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156 of 158 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unbelievable - until it's not., June 27, 2005
(UPDATED 25 August 2008, via a Comment - please click "Comments" below for more.)
I'm noticing wildly divergent reviews of this product. In my opinion, this is due to two factors: 1) expectations going in and 2) sincerity in one's goal to accomplish what the Wild Divine (WD) is trying to help one accomplish.
I hesitate in calling WD a "game," because that word brings to mind other words, like "score," "plot," "goal," and "winning." WD does NOT meet the definition of a conventional video game. Rather, it is a biofeedback tool designed to aid in the learning of relaxation and meditation.
I see WD as the perfect mix of Eastern teachings and the Western desire for instant gratification - when sitting alone silently in meditation, one cannot see the changes happening in one's body as they are happening; it is only weeks later that a culmination of small changes might be noticed. WD provides that instant feedback so many of us desire to stay motivated in pursuing this important journey; it also provides external proof that the way one breathes can affect the rest of the body. And from there, we can expand into other methods of exploring the journey.
Yes, a lot of the activities seem the same and can be "won" by using the same three breathing exercises (the peaceful breath, high energy, and the heart breath) over and over. I am not an experienced meditator (indeed, I'm just barely beginning), but as I understand it at this point in time, this is because those three breaths or states of energy are the primary building blocks. The "point" is to learn to control your energy, so that YOU - and not your environment or external stress - are the force controlling your energy. (I will never forget one day when I was trying to calm myself and relax, to make the falcon feather float to the bottom of the screen. I'd made it a few inches when my cell phone went off with my sister's ringtone. Opening my eyes to take the call, I saw the feather, pointed straight up, swinging wildly from side to side at the top of the screen. I knew my sister could affect my state of mind, but I didn't expect that! LOL)
The secondary point is to open your heart and mind to compassion, to see all of us as members of what WD calls The Blue Tribe, despite our perceived differences. These kinds of changes do not happen overnight or by practicing a certain breath once - one must practice the breath frequently, and incorporate it into daily life, away from the computer; perhaps it was my imagination, but each "identical" exercise as the program progressed seemed to expect a bit more of me - to hold the peaceful state of mind a bit longer or deepen my heart breath... I bought WD almost a month ago and worked my way through it slowly, often reverting to a previous save when I came back the next day so that I retraced some of my steps, to reinforce what I was learning. I just finished the program last week (working with it almost daily), and yet we are not finished with each other.
I imagine the point of different visuals for what may be seen as essentially the same goal is to prevent boredom - can you imagine what the program would be like if ALL there was to see was birds flying in circles? Also, different visuals speak to different people - some people may go back to those birds day after day, others may rather see the ball levitating. I personally find the visual aspect very helpful; out in the real world, I've been practicing adjusting my breath to cope when I start feeling stressed - more often than not, my mind's eye will conjure one of the visuals from WD (like the bellows from the Lady of the Woods's fireplace) to guide the timing and flow of my breath.
Regarding navigation, I had no troubles. The icon on the bottom left of the screen has stars at its top that point in the directions of all possible movements and activities for the current screen - just move your mouse until one of those stars is indicated on the icon, and click!
If you haven't read the companion guide, do so. WD has a very loose structure, leaving the individual to explore and learn in his/her own way; but if you absolutely must know "what comes next," the companion guide can provide a storyline to follow, as well as a bit of insight into what the creator, Corwin Bell, was imagining as he created WD; his "message," if you will.
To reap the most rewards from the program, WD needs to be experienced slowly, bit by bit, as the mind needs to be allowed time to absorb what it is learning. This is not an instantaneous process, and those who race through the 10 hours of "gameplay" in 10 hours or less are probably not getting all the benefit they could if they took the time to take this seriously.
So if you are looking for a "game" you can play with your thoughts, try "Inner Tube" - a new game designed to work with WD's hardware. I haven't tried it, but it may be more what you're looking for.
But if you are looking for a modern, useful tool to use as a way to begin or deepen your mediation practice - or just want to learn how to relax (at the computer and away from it, in Real Life) - give WD a try.
At the risk of using a cliche, WD is one of those things where you get back what you put into it.
I am eagerly awaiting "The Journey to Wild Divine: Wisdom Quest," to see what it will hold in terms of deepening and building on the skills I'm learning from "The Passage."
The only criticism I have right now for the program (and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars) is that my installation took hours and was fraught with problems; judging from posts I saw on the WD message board, I'm not the only one - apparently, one issue occurred repeatedly with those of us who have DVD-ROM drives. I kept thinking, "I bought this to help learn to relax, and the installation is stressing me out!" ;-) Word to the wise: DEFRAG your hard drive! I was having problems with a few of the videos that make up the program, and when I analyzed my drive, one of them was fragmented into over 400 pieces. Now that they're reassembled, the program runs much smoother.
