Higher Thought: The Cannabis Game invites you to have a new experience with marijuana and with each other. In free flowing discussion, you may access a wellspring of inspiration, and witness everyone else’s moments of genius too.
Although most games have a structured path and a way to win, this experience calls on players to temporarily leave behind everyday consciousness and allow the plant to reveal who we are to each other.
We believe cannabis is a beautiful human ally, a magnificent substance. The game’s purpose is to amplify the plant’s potential to generate playful communion among loved ones and friends.
Get ready to have some of the greatest conversations of your life.
Setting the Scene
1) Put together a safe and cozy party space where 2 to 10 players will be comfortable. Have some (cannabis-free) snacks and refreshments on hand. The game is best limited to ten or fewer players, so that everyone can answer questions at whatever length they like.
2) For optimum results, keep technology (phones, computers, television) turned off or sequestered during the game.
3) The game host may elect themselves or another player to act as the Budtender. The Budtender takes responsibility for keeping the game moving. They might gently steer way-off-topic conversation back to the game questions; they might decide to call a bathroom break or pause for snacks; or they might call “Last Toke” (final question) if the game appears to be winding down.
The Budtender should be observant and empathic. Naturally, off-topic conversation will happen as thoughts and associations arise, so the Budtender should not be overly strict. Ideally, the Budtender should stay aware of the game’s pace, and try to sustain the thread in such a way that everyone remains engaged and connected.
4) In the interest of keeping all players’ experiences unique and unrehearsed, it is best to limit
contact with the questions until a game is in play. If someone grabs the box and starts reading
out questions haphazardly, the surprise is spoiled and the novelty of the game may be diminished. Better to preserve the mystery!
5) The spirit of Higher Thought: The Cannabis Game is one of allowing. No one is required to
answer any question, although everyone should have an opportunity.
Getting Started
The game begins when one player draws a card and reads aloud its question. The event host or
Budtender may choose who should draw the first card, or simply ask the group if someone is moved to draw first. After this, the players can take turns.
How to Play
There are multiple ways to play, including:
- The Natural. Simply take turns drawing questions, reading them aloud, letting everyone answer, and allowing conversation to flow.
- The Chosen. The person who draws the card directs the question to a particular individual, who is put on the spot to answer it first.
- Blazer Round. The person who draws the card directs the question to one and only one person. After that person answers, she or he must draw the next card and choose the next answerer. This creates an exciting rapid pace. However, players who want to answer a particular question may not get a chance. So be flexible; trust what feels right; listen to the plant.
- The Pioneer. After answers to a particular question are exhausted, players pose follow-up questions to each other.
We invite you to create your own ways to play, and to share them with us at: www.higherthoughtcannabisgame.com/feedback.
To see other people’s ideas, visit www.higherthoughtcannabisgame.com/variations.
Orange Cards
Cards with an orange background feature questions that are relatively light. The budtender or host may want to pick a random orange-backed card out of the deck to begin, affording players a little emotional space to ease into the game. (This is optional.)
Buzzkill Cards
Most Higher Thought cards contain open-ended questions, with no right or wrong answers.
However, multiple-choice trivia questions are scattered throughout the deck, and these do have factually correct answers.
These questions are called the “buzzkills” because they’re competitive (everyone wants to be
right!) and they temporarily bring down the conversation from more fanciful heights.
Buzzkill cards are not marked with a special background color; they’re meant to be a
surprise.
Game Over
Games will vary in length, and time tends to fly by quickly. We suggest you set aside about two hours for your first game.
Since this is a non-competitive game, it does not have the natural game-ending element of winning. Rather, there simply comes a time when players are sated. You’ll know.
“Game Over” may be called by the Budtender or by consensus of the players.
Less Is More
We recommend beginning the game with a low dose of cannabis – whatever a small hit is for you. Even a little bit of marijuana stimulates creativity and higher thought. We like a balance that allows us to dive deep within, yet still engage clearly with others. After all, you can always have more later.
Play Smart, Play Safe, Play Kind
As adults, we have a right to alter our consciousness and see where it takes us. It’s a natural thing humans have been doing for millennia.
Still, sometimes people use cannabis in ways that are apparently not in their best interests. Also, cannabis affects different people differently; it’s not for everyone.
The creators of the game deeply intend that this game should bring all players experiences that are for the greatest good of all. But this ultimately depends on you. One point of the game is to witness and encourage everyone’s wisdom and world of feeling, not to compete for the genius prize – and certainly never to denigrate another player’s thoughts or words.
Also, of course, please make sure your weed is out of reach of children and animals.
Most of All …
Have fun! And if you feel like it, you can try playing the game unstoned. But then you should at least have some chocolate.
Want to try the game? Download a FREE MINI-DECK here. Or, give the full game a whirl!