Harmonic mapping combines mind-mapping, post it notes, boardgames, and sacred geometry into a tool kit. Simple enough for young children to interact with, yet powerful enough to give businesses a new least of life and transform our relationships to each other.
Key to understanding the Harmonic process, is the distinction between process and things. A single thing can be identified in isolation from its environment. A thing could be manifest or non manifest. Manifest things are the ones that we are most commonly accustomed to. Non-manifest thinks are conceptual and also come in two types, active and passive. Active are things that, whilst imaginary, inflict and wield power in the physical. For example, an organisation is a fiction, yet it can act in the world. Passive things are stored potential yet to be unlocked. The most common form of these are ideas. This give us three way to consider what a thing might be:
Manifest
appearing in reality
Active non-manifest
such as a corporate body
Passive non-manifest
Latent potential, an idea
Processes are interaction between things. In the same way that electricity can flow from positive to negative, situations in life arise and consequences ensue. Processes can also be manifest and non-manifest. We generally pay more attention to the manifest type, as it appears directly in our environment, such as when we see someone kick a ball, and we can anticipate it hitting a window. Non-manifest processes appear as two types, Active and Passive. Active are processes that are occurring outside of our direct awareness, yet do bear a significant impact of our lives, such as a change in the law, or the outbreak of war in a foreign country. Passive processes are of the mind, and are more difficult to detect and work with. We each work with our negative attributes and try to imbue our character with positivity. This is the world of interpersonal relationships, and personal developments. We have defines processes in three types.
Manifest
appearing in reality, such are kicking a ball
Active non-manifest
such as the passing of a law that affects the life of an individual
Passive non-manifest
The realm of the individual mind, and personal growth.
The three types of things and processes underlays the principles of harmonic mapping.
The types of games used in Harmonic Mapping are base on four main types.
Creative
Used by a single individual to make a life plan. E.g: personal development.
Co-creative
Used by a collective of individuals who all have different creative aspirations, yet do not participate in any direct gain by helping each other. E.g: a club or association.
Co-operative
Used by a collective who benefit directly by working together. E.g: a Business or corporation.
Competitive
Used to enhance the reaching of an objective. This type is currently found between different businesses and corporations.
Turning business and corporate interests away from the Competitive gaming principles, and moving towards a Co-creative mentality, will help to eliminate the need to destroy the Earth by ‘cutting corners’. Thus, a recognition of the symbiotic nature with which we operate the civilisation can be established as the guiding advice of a World Government.
Competitive games can now be focused within business structures themselves to increase productivity. This becomes ‘friendly competition’ which can be fun and exhilarating for the individual.
Harmonic mapping can be utilised in four main ways:
Personal Development
Work on the individual self, clarity and insights into personal life, and communicating openly and finding resolutions with family and friends.
Relationship and team building
Expression of creative ideas, defining roles that best suit each team member.
Business planning
Management, forecasting, strategy, and implementation. Defining and realising Key Performance Indicators. Ongoing games can be used in reporting, asset management, micro-jobbing, managing workflow, and process architecture.
Symbol Creation
Similar to a logo in the business world, harmonic emblems have a vision encoded into its structure.
Harmonics is a concept, that allows for the enhancement of our communication abilities. Once the concept has been grasped, then the rest is up to the imagination of the participants to create the right kind of game that suits their needs.
No Limits
A Harmonic map can be made for just one person or any size of group, there is no limitation.
Accessible
All the tools needed are easily available at any art shop, and the principles can be translated into the digital medium.
Memorable
A good Harmonic Map becomes a simple emblem, that imbues an intension, or set of values, holistically.
Whilst each game has a unique flavour, the underlying principles are the same. Firstly an appropriate map is created. Then this becomes the background for a game to be played out. Subsequent maps can be interrelated by being embedded into the background of the 1st map.
VALUES
A set of values are drawn up. These can include intentions, moral principles, or geographic representations of a space. Normally no more than 12 for a set of principles, or intension.
Cards
Each of these values is assigned to a card or post-it note. This can contain word, images and symbols.
Communicate
A discussion ensues and the cards are moved and orientated into a circle to tell a story, clarify a symbiotic process, or draw clarity around a central idea or intension.
Design
The map is drawn up. Once an arrangement has been found, a geometric shape is created, based on the number of cards. The arrangement is fixed into the geometry ready for the next stage of the process.
Discuss
Once the board has been created a game is played out as a discussion. Each point raised is summarised on a new card and placed onto the board.
Card types
Each card can be given a specific type, such as, an action, a feeling, or intension. There is no limit and each game is unique in this regard. Cards can be of different shape and colour to identify there specific type.
Focus
Each time someone speaks they play their card onto the board. Now other people in the group can relate, challenge, agree, or make any other counter action. The use of cards helps people to focus on what one person is saying, similar to the use of the native american ‘talk stick’.
Outcomes
Games can come to a resolution, often when used for personal development, or resolving conflicts. Or they can be ongoing, serving as a process model for a business or project. Different game types can be enacted with a single game. For example, a conflict-resolution game can be utilised inside a task management game, thus allowing greater flexibility when dealing with larger groups of people.
