What readers are saying about 21 Games…
Finally, non-digital games that soothe instead of stress my brain! A.T. Lynne is the master in positive use of that forgotten, magical gift called Imagination. I can’t think of a better use of my free time during the next three weeks.
—Denis Waitley, Author,
The Psychology of Winning
A.T. has written a practical user’s guide for the caretaking of the modern mind. She has completely won over this squeamish self-help book reader. Written with brevity and clarity such that you envision results before playing each memorable game. Even just a dabbling will give your mind a rest.
—Wendy Tremont King
Studiotozzi – Actor/Narrator
With Wisdom distilled in this little volume, A.T. Lynne has profoundly reminded us of the formative power of play. With her 21 Games… she has convincingly also shown us how our thoughts shape and misshape our mind, and affect both our sense of self and well being. Her games greatly help in the ongoing process of becoming conscious, which ultimately makes individuation achievable. Bravo!—David B. Leof, M.D.
Distinguished Life Fellow,
American Psychiatric Association
Senior Jungian Training Analyst,
Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts
Brilliant book! I thoroughly enjoyed it and love your processes.
—Rintu Basu
Author, Persuasion Skills Black Book
Glasgow, Scotland
I read A.T. Lynne’s book cover to cover, then went back and worked with each game! Now, I’m integrating 21 Games… into my daily practice. I like the way it gets my thinking focused and clears the way for progress and growth.
—Mike Clinco
Composer, Jazz Guitarist, Dog Owner
There are lots of ways to calm the anxious, frustrated mind: give up coffee, take up yoga, dope up on prescriptions or buy up the entire self-help section of the bookstore. If you’ve tried it all and your mind still won’t “shut the @#&* up,” keep trying. 21 Games… is a Swiss army knife in the creative person’s toolkit for well-being.—Nancy Shaw, Filmmaker
This book and these “games” are simple, entertaining and thought changing. Spiritual law says that if you can change your thinking, you can change your life. This book has the tools to easily and playfully change your life. Don’t believe me, try it for yourself!—Nancy Radford, RScP
I shared A.T.’s games with my family and they have lead to fun and interesting discussions about how to cope with difficult situations and people. I look forward to giving them all copies of A.T.’s book so they can find the same benefits that I found.
—Morgan Fenner
Berkeley High Rowing Coach
A.T. Lynne’s insights into human perception are so positive and illuminating! —Andre Schjaerve
Artist and Screenwriter
Truly, the moment I began reading 21 Games…, I felt at peace. It was not about “shutting the mind up.” It was about breathing life, honoring life’s gifts, feeling joyous and at peace. A.T. has channeled a connection with her gift for playfulness to create instant peace and happiness in others.
—Jeni Pfeiffer
Realtor, EcoBroker
Specializing in Green Building
My sister took a writing class from A.T. Lynne and sent me her book for my birthday in April. It has given me many tips for controlling my ADD mind, which I appreciate greatly. Thanks for the peace.
—Allison Green
Evansville, IN
A. T. Lynne’s 21 Games for the Mind that Won’t Shut the @#&* Up! smashes down the barricaded door to the panic room in your brain, kicks ass and takes names. Buy it!
Rob Swigart, Author,
Little America, The Time Trip,
The White Pig and other novels
I bought the book – looked slender. Got heavier as I carried it… hmmm, got some heavy ideas. Burned through it in one night — walked on air all week. Enjoying its games.—Delilah, Author,
Excuse Me, Am I Bothering You
Multi-media Artist
Sixty-plus years of dabbling in activity after activity, reinventing myself countless times, listening to the incessant voice of “If only I have this in my life all will be OK” all in the quest of filling the emptiness that was still there when the newness of the objects wore off. What a joy to discover that by redirecting my thoughts and perceptions of the world around me, by playing A.T.’s 21 Games…, a new guide to true happiness and tranquility is, at last, mine!—Gordon Christensen
MCO, Retired
NRA Life Member
When feeling uninspired, I use 21 Games… to boost my creativity. This book is a combination self help manual, puzzle book, and mind expanding guide. Most of all, it’s just plain fun. Read it and feel better!
—Stephanie Fuelling
CFO, Harmony Landscapes & Design, Inc.
Man muß noch Chaos in sich haben, um einen tanzenden Stern gebären zu können!
Also sprach Zarathustra
—Friedrich Nietzsche
(Man must have some chaos within, in order to give birth to a dancing star!)
21 Games
for
The Mind that Won’t
Shut
the @#&*
Up!
By A.T. Lynne
Copyright 2011 A.T. Lynne
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for you support.
