Bear's Blog

Have you been breaking out a few board games, puzzles, or playing cards these past months? Or possibly discovering chess… because diversion is what we need right now, and home is where we’re at.

Here’s a unique addition to that classic, Monopoly.

One of my students, Patty Lisieski, was inspired by her son to do a “McKay Method” (Monopoly) game for her graduate project. She was so creative with the format, we would like to share it with you. We hope you have as much fun with it as we have had!

Some of its unique features:

All the property groups are the color of – and represent – the seven different chakras (strangely enough, the original game colors are in the same order as the chakra colors.) Each property in the group is named after a quality of that chakra.

(If you know anything about my program the whole transcendental donut-gingerbread person thing in the middle of the board will make more sense…)

The first group of properties are called “Happy Home” and “Healthy Body”, as those are essential (red) first chakra issues. Orange properties (2nd  chakra) are “Emotional Well-Being”,  “Unbounded Creativity” and “Potent Sensuality” (no x-rated chakras here - this is a family game.) The 3rd chakra (yellow) properties consist of  “Personal Power”, “Balanced Mind” and “Self-Knowledge”. Even if you know nothing about chakras, this is a way to get familiar with the basic qualities of each!

What used to be the 4 “Railroads” are now increasingly longer Meditation practices. Instead of landing on a “Luxury Tax” you will be taxed for a “Negative Mindset”. Starting to get the picture?

To start building on the properties, you must acquire an entire set – or one from each (balancing your chakras!)

My favorite parts are the “Being” and “Doing” cards you draw from (replacing Chance and Community Chest.) And - spoiler alert - the winner redistributes their wealth to everyone at the end of the game. Capitalism with a conscience?

Here is a free download to play! The link takes you to a file with several different components; some things you can borrow from another game you may have lying around; the rest you’ll have to print out.
 

1. Playing Instructions (print)
2. The Board in 4 sections (needs to be in color, print and laminate for best results – or put in paper protectors/sleeves and tape together?)
3. Property Cards – print pages 1, 3, and 5 (you don’t need both sides; there’s just a bit of color – heavier paper stock?)
4. Being and Doing Cards, B/W, 2-sided
5. Cosmic Cash – print or use from another game
6. Player pieces, dice, property buildings – borrow or get creative! We use tumbled stones…

If this sounds like a lot of trouble, you just reading the Board, the Properties and the Being/Doing cards is entertaining. The whole Board (not in 4 sections) is also in the file. Click here to download and play! 

We’re in the middle of this unexpected disruption in our lives, and the middle can be the hardest part. Take heart – the spirit of the holidays is still alive and well!

- Bear