For those of you who don't know me, I love a good joke. In fact, I love jokes so much that I am willing to dedicate my life to one; and that my friends is how Awakening was born - from a joke. The womb of humour.

I am Shawn Levine and this is my story of Awakening;

Until my first spiritual breakthrough at 20 years old, I relied solely on external circumstances to determine my happiness and worth. I believed, as many do, that once I had money/a partner/a job then could I enjoy my life but lo and behold, when I occasionally got what I wanted, the accompanying happiness was fleeting at best.

As it goes with youth, at 20 years old I was lost, confused and unsure what to make of myself until one day, a friend introduced me to meditation. After giving it a go, I was hooked. I discovered that behind the constant murmur and concerns of my mind, lived a deep sense of peace unlike anything I had ever experienced. I realized that the way I had been living and where I had been focusing my attention was no longer sustainable, so I made it my top priority to authentically enjoy my life. Through meditation, I turned my attention inward, focused on gratitude for all that I had and allowed myself to live in the moment. It was like tasting the sweet Nectar of the Gods and I watched in awe as my life improved in ways beyond my imagination. For (what felt like) the first time ever, I was able to navigate the challenges of life with ease.

After several years of walking this path, I knew I had to share this knowledge with as many people as possible, so I went to school to become a Wellness Counselor. For my practicum I decided to create a workshop that was to offer insights and activities to illustrate how our mindset affects all aspects of our lives. One day, while explaining my workshop to a dear friend, he made a joke that I should sell merchandise afterwards, like a t-shirt, a coffee cup and a board game! Upon hearing those words, inspiration struck and life as I knew it was about to change; the entire concept of The Game of Awakening had come over me.

Could I really capture the essence of what I wanted to share and put it in a box?  Here was an idea that would allow people to explore these concepts, in a fun and engaging way, from the comfort of their own home and at their own pace!

I drew the first iteration of the board that very night and the last 7 years since then have been spent learning, unpacking and refining everything. From designing the mechanics and teaching myself Photoshop, to play-testing and researching how to manufacture a board game. This whole process has been weaved with Divine synchronicity's causing me to act on my excitement and receive great insights that required me to make big changes, thus starting the whole process over again!

Throughout the creative process, I have lost myself and found myself a thousand times over. The realm of designing and producing a board game has been overwhelming at times, to say the least. I have had to face many challenges, become aware of and let go of many blocks all while navigating the domestic juggling act of new family life. However, revealed within each problem was a different angle of the bigger picture and with each obstacle came immense growth and purpose. A powerful calling and passion was born to design and produce board games that allow people to interact with spirituality in a way that is entertaining and accessible! As my mind is always conceptualizing new ideas, inspiration and Spiritual Philosophies, I am very excited to continue to expand and share the vision of Galactivated Games. In order to do so, I need your help (truly, this is not just a ploy to reach the mass market of Spiritual board game enthusiasts). By pre-ordering these games you will be co-creating the vision of bringing these games into the world while allowing me to further dedicate my time, energy and resources to this project.

As this journey has wound up spanning over close to a decade, an array of incredible beings have ended up profoundly contributing to the development of this dream and to them, I offer my deepest gratitude. For those of you reading these words and to all those who have made this possible, I want to thank you for joining me on this journey and allowing me to share with you my enthusiasm for growth and life. I couldn't have done it without you.

Any feedback or support you can offer this project is appreciated in ways that words cannot convey. I hope that any insights or enjoyment you may receive from interacting with this platform or these products ripple out into your path of a life well lived.

May my life's work contribute to the happiness and healing of all.