A game of self discovery ~ Γνῶθι Σεαυτόν
Players There is a single player. This is a game of solitaire.
Turns There is only a single turn. It has one peculiarity: the turn is named, today.
Turn Preparation Before engaging in the turn, the player must think of what the player wants and then write it down. For example, if the player is a 12 year old boy he might write down, “I want a Ferrari”, or “I want good grades”, or “I want that particular girl”.
Turn Moves
- Forgive The player should think of anything that they can personally forgive. Then the player should forgive this thing.
- Not in the sense that the player might absolve the one who caused harm or pain. That is impossible because that harm done is between them and their Creator.
- Not in the sense that the player gives them permission to do the thing again. The player should never agree with what harms them, the player should only agree with what heals them.
- The player should forgive in the sense of looking at the situation and releasing the burden of fear, anger, self doubt or negative energy that came with the event. The player already paid the cost of the interaction in the real sense (if a thief stole from the player, the player bore the loss whether they wanted to or not). In this sense the player already gave for the thief. The player literally for-them-gave. The player forgave the thief in the forced sense. Now, the player should release and refuse the bad energy that came with the event. If a home invader robbed the player and now the player lives in visceral fear of a recurrence, the player might forgive the home invader in the sense of saying, “I already bore the pain and shock, now I release the fear and anger as well. I forgive you.”
- This can seem very difficult since it appears to be the giving up of the right to balance or vindication. Paradoxically, the player is the only one anywhere in creation with the actual power to forgive this particular event. Power reserved is no power at all, power released can be used to do great things.
- The player can ask the Creator for help, “Father, help me to release this energy. Surround the negative energy and the whole situation in your light, sever any bonds, and take it away to {fill in the appropriate place for it to go}.”
- Request Forgiveness The player might think of anything for which the player feels guilt. The player then asks for forgiveness for this thing. It is important to ask forgiveness from the Creator and essential source of all things.
- Perhaps the player will ask forgiveness from the one offended.
- Perhaps the player will make right the thing about which they feel guilt (repay, make due).
- However, the single most important thing is to ask the Creator for forgiveness. They player should remember to accept that forgiveness as from someone with absolute capacity to make all things right and balanced.
- Interestingly, this focus or intent on seeking forgiveness often gives the player strength to avoid this guilt-causing-action during this turn. If the guilt-causing-action comes up anyway, it is suggested that the player set this move aside for the moment and try one of the other moves.
- This move can be a great deal of work. However, the player often does not realize at the outset, that the work of this move is always for the deep and significant benefit of the player.
- Reflect Reflection is the capacity to see one’s self. Reflection is not dimwitted self-admiration. Reflection is self-awareness, compassion for the infant, the child, the youth and the adult that the self has been and care for the self that is and is becoming. The player must appreciate the self and specifically the good things the player has discovered about the self.
- The player may have discovered bad things about the self as well, that’s just fine. Go back to one of the other moves.
- Forgiving and asking for forgiveness are the two faces of a single coin which the game creator calls, “relationship”. However, the acts of forgiving and asking forgiveness bring clarity and deeper self awareness as well. If reflection is difficult, switch to one of the other move.
- About the Moves The player can do as many of these moves as they want in the turn. The moves can be done in any order. It is common that only one move is necessary to produce deep and meaningful insight. This is a turn well spent.
Turn End The player should now assert the thing they wrote down at the beginning of the turn with the joy that came from deeper reflection and gratitude for the very capacity to reflect. For instance, the boy might say, “Thank you very much for this beautiful Ferrari!”
This might sound ridiculous, but in the specific context of having made the various allowed moves of the game, significant personal insight and awareness are the frame and flow of the present thoughts. External reality has been rightfully subjected to the deeper and more important reality of the inner self. Ferraris exist in this space as an idea more than they ever do as a thing. They exist in this space more than they do in the real world. If you doubt this, ask any engineer if the thing of the imagination, of the blueprint, of the casting / machining / bolting / testing is any less real than the finished machine. They will probably hedge, “Well technically…” but then you will see them lose place and time and enter that dream of pure creativity. Yes, that place in the mind and heart is much, much more real than the thing one might touch or perhaps drive.
This assertion (“Thank you very much for this beautiful Ferrari!”) mixed with the joy of reflection has a deeply real and transformative affect that only experience can communicate. The game designer has noted that often, with the reflection which the moves inspire, the thing wanted changes. That is fine. Assert the new thing just as plainly. Perhaps the boy’s wanted thing would change to, “I want to have quick reflexes, quick enough to drive a Ferrari”, or “I want to gain useful knowledge”, or “I want to be capable of deep friendship”. Great! Now assert it, “I really love these lightning fast reflexes!”, or “I am so happy about the useful knowledge I have gained”, or “My new ability to be a good friend is just beautiful!”
Determining the winner Since there is only one player, the player should determine the winner with careful observation both within and without. Rest assured, there is a winner. A glorious champion. The game creator, for one, is so very proud of the player.