Cultivating Spontaneity in the Adult Garden

In a well-tended garden, there is a place for the wild and the spontaneous. But for many of us, adulthood - and especially the experience of trauma - can turn our internal landscape into a monoculture of productivity and survival. We become so focused on the fence-building and the weeding that we forget how to simply exist in the space we’ve cultivated.

We often think of play as something we do, but in somatic work, play is a state of being. It is a biological signal that the nervous system feels safe enough to be creative.

Why Play Can Feel Perilous

It is important to acknowledge that for many, play does not feel safe. If your history required you to be hyper-vigilant or "perfect" to remain secure, the spontaneity of play can feel like a loss of control. In the language of the garden, play requires us to be "unfenced."

If your nervous system is stuck in a state of high-arousal (the Scorch) or shutdown (the Frost), play can feel like a foreign language. Healing isn't about forcing yourself to have fun; it’s about slowly reclaiming the capacity for play as a critical path toward trauma integration.

The Biodiversity of Play

Play is not a one size fits all activity. Just as some plants thrive in the shade while others need direct sun, your play mindset will be unique to your nervous system.

• For some, play is Dynamic: Flow arts, dance, or circus skills that engage the body's rhythm.

• For others, play is Quiet: The "play" of colors on a canvas, the stacking of stones, or the creative "what if" of a daydream.

• For many, play is Relational: The gentle "ping-pong" of a shared joke or a collaborative project.

The Play Mindset as Medicine

From a psychodynamic and somatic perspective, play is the ultimate liminal space. It allows us to visit the edges of our window of tolerance with a sense of curiosity rather than fear. When we play, we are practicing neuroplasticity; we are telling our brains that it is possible to be aroused and active without being in danger.

By befriending our playful self, we invite the unconscious out into the light in a way that feels manageable. We aren't just "goofing off," we are building the capacity for joy, resilience, and a radical kind of internal freedom.

This week, rather than trying to force fun, simply notice the micro-moments where your system feels a spark of curiosity or a tiny impulse of movement. Notice how your chest or breath feels in that moment. Is there a little more space in your garden for that impulse to breathe?