|
|
    
|
In July 2003, Fred Donaldson and Daniel Caron were invited by instructor,
Koelle Simpson to visit the Monty Roberts International Learning Center at Flag
Is Up Farm in Solvang, California. At
the Center Fred and Daniel shared an Original Play workshop with the staff and
were then taken through a Join Up session led by both Koelle and Monty.
Their visit closed with a wonderful dinner at the Roberts' home filled
with good food and great conversation. Below
is a short conversation with instructor Koelle Simpson about her impressions of
the Original Play workshop and several photographs of the visit with our new
friends at Flag Is Up Farm. Daniel: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with me about the Original Play program that we all shared at Flag Is Up Farm. I wanted to get some of your impressions and thoughts about what you experienced, what it was like and how Original Play might apply to what you do personally and professionally. Koelle: It was very intriguing to discover what "Original Play" is. After reading a little bit from the book "Playing By Heart" my appetite was whet but I found the book struggling to pin point what the act of Original Play is versus what it is not. When you and Fred Donaldson came in to set-up the room with pictures and video tape of children and animals playing I think this began to set the atmosphere to a comforting activity that we were all familiar with. As each of you gave your introductions you were very relaxed and set the tone to say that anything goes. I appreciated Fred's explanation of what Original Play is not, leaving Original Play to be physically defined. As Fred encouraged everyone to find a partner to start out with a few small exercises I think this was calming to everyone. Hence, many of us were very uncertain just how to be playing without having direction, which as we eventually learned, would have only interfered with our ability to play freely.
I found each of the exercises interesting and very enjoyable. It was fun to go through and get a conscious awareness of my own energy as well as somebody else's and be able to feel beyond just what you see. When we did interact with people as a group, during a play time, there were so many things that happened during that time… a lot of emotion seemed to break loose around the room not only for me on a personal level but also for many of the people I knew within the group. I found myself really enjoying the liberty of being able to interact with these people outside the usual work environment. Then, in addition to that with my background of abuse, it was an environment that felt really safe. That was nice for me to have that experience on my own. I noticed myself being gravitated to people whom I knew and felt more comfortable with, people who were already good friends of mine. I still continue to venture out and play with other people that were within that group but I did not know them on a personal level. I found that to be a little bit difficult for me but I really enjoyed being able to do that… And then, of course, my relationship with them after this time is a bit more open, which is really wonderful. As I was watching everyone else around the room there were just so many things taking place that I can only imagine how this event impacted them emotionally and psychologically. It is not everyday that we allow ourselves the environment where we have the freedom and the liberty to interact, "Play", with one another in a way that we probably haven't done for a very long time or, in Monty's case, maybe not at all. It was interesting to watch a few people start out being very comfortable and then realizing the state of what they were doing and not being able to continue to participate anymore. And then people who loosened up all the way through. There were a couple of girls in the group who I noticed who were very free and giving of themselves, very happy to interact with everybody and very self-confident. It was really nice to watch them work through the group as well. Daniel: Wow, what I'm hearing you say is that the experience was helpful in creating a new type of relationship with people you previously had a different relationship with before? Koelle: Yes. I think anytime you get into a situation where you are interacting with somebody beyond a surface level, in other words being "Real", I think that deepens your relationship with them. In this particular case, being able to be in an environment where you are appropriately socially interacting with them physically through touch and laughter and play and things like that. I think that that opens things up on a deeper level yet not having to expose anything that is too serious or too personal. I believe this strengthens your relationship. Daniel: Thank you, Koelle. Fred Donaldson and Daniel Caron periodically visit the Monty Roberts International Learning Center. If you are interested in how Monty Roberts is improving relationships between people and horses, contact the Monty Roberts International Learning Center at (805) 688-3483 or visit them on line at www.montyroberts.com
| |||||||||||||||
