The 7 of 9 system is doubled from 72 cards to 144 in order to support multi-player participation. The numerology of 72 and 144 is significant across UNITY LIFE resources, including The 72 FACETS (IN 144), and here it also serves a practical function.

The game may be played solo, in which case a single player places each card choice onto the game mat twice. When additional players are involved, participants take turns making card selections along the same guided mind-mapping journey. This creates a co-inspirational, reflective process in which perspectives are shared rather than competed.

The system can also be played collaboratively, with multiple people forming each side of the board depending on seating and arrangement. In this format, each move becomes a discussion-based decision, encouraging dialogue, listening, and shared insight.

As shown in the gallery of the seven main symbols, the system includes seven primary card types. These correspond to the seven stages of laboratory alchemy and to seven major institutional sectors of society.

The final alchemical stage, coagulation, represents the transformation of lower metals into gold. In this system, it also corresponds to the mass media sector and to the role of UNITY LIFE Mystery School itself. This stage functions as the master archetype of the system and is represented by the COAGULA ◊ 27 (52) set, which contains a greater number of cards sharing the same front symbol.

All COAGULA cards feature the same symbol on the front and include 27 cards, doubled to make 52. On the back of each COAGULA card are three triangular sections, each containing one of three possible symbols. One of these sections represents the type of relationship a card may have with others on the game mat : cooperation, neutrality, or non-cooperation.

The remaining six card types form the SOLVE ◊ 18 (36) set. Each of these six stages has its own distinct symbol on the card front. These cards include a single relationship symbol on the back and appear in sets of three, for a total of 18 cards, doubled to 36.

Together, the COAGULA and SOLVE cards allow all seven stages to interact within the system, with relationship choices guiding how cards are placed and interpreted in context.

The 16 KEYS SUPPORT TOOL is a conceptual model developed by UNITY LIFE Mystery School to explore the radical potential of miracles. Traditionally, the 16 KEYS have appeared as diamond-shaped glyphs in video and gallery formats.

In the 7 of 9 prototype, these glyphs are being redesigned for the first time as triangular cards. The KEYS are placed at the center of the game mat, forming the conceptual core of the mind map.

When contextualized alongside the other card sets, the KEYS help expand perspective and stimulate creative, exploratory thinking. Each session reframes the KEYS in relation to a new subject, supporting imaginative storytelling and reflective inquiry.

The system also includes a non-doubled set of seven cards, which may be played independently as a contemplative exercise or placed in the two central positions of the game mat. These cards support interpretation of the COAGULA ◊ 27 (52) set by helping define how mass media functions within the chosen subject of study.

Each card represents a sociological category of mass media. These categories are explored in greater depth in the UNITY LIFE Archive: The UNITY LIFE Branch ◊ An Ecology Within the Mass Media.

The seven categories are:

◊ Broadcast Screen Entertainment
◊ Music and Audio Media
◊ Educational and Informational Media for Adults
◊ Interactive and Gaming Media
◊ Live Performance Arts Media
◊ Art and Gallery Media
◊ High Fashion / Haute Couture

7 of 9 is designed as a complete system on its own, but it can also be expanded through optional integration with The 64 CARDS ◊ Ecological Strategies for All Ages & Abilities.

When used together, the 64 CARDS introduce an ecological and strategic perspective, offering an additional layer of connection between triangular cards within the evolving mind map. This integration is entirely optional and can be introduced gradually or intuitively, depending on the needs of each session.

The playing mat is structured as a large diamond composed of nine smaller diamonds, each containing two triangular card spaces. Cards are laid out and piled according to their relationships with one another and with the evolving mind map.

The aim is not to fill every space on the mat, but to complete the contemplative and storytelling process to a point of satisfaction. The two triangles forming the central diamond hold visually distinct cards, allowing the composition to radiate outward from the center.

Over time, this layout produces mandala-like arrangements that are both visually striking and conceptually meaningful. These arrangements can be photographed, documented, and used to support the sharing of stories inspired by each session.

A session begins by choosing a subject of study. UNITY LIFE often recommends starting with a media artifact — such as a favorite album, film, series, or artist — but the subject may be anyone or anything.

Players then take turns laying out and piling cards from each set, moving through the system in stages. As cards are placed, participants creatively articulate why each choice feels relevant and how it relates to the evolving map. These explanations are not fixed or “correct,” but invented in the moment to support reflective inquiry.

Through this process, a layered mind map naturally forms. By the end of a session, the map has gathered enough detail, association, and perspective to make storytelling feel intuitive. The resulting story may be fictional, non-fictional, or a blend of both, and can be adapted for any age or ability. The visual and conceptual structure of the mind map helps bring many details to the surface for creative exploration.

The exact sequence in which card sets are played is still being refined. At this stage, flexibility and ease are prioritized over strict ordering. A more defined guideline will be developed over time to support a cohesive, full-bodied journey through the system.

In general, the larger sets — COAGULA ◊ 27 (52) and SOLVE ◊ 18 (36) — unfold gradually over multiple turns, as each card is placed in relationship to those already on the mat and in context with the chosen subject. Other sets may be introduced more quickly, sometimes within a single turn.

This balance between structure and openness allows the system to remain responsive to the needs and rhythms of each session.

UNITY LIFE Mystery School’s focus on All Ages & Abilities emphasizes learning environments where participants of different ages and abilities can engage together as both teachers and students. Storytelling is especially well suited to this kind of setting.

As one of humanity’s oldest cultural practices, storytelling has endured for thousands of years because of its layered capacity to carry information, values, emotion, and meaning across generations. Within 7 of 9, storytelling acts as a natural bridge between complex ideas and shared understanding, allowing insight to be communicated fluidly rather than didactically.