A short answer would be yes, but very reluctantly. And here comes the long answer with a little story to explain why I posted a photo of this lovely doggo (meet Chuck, by the way).
So, the other day, I was testing a new software which allows hosting the game of Leela online, and I wanted to have a trial run with someone I already know in case something goes wrong. I asked my parents if they wanted to play the game. My mum instantly got on board, while my father kindly offered his services of taking Chuck on an evening walk. Dad, we all know that this is not how you picture your perfect evening…
Then, I asked my father directly about whether he wanted to play, and he said something like, “Well, this is not my thing.” I can’t say I was surprised because Leela is still a very new psychological/spiritual/esoteric experience which requires self-reflection and a very sincere inner dialogue about your feelings, fears, desires, etc.
We all know that women are much better at navigating such talks with themselves and are more inclined to have an open conversation. Men, on the other hand, tend to keep their feelings to themselves and are seen as more practical and pragmatic. It’s exciting to see that there’s been a shift in men’s perception of mental health, and they talk more openly about their emotions, but we are just at the beginning of this journey.
So far, all the men I have played with have said practically nothing during the game. This is totally fine because there’s no rule saying that you have to share your question for the game and what ideas come to your mind when you land on different squares. But you know what I’m getting at…
I think you won’t be shocked when I tell you that the majority of ladies I played with eagerly shared their insights and requests for the game. Either approach works fine as long as the player gets all the answers and feels a sense of connectedness with the self, but it’s very interesting to observe how differently men and women manage situations involving emotions, feelings, self-reflection, and facing their inner devils.
That’s just my take on this, and feel free to say that I’m wrong. In fact, I’d prefer to be wrong.
And, in the meantime, thanks for reading, and remember – They Who Play Grow!
Reflectively yours,
Maria
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