How To “Win” The Game Of Life

by Dylan Harper

We’ve all heard the metaphor before… The Game of Life. I find this to be a true analogy and one that assists me in navigating day to day interactions.

Using the particular game of chess as an example, chess is a game of strategy. There are rules governing how to move the different pieces and rules governing the overall game itself. To change the rules would ultimately result in an entirely different game being played.

For the time being, humanity is still playing its old version of chess (moving through life via control, manipulation & other fear based actions) while at the same time being in the giant midst of negotiating and co-creating new rules (how to move through love based actions). As our renegotiations ultimately gel into a new way of Being and living life, an entirely new game will unfold. Until we begin playing by the new rules, we still must make the best of the old rules.

Most people, for many years… me included… have seen the game of chess as a competition that boxes in the other person, actually their king, leaving them no further, possible moves. A forced surrender. Playing chess as a game of strategy against another person is certainly one way to play the game and yet not the only way. (In life…. How often have we ALL surrendered aspects of ourselves, given up on being the person we truly are, ignoring the gifts we have that could be in service to all creation? If you’re at all like me, forced surrender and being boxed in to living an untrue version of yourself became your normal way of existing and navigating daily life).

The game of chess can also be approached as a game of strategy to keep yourself FREE and continue to have options with each move made. (Instead of surrendering, the focus changes to asking ourselves what choices can be made, what strategies adopted where we remain free to live the unique person we are each created to be and in the process, become the very best version of our individual truths possible).

Played in such a way, both chess and life become a training ground for the new game we are all co-creating because it trains us to see ALL the options, look at the bigger picture, and practice engaging with ALL in an attempt to see what we prefer, what resonates with our goals and desires, who supports us in our quest for freedom and where there are choices are still being made from a place of surrender instead of joy and love.

Even playing the game using the strategy to remain free, we will still find ourselves ultimately boxed in from time to time. That’s ok because we’ve learned something. We play again, and again, and again knowing that with each game played, our vision and scope for containing the bigger picture grows. With each new game, more wisdom is gained through direct experience, a grander ability to perceive ever broadening possibilities increases, and we continue to practice participating fully while being present in each moment.

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Philosophers stone – selected views from the boat http://philosophers-stone.co.uk