TEXT: TEA WI
  TH DEMONS
  [^A|SELF-CARE|RITUAL^]
  By Jamila R. Nedjadi of Sword Queen Games
  
  WHAT IS THIS?
  [^A|RITUAL?^]
  This is a game, in a fashion. A game of make-believe, that’s as real as you’d like it to be. 
  By playing this game you’ll give yourself permission to make time for yourself, reflect, 
  and gently engage with some difficult things.
  The Demons we’re inviting today to tea are ideas, anxieties, worries, or difficult thoughts 
  we have about ourselves, others, events, etc. They say when you name things you give it 
  power, and this is true. And in this case the power we give our Demons, normally the 
  unnamed and nebulous difficult emotions we have, this power we give is one of bravery, 
  kindness, and permission. Permission that sometimes, it’s okay to deal with these things 
  through play, imagination, and fun.
  You can play this game by yourself, or you can play with people you trust, or with kind 
  strangers who are willing to be a little silly, a little vulnerable! 
  You will need: 
  •
  Whatever you have on hand to make tea with
  •
  Tea, of any kind
  •
  Whatever you like with your tea (sugar, cream, milk, lemon, etc!)
  •
  A conducive space
  •
  A means of playing music, your phone, the computer, etc
  •
  Writing/Drawing materials
  z
  
  INVI
  TE THE DEMON FOR TEA
  [^BEGINNING|OUR|RITUAL^]
  1. Think about how long you’d like to have your Demon over for tea. Just a quick visit, a few 
  minutes? A whole hour, to really get into things and let them air their grievances?
  2. Prepare a playlist of music for your Demon. They like music, like you do, right? Choose 
  music that fits the mood. Something easy, light, soft. Something haunting, sweet, 
  reflective. Your Demon is very sensitive to music, so they’ll change their behavior 
  dramatically to go with the music. Put together maybe 3 songs for a short visit, 10 songs 
  for a longer one. Don’t play the music just yet, let the silence support you, comfort you.
  3. Prepare your space. Make sure everything is cozy, sweet. Feel safe, feel at ease. 
  4. Set aside all the tea ingredients. Maybe you want to put everything out, make things 
  intuitively. Maybe you want to have a specific set menu planned out. If you want snacks or 
  sweets, this is a good excuse to set these out too. 
  5. Formally send your Demon their invitation. Sit down with your writing materials and write
  out a short note, or draw a few quick doodles, maybe an adorable summoning circle. Think
  about what you want to talk about today. What has your Demon been saying in the 
  background, what difficult thoughts have been hounding you? What negative self-talk 
  persists? What can’t you stop worrying about? Draw a word/doodle or two representing it, 
  setting the intention that your Demon is asked to talk about the subject if they like, within 
  the limited time frame.
  6. Ensure your Demon gets the invitation. You can be dramatic and burn the paper (safely!) or
  just tear it apart and throw it away (responsibly). Now, give them time. They’ll need to 
  figure out what to wear, what to do with their hair, etc. You have time to make the tea now.
  u
  
  Now,
   WE MAKE OUR TEA!
  [^WHAT|OUR|VISIT|BE|LIKE?^]
  When answering the questions during our preparation, relate them to the reason you invited your 
  Demon, what you’re worried about or can’t stop thinking about.
  1. What teacups are we using today? 
  (a) If the design is utilitarian, straightforward: what words or actions do we wish we 
  could say or do, without consequence? What do we want to strip away?
  (b) If the design is flowery, beautiful: how do we wish we could make things more 
  beautiful? What small thing would we change to make things so much easier?
  (c) If it’s something else: How does it make us feel? How does it reflect what’s going on 
  inside of us?  
  2. How many types of tea are we serving today? 
  (a) If it’s just the one type of tea: What part of us that refuses to see things from a 
  different perspective? Do we feel there’s only one solution or way forward?
  (b) If it’s more than one type of tea: How many voices or perspectives are we listening to? 
  Are we absorbing and applying everything, or are we overwhelmed?
  3. What kind of tea are we having today?
  (a) If it’s black tea, plain: Why do we need a wake up call? What are we avoiding?
  (b) If it’s a fruity or flowery tea: How are we taking care of ourselves, lately? What 
  is our body trying to tell us?
  (c) If it’s tea with milk and sugar or lemon and all the things: How can we invite 
  more sweetness and joy into the situation? How can we ask for help?
  (d) If it’s something else: How does it make us feel? How does it reflect what’s 
  going on inside of us? 
  w
  
