The Journey to Wild Divine – Article

The Journey to Wild Divine is the first “inner-active” computer adventure that combines ancient breathing and meditation techniques with modern Biofeedback technology, for total mind-body wellness. Amazingly you will progress through the realm of the Wild Divine using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness. Not just a game, it’s a tool for wellness.

It sounds a little strange, but it is a truly magical experience as you do indeed use the powers of the mind and breathing to control aspects of the game. There is no joypad, there are only thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness.

How Does it Work?
Wearing three finger sensors that track your body’s heart rate variability and skin conductance, you move through enchanting and mystical landscapes using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness. Wise mentors guide you throughout the realm, empowering you with yoga, breathing and meditation skills needed to complete over 40 biofeedback ‘energy’ events.

Just what’s it all about and is the product blurb merely that, just a blurb? I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to write a feature on this product because I am a huge gamer AND I’m also into yoga and spirituality. The Wild Divine seemed to suggest it blended these two aspects and so much more together.

From the Beginning:
When you first receive this title you will most likely be stunned into an already nirvana like state at how absolutely beautifully packaged it is. I have NEVER seen such a well packaged piece of software. The box is graphically beautiful and when you open it, its like opening a very expensive Christmas present. There’s layers to open and when you see the inside package it’s stupifying. It’s presented extremely well and comes with not only the PC discs but also Mac discs which is fantastic. The lovely books which accompany the software add to its appeal as does the ambient music CD and even before you see the cool light stone you’ll be won over and hoping that the actual ‘game’ delivers as well as the packaging does.

Setting it Up:
You will have to set up this game much as you would any other, insert the software, let it load what it must etc and then of course you get to plug in your lovely light stone and magic rings. Now this amazing gadget is what elevates this from a game into an entire lifestyle experience. Don’t be put off by feeling stupid as you plug in via USB your ‘light stone energy translator’. Slip your fingers into the ‘magic rings’ and you’ll see your heart rate and skin conductance level on screen. I got a real kick out of this because i could actually see things on screen that were being affected simply by me breathing. When you’re finally set up it’s time to get going and when you get over your initial giggling and realize that this is in fact a fairly sophisticated machine you’re playing with, you’ll soon ease into it. Setup is easy and took very little time. You’ll be able to register on their website as well which personalizes your device to you.

What is Bio Feedback :
The Wild Divine biofeedback device measures skin conductivity and heart rate through three “Magic Ring” sensors gently attached to your fingers. By increasing, decreasing or synchronizing body rhythms, you can master the events in the game and progress. It’s possible to build stairways with your breath, open doors with meditation, master Zen Archery with deep concentration and juggle energy spheres with your laughter. Yes I’m serious.

Stepping into the Unknown:
One of the first tasks you’ll encounter is making a wheel spin by using your breath. This is a very surreal experience. At first, like me, you’ll probably giggle and if you’re with someone else feel a little inhibited but as soon as you realize your breath is moving the wheel, you’ll realise how cool this is. Your tour guide will accompany you through the early stages of the game so that you’re not completely lost and you’ll learn how to use your breath to move objects, affect scenes and so much more. You’ll be taught the basics of slowing down your breathing and of course speeding up your breathing as well as learning an ancient yogic technique known as the heart breath. If you are at all interested in meditation, yoga, ancient wisdom and so on you can’t help but love this journey because it really does teach you meditation which works and of course breathing which is so important in yoga and meditation. You’ll soon find that you are becoming better at these techniques and I actually became completely absorbed in the game within a short space of time. Traveling on your journey is a very relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Effects of Playing:
One of the most astounding features of this game is how your biofeedback progresses you through the various stages and how odd it is that you can actually feel this in your body. After around an hour of playing I became very sleepy and my relaxed state meant that I had to postpone the game for that session. I think that this is the whole point of the journey however, you shouldn’t rush through it just to ‘play’ the main parts, you should slowly progress and truly learn the techniques within it. If you want to cheat a little you can increase your breathing by jumping up and down and this will effect your energy thus making it easier on the tasks which require increased energy through meditation, however, I don’t recommend doing this, you really should try to use only the power of your mind and breath to learn.

Overall how was the Journey into Wild Divine:
From the moment that you receive this package you will be impressed. This is a top quality offering and yes you are paying good money for it however if you truly enjoy this kind of experience or lifestyle then you really need to get this. The additions in the box add to its overall wonderment and when you start playing you’ll realise that this could potentially be a life altering event for you. You will learn breathing techniques that you can use elsewhere and you will have fun at the same time. I am still amazed at the technology which has gone into this package and it’s very effective. I really can’t express my feelings about this other than to say that it is beautiful, stunning and fantastic. This may well be the way forward for gaming, because it offers something unique and groundbreaking, but who knows whether or not this sort of thing actually takes off is something else entirely. One would imagine we’re more likely to head down the route of motion control as opposed to biometric, but you never know. Either way The Wild Divine is a job well done.

Article by Tracy

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