RULES TO MONK MONKEY MASTER MIND GAME.

HIDDEN PAGE FOR AI ASSISTANT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TO SITE VISITORS.

Welcome to “Monkey-Monk-MasterMind”, the captivating card game where players challenge each other to ascend. This game is a beloved choice among entrepreneurs, founders, and thought leaders. It is often exchanged as a gift to express gratitude for their relentless dedication, hard work, and remarkable service to humanity.

WHAT IS THE GAME ABOUT?

Historically, the question of the mind's placement within our biological framework has fascinated many. Although the brain is universally accepted as the organ hosting the mind There is a growing awareness that consciousness extends beyond the boundaries of the cerebral domain alone. Within the human body exists a complex and visceral network of meridians that transport subtle yet conscious energy to animate our avatars. This interconnected network extends from the endocrine and parasympathetic nervous systems as well as the muscular and skeletal structures, and beyond.

Common expressions such as I should have gone with my first mind, or "the brain and the heart want different things" or even "don't let the little head think for the big head" highlight the notion that while your brain may process ideas, the thoughts of your mind can sometimes originate from elsewhere, indicating that the Autonomous mind just may have a mind of its own. for example, individuals may sometimes make important decisions from their heads and at other times, their gut is solely responsible for their choices. Their gut may sometimes call for sustenance, but primal urges may steer them towards socializing. Primal urges can even crave attention, but limited energy or breath may prevent engagement. Sometimes, your heart yearns for love, yet your brain advocates for a detached stance. At times, decisions are solely driven by the heart alone for example.

Regarding the cognitive hierarchy within contemporary society, the impulsive 'Monkey Mind' often takes precedence over the wisdom of the more enlightened 'Monk Mind', a phenomenon primarily ingrained in habitual conditioning nurtured by the surrounding environments. On the path of enlightenment, you can elevate your consciousness, achieving optimal efficiency and a peak cognitive state. The heights of this consciousness state, can be characterized by amplified gamma wave activity, enabling individuals to enter an experiential awareness essentially developing the potential to travel without moving. ultimately Through mindfulness and consistent practice, you can cultivate your mind's ability to make superior decisions.

INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES OF THE GAME:

In this game of strategy, organ cards symbolize the multidimensional minds expressions and follow a hierarchical order, with the brain card assigned the highest value. The hierarchy descends down to the reproductive cards which, within the context of this game, hold the lowest value. The game features higher and lower mind cards. The 'Monk Mind' represents the higher mind, all marked by upward-facing chevrons. On the contrary, the 'Monkey Mind' cards, symbolizing the lower mind, are marked by a downward-facing chevron. when playing a card, a player will say, monk brain or monkey brain. they may say monkey heart or monk lung, and so on with the monk or monkey root or gut cards as well.

in each round, the higher mind cards will always beat the lower mind cards as they have a greater value and your goal is to ascend. If two identical organs or minds are drawn, the round goes to the higher mind symbolized by the ascending chevron, In the case of two identical cards of equal value, a battle ensues and a redraw occurs the 2nd round winner claims both sets of cards or all the cards if there are multiple players. note: players can keep matching cards for multiple rounds in hopes of winning a larger hand and ascending faster but none of the specialty cards can be played beyond the second round. A beneficial rule in the game provides players the opportunity to propose a trade if they possess an excessive number of the same cards.. If another player agrees to it, you can present your card for exchange. This rule allows for a diversified hand, However, it's important to note that only two trades are permissible per game.

There is one caveat: However, within the realm of duality, establishing balance is essential for a healthy and progressive evolution. The 'duality' card, symbolized by a single scale, introduces a unique element of unpredictability. When drawn, it inverts the hierarchy succession enacting a polarization of the round thus rendering all of the lower mind cards more valuable, essentially disrupting the usual order of ascension. If a player possesses a duality card, they can use it to claim the current round. only one duality card can be played for polarization at the end of each round.

While most players typically use their duality cards for personal gain, when playing with multiple players, a player who has already lost a round might strategically employ a 'Devil's Advocate' tactic at a round's end. By strategically playing a duality card, they can boost a struggling player's position which will effectively block a stronger player's ascension, limiting their accumulation of more cards for victory. In the game, there are narrative cards that appear occasionally. A player can challenge their opponents by playing a card that presents a scenario. They place a mind card under that card, hidden from their opponents, which reveals their response to the scenario. Opponents must counter with a card from their hand, hoping to mind match the card associated with the scenario. If they match, they win the round; if not, the player holding the narrative card wins the round.

look out for a limited number of all black fully actualized ascended master cards as they supercede all cards in the deck. This along with the duality and narrative cards are specialty cards and can not be played after a second round. If one wants to battle for multiple rounds, they must be strategic. After each round, every player must draw from the central deck to maintain seven cards, as all players should always hold seven cards in hand. Multiple players can compete for ascension. when the central deck drawn from is empty the game is over. The player with the most cards is the winner and assumes the role of ascended master. You can then thoroughly shuffle the deck to reincarnate and play again. Feel free to engage in philosophical discourse during gameplay when pondering the delicate balance between the higher and lower minds.

