Ying and Yang

It was a balmy Friday evening in July at C’s house.  I had been invited to try a game “Le Jeu du Tao” – with C’s friend N – who I had met once before and who is funny, gorgeous, energetic, positive, full of life, and has her own business called Harmony n Joy – 2 words that sum her up perfectly, and G – a life coach, a mentor, a teacher of I Ching, who would be our guide for the game.

That was the setting. The instant we sat down together the tone for the evening was set.  It felt like we had known each other for ever and at the same time as if we were discovering each other for the first time.  This duality was an indicator of what was to come….the ying and the yang in their very essence.

To explain briefly, the Jeu du Tao (created by a group of French thinkers some years ago) is based around the Chinese principle of Tao - which is a way, or approach, through observation, reflection, timing, reaction, chance and change, and goes some way to explaining why things happen as they do. It centres on the construction of the I Ching.

From social chit-chat and introductions and catch-ups we naturally gravitated towards more personal subjects...moved to the table and sat where we felt best. 

G asked each of us to think of a personal quest, something we were searching for, that we wanted, and felt we needed to achieve, but were not certain we would be able to...and the game began.  It consisted of a board made of felt, similar to a draughts board with black and white squares, and 4 quadrants – earth, wind, fire, and water. The element each symbolise something different:

Earth = what are you looking for?

Fire = what are you afraid of, what I stopping you?

Water = what tools, strengths do you have?

Air = how committed are you, what sacrifices would you make?

There was a die, and a choice of  stones, coins as talisman and we each chose the one that suited us best. Some cards corresponding to the squares and the challenges. An egg timer.  We threw the die to see who went first.  C was the on.  She threw the die again. And the game began.

We each announced our quest, and then threw the die, chose where we wanted to go on the board in terms of the direction of the element wished for, and depending on the square chose a card from the various piles.  

There are element cards, black challenge cards – taobstacles – in the form of challenges and interactive roleplay that link and confront the players, and there are I Ching cards – which illustrate the link between the individual situation of the player and the universe, the microcosm and the macrocosm and are designed to help focus the player through questioning and reasoning.  Once the player in question has considered the question, the challenge on the card, and feels ready to respond, the player turns the egg timer and has 3 minutes to express themselves, to explore the question, to receive questions from the others, to be guided by the teacher.  
 "Qui voit le ciel dans l'eau voit les poissons dans les arbres" "whoever sees sky in the water sees fish amongst the trees"

All questions are positive reinforcement, no negativity is expressed between players, the only potential for negativity comes from the player themself…..

And as the evening, which was rich in emotion and exchange, progressed, our individual quests, which seemed very different at the beginning ended up interlacing and becoming a common desire, a uniform wish, a collective goal. There was a symbiosis that was surprising, the energy was very positive and at one point during the game, N literally radiated light and happiness and joy.

The game came to a natural end…and we took time to reflect on what had just happened.  We then each set ourselves individual goals related to our original quest. We nominated one of the other players to be our quest buddy, to watch out for us, to watch over us, to guide us if needed.  This piece is my personal quest.

The evening ended late, much later than any of us had thought.  We were tired yet exhilarated, full of questions yet thoughtful and introspective.

The end result was very different from the one I expected at the outset.  I have spent the last 24 hours seriously reflecting about different aspects of my life, my future, myself, my entourage.  Most of all, I feel inspired to go forward, to start thinking of my dreams as goals, and to draw from the positive energy that now surrounds me.

And that, my friends is Le Jeu du Tao.