The past three months have been greatly rewarding as far as personal relationships go. My partner is intelligent, aware, willing to change, and communicates very well. Besides the emotional ties, we have a lot of fun engaging in various activities.
Some of them are fully PG and we enjoy them in the park. Others are less PG... and we still enjoy them in the park sometimes. The single thread that comes up with nearly every activity in our relationship is the concept of playfulness.
Playful Communication
Despite speaking of some deep emotional things and difficult questions, we always find a way to laugh and feel fulfilled. Part of that is through our communication style, which is playful and humorous even when approaching challenging topics.
Beyond our verbal language, we have plenty of body language that encourages a playful attitude and playful acts. One way that we've developed this is through the physical practices of play that we engage in on a regular basis.
Partnered Play
Here are a few of the activities that my partner and I engage in to add more play into our lives:
AcroYoga -- Surprise, surprise. We love to go to the park and do some partnered exercises, which make both of sweat (endorphins!), but also helps us to get in sync with the other. My partner must learn to trust me, accept that I am in control, and surrender to the experience.
Rough-housing -- Even though most people consider rough-housing to be a man's sport, it is great for building bonds with a female partner as well. It helps that my partner is strong and fit, but as a jiu-jitsu practitioner I obviously go easy on her and make it fun for the both of us. This is a great partnered play activity no matter what, but it definitely leads into...
Play in the bedroom -- The number of ways that you can play in the bedroom is nearly infinite. While we are engaging in new and exciting things, it is nowhere near the edge. One couple I met at a friend's house was telling me about their BDSM conference and how they use ropes, hooks, and a plethora of other tools in order to add to their activities. Personally, I'm not there yet, but I wouldn't necessarily call our actions vanilla either.
Add More Play in Your Life
Creating the life that is fulfilling and desirable is filled with more play than you think. In fact, Carl Jung wrote "The creation of something new is not created by the intellect, but by the play instinct.". Adding more play into your life is a universal skill and it is possible in every area including your intimate relationships.
My partnership is definitely one of the most intense and enriching experiences of my life. The irony, is that we met and bonded primarily through my festival and the accompanying corporate wellness programs that bring play into the workplace. If it were not for play, I would not be with her or have even met her.