In this newsletter:
- 🌿 How & why I leaned into my anxiety about "play"
- 🌿 Tips for unleashing your playful self
- 🌿 Upcoming Events:
- Earth Day Devotional Gathering - Lexington, KY (April 21)
- Parts Play Production - Asheville, KY (May 1-3)
- Forest Fairy Festival - Red River Gorge, KY (May 29 - June 1)
This may be hard to believe, but it used to be very challenging for me to play.
Several years ago, I remember going on an intentionally playful creek walk with a small group of people in our ashram community, led by my friend Leila (whose name means play). Leila was inviting us all play together. Leila seemed to be a playful genius; she wrote songs and poetry and played improv music with other people. The idea of us all playing together felt natural and easy to her. But me? I felt so anxious! I didn't feel playful at all. As we walked down the creek, I could feel a tight knot in my chest. What if I couldn't be playful on demand? What if I was left out because I wasn't any fun? What if all the others were having fun, except me? I began practicing some deep breathing and focusing on the feel of the water on my feet, one step at a time. I considered just leaving - maybe this was just too far out of my comfort zone.
As I kept putting one foot in front of another, the anxiety didn't go away, but I gave myself permission to just witness others in their play. I took the pressure off myself to perform in any particular way (see tip #2 below). I reminded myself that I am enough, just as I am. And I got through it. I think we ended up making sounds together, like wild animals in the creek. Or maybe we invented characters that lived in and around the root system of a large uprooted tree. As I softened into the moment, my anxiety melted and my innate ability to play emerged.
Over the past five years, I've continued leaning into my ability to play. As strange as it may sound, I actually had to WORK to learn to be playful. Just a bit counterintuitive, right?
I leaned in, even when it wasn't easy.
WHY did I choose to lean into play, even when it wasn't easy?
Because play is fundamental to being able to hear our soul's voice.
The future of our planet and society may depend on it.
And, play is fucking fun!
Here are a few play tips:
👉🏿 Start by playing with yourself, when no one is watching. Set the timer and give yourself five minutes to play with something: your food, your genitals, the water in the sink or bath tub. Hopefully one of the things you weren't supposed to play with as a kid. See what happens! Let it feel GOOD.
(Yes, I'm telling you to go play with yourself, while our world is falling apart. You're welcome.)
👉🏿 Take the pressure off yourself. Just dip your toe in the water. Stay in consent WITH YOURSELF. You never have to do anything you don't want to do. Saying NO is so sexy!
A few days ago, I was with a group of people playing together, celebrating my friend Matthew's birthday. First we did some improv games and then someone started playing guitar and we spontaneously created a musical "scene" called Earth Man. The play involved Earth Man dancing with Moon Man, Sun Man and me as Starlight. I loved it! The lyrics kept coming, with people chiming in with new "verses" and narration.
Which leads me to two more tips:
👉🏿 Embrace the awkward. As I became more comfortable with the improv games, and began to feel safer with the people playing, I felt braver and I wanted to lean more into the taboo and awkward parts of myself. So I decided to embody a character that was part tweaker and part pathologically awkward. This looked like me using my forefinger to catch imaginary snot dripping from my nose as my head twitched to the side and I shuffled over to speak barely audibly into someone's ear. This character made such a strong impact on the group that others kept impersonating the tweaker affect throughout the evening. Embracing my most awkward parts for the win!
👉🏿 Find people to hang out with who bring out your playful self, and keep them. My friend Allison has been coaxing out my more playful side for years now, bless her.
I will say that there were moments during Matthew's party when I could still feel that telltale knot in my chest. In general though, I'm pretty good at playing. Have you seen my erotic playground? It's pretty fun.
And... as usual... I am here to invite you to come play with me in so many ways!
It doesn't matter if you don't actually know how to play yet. Let's just start where you are, together.
Earth Day Devotional Event
Lauren and I are hosting this beautiful gathering in Lexington on April 21st. Dip your toe in the Forest Fairy life with us, honor the spring beauty and get juiced up together. 🧚🏽♂️
Sarah Belzile
Parts Play - May 1 - 3, 2026 - Asheville, NC
This is our second run of this amazing production, which is based on IFS (Internal Family Systems). It's hilarious and riveting. I get to play the "Mom" of Lena, the main character, and get a bit unhinged on stage... Rehearsals have been amazing and it's likely that tickets will sell out (they did when we ran the show last fall). I hope you can come! We are also looking for people to fund/advertise/support the production. Here's more information about sponsoring this brilliant work of art.
And here's where to buy tickets:
Wortham Presents
Forest Fairy Festival
Creating this event feels like my soul's work right now. We are weaving an event of "erotic family" - a place where you can be your whole self, be naked, be feral, and feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. There are just a few tickets left. It will likely be sold out by May 1 so get your ticket now!
Sarah Belzile
Here's a fun picture of Alice in Wonderland from last year's Forest Fairy Festival... "playing" with our friend Tim, insisting on perfect push up form. Yes, it was a mildly kinky moment... and quite hot.
I hope this newsletter inspires you to play more. It's what the world needs right now, because otherwise, it's just too damned depressing.
