I’ve got play on the mind today, folks. It’s mid-week, yes, but there’s something more to it. This week I’m presenting on play at the Ancestral Health Symposium in Los Angeles. It promises to be a great event, and I’m looking forward to being among so many like-minded folks – experts and laypeople alike. I’ve talked about play now and then on Mark’s Daily Apple. I’ve even done a definitive guide for it, but that hardly means I’ve closed the book. As with most things in life, time and experience have a way of revealing new angles, deeper layers, and unforeseen connections. Our need for play is likewise continuous and complex – and the likely roots of our inclination are not what you’d expect.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
The following is a guest post from Esther Gokhale. Healthy posture practitioner extraordinaire, we are honored to have her as a presenter at this year’s PrimalCon. By day, she will lecture on posture and movement, and by night she will give the “Gokhale Method” a spicy twist by presenting a clinic on Samba dancing (she claims Samba is the best way to learn and implement the posture and movement technique principles!). PrimalCon kicks off next week, Friday, April 15, and there are still a few remaining spots, so reserve your spot today and come out for the 3-day weekend retreat of Primal lectures, play and feasting with fellow Grok stars. I hope to see you there!
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Let me tell you a story I recently heard from a friend of mine. My buddy has a pet that is one of nature’s most ferocious and stubbornly independent obligate predators, a creature that quite honestly has no business living among the gentle citizenry of refined society. A creature that frequently enjoys the luxurious trappings of civilization while periodically giving in to base desire. I refer, of course, to the common house cat. The house cat, unlike its larger canine counterpart, maintains close ties to its recent wild past. Feline domestication happened a scant few thousand years ago, and it’s only in the past half century that cats have moved into the house.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Before I get to today’s Monday Musings I wanted to give a shout out and big thanks to everyone that came out the inaugural PAST in Southern California this weekend. It was wonderful meeting each of you in person. And because of you the first event was a smashing success. So thank you!
Coming out of the gate, this event surpassed my expectations by a large margin. 30 devoted Primal enthusiasts trekked from all over SoCal and even as far as Phoenix to spend 7 hours immersed in all matters Primal. We convened at Karma Crossfit in Manhattan Beach thanks to our gracious hostess Katy Rickman. I was particularly impressed by the knowledge and passion from the audience about the Primal Blueprint, and how quickly they absorbed and appreciated the message. The guests added so much to the event and kept me excited and energized for 7 hours, which I must admit is about twice as long as I’ve ever talked in a single day.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Last week’s post on the buddy system got me thinking about the importance of general camaraderie in physical activity, beyond just the fact that having a person who relies on you to work out will get you off your butt and moving. I think you can go further than a single buddy – how about an entire team of them?
I don’t know where I’d be without my weekly Ultimate Frisbee games. That may sound silly or infantile, but I’m serious: it keeps me sane, melts the stress away, and represents an opportunity to keep up with friends (in person, not over some social network or through texting). In other words, it’s my primary form of playing. And though I realize it’s ultimately my fault, I don’t think I play up Play enough around here. Sure, there was the Definitive Guide some time back, and we all remember the post on dance (no, I still haven’t uploaded any videos), but it really deserves more emphasis. It’s one of those aspects of life that seems to fall by the wayside, even as you intellectually acknowledge its importance. Heck, with children having trouble getting a good solid play session in these days without strict adherence to a daily planner, is it any wonder that adults need the occasional nudge toward carefree play?
So consider today’s post an official nudge.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
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