5-Day Pathway
Reclaim Play
Explore play as both an activity and a way of being — bringing new meaning, joy, and aliveness to your daily life.
Join us in celebrating our milestone anniversary with a year of educational programs designed to sustain your practice and deepen your perspective as you meet the unfolding joys, sorrows, and uncertainties ahead. In celebration of our founder Br. David Steindl-Rast’s 99th birthday, this Pathway is being offered free of charge.*
Imagine for a moment a world without play: No games, no dancing, no sporting events, no humor, no morning crossword! It’s like trying to imagine a world without water. Play is not only a magnificent source of joy and pleasure, it is essential to human thriving. Studies in neuroscience and psychology reveal that play improves mental health, relationships, and the capacity to handle stress. There’s even a correlation between play and hope for the future.
Why, then, do adults sometimes forget to play? Perhaps you were taught that play is just for children or that the only time to play is after your “real” work is complete. But what if play is the very thing needed to bring a new depth of meaning and aliveness to your daily life?
The invitation to reclaim play is an invitation to approach life with more ease, your full presence, and a willingness to be surprised. It is an opportunity to open to joy and discover meaning. These capacities lie at the heart of living gratefully.
How might your life be enriched if you could take a more playful approach to your work, your relationships, even your own growth? Join us July 12 – 16 for the exploration.
This 5-day, self-paced journey offers:
Strategies to adopt play as a way of being
Tools to nurture and enhance connection through play
Daily practices to liberate yourself from the pressures of productivity and invite more fun and joy
Poetry, video, essays, and music to enhance your exploration
Research exploring the importance of play
Register Today for Reclaim Play!
*Use code PLAY99 at checkout to register for free.
Reclaim Play will begin on July 12, Br. David’s 99th birthday!
Pathway FAQ
Delivered as a 5-day series of emails, our Pathways provide guidance, inspiration, and practices to help you cultivate a more grateful life. They are self-paced and yours to keep. Each day includes an introduction, inspiring resources, daily practice, reflection prompts, and supporting research.
On the checkout screen, click on the link that says “Have a coupon? Click here to enter your code.” Enter code PLAY99 in the invite code box and click apply.
Reclaim Play will be delivered as a series of five daily emails beginning July 12, Br. David’s 99th birthday! You will receive an email on Friday, July 11 with an overview of the week ahead.
While the emails will be delivered July 12 – 16, you can explore the Pathway anytime at your own pace.
While we have made some small changes, the Pathway content remains unchanged. Even if you participated last year, we encourage you to join us again! Going through the Pathway again offers an opportunity to compare your reflections, see what has changed, and reconnect with the daily practices.
No. Pathways are delivered via email and have no live component.
No. If you are a member of The Practitioner Circle you are automatically enrolled in all 2025 programs and do not need to register.
Registration includes lifetime access to all Pathway contents. At the end of the Pathway, you will receive an email with links to all five days. We recommend keeping this email for continued access.
