Szőnyei András

What Can You Learn from a Board Game?

What Can You Learn from a Board Game?

Have you ever pondered about making the most of the little moments in life? To notice something deeper in them, which can then be of use to you in other situations? I’ve found that board games can teach us a lot of these little lessons. You just need to play them mindfully and then reflect on what you’ve experienced. What exactly do I mean?

We’ve recently played a secret role-playing game called Avalon, where you have to figure out who’s on the side of the good guys and who’s on the side of the bad guys in a matrix of allusion and bluffing. I was on the good team, so I didn’t have any definite information throughout the game. However, I noticed that my mind was eager to fill this void of uncertainty with all sorts of airborne assumptions. Did the opposite person really look suspiciously or did I project it onto him?

Becoming aware of this, I decided to accept not knowing and just keep my focus on the game. Thanks to the fact that I wasn’t distracted by assumptions, I soon spotted who in the good team had been cast as the all-knowing Merlin, and understood the instructions he was silently sending with his gaze. The game was ultimately won by the bad guys, but as it turned out, I had indeed found the real Merlin and understood his messages correctly, simply by keeping my mind clear of assumptions.

I was able to put this lesson to good use a few days later when a friend of mine didn’t show up for our scheduled online meeting. My mind was chasing all sorts of emotions and reasoning – but instead of following them, I accepted that I didn’t know the reason for his absence, and thanks to this, I managed to let go of judging and avoided getting triggered emotionally. This realisation gave me a sense of calm and comfort until the situation was resolved.

Reflect on yourself

  • When was the last time you fell into unfounded assumptions or difficult feelings?
  • Do you notice when others do just that, even projecting their own assumptions onto you?
  • In what situations can you benefit from keeping your distance from the assumptions in your mind?