It's 3 am--Power to the Peaceful

It's three am on the last day of Play in the Wild, and I'm helping the Play in the Wild leaders write personal appreciations for each certificate of completion for the youth who have attended this year's Play in the Wild training.  We're all very behind on sleep but an agreement has been made with the youth to have an "all-nighter", and we're up to contribute to the fun and be available for support.  Once again I'm inspired, amazed, and concerned with the amount of energy the leaders put into creating the best possible experience for the youth that have come to this training.   There have been several late nights already for games, for a medicine wheel ceremony, and for dance lodges; as well as late nights to tend to youth who need extra emotional support, to handle unresolved conflict, and to work out details around one youth leaving early. 

I'm here to capture this adventure on video and support the leaders and youth however I can.  Over the nine days of Play in the Wild my inspiration grows as I witness the passionate commitment the leaders share to co-create a community with the youth where the youth completely trust that their needs matter, that they have choice and power with how they contribute, that they're safe from exclusion and punishment, that they can show up as responsible and empowered people, and that they can accepted as they are as they have loads of fun learning and playing.  This is no small venture.  For this kind of community to come together the youth need to be coaxed out of the mindset built from the disempowering systems they have come from--power-over systems where people are coerced into following orders and where the only choices seem to be submission or rebellion.  At Play in the Wild every effort is made to invite youth to join in a power-with mindset where all voices are heard and all work together to learn and grow and meet all needs.

This co-creation of a power-with community means that the youth are invited to lead themselves and each other to show up on time for the cooking or cleaning that they have agreed to do, to be on time for learning sessions and outings, to organize games and activities, to take responsibility for actions that don't meet needs, to seek connection and understanding when others act in ways that don't meet needs, and to connect with everyone as a community instead of separating into smaller groups or cliques.  Several times through our nine days together circles of different sizes form in order to restore connection after conflict occurs.  Some circles take longer than others.  One circle takes several attempts on different days and stretches almost everyone's capacity for dialogue and restorative process.  However, as far as I can tell, each circle ends with greater connection, trust, respect, and safety for our community, which means greater potential for growth, learning, contribution, inspiration, and fun.

There is so much more I could write about my experience with Play in the Wild-the delicious and nutritious meals (homemade pizza! Raw soups!); the challenge and delight of unplugging from all electronics, sugar and stimulants for nine days; the games of Rant, Hot Seat, Jackal Blast, and Step Into The Circle; the morning of silence and the day of fasting; the drumming and singing; the uninhibited dance-lodge dancing; the heartfelt connections borne out of courageous vulnerability and authenticity; the overflowing expressions of gratitude that we gave to each other each night at dinner;  the determined efforts to empathize with and include everyone no matter what;  the connecting with nature; the overcoming of the heat, ticks, chiggers, poison ivy, and spiders;  the canoeing and swimming; the study of non-violence; the teamwork; the laughter;  the creativity; the fun; the calling forth of the best in each of us.  I could go on and on and on, but I need to take a nap, and then another one.

Please find more about Play in the Wild at http://www.playinthewild.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=en

Find more information on Dance Lodges at

http://www.zenvc.org/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=2452&Itemid=2&year=2010&month=08&day=28&uid=24f27a8e0f040b9c7e737a11a1f14768