The Way of Play

Explore the lightness of being through the serious business of play!

Join us for three hours of discovery — where spontaneity and laughter meet spiritual inquiry.

Play is not a distraction from depth; it’s a direct way to it but as adults we often overlook this. At the same time we treat mindfulness with such solemnity that it becomes it's own barrier to liberation.

The Way of Play flips that: letting go of outcomes, easing up on the grown-up gobbledygook, and remembering what all knew as children —that play is the best possible way to spend every waking minute.

When we loosen our grip on seeking and striving - and instead follow what’s spontaneous, surprising, and often funny we find ourselves in territory that modern mindfulness rarely reaches. From this lighter way of being we can gain fresh insights into how we relate to ourselves, each other, the world, and life itself. And have some actual fun together!

Each session we’ll take on a theme — such as the power of now, the paradox of opposites, impermanence, ways of attending, or play-as-healing — and approach it sideways, through games, discussions, and moments of shared silliness that can turn out to be quite profound.

Over the course of three hours, you'll be guided not towards some distant “enlightenment”, but to a lightness of being available to all people at all times.

Silent meditation will give way to bodily movement, and inner work to creative interaction. We will recapture the spirit of school break, laugh at our inevitable mistakes and the absurdity of life - all within in a safe space of mutual care, where the simple gifts of play are set free at long last - to hop, skip, whistle and dance.

In short, we'll have astonishing amounts of fun while learning a number of super serious lessons. Or at least that’s what we'll try! :-)

Details:

- 10:00am to 13:00pm
- Sunday 12 October
- New Street Market, Woodbridge
- £25 from eventbrite but £20 from the Here & Now People website (eventbrite fees are crazy!)

Next one is on Sunday 9 November - same timings and venue.

New Street market is wheelchair accessible and we offer free access companion tickets.

Payment plans and bursary places are available to anyone in need of financial assistance.

This is about play, not performance. Here & Now People also teaches improv classes but this isn't one of them! We’ll do plenty of interactive stuff together in the moment, but you won’t be asked to act out scenes or perform. It’s suitable for everyone who wants to awaken their playful spirit.

About the facilitator

Alex Menhams is the founder of Here & Now People in Suffolk, where he teaches classes that bring people together in ways that are playful, mindful, and joyful.

He performs and teaches improvisation across Europe, and has led workshops on presence and play at festivals, retreats, and conferences.

With roots in mindfulness, Taoism, Ch'an, Buddhism, and radical non-dualism, Alex has found that taking the spiritual path too seriously is its own obstacle. His work brings a balance of depth and lightness — carnival and mass — and a reminder that life is more spacious, kind, and creative when we let ourselves play.

What is The Way of Play?
The Way of Play grew out of the Applied Improvisation Network Conference in 2022, when Alex, Eduardo Jáuregui, Vanessa Wilde, Taj Baker and others began exploring the surprising overlap of spontaneity, spirituality, and play. It has since become a collaborative exploration, with facilitators offering sessions worldwide.

But perhaps The Way of Play isn’t something to define, but something to live. Life itself is play — and to know this is to find yourself free to join in.

Testimonials

"An extraordinary experience - finding yourself playing with strangers, giving life to your imagination, laughing without worrying about goals. A truly healing experience."

"Alex facilitated expertly, and the result was joy."

"The session brought together 15 strangers in an exploration of play, presence, mindfulness, silliness and sometimes profound emotion. I was left feeling completely present by the end of it: that state that you can get into after a long meditation or yoga session."

"Playful mindfulness is a fantastic combination - the best of both worlds! It was fun, relaxing, insightful, fascinating and brilliant - the combination of gentle guidance and limitless exploration made for a delightful experience."

"I liked the relaxed pace and the quality of conversations generated amongst people who are essentially strangers."

"I enrolled because I know I take myself too seriously at times and I wanted to explore a lighter side of me - it definitely fulfilled that objective."

"It really flew by and I appreciated how interactive it all was. I wasn't bored for a minute. I left with a renewed sense of wanting to give myself permission to make mistakes so I can play more!

"I can't remember the last time I laughed so much with a group of strangers and also nearly got moved to tears and somehow also felt lighter. I highly recommend this unique workshop and its wonderful facilitator."

"Alex is a great facilitator, creating fun, safety, tenderness, silliness, and a sense of inclusiveness, acceptance, friendliness and connection among a group of people that had never been together before, and doing it with ease, grace and humour. There was an edge of excitement at the unexpected - and I was left with joy and a deep sense of wholeness, having connected with my inner playfulness. Really life affirming."