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice nor prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical or medical problems, either directly or indirectly. Readers are advised to take the ideas in this book with a grain of salt, as wisdom suggests you do with any other ideas or advice. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general and playful nature to help you in your quest for emotional, intellectual, financial, mental, social, visceral and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of this information or play any of these games with yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher wish you the greatest joy while assuming no responsibility for your actions nor credit for your magnificent results.
Learn more about the author through her official website:
http://www.primenumberpress.com
This book is available in print at most online retailers
Design by Pete Masterson, Æonix Publishing Group, http://www.aeonix.com
****
For my wonderful companion
Paul Churchill —
you helped me learn
how to keep the drama on the page
while nurturing playfulness
— and peace —
in our home.
Acknowledgments
Linda Jay Geldens, Skillful Editor par Excellence: the readers of this book and I benefit tremendously from your sharp eye, your devoted attention and your all-around editing mastery;
Pete Masterson, Publishing Guru Extraordinaire: your thorough knowledge of this process and your calm guidance made this book a reality;
Brady Barrows, Hawaii Webmaster Wizard: your technical know-how shifted this book into hyperspace by launching my website a year ago;
Adam Faulconer, Katherine Faulconer and Tracy Faulconer: wherever you are on your cosmic journeys, thank you for everything you contributed to my life while you danced upon the earth;
Margot Rumley and Keith Faulconer: thank you for continuing to boldly live your own wonderful destinies and for your support and encouragement of me in living mine.
****
Contents
Section One- Emergency Rations
Game #2- Pick A Color … Any Color
Game #5- Take Five Trance Awakening
Game #10- Aim For The Back Of The Head
Speaking the Language of Heaven,
Moving Toward What You Really Want
Producing, Writing and Directing…
as well as Starring in Your Life
Game #16- If I Lived in a Vacuum…
Getting Rid of the Whole Family
Rescinding the Price for Your Life
Game #21- Skating Away From the Wall
Section Three**** Bonus Game ****
Additional titles in the Games for Your Mind Series:
Preface
How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do, and of all they are willing to endure.
—William James (1842 – 1910)
American psychologist/philosopher
Imagine for a moment that you recover your happiness, a happiness as great as the greatest days of your childhood. And now, imagine that you recover this happiness simply by playing games. Imagine, then, that you continue playing in such a way that the rest of your long life is truly pleasurable, fruitful and satisfying.
If you can imagine these possibilities, read on.
But, what if you can’t really imagine happiness any more. What if you’re done with even considering that ridiculous, childish concept. What if all you want is just a few moments, now and then, free of the full-on war in your head.
I invite you, too, to keep reading.
You don’t have to believe in happiness to play these games. You don’t have to have faith in anything, hope for anything or believe in anything. You can even hold onto the fear-preservers of skepticism and doubt while you begin to play with these new ideas.
However, before we determine whether this book is for you, I must alert those for whom it is not.
This book is not for children. Anyone who still wakes up with unbridled eagerness to leap into the day will only be distracted by this book.
This book is not for the simple. Anyone whose mind has never been troubled by the bedlam of too much adult thinking has no need for these games.
This book is not for people so devoted to their religious faith, their artistic expressions or their inventive imaginations that they go to sleep and wake again into visions of ecstasy, while living in contented communion with their minds. These fortunate ones already occupy those states that players of these games will glimpse.
And, this book isn’t for anyone who, in her heart-of-hearts, still believes the answer to unhappiness lies in one more thing that can be bought, one more trip that can be taken, one more guru that can be followed. Her money and time are best invested in that next best thing, not in this book. Yet.
This book is for you only when you’ve tried everything else. When you’ve spent every penny you’ve earned and, then, gone deep in debt still hoping to “make a hand.” When you’ve used every drug you could find, but lack the guts to take enough of it to solve your problems, once and for all. When you’ve come to the grim conclusion that they’re right — you are your own worst enemy.
If any of this relates to you and your life, then we’re starting with some things in common. Leaping into life with high expectations, the obligation that I had to take care of myself soon eclipsed the vision that I was here for a grand purpose. After decades of trying to keep my nose to the grindstone, my goal had devolved to getting debt-free before I died. I look back now and wonder, What was I thinking? Was I worried that Mastercard or Visa would trash me in some obituary notice, labeling me a dishonorable debt-payer? I had become more committed to the bottom line of American Express than I was to my own sweet life.
No wonder I wanted to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge! Actually, it’s a wonder I didn’t.
Driven by the insatiable desire to escape my tormented thinking, I retreated to the remembered state of my eager and untroubled child mind. What I discovered there was a desire to play. As I dared to play, I began to experience moments of respite from the ever-present worry in my adult life. And, over this last decade, I’ve been developing and playing the games in this book. The very best result has been the re-friending of my own mind.
—Sausalito, California
Introduction
It is said that to make a new behavior into a habit takes about three weeks. It is said by some that an average Lunacy Cycle is also about three weeks. This means, that most of us can hold it together for 21 days before we do something rash, which we soon regret.
