The Noticing Deck

What it is

The Noticing Deck is a 52-card awareness deck. It works as a real playing deck and as one practice a week for a year. Each card is written twice: once to do with people in the room, and once to practice alone that week.

The four suits

• ♥
  SelfYour body, feelings, and wants
• ♣
  OthersWhat you see in people and what you do with them
• ♦
  WorldThe places, things, and life around you
• ♠
  NowWhat is happening in this room at this moment

What each card holds

Every card has two prompts:

• In the room — something to do or say with the people present.
• This week, on your own — a small practice to try alone during the week.

How far to go

Rank shows depth, so the people playing choose how far to go.

• Open (Ace to 5) — anyone, including colleagues, new groups, and families with children.
• Closer (6 to 10) — friends, adult family, and groups that have built some trust.
• Deep (Jack, Queen, King) — couples and close friends, by choice.

Online right now: Open only. The full deck has 32 more cards.

Playing alone — the card of the week

Each week a new card is released, in suit order Self, Others, World, Now. Turn it over, read both prompts, and try the “This week, on your own” practice. Earlier cards stay available to browse once they have been released.

Playing in a group — Draw a Card

One phone serves the whole group. Place it where everyone can reach it. The game does not know who is playing and has no turns tracked, names, points, timer, or winner.

1. Agree how far you want to go.
2. Take turns drawing a card and reading it aloud.
3. Do what the card says. Speak for yourself, and say “I.”
4. Anyone can pass, on any card, with no explanation.
5. Others listen. No advice, fixing, or analyzing.
6. When someone finishes, the group says only “Thank you.”
7. What is said here stays here.

You can also tap Pass instead of Thank you — both move to the next card the same way. End game is always available. No one has to share.