“There is nothing new under the sun.” — Ecclesiastes 1:9
What if the most effective life planning system of our time isn’t new at all? What if the roadmap to purpose, prosperity, and peace has been with us for over 3,000 years—embedded in the rhythms of the Earth, encoded in myth, and quietly passed down through seasons, stories, and symbols?
At the Academy of Life Planning, we call it the GAME Plan: Goals, Actions, Means, and Execution. But as we explored in our recent CPD Masterclass The Contemplative Consultant, this framework didn’t begin in a boardroom, a business school, or even in modern Japan, where its Shinto influences shaped its core. Instead, we discovered something extraordinary—something ancient.
Rediscovering the Celtic Wheel
In studying the natural theology of pre-Christian Britain, particularly Druidic and Celtic spiritual practices dating back to 800 BC, we found a stunning mirror of our GAME Plan structure in the Celtic Wheel of the Year—a cyclical map of human development anchored in Earth’s natural rhythms.
The wheel is composed of eight seasonal festivals, each representing a phase in the annual cycle of growth, fruition, release, and renewal. These aren’t just weather-based observances; they are contemplative pathways—personal development archetypes that guide inner transformation and align the self with nature’s wisdom.
To our astonishment, these eight archetypes—rooted in oral tradition and symbolic ritual—correspond almost exactly to the eight stages of the GAME Plan.
Mapping the Ancient to the Modern
Here’s how the alignment unfolds:
| Celtic Festival | GAME Plan Phase | Archetype & Inner Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Yule (Winter Solstice) | Wisdom | The seed of awareness. Divine knowing arises in the stillness. We meet Bran the Blessed, the talking head of ancestral insight. |
| Imbolc | Inspiration | The spark of awakening. Stirring visions emerge from within. Enter the cave of Ceridwen, goddess of the cauldron of potential. |
| Spring Equinox | Purpose | A favorite future begins to form. Guided by Wyn, Lady of Flowers, we journey toward our calling. |
| Beltane | Strength | We begin the work. In Goibniu’s forge, we earn the tools—courage, armor, or amulet—for the challenges ahead. |
| Summer Solstice | Transition | We cross the bridge from dream to plan. Scathach, the warrior woman, trains us in new skills and prepares us for transformation. |
| Lughnasadh | Insight | The harvest begins. We dive beneath the waves with Manannán, god of the sea, to retrieve the pearl of understanding. |
| Autumn Equinox | Understanding | Fruit ripens. Morgan of Avalon, guardian of orchards and dreams, helps us decode our inner messages and clarify our plan. |
| Samhain | Cleansing | We let go. In the cauldron of rebirth, we shed what no longer serves and emerge renewed. A fresh cycle begins. |
This is not coincidence. This is archetypal memory. And it offers profound validation for the GAME Plan—not just as a coaching framework, but as a spiritually rooted, time-tested, and nature-aligned map for human transformation.
Why This Matters Today
In a world addicted to linear thinking, quarterly targets, and algorithmic