10
Jan
Serious Play: A Lifelong Tool for Growth, Learning, and Connection
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By
Sevastra
Serious play is a concept that integrates the creativity and openness of play with structured objectives to foster innovation, collaboration, and learning. While the term itself has gained prominence in recent years, the underlying ideas have deep roots in history, psychology, and education. Serious play builds on the understanding that play is not just for leisure but is fundamental to human development, learning, and creativity.
Historical Origins of Serious Play
Ancient and Cultural Roots:The idea of play as a vital element of life can be traced to ancient cultures where play was part of rituals, storytelling, and community bonding. Johan Huizinga’s seminal work, Homo Ludens (1938), posited that play is central to the development of culture and society, highlighting its role in creativity, problem-solving, and the evolution of human thought.
Educational Foundations:
Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the kindergarten movement in the 19th century, emphasized the role of play in early childhood education. Froebel...
10
Jan
What Erodes Empathy?
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By
Watching the devastating scenes of California’s fires is gut-wrenching. People are losing their homes, their communities, and their deep connections to places where they’ve raised children, looked out for neighbours, and woven lives filled with shared memories and care. These aren’t just structures burning—they are pieces of identity, history, and belonging reduced to ash.
As I watch live coverage on YouTube, my attention is drawn to the comments section, and I find myself praying that these responses are the work of bots and not real humans. The words scrolling across my screen are fueled by political division, blame, and even justification for others’ suffering. How have we arrived at this point where such callousness feels so ordinary?
This morning, as I feel overwhelmed by my own long to-do list, my thoughts turn to the residents of California and Tibet—where a catastrophic earthquake has destroyed remote villages. These disasters bring to mind the...
28
Dec
The Fantasies We Create: Identity, Connection, and the Cost of Authenticity
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By
Humanity has always been drawn to archetypes—myths, symbols, and stories that reflect the struggles and complexities of existence. From the tricksters and lovers of ancient myth to the rebels and outcasts of modern narratives, these figures reveal deep truths about who we are, how we connect, and the illusions we often create about ourselves and others.
This article explores the universal dynamics of identity, relationships, and societal rejection, focusing on the tension between fantasy and authenticity. Using archetypal lessons reflected in characters like the Joker and Harley Quinn, we delve into the human tendency to idealize, the allure of chaos, and the cost of rejecting or embracing societal expectations.
The Allure of Fantasy: Why We Idealize Others
Since the earliest myths, humanity has been drawn to the idea of heroes, villains, and lovers who represent something greater than themselves. We project our desires, fears, and unmet needs onto others, crafting fantasies that fill...
28
Dec
The Quiet Complexity of Motherhood
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By
Motherhood has brought everything I’ve studied into a new light. It’s one thing to understand attachment from a scientific or theoretical perspective; it’s another to live it, moment by moment, with all the joys, challenges, and quiet triumphs it brings.
One book that has kept me company during this transition is Naomi Stadlen’s How Mothers Love: And How Relationships Are Born. It’s not a guidebook or a parenting manual. Instead, it’s a deeply empathetic exploration of motherhood as a relationship—one filled with subtle, unseen moments of love and connection.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Mothers-Love-Relationships-Born/dp/0749952199?crid=80V2MHYYPQ2E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Qj7FIi0oYZPB7atqVkIVLIoIycC-9dhPuIuBTBUjDmA.etl8yAzk7dxcD_CUxX7tKHM4zl8cYShkeKddf1AoBOg&dib_tag=se&keywords=How+mothers+love+Naomi+Stadlen&qid=1736545104&sprefix=how+mothers+love+naomi+stadlen%2Cspecialty-aps%2C203&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=foreverbluepl-20&linkId=3b57b5e0b3a91492bcc919d84aefa95f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
I wanted to share a few insights from the book that have resonated with me, both as someone who studies attachment and as a new mother navigating this role.
Motherhood is often romanticised as a universal, selfless experience, but beneath this idealised image lies a rich and complex reality. Naomi Stadlen’s How Mothers Love: And How Relationships Are Born provides a deeply empathetic exploration...
30
May
Re-Discovery of Being
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By
In this article, I will explore the interconnected existential concepts of being, human freedom, and relationships from the philosophical works of Rollo May, Simone de Beauvoir, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. I will elucidate how our engagement development structures, particularly through the lens of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy, can enable the re-discovery of being through a “child-apprenticeship” relations approach. Additionally, I will discuss our collective responsibility in co-creating consciousness.
Understanding Being: Ontology, Epistemology, and Phenomenology
To understand the re-discovery of being, it is essential to distinguish between the ontological and epistemological aspects of being. Ontology concerns the nature of being itself, the existence and reality of entities. It is the study of what it means to be. Epistemology, on the other hand, deals with the nature and scope of knowledge, focusing on how we know what we know.
Phenomenology, a philosophical approach developed by Edmund Husserl and expanded by Merleau-Ponty, is crucial in this context. It emphasizes...
24
May
Whispers in the Digital Forest
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By
In the digital forest, whispers echo,
A nymph’s lament, lost in shadowed glade,
Where screens cast light, yet hearts remain aglow,
In search of solace from the masquerade.
Narcissus by the pool, entranced, alone,
His eyes fixed upon a surface lie,
The reflection of a soul turned to stone,
In the quest for love that passes by.
Echo’s voice, a fragment, yearns to meld
With words unspoken, in the ether caught,
Her essence in the canyon, unquelled,
A chorus of the truths she sought.
In the silence left by social's retreat,
A space for deeper roots begins to swell,
Where pixels fade and heartbeats meet,
A story of reclamation, to tell.
Beneath the veneer of likes and shares,
Lies the craving for a touch, a glance,
The warmth of sun, the cool of evening airs,
The infinite dance of chance.
From Narcissus’ grip, the soul takes flight,
Away from the reflection, into the night,
To where Echo’s voice rings true and bright,
In the realm of connection, beyond the light.
A journey from the...
24
May
The Foundations of Medical Care in Hospitality: An Existential Perspective
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By
Introduction
The history of medical care is deeply rooted in the ancient notion of hospitality. From early civilizations to modern times, the principles of providing shelter, comfort, and aid have shaped the development of healthcare. This tradition of care, grounded in the ethical and moral duty to assist those in need, finds resonance in the existential philosophies of thinkers like Martin Heidegger and Rollo May. These philosophers highlight the intrinsic human capacity for "sorge" or care, which forms the basis for our interconnectedness and responsibilities towards others. Understanding the evolution of medical care through the lens of hospitality and existential thought offers profound insights into the role of caregivers today. Additionally, modern medical ethics emphasizes respect for the dignity and autonomy of patients, which further enriches this discussion. This essay will explore Heidegger's concept of "sorge," Rollo May’s integration of care in psychology, the tradition of hospitality in medical care, and...