The Game
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Christine King
Foreword
This book contains notes I took during multiple meditations over a year or more, in which I tuned in to the wise old voice inside myself and asked the questions that were on my mind. I had many questions about how life works, and particularly about persistent or recurrent problems I was having.
Those familiar with Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch, 1995) or The Law of Attraction (Esther and Jerry Hicks, 2006) will recognize the Question-and-Answer format. But here is where the similarities end. The only reason I have used this format is because it is the one my hand-written notes take: I write a question and then I write the answer.
As for who or what this wise voice is, I generally think of it as my greater self or my nonphysical self, the eternal part of me. Sometimes I think of it as Big Mind, as distinct from the ordinary, everyday awareness of my human mind ('small mind'). Other times, I think of it as my (our) source. We all have our own versions of this inner voice, and what we call it is not important.
The central theme of these discussions — for they are indeed discussions, back and forth between my troubled, confused little self and the warm, witty, wise voice of my greater self — is this:
What our source is up to in this physical
or observable realm is play, a grand game.
I've kept everything in the order in which it was written, to show you the challenges I've faced (and continue to face) in changing the habits of a lifetime, in a society that reinforces those habits, and the underlying beliefs, at every turn.
It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I found myself circling back to the same questions again and again for further insight or clarification, or simply for some encouragement. I get essentially the same answers each time, although each answer is unique, being tailored to the circumstances or challenges I'm facing at the time.
I still struggle to hold the two aspects of myself — physical and nonphysical; human and eternal — in my mind at the same time, so sometimes the wise voice uses the first-person (I, we) and other times second-person (you). It all depends on the context, so I've kept these specifics as written.
It may seem like I'm a very slow learner — and that may well be true, at least with this material. However, it's worth restating that these notes were written over the span of at least a year. When I feel good and things are going well, I hear this wise voice reminding me and otherwise guiding me, so I don't feel the need to stop, sit myself down, get quiet, and take notes. It's only when I ignore the times when I'm not tuned in and I try to go it alone that I run aground and need to return to this process. (When will I learn?!)
At first glance, this book is all about me. But there is nothing extraordinary about me. Yes, we are each unique; but being human is a universal experience for us, so I'm proceeding on the assumption that most of the challenges I've faced and continue to wrestle with are essentially the same as yours.
The details of my life may be of no interest to anyone but me. However, I mention my goals quite often in my questions, so some background might be useful. A recurring theme is my seeming inability to reach my goals — at least, not in the time-frame I want. My particular goals are not relevant to anyone but me. However, the process of reaching our goals, of creating the life we want, is what this book is all about.
So, in essence, this book is about the creative process. More broadly, it's about being human in this period of earth's history. It feels like we're in the process of making a profound change in how we relate to each other and to all around us. (More on that throughout the book.)
As to the backstory, I've been a veterinarian for 38 years, practicing holistically for the past 23 of those years. A little over 2 years ago, I decided to close my practice and retire, at least from daily veterinary practice, because it was making me utterly miserable. I still love animals, of course, and even veterinary medicine; but everything that went along with it was making me sick. What I most want to do is write.
My first book was published in 1997, but as the unscrupulous publisher took advantage of my naïveté and claimed the copyright for himself, I decided to self-publish from then on.
I published the next eight books myself, but when it came time to publish my tenth book last year, I decided that it was time to find an established publisher. I loathe marketing, so of course I'm not good at it. It was time to hand over that aspect of authorship to someone who is good at it and who has established channels for marketing and distribution.
The notes that became this book (The Game) were written during the process of sending out query letters and book proposals for Better Together to literary agents and publishers who represent or publish authors in the relevant genres (pets/animals and spirituality).
Funding me for the past 2 years has been a small nest-egg of retirement savings. The plan is for book sales to build on that and support me for the rest of my life so that I never need to “work” again. I love to write, so writing is only ever “work” when I force myself to do it. When that happens, I tire quickly and I write complete drivel, so I learned long ago to not let writing become a chore.
As to the goals I ask about throughout the book, I have never owned my own home, so top of list is the purchase of a house on a small acreage, along with the means to maintain it and improve it however I like, in perpetuity. I also want the income from my books to enable me to live well and to have lots left over to play with. For example, I want to buy farm land for organic farmers to use. I also want to create a scholarship fund for kids who want to go to veterinary school (which has become financially out of reach for many).
The specifics are rich and fun to imagine, but not relevant here. These are the things that interest me; these are the specifics of the life I want to create for myself. Whenever I ask about my goals, I encourage you to take a moment to think about the things you want, the life you want, to create for yourself — because that's really my goal here: to help us each create the life we want for ourselves.
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