Here in your hands you have a few weeks’ worth of games to play. Some take a minute while others, played in full, take a week. These games are designed to be played with and by yourself. Each one is a game of non-competitive self-discovery.
Right now, you might not believe that these simple, easy-to-play games can accomplish so much. But suppose for a moment you see yourself smiling with compassion at someone else’s angry accusations. Imagine choosing more of what you want and completely enjoying what you choose. Suppose, instead of always having the radio, the TV or your iPod blaring at you 24/7, you’re more eager to hear your own ideas, and the quiet hour with yourself is your favorite hour of the day. What if you had the tools to determine the life you live and never again have to do what someone else says? Are these possibilities enough to make a few minutes of playing worth your time?
Lastly, these games are not meant to be slavishly followed. As you experiment and play them, the games will naturally align with what is most fun for you. In time, they will weave into your very own games. In the pattern that is true of children’s games, these are merely a means of getting you out into the sunshine, where you will run right into the happy life you were meant to choreograph and live.
Let the Games begin! And, may you find that a little playing has a mighty influence on extending your peace of mind far beyond a few short weeks.
Welcome!
Section One
When you’re headed to the bridge to jump, headed to a divorce lawyer, or just headed straight to hell in a handbasket, give yourself a minute to play.
The intention of these first ten games is to give you the delicious experience of relief. In the absence of, at least, intermittent relief, the tensions of life can grind down hope, jeopardize health and rob the heart of happiness. Play these games and let the resultant moments of relief surprise you with a renewed sense of possibility.
Game #1
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
—Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)
From “Desiderata”
Have you noticed how much noise flows into your head day and night? First, there’s the music, the news, the sports, the conversations, TV, Internet and radio that you choose to listen to. Then add to that the traffic, overheard conversations, boom boxes, public address announcements, and all the other sounds that fill the air around you. Is it any wonder that you sometimes want to shout, “Shut the @#&* up!” Yes, the chaotic noise in your head definitely isn’t all in your head.
Now, imagine experiencing one minute of private and personal quiet right where you are. How good would sixty seconds of deep relaxation, anytime you wanted it, feel to your body and mind? Playing the COME HOME! Game gives you that moment of relief, anytime, anywhere.
Step 1. Remove any headphones or Blueteeth from your ears. Turn off any other sound sources under your control.
Step 2. Cup the palms of your open hands gently against your cheeks. Lay your fingers over your eyes and rest your fingertips on your forehead. If you want, you can lean forward, resting your elbows on the surface in front of you. Or, lean back slightly, allowing your elbows to part at a relaxed and easy angle. Close your eyes.
Step 3. Slide your thumbs across your cheekbones until they are over the small flap of skin at the front of your ears. Press your thumbs firmly onto those little flaps, making a comfortably tight seal over the openings of your ears. Close out as much surrounding noise as possible.
Step 4. Let your hands and arms adjust themselves however they need to in order to comfortably hold this position. With your lips gently closed, completely relax your jaw.
Step 5. Begin breathing mindfully. To do this, count your next 10 inhalations and exhalations in this manner: (in) 1-2-3, (out) 2-2-3, (in) 3-2-3, (out) 4-2-3…. As you complete your tenth breath, remain relaxed, and continue resting your face in your hands.
Step 6. Slowly and evenly count backwards from 30 to 1, allowing your body to breathe as it wishes. As you count, notice how much quieter your mind is — no traffic noise, no office noise, no TV or radio, no one else’s opinions. Once you have counted back to 1, lower your hands to your lap and open your eyes.
How marvelously freeing it is to realize that what you thought was your own mind’s craziness, is actually just an echo of someone else’s chatter. Play the COME HOME! Game once or twice a day and refresh your mind in a brand new way.
Bonus Benefit
When you allow it, your body breathes with magnificent ease. Yet, without intending to, you may have developed the habit of holding your breath. Playing the COME HOME! Game will help you renew the natural habit of effortless and easy breathing. This, in turn, will keep your body and mind refreshed all day.
Game #2
… Any Color
The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest.
—Seneca (4 BC–65 AD)
Roman philosopher
Driving home from work, do you ever torment yourself with the same problem you were facing at your desk? Does worry occupy you even when you’re out for a run? Is your mind still fixated on fears when you’re on your long-awaited vacation?
Very often, this mind that’s driving you mad simply needs a distraction, a screensaver while the hard drive is still running. Like a fitful child, all your mind asks is to be amused with a simple game when you are driving or doing some other familiar task that doesn’t allow you to shut your eyes and play the COME HOME! Game.
The PICK A COLOR…ANY COLOR Game is especially effective for stilling a spinning mind when you are physically moving in the world — in a car, on a bus, walking through an airport terminal or across town.
