Like meditation, after play the world looks brighter, clearer and more delightful.

After all, it's no accident that after meditating for a few hours, we spontaneously start to play. Animal biologists tell us that if a young animal is under stress, it won't play. But as soon as it starts to feel safe... well, let the games begin! Most of us modern humans have gotten the saber-toothed tigers and woolly mastodons under control. We experience chronic stress not because our lives are in any real danger but because we believe our incessant, neurotic thoughts (and let's face it, it's a jungle in there). So the most direct path to safety is to turn down the volume of our minds and arrive with all our awareness in the present moment -- where it's safe.

The present moment is, in fact, the only doorway to the playground. You can't get there from not here. And when we do get here the playground doors burst wide open and unleash our spontaneous free play. In short, when we're present we become wise and everything becomes play.

By Headspace Running most certainly has its benefits: It's good for our hearts and our heads. Many have turned running into a daily habit. And while there's much to gain from performing the physical activity, there's a lot we're missing out on when we slip into a semi-conscious state when doing the exercise. It’s pretty normal for the mind to wander when you’re running, regardless of whether the thoughts are related to the running itself, or something quite separate. But the only way to ensure that you’re performing to the very best of your ability, is to leave the thinking behind and allow the body and mind to work together with a combined physical and mental focus. So here is a mindfulness exercise from the meditation experts at Headspace to use next time you go for your run.

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