The game guide · Empathy
How to play Nine Listening Moments
Give every numbered stop a moment of attention. Find and tap the numbers one through nine in order. The familiar rule turns a scattered board into a short trail, leaving you a moment to notice your approach.
Your starting point
Give every numbered stop a moment of attention.
The rules
Tap 1, then 2, and continue in order through 9. Look for the next number before tapping. Complete the sequence using the on-screen feedback.
A helpful approach
Search for the next number without repeatedly checking the last one. You can use a steady left-to-right scan when the arrangement feels unfamiliar. Notice the difference between the information you have been given and the story you might be assuming around it.
After the game
What changed when you gave attention to the next number instead of the whole board? What respectful question could help you understand someone’s experience without deciding their feelings or needs for them?
There is no need to turn a small moment into a perfect performance. Play again if you want to explore it, or leave it here and take the thought into your day.
The feeling behind it
Listen before deciding what someone must feel. Make room for a perspective that is different from your own.
A women’s storytelling tradition inspires attention to perspective. These games are original and do not reproduce Hikaye tales.
Read our empathy story, inspired by Palestinian Hikaye in Palestine. The UNESCO: The Palestinian Hikaye provides the source context.
Share the invitation
I am here to listen, without writing your story for you. Try Nine Listening Moments with me, if you fancy a little empathy today.
If someone comes to mind, send them a game they might enjoy. Add your own words, let them choose whether to play, and keep private details out of a public link.