Sometimes we need an icebreaker or a simple game for a pause at a meeting. Sometimes we are just with a group of friends and do not know what to do to. Others we are wondering who should be the one paying the next lunch, or cleaning the dishes, to mention some examples.

Not long ago, in a salsa dancing gathering, I came across this game. I have to say I really loved it. It is fun and allows you to practice your mindfulness as it makes you physically and mentally engaged, so it is an example of Vihar, or "yogic recreation" (one of the four pillars of a balanced lifestyle).

Let me explain then, how to play this game, the game of "Hon don kia!"

Number of players: 5 or more. Works well with big groups of 10-20 people.

Initial set: All the participants standing in a circle

Start of the game:

   The initiator (can be any of the participants, or the last loosing a round) imagines that he/she has an energy ball between his hands.

   Then he will have to pretend to pass this energy ball to the one besides him, either right or left. At the same time, and this is important, he must say clearly and energically the words "HON DON KIA!"

   The one receiving the ball: He can choose:

   To pass the energy ball to the next person besides him (following the same way). For that he/she must say just "KIA!"

   To reflect the energy ball to the person who passed to him (reversing the way, hence). For that he must say "HON DON KIA!"

   So we can see we use "KIA!" to follow the way and "HON DON KIA!" to change it. These are the basic movements that will make the energy ball to move clockwise and anticlockwise along the circle. Easy?

To make things a little bit more complicated (and fun), there is another movement allowed:

   Someone receiving the ball (not an initiator), can also send it to someone who is not just besides him in the circle.

  For that he will send the energy to his target by saying the words "JO TO TO TO!".

   The receiver of a "JO TO TO TO!" must get the "energy ball" saying the words "JA TA TA TA!".

   Once done that, he can pass it to any of his contiguous partners using "HON DON KIA!", or to other person in the circle with another "JO TO TO TO!"

Of course anyone making a mistake in the words or taking action without having the ball will be eliminated/loose points/perform a task.

Personally I had a lot of fun playing the HON DON KIA!. Are you ready to try?