself free.
I started asking the question “What makes my soul sing?”
What came forth was the following:
*Spending time at the ocean
*Being in nature
*Having deep conversations
*Watching the moon rise
*Creating rituals
*Dining at my favorite restaurants
*Playing in the snow (feeds the Norwegian in me:-)
*Growing (It has always been an adventure for me to live outside my comfort zone).
Over time I began to immerse myself in what I now call Soul Play.
Soul Play is a vibration…it’s a way of being…it’s not just an activity.
Soul Play is about who we are…it is everything we are.
By engaging in that which brought me joy and made my soul sing I was healing. It wasn’t just self remembering…it was soul remembering.
Remembering how to play brought this sense of peace and magic in my life. I found my inner spark….my authentic voice and self. The weight of responsibility diminished and my joy increased.
I discovered that a soul at play is healing. Not only was I healing myself, I was also led farther down the path in living my soul’s purpose.
Helping others to release and clear their blocks/trauma/past and to create the openings to be free to express themselves has become a big part of my work.
To remember, rediscover and access the vibration and the magic of play creates huge openings, possibilities and potential.
The magic of making time for Soul Play shows us we are enough and allows us to shine our light!
What makes your soul sing?
How about creating time to jot down what sparks joy in you?
