May 12, 2018

The Importance of Play

May 12, 2018/ Sandra Dryden

The child within needs a way to get out sometimes. I recently had the pleasure of attending the Austin Maker Faire, “a gathering of fascinating, curious people...From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show hobbies, experiments, projects,” which is geared towards kids and getting their brains hooked on learning. Though my grandmother would probably still consider me a kid, at 31 you would think that I’d be a little out of place in such a setting. Instead, I was welcomed at all the stations, encouraged to be myself, and rediscover my creativity. This while my husband illuminated hundreds of kids with the vast and intriguing world of virtual reality.

While we adults are all caught up in the world of being such, and all of the responsibilities that go along with it, it is important to take a step back sometimes. Like waaaay back, to when we were kids. What would 8 year old Sandra do? She’d probably tell me that I’m spending too much time doing boring things, and not nearly enough time playing with her friends.

According to Nathan H. Lents, Ph.D., in his article for Psychology Today entitled “Why Play Is Important”, “[Play] can encourage creativity, planning, problem solving, and a whole bunch of task-specific skills like spatial reasoning and logic. For both humans and animals, play is a low-risk way to develop our cognitive abilities.” Now, I’m not saying that we should do everything that dogs do, but minus the butt sniffing shenanigans they really seem to have a lot of their lives figured out.

Play helps to reduce stress and activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which signals to our bodies that we are in a safe space, free from danger. Existing in this state helps us think about things that maybe we haven’t had time for previously, sometimes revealing new, ingenious, even playful solutions. Play is also a great way to encourage bonding and can help strengthen relationships. And laughing. Laughing is sooooo good for you.

So take some time today to play. The kid inside you will be glad you did.

April 10, 2015

Ash's Playlist

April 10, 2015/ Kyra Gerhard

Clementine - Sarah JAffe

Jolene- Ray LaMontagne

Three White Horses - Andrew Bird

My Silver Lining - First Aid Kit

Coffee - Sylvan Esso

Paper Heart - St Lucia

Green, Green Rocky Road - Oscar Isaac

Giant of Illinois - Andrew Bird

Postcards from Italy - Beirut

The Winner is - Devotchka

Check out this playlist here! It's perfect for massages and being cute with your cutie friends who are just non-stop cuteness rollercoasters.

March 06, 2015

Quiet Like Early Morning

March 06, 2015/ Kyra Gerhard

Our Own Pretty Ways - First Aid Kit

Jagadamba, You Might - First Aid Kit

Strange Love - Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles

Be All Be Easy - Woods

Riverside - Agnes Obel

Stolen Dance - Milky Chance

St. Paul - Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles

The Great Escape - Patrick Watson

West Coast (Rob Orton Mix) - Lana Del Rey

The Fountain - Future Islands

Check out this playlist here! It's the perfect mix for therapeutic massages or early-morning drives, maybe some into nature with the music on low enough for you to hear the world perk up around you.

February 27, 2015

Kylee's Playing Possum Playlist

February 27, 2015/ Kyra Gerhard

Waking Up - Explosions in the Sky

Then the Quiet Explosion - Hammock

Daylight Goodbye - Message to Bears

Quiet - This Will Destroy You

Two Moons - Toe

Human Qualities - Explosions in the Sky

Beyond this Moment - Patrick O'Hearn

Bless the Morning Year - Hellos

Tracking Aeroplanes - The Echelon Effect

Passage - Lowercase Noises

Worth Everything Ever Wished For - The End of the Ocean

Twenttwofourteen - The Album Leaf

Check out Kylee's playlist here! For when being conscious is just not working for you! When you're like, "No, thank you" to the sunshine and the him drum-ery of life. And request this playlist for your next session!

February 20, 2015

Groovin'

February 20, 2015/ Kyra Gerhard

I See My Mother - POLICA

Dark Star - POLICA

Fist, Talk, Money - POLICA

Disco//very - Warpaint

Billie Holiday - Warpaint

Keep It Healthy - Warpaint

Mushaboom - Feist

Clean Slate - M. Ward

Pulaski at Night - Andrew Bird

Fake Palindromes - Andrew Bird

Heartbeats - Jose Gonzalez

There Is A Light that Never Goes Out - The Smiths

Southern Sun - Boy & Bear

If I Ever Feel Better - Phoenix

Glory and Gore - Lorde

Only for You - Heartless Bastards

Somebody that I Used to Know - Gotye

Hall Bop - Django Django

You Woke Me Up! - Andrew Bird

Wild West End - Dire Straits

Under the Pressure - The War on Drugs

Day is Done - Nick Drake

Jagadamba, You Might - First Aid Kit

Baby's Arms - Kurt Vile

Fineshrine - Purity Ring

Emmylou - First Aid Kit

Have a listen here! It's quite the gem and perfect for some bedroom dancing. Groovin' is obviously great for massage but also works for building a fort with a metric ton of twinkle lights. It's a playlist that makes you want to do something deserving of its quiet adorableness.

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The Importance of Play

Ash's Playlist

Quiet Like Early Morning

Kylee's Playing Possum Playlist

Groovin'

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