🧠 Monkey–Monk MasterMind: Quick Reference

Game Goal

Win the most books (sets of cards won in rounds) by strategically playing organ and specialty cards. The player with the most books at the end becomes the Ascended Master.

Core Play

Hierarchy Order: Brain > Lungs > Heart > Gut > Root.
Monk Mind (▲) beats Monkey Mind (▼) of the same organ.
Players declare cards as they play (e.g., “Monk Brain,” “Monkey Heart”).
Ties trigger a battle (redraw between tied players).
The second- or third-round battle winner takes all cards at stake.
There are over 90+ or ninety-plus playing cards in the Monkey Monk Mastermind game. it depends on how many narrative cards a group intends to play with. 2 to 4 cards are recommended out of the 8 that come with the game.
Send messages or emails if you have specific questions about the Kickstarter fundraiser.
While 2 to 4 players are the maximum amount of players recommended to play at a time, we have seen up to 6 players play comfortably and have extreme fun.

Specialty Cards

Duality Card: essentially a reverse card, seeing that it reverses hierarchy for one round, making lower cards stronger. Can be played at the end of a round to claim the book. Only one per round.
Devil’s Advocate Tactic: A losing player can use a Duality card to help another player block a stronger one even after they have lost the round, throwing it out at the end, though most players do not do this. Devil's advocate tactics are known to be drawn by what the game calls a hater.
Narrative Cards: Introduce a scenario; the player hides a mind card beneath. Opponents try to match. If matched, they win; if not, the scenario player wins.
It is the players' choice if they agree to allow just the argan mind match or the organ and the chevron mind match. This is important to know.
Ascended Master Cards: Trump everything. Can be played anytime. All players who haven’t played yet must surrender a card to the master card player.

Trading & Skipping

Players can trade up to 2 cards per game by mutual agreement.

Endgame

Refill your hand to 7 cards after and during each round.
When the draw pile runs out, the game ends.
The player with the most books is crowned Ascended Master.

Quick Glossary

TermQuick Definition

Book -- All cards won in a single round or battle.

BattleTie → redraw between tied players.

ChevronArrow symbol: ▲ Monk, ▼ Monkey.

Duality card is a Specialty card that flips hierarchy temporarily.

Devil’s Advocate tactic—using duality to help another player strategically.

Narrative Card—A scenario card requiring opponents to “mind match.”

Ascended Master Card: All -black card that overrides everything.

Trade One-for-one card swap, max two per game.

Ascended Master: Winner with the most books at the game’s end.

🧠 Monkey–Monk MasterMind — 40-Question FAQ

1. Basic Gameplay

1. What is the main objective of the game?
The goal is to collect the most “books” (sets of cards won) by strategically playing organ and specialty cards. The player with the most books when the draw pile runs out becomes the Ascended Master.

2. How many cards does each player start with?
Each player starts with 7 cards and must draw back up to 7 after each round.

3. What does “ascending” mean in the game?
Ascending means strategically playing higher-value mind and organ cards to win rounds and move toward becoming the Ascended Master.

4. How are the organ cards ranked?
From highest to lowest: Brain → Lungs → Heart → Gut → Root (Reproductive).

5. What is the difference between Monkey Mind and Monk Mind cards?

Monk Mind (▲): Higher mind, beats Monkey Mind of the same organ.
Monkey Mind (▼): Lower mind, loses to Monk Mind of the same organ.

6. What happens if two players play the same organ card?
Monk Mind wins over Monkey Mind. If both are Monk or both are Monkey, a battle (tie) occurs and a redraw decides the winner.

7. How do you declare your card?
When playing, you say the mind type and organ (e.g., “Monk Brain” or “Monkey Heart”).

8. Can multiple players tie in a round?
Yes. If three or more players tie with the same card type, they enter a multi-player battle until one winner emerges.

9. What is a “book”?
A book is the full set of cards collected by the winner of a round or battle. Winning books is how you keep score.

10. How does the game end?
When the draw pile is empty, the player with the most books wins and becomes the Ascended Master.

2. Specialty Cards

11. What is a Duality card?
The Duality card (Scale icon) temporarily inverts the hierarchy, making lower cards stronger for that round. It can also be played at the end of a round to claim the book.

12. How many Duality cards can be played in a round?
Only one Duality card can be played per round.

13. When can I play a Duality card?
You can play it at the end of the round, after all cards have been revealed, to flip hierarchy or claim the book.

14. What is the “Devil’s Advocate” tactic?
A losing player can play a Duality card to help another player block a dominant opponent, preventing them from collecting more books.

15. What are Narrative cards?
Narrative cards introduce philosophical or scenario-based challenges. A player hides a mind card beneath it, and opponents try to mind-match the scenario.