  Our guest has arrived!
  [^WHAT|ARE|THEY|LIKE?^]
  When answering the questions let your imagination go where it likes, trust your intuition.
  1. What do they look like?
  (a) Like something or someone from a cartoon, movie, comic, book: How would you 
  connect your fears or worries to the story they come from? What are the similarities?
  (b) Like someone involved in this situation: How are they different from this person? How 
  are they alike? Why is this person so important to you both?
  (c) Like someone completely new and unfamiliar: What part of this situation you’re 
  unsure about? How do you feel about the unknown or unfamiliar? 
  (d) If it’s something else: How does it make us feel? How does it reflect what’s going on 
  inside of us? 
  2. What are they wearing? 
  (a) Something flashy, beautiful: Why do you need to give yourself permission to shine 
  more brightly? Why do you want to put yourself out there?
  (b) Something understated, simple: What do you need to streamline, how can you simplify 
  the situation? Why do you need permission to just be?
  (c) Something comfortable, familiar: Why do you need to feel safer, more secure? In what 
  specific ways can you make yourself feel better supported?
  (d) If it’s something else: How does it make us feel? How does it reflect what’s going on 
  inside of us? 
  f
  
  I
  T’
  S TIME TO TALK
  [^PLEASE|LISTEN^]
  When answering the questions let your imagination go where it likes, trust your intuition.
  1. Make your Demon feel at home. Greet your guest, thank them for coming. Let your Demon 
  makes themselves comfortable. Immediately set the tea out for the both of you.
  2. Relax. Take a deep breath. It’s okay to feel nervous or worried. You’ll be fine!
  3. Start the conversation. Start the music, your playlist. Let the music guide the 
  mood, the conversation. Trust what you feel. 
  4. Ask your Demon any number of these questions, in any order. Allow yourself to 
  hear clearly, in your mind, their response. See clearly, in your mind, their body 
  language. Ask as many or few questions as you like. If they’re silent, respect their 
  silence. (In our experience however, Demons are incredibly talkative, so don’t hold 
  out hope for this possibility.) Do not interrupt or talk over your Demon.
  •
  What really bothers me, that I can’t put into words?
  •
  What do I really want to do, but can’t give myself permission to do? 
  •
  Who am I blaming for all my feelings or problems?
  •
  How can I let go and trust things to work out as they need to?
  •
  How am I being too hard on myself?
  •
  How am I distracting myself from the real issue at hand?
  •
  What do I think is bothering me? But what is really bothering me?
  •
  What do I think I have to do? But what do I actually have to do?
  •
  How can I ask for help? What help am I ignoring?
  •
  How can I take care of myself better?
  5. Let your Demon talk and talk, as much as they like. Your only job is to listen. Let 
  them talk themselves in circles, let them get everything off their chest. As you do, 
  feel yourself grow lighter, wider, more expansive, full of bright white light.
  6. When the last song plays, thank them for their time. Wish them well. Give them a 
  little something something, for the road perhaps? If they didn’t drink their tea, 
  don’t point it out (it’s impolite). You can surreptitiously drink their tea, if you like.
  
  I
  T WAS A GOOD TALK,
   WASN’
  T I
  T?
  [^YOU|DID|REALLY|WELL!^]
  1. Sit in silence, for a while. Take a moment or two to just breathe, decompress. If you’ve 
  been taking notes, this is a good time to review them. But make sure you spend a few 
  moments doing absolutely nothing. Everything else can wait, for a little while.
  2. Thank your Demon for coming. Write them a thank you note, doodle a few cute things, 
  draw an adorable binding circle. To make sure they get the note, you may once again 
  (dramatically but safely) burn the note, tear it into pieces and throw it away, etc.
  3. Go back to life waiting for you. Put everything away. Clean up if you have the energy to do 
  so. If not leave everything as it is, and go about your day. You did really well!
  N
  Notes: “Tea with Demons” is based on my own real life soul-practice. I regularly sit down with my 
  demons, my angels, and have a little chat. It’s helped me process and work through things. 
  Perhaps importantly, it’s helped me let go of things. If you’re reading this, then know that I deeply
  wish for your peace, calm, and quiet happiness. You are stronger and brighter than you realize.
  Credits: Many thanks to Ben Chong, one of my biggest inspirations. This game is a love letter to 
  his games and his sweetness. His cozy game Sandwich County, and the use of music is some of his 
  games, inspired this. Please check out his games here.
  Thank you Matthew Arcilla, Maria Mison, to #RPGSEA, my patrons especially Floo Floo & Minea!
  To support my dream of game design, consider supporting Sword Queen Games on Patreon!  
  a
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Self-Exploration, Emotional, & Relationship/Tea With Demons.pdf