The value of play

Good morning,

For the last two years, I have been training in Jungian Sandplay Therapy which turns away from rational conversation towards imagination. Alongside studies, I also received 30 sessions and found the simple wonder of trusting a place to play. The sand was surprisingly tactile and there was a magical choice of figurines of people, boats, trees and so much more to build into any scene that came to mind. After a few weeks, I became as captivated as I would have been as a child and soon, I became so absorbed it was as if I was playing inside my dreams.

During the training we were shown case histories. We saw children excited to play whilst staying in a shelter after the earthquake in Hawaii and others rehabilitating in hospitals or brought to a therapist. The adult cases were interesting because they had to overcome years of being taught it was of foolish before they then played about difficult experiences past and present - even a teenager finally played through issues she had not been able to talk about.

Many therapies help trauma but what I saw in these cases and my own experience was something more fundamental. It was that a safe place to play is something we all thrive in from the very beginning of our lives. And to return to it can be a gift.

Jesus said ‘become like little children,’ to enter the kingdom of heaven’ and Zechariah described a restored Jerusalem as having children playing in the streets.

Creative God, help us find a safe place to play and feel surrounded by the freedom and gifts of heaven when we do.

Amen.