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316 of 328 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing use of technology for all ages, May 24, 2005
I am incredibly enthusiastic about the Journey to Wild Divine! I am not a computer games person at all, but this experience is totally absorbing and a wonderful way to learn for all ages.
I have been using this product for over a month and have advanced my ability to concentrate and focus. I am able to use my breathing and mental processes to relax, steady my inner state, lift my energy level, or achieve peacefulness. In so doing, as I journey through the landscape visiting cottages, gardens, and temples, I am able to open doors, juggle balls, levitate golden orbs, or release a falcon from a cage, etc.
I am a retired psychotherapist and have experienced many therapies that did not quite live up to the hype. This use of biofeedback is engaging and a great technology to use in working with stress reduction and mind-body-spirit integration.
One of my most wonderful recent experiences was an afternoon with my son and grandson. After demonstrating a bit of the game, I invited my 4 1/2 year old grandson to put on the sensors and try it out. We helped him put the sensors on his tiny fingers and for the next hour, with my son and daughter in law looking on, he was embarked upon the journey.
With only a bit of prompting from me, this child focused and concentrated on juggling the balls, spinning the pinwheel, starting a fire in a fireplace, and balancing a stack of rocks on top of each other. In each activity he was eagerly using only his thoughts and/or breathing to accomplish these feats. What a thrilling sense of accomplishment. And yet when he could not do one of the activities, he could accept that coming back later after he had practiced more of the skills, was part of the process. No sense of frustration or defeat.
He is a very imaginative and active child. However, he sat for over an hour, amazingly engaged in a computer experience that involved no violence or fast action. He happily, and with his own initiave, began to learn about how to relax and yet control his thoughts and body. Wow! What a gift it is to all ages.
The technology and thoughtfulness that has gone into this process is worth the price of admission! Thank you Wild Divine Project.
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103 of 104 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A playground for the mind and a classroom for the spirit, November 15, 2004
OK. I admit it. In some ways Wild Divine is a form of escapism. When wars, the economy, the ecology, earth changes, and 2012 get just too much to worry about, it is a relief to move into a world of peace and light and beauty. The colors are a bit brighter, the people loving and helpful and I get to float rather than walk. Addictive? It could be, but in our list of possible addictive scenarios I can't think of a more positive one.
The first evening I used The Journey to Wild Divine before going to bed, I slept a deep, comforting sleep - for nine hours! Yes, there are some goals in the game but most of them concern adapting body rhythms not deciphering cryptic clues. In fact, those in the Myst 4 camp may find that there is not enough challenge. Wild Divine is not a typical adventure game. You don't need to be a gamer to play as clues are available through guides and magic mirrors and sometimes words in your "head".
The actors (real people, not animations) portray a variety of archetypes. There is the pagan Lady of the Woods, the Eastern guru / yogi, the mystical Lady of Compassion, the clock making wizard and the list goes on.
Many health care professions advise daily meditation. Many laypeople agree. Still, it is sometimes difficult to make the time in our busy schedules to do our yoga or qi gong or drumming. Sometimes-even though we know it is good for us-it seems like merely a chore. Enter Wild Divine. Play with the ball or the pinwheel. See if you can hit the bullseye with your imaginary, mind-body controlled arrow. Move on to more difficult tasks as you will. PLAY!!!!
The Journey is not a typical 360 degree navigation game. You cannot delve into each nook and cranny. In other games this inability to explore has bothered me, but in the land of Wild Divine there is no hurry and as the land glides by I am content to play the part of observer. There is no choppy change of scene; everything glides effortlessly together. The experience, in part at least, is a guided meditation. The initiate has control of his main movements, but the paths are clearly defined.
The downside? For some people it will be the price. Since Wild Divine is not simply a game, the cost reflects that. The biofeedback components (you could think of this as a metaphysical Xbox of sorts) attach to fingers and measure your Skin Conductance Level as well as your Heart Rate Variability (HRV). You can visit the Institute of Heart Math to learn more about how HRV can boost your immune system. Moving through the game involves mastering the Heart Breath. Don't worry (after all the point of all this is to relax), there are lessons and guides along the way.
The upside? A new game is in production, so if you love Wild Divine you can explore the sequel without purchasing new hardware. Wisdom Quest featuring Deepak Chopra's new book, The Book of Secrets is due out in Spring 2005. Keep your fingers crossed. And The Journey includes a music CD is included for the times when you just can't get to your computer.
From the users guide:
To succeed in The Journey, players have to learn certain principles, which basically require an "allowing attitude" - a kind of passive will. It's the difference between saying, "I must do this" and learning that the only way you're going to progress is by deepening your breath or being in touch with more positive emotions or imagining that what you want to happen is already happening - bringing the wished-for event into the present.
Yes, there is indeed a scientific explanation to WHY objects move for you in The Journey, but sometimes I have to admit it simply seems like magic. And why not? We are!
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