A profound and modern approach to playing the ancient board game

• Offers a comprehensive guide to the traditional Hindu game gyān caupar—a predecessor to Snakes and Arrows—and includes a three-color gameboard allowing readers to play

• Analyzes archetypes of consciousness with the 72 squares of gyān caupar, enriched by spiritual references to deepen the game’s messages

• Offers instruction for conducting personal development ceremonies and receiving guidance from the game

The origins of Snakes and Arrows trace back to gyan caupar, or the “game of knowledge,” a spiritual board game from ancient India. Like other forms of divination, such as the I Ching and the Tarot, the game offers a playful yet profound approach to explore the self, the present, and the future as well as understand one’s destiny.

Polina Rud delves into the oracle, shedding light on gyan caupar’s archetypal wisdom and its power as a divinatory tool. Using a 72-square gameboard, players are invited to step back and observe their lives from above, seeing the emotional and behavioral patterns that guide their steps and, at times, lead them astray. Rud shows how the 72 squares represent different levels of human experience. Each square provides a philosophical key while practical exercises reveal the hidden beliefs and obstacles that hinder progress in the area of life that matters most to the player. The game’s ascending path mirrors spiritual evolution and guides players toward enlightenment, akin to systems like the Kabbalistic Tree of Life or the Road to Paradise. Rud shows how gyan caupar symbolizes the psyche’s journey, leading toward the ultimate prize: cosmic consciousness.

The Cosmic Game of Snakes and Arrows offers a way to learn more deeply about who you are while fostering a connection with the divine.

Polina Rud is a writer and therapist with a diploma from UNAM in suicide prevention and psychosocial crisis intervention. She holds a master’s degree in International Relations and is completing a PhD on artists who resist authoritarian regimes and challenge the status quo. As part of her research, she has worked closely with people processing trauma linked to political violence and social rupture. She is the co-founder of El Mundo Duele, an NGO that provides psychological support to human rights and climate activists. Polina spoke at the Nobel Peace Talks on mental health and resilience in activism.

https://polinarud.com/

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