What even is the Leela Game? 

 

Leela is one of the oldest self-discovery games in the world, originating from ancient India where it was created around 2,000 years ago by Hindu saints and scholars. It was designed as a tool for spiritual and personal growth. The game uses symbolic elements that represent different stages of life and states of consciousness. In Leela, modern coaching techniques intertwine with ancient wisdom, offering an effective method for a deeply transformative experience.

 

Unfortunately, in the Western part of the world, the Leela game is still relatively unknown. However, it has gained significant popularity in other countries—especially in the former Soviet Union, where Leela and other transformational games have spread widely over the last 15 years. Their popularity has reached a point where nearly everyone is at least familiar with one of these games. Since 2021, being a facilitator of transformational games in these countries has become an official profession.

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The Facts Behind Leela

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It is proven that games and play are vital for children and their cognitive development, social skills, creativity, physical health, emotional regulation, stress relief and language development. Just as play is essential for children's development, it remains equally important for adults.

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One study conducted by researchers at Stanford University showed that play also plays a key role in adults' personal development. The research found that playing stimulates cognitive flexibility, meaning that people adapt more easily to change and solve problems more effectively. In addition, play helps reduce stress and improve emotional regulation, contributing to greater personal fulfillment.

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Just as children develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills through play, adults can use transformational games to break through limiting beliefs, unlock creativity, and gain clarity in life. Playing the Leela Game keeps us connected to our inner world, reminding us that growth and self-discovery are lifelong processes and play is a powerful tool to continue evolving as adults.

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How is Leela game played?

 

The Leela Game is played similarly to other board games. The game board has 72 squares, and players move based on the number rolled on the die. The die directs players to specific squares that represent different states of consciousness. As players move from square to square, they observe their reactions and inner states, reflecting on how these insights relate to their real lives.

 

The board features many snakes and arrows – just like in life, the journey in Leela isn’t always a straight path upward; we often fall and rise again. Snakes bring us down (to lower states of consciousness) and represent certain challenges we face in life, such as patterns we unconsciously repeat. Arrows, on the other hand, lift us up (to higher states of consciousness) and represent aspects of life that inspire and support us.

 

Although the game is played individually by rolling the die, the squares we land on are not random, as one might think when hearing that it’s a game. After all, coincidences don’t exist, right? Everything is always as it should be, and we receive exactly what we need for our highest good and growth in the given moment (even though our Ego may find it hard to accept, especially when dealing with truly painful and traumatic experiences). We can also see this as having some form of “higher” guidance during the game. I’ve often heard players say they truly felt guided by something beyond themselves – whether it’s our Higher Self, the universe, guardian angels, spiritual guides, God, ancestors… whatever or whoever resonates with us.

 

Through honesty with oneself during the game, limiting programs and beliefs can be released, stuck feelings liberated and traumatic situations might get closer to being healed. This is how a new perception of oneself and one's life is formed. Leela board game starts and ends on square number 68 and it is highly important that once the game is started it is played until it is finished. 

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"Through play, we unlock new worlds. Why stop the adventure as adults?"
 

 

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