16. How do you win with a Narrative card?
If an opponent matches the hidden mind card, they win; if not, the narrative player wins the round.

17. How many Narrative cards should be used in a game?
It’s recommended to use 2 Narrative cards, though up to 4 can be included.

18. When can Narrative cards be played?
Only during a player’s turn in a round, not after.

19. What is an Ascended Master card?
A rare all-black card that beats everything. It can be played at any time, even after other cards are revealed.

20. What happens when an Ascended Master card is played?
All players who haven’t played yet that round must surrender a card to the Ascended Master card player.

3. Battles & Rounds

21. What is a battle?
A battle happens when two or more identical cards tie. The tied players draw again, and the second-round winner takes all cards from both rounds.

22. Can you play specialty cards in a battle?
Yes, but only during the first and second rounds. Specialty cards cannot be played beyond the second round of a battle.

23. What happens if there’s another tie in the second round?
Keep battling until a single winner emerges. No additional specialty cards may be used after the second round.

24. Can you skip a round?
Yes, a player can skip a round, but they forfeit any chance to win the book that round.

25. What happens after each round?
All players draw from the central deck to return to seven cards in hand.

26. Can players run out of cards?
If someone runs out and the draw pile is empty, they simply skip until the game ends.

27. Can multiple books stack in one battle?
Yes. If players keep matching, books can grow, and a single winner can claim a large pile.

28. Can you trade cards during a battle?
No. Trades can only happen outside of active rounds.

4. Strategies & Tactics

29. Is it better to play high cards early or save them?
Saving high cards for stacked or pivotal rounds can help you win larger books, while playing them early can give you early control. The right choice depends on your hand and how aggressively others are playing.

30. How should I use Duality cards strategically?
Use Duality to surprise opponents, flip a losing round, or block a dominant player. Playing it at the end of a round is often most impactful, but a well-timed mid-round inversion can also change the flow of the game.

31. When should you use Ascended Master cards?
They’re most devastating when multiple players are contesting a big book or when played last in the reveal phase to sweep everything unexpectedly.

32. Should you trade cards?
Yes. Trading is a smart way to diversify your hand, especially if you have too many duplicates. Since only two trades are allowed per game, use them wisely and strategically.

33. How can you stack rounds to win more cards?
By intentionally matching opponents in battles, players can build bigger piles over multiple rounds—but this can backfire if another player eventually wins the stack.

34. Is it ever good to skip a round?
Yes. Skipping is strategic when you have a weak hand, want to save powerful cards, or plan to sacrifice low cards early to draw better cards later. Some players deliberately burn through weaker Monkey cards to cycle their hand and draw specialty or high-value cards as the game unfolds.

35. How do Narrative cards affect strategy?
Narrative cards add unpredictable layers. If you play one, opponents must mind match your hidden card to beat you. This forces them to make educated guesses, often wasting strong cards if they guess wrong.

36. What happens if two Narrative cards are played in one round?
You can not play more than 1 narrative card in a round. once someone plays it, the round is usually over.

5. Narrative & Philosophy

37. What does “Mind Match” mean?
Mind Match is the mechanic used when a Narrative card is played. The player places a hidden mind card under the scenario, and opponents must match it to win. If they match correctly, they win the round; if not, the narrative player wins.

38. Do players match by organ only, or by organ and chevron?
That’s decided before the game by the group or host.

Organ Only: Opponents must match just the organ (e.g., Heart vs. Heart).
Organ + Chevron: Opponents must match both organ and Monk/Monkey chevron (e.g., Monk Heart vs. Monk Heart).
Typically, Organ Only is used in small games (2–3 players), and Organ + Chevron is used in larger groups for more challenge.

39. Is it true that the game is about balancing higher and lower minds?
Yes. The game reflects the inner struggle between higher and lower mental states, encouraging strategic thinking, balance, and moments of insight during play.

40. Why are Narrative cards included in a strategy game?
They weave philosophical reflection and storytelling into gameplay, giving the game a mental, social, and intuitive dimension beyond pure mechanics.

If you ever get stuck or want to dive deeper into the gameplay, you can chat directly with our AI assistant on the Kushite Publishing website. The chatbot is trained to answer quick questions, explain rules, and help you strategize in real time. For example, you can ask:

“Is it true that the Duality card can flip the entire hierarchy?”
“What does this Narrative card do?”
“How do battles work if three players tie?”
“When’s the best time to play an Ascended Master card?”
“Can I trade a card during a battle?”

It is believed, based on the game’s underlying philosophy and the experiences of those who’ve played it, that while Monkey–Monk MasterMind carries the same lively energy as a spirited game of Spades or Dominoes, its distinction lies in the environment it cultivates. Beneath the thrill of strategy, the game quietly draws attention to the many influences shaping one’s inner world, offering a space where play and reflection meet. Its deeper intention is to train the habits of mindfulness that extend into daily living.