Introduction

Hi! I am Rahla Kahn, the creator of The Power Of Play®.

And I’m Richard Rossner. I’m married to Rahla and am her partner in The Power Of Play®.

How The Power Of Play® came to be and the many roads we are traveling on this journey will be the subjects of this site. It will be an ongoing inquiry into creativity, health and personal excellence.

We probably should begin with what The Power Of Play® is and what it is not. Sorry, but The Power Of Play® is not a sex site, although The Power Of Play Approach™ to sex and relationships has important implications, and we’ll be exploring them in future writings.

So…what is The Power Of Play® and The Power Of Play Approach™?

The Power Of Play® is a dynamic, experiential, innovative approach to health, wellness, personal empowerment, business culture and productivity. We use the rules of improvisational theater as a structure to design exercises that reveal patterns of thought and behavior in a fun, safe, non-competitive and non-confrontational manner.

Educators know that the “fun” ingredient helps students learn, anchor and retain information. In our seminars and private work, we create a safe environment in which participants discover the liberating effects that our inventive methods provide. While some may consider any training or personal exploration with the word “play” in it childish, our work embodies the childlike qualities of curiosity, wonder, amazement, imagination, surprise, creativity and playfulness that allow for peak performance as adults.

The Power Of Play® succeeds, because our programs create an opening in both heart and mind. Then we further the learning process by engaging participants in an active process. Add the element of laughter, and personal insights are anchored in a profound way. Participants do not simply listen to theories. They engage in an experiential process and are given an opportunity to reflect on their response, which provides insights into how they operate at work and in life. Participants are also amazed at their own creativity and recognize how they can apply new tools to discover different possibilities to approach persistent problems. People have personal breakthroughs in perspective that enhance the quality of their experience of themselves, which affects the choices that they make, which ultimately brings more joy and aliveness into their personal and work lives.

Recommended Reading:

We have experienced life as a grand game that has magically and wondrously led us to develop our ideas and approach. There were many people and books along the way that inspired and helped give us the theoretical and practical foundation for our work. We will offer a couple of books at a time (so as not to overwhelm you) that you can read to increase your understanding of what animates us and what can practically support your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual mental health and wellbeing.
The first two books we highly recommend are selections for anyone who is dealing with cancer or other health issues. They were authored by extraordinary visionary and pioneering men who became my (Rahla’s) mentors.

The first book is Anatomy of an Illness As Perceived by the Patient, written by Norman Cousins. Norman was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a painful and debilitating nerve disease. He was given a few months to live. He discovered, however, that when he laughed for 15 minutes, he was able to get more than two hours of pain free sleep. His intuition led him to rent every comedy movie he could, and he eventually “laughed himself well.” His story is fascinating, inspiring, empowering and easy to read.

The second book we highly recommend is Getting Well Again, written by radiation oncologist, Dr. O. Carl Simonton. This book lays out a brilliant theory and practical program that can help anyone dealing with cancer learn how to re-balance their life and bring joy and serenity to the overall healing process. Carl and his program were the true jumping off point for many of today’s mind-body health gurus, such as Bernie Segal and Deepak Chopra. This seminal work and Carl’s ongoing retreats in Santa Barbara, CA, are a constant source of inspiration for us. The program Carl offers in this book makes so much sense, it can and does apply to everyone seeking a healthy and balanced life. If you know anyone who is dealing with the chaos of cancer, RUN out and get this book for them. If you are experiencing a stressful life and want to avoid the illnesses that stress can bring, get a copy for yourself!