Mindfulness. 

But make it social. 

The Present Moment Game is a
social meditation that brings people together to practice presence.

Get present, on purpose.

A small group gathers—online or in person—with a single shared intention: to be here now, together. No prior experience of any kind is necessary, just a willingness to show up, warmly meet other participants in the moment, and do your best to stay there.

Speak only in the present tense.

Simply notice your direct experience, as it happens, leaving all stories of the past and speculation about the future. Speaking in present tense is a simple linguistic constraint that changes just about everything.

Entering the moment isn’t the biggest challenge. Staying in it is. Inevitably, you’ll drift to the past or future. This isn't failure. Because noticing you’ve left the moment, and then returning to it—over and over again—is the practice.

Return when
you drift.

The game closes with each person sharing a short reflection of their experience. The hope is that you leave the game with a quieter mind, a softer heart, and a deeper sense of aliveness that stays with you until the next time you come to play.

Leave differently.

Who comes to play

Presence
Chasers

People who loop on the past or worry about the future, and want to practice staying within the moment they're actually in.

Between-Chapter People

People becoming someone new. Post-divorce, kids, school, or career, and using the reboot to ask who they really are now.

Full-Plate
People

Busy people with too much going on, who spend most of their time doing, but want more space in their lives just for being.

Illumination
Seekers

People drawn to the luminous quality of presence — who want practice finding and being in it, not just feeling it by accident.

Experience
Collectors

People who love diving into the unknown, who trust their instinct that the game is another experience worth trying.

Mindfulness Practitioners

Those with an existing solo practice, curious about what a more social meditation experience might unlock.

Tender-Hearted Humans

Deeply-feeling folks moving through loss, change, or grief, seeking refuge in the sturdiness of the present moment.

Overstimulated
Souls

People adrift in a sea of endless social media updates, news alerts, and noise, who are craving the experience of just… less.

Helpers &
Healers

Those in the helping professions who hold space for others all day, and want a place where others hold presence with them.

How to prepare for
an in-person game

Arrive early
and settle in.

Give yourself space to gently transition from the quick pace of daily life into a different relationship with time.

Remove watches and power down.

Set aside phones, clocks, drinks, and all other distractions so you can keep your attention fully focused within the circle.

Help shape
what emerges.

What happens in a game isn't predetermined. Be ready to co-create the experience together,
moment by moment.

How to prepare for
an online game

Eliminate distractions.

Find a quiet place where you can be alone and uninterrupted for the full duration of the game. Let others know in advance that you’ll be unavailable for the next 90-120 minutes.

Cover all
visible clocks.

Remove your watch and cover any clocks in view, including the time display on your device with a small piece of tape. Not having any visible references of this sort helps your sense of time soften.

Ready your devices.

Power down your phone, then ensure your laptop is fully charged or plugged in. You can also play on a desktop or a docked tablet, but please don’t play from your phone.

Take care of
your body.

Use the restroom and eat/drink before we begin. Please also avoid playing with any food or drink nearby (even water!)
so that you can give
your full, undivided attention to the screen.

WHAT WAS

Present

Experiencing

WHAT WILL BE

WHAT IS

Past

Remembering

Direct
Experience

Stories

Stories

Future

Imagining

What people are saying

  • "I expected awkwardness. Instead it felt strangely intimate. Like we skipped all the small talk and landed somewhere way more real."

  • "As someone who thinks about language for a living, I'm wide-eyed at what speaking solely in the present tense unlocks."

  • "I was shocked when the timer went off, ending the game. The hour somehow felt both incredibly long and like no time at all. "

  • “The present tense rule sounds deceptively simple—until you realize just how often you escape to anywhere else but here and now.”

  • "This was the third time I've come to a game, and it's astounding to see just how different each experience has been."

  • "Returning to the moment again and again felt like I was building a muscle for presence. I'm excited to keep playing to build this skill."

  • "It's one thing to be in the present moment by myself, and something different to share it with others. I want more of this in my life."

  • “Parts of the experience felt oddly sacred to me. It's almost like a kind of human communion that people of all (or no) faiths can share.”

  • “I kept waiting for something to happen, but then I realized that the moment itself, truly observed, was more than enough.”

  • "I didn't know anyone when we started, but by the end of the game, I felt genuinely connected to every one there."

  • "My mind kept reaching for the past or the future, just out of habit. But I was tickled by how the rules kept bringing me back to the moment."

  • “The structure is so minimal, but the experience can become unexpectedly profound.”

  • “I didn’t think an hour of staying present could feel this funny, emotional, uncomfortable, joyful, and human all at once.”