Recently, I was watching a YouTube presentation in which Osho, a spiritual teacher (1931 – 1990) shared some of his enlightening statements about life. Although Osho’s lifestyle and political beliefs were controversial, I believe that he, nevertheless, shared Truth. The subject of this article relates to the following short statement he made:
“Adults play games; children play.”
I’m sure that many of you, if not all, will have intuited the point that caught my attention. It relates to the habitual and predominant unconscious need of persons (particularly in Western-style, driven societies) to be forever doing. Day after day after day we strive. We do; we go; we plan. The tragic issue, ignored by most, is that will all of our doing, we are never done. We are like spiders spinning webs in which we, ourselves, are caught by our nature. We become the prey of our own lives.
The point that Osho presented was that children, those glorious beacons who still shine with inner knowledge, still remember what it’s like to play for no sake other than to play. For them, the play is not the main point–it is the only point! Conversely, our pseudo-wise adults almost always have some prize in mind as a goal; which paradoxically robs us of the real prize.
It’s not too late: The child that is our true identity–the spiritual child–is waiting to be rediscovered. It is forever young; eternal, immortal. Given an opportunity–when not forced into submission by the enslaving will of the ego–it can still urge us to sing, to dance, to play. We owe our Spirit that chance; for it has sustained us through the best of times and the worst of times. We may allow ourselves to take a break; watch a sunrise; sing for no other reason than to sing. What’s the best–not the worst–that could happen? We might step out of our tedious habits and into the glory of the present moment. We’ll close this article with the following lines from Osho:
“Just be, total, alone in your absolute purity.
This is enlightenment.”
Dare to dream (and care for one another).
With heartfelt regards,
Art
Copyright © – 2020 – R. Arthur Russell
P.S. Please share this article if you enjoyed it. If you’d like to view my latest book (This Taste of Flesh and Bones–released September 8, 2020), press here. May it help you in your spiritual journey. 🙏🙏
Think2wice 
Play is so important.. yet so hard if not impossible for our adult minds to grasp. We always have a goal.. to win. Or a negative thought. “ is anyone watching me” our first snow fall, I left work and just wanted run and throw snow balls, put my face to the sky, feel the snow on my face. But I’m an adult. I did make a few snow balls on my way to the car. My endeavour.. is to play more.
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Yes, play is so important. I hope you make more time to raise your face to the sky, be in the moment, and just play. Take good care.
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