Step 1. Pick a color. Any color will do. You could pick the most prevalent color in your surroundings, such as green in Florida, or an uncommon one like lavender. However, this game, like every game in this book, is meant to be as easy as possible. So, initially, I suggest that you begin the game with a common color. “Red,” for example, if you’re driving on a freeway.
Step 2. Say the name of the color out loud. Calmly and effortlessly, simply say the word over and over, “Red, red, red, red….”
Step 3. Making no effort to direct your eyes, notice how they automatically scan the landscape as you continue to say the word. Saying the name of the color is sufficient to prompt your eyes to find it and your mind to notice it.
Step 4. As soon as you see something in that color, let your eyes float onward to the next object. There is no need to consciously name the objects you see. That will only cause your mind to begin thinking and analyzing again. The purpose of this game, remember, is to relax your mind: an effortless mental screensaver while your mind pauses to refresh.
The PICK A COLOR…ANY COLOR Game also happens to be a fine game for enhanced relaxation of your eyes. As you relax the intensity of your thinking, you also ease the constriction of muscles around your eyes. This reduced muscle tension and the sweeping movement of your vision from left to right, up to down, near to far, gives your eyes a gentle and relaxing workout.
Bonus Benefit
When we hold ourselves in the grip of fear and worry, the resultant tension makes thinking of any new options very difficult. In the reprieve from worry and tension that comes with playing the PICK A COLOR…ANY COLOR Game, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the fresh new answers bursting forth from your creative imagination.
Game #3
He who would be useful, strong, and happy, must cease being a passive receptacle for the negative, beggarly, and impure streams of thought.
—James Allen (1864–1912)
As A Man Thinketh
Do you ever feel unhappy or worried because of something you saw on the Internet? Even if that thing happened thousands of miles away or years ago? Have you ever felt frightened by a headline or angered by a caller on a talk show?
When do you know which stories to believe? What methods do you use to filter lies out of the truth and separate valuable information from spam? How do you guide your own thoughts when there are so many people intent on guiding them for you?
Logic teaches us to check for the “truth” of a fact by evaluating its context, checking the cited authority, noting its frequency and seeking corroboration. Nevertheless, despite obvious image manipulations in videos, movies, TV and commercials, what we see with our own eyes (context) usually convinces most of us that it’s real and true, especially if a celebrity (authority) testifies to the worth of a particular brand or an idea. As for frequency and corroboration, thanks to the Internet and every type of social media, within weeks millions of people see and corroborate all sorts of urban legends.
Even if we could effectively evaluate information by these criteria, reliance upon them still leaves us vulnerable to wasting our time and losing our money. Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme successfully conned thousands of supposedly savvy investors, smart people who surely relied on at least some if not all of these criteria. Clearly we need a better basis for making decisions, financial and otherwise.
Of course, you probably wouldn’t quote as gospel something you heard in a chat room. And, you would probably Google more than one or two sites before putting too much stock in anonymous opinions about a product. But how do you determine what is “true”? How do you know what is really going to be useful for your own life? How do you choose what to believe from all the information, hype and opinions incessantly competing for your attention?
Take three minutes to play the SAYS WHO? Game by answering the following five questions:
1.?“Says Who?”*
2.?“What emotion does this person want me to feel?”
3.?“What action does this person want me to take based on that feeling?”
4.?“What does this person gain by my having that feeling and taking that action?”
And the most important question…
5.?“Do I want to feel that way and do I want to take that action?”
Can you see now how playing the SAYS WHO? Game, frees you from a plague of worries and unnecessary distractions? These five questions help you quickly determine whether something is worth the investment of your attention, your money, your time and, especially, your sanity.
Your life time is yours and only yours to invest, waste or give away as you choose. Are you ready to dump the clutter and tune in exclusively to the ideas that serve you best? As you play the SAYS WHO? Game and as you discard what’s irrelevant, the authority of your own mind is restored to its rightful place.
Bonus Benefit
*Notice when your answer to “Says Who?” is “They say.” Ask yourself, “Am I willing to have my mind and emotions influenced by people I don’t know?” If you choose to be influenced by others, be sure to find out who “they” are. Then decide if you really want “them” at the wheel in your mind.
Game #4
It is no exaggeration to say that every human being is hypnotized to some extent, either by ideas he has uncritically accepted from others, or ideas he has repeated to himself or
convinced himself are true.
—Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975)
Author/surgeon
You probably agree with the popular notion that our thoughts affect our lives. But, have you actually paid much attention to how what you’re thinking is affecting you? If you don’t like the way your life is going, I’d guess your answer is no. The MASTER HYPNOTIST Game, a simple exploration of how your thoughts create your experience, is a marvelously easy way to begin enjoying a life much closer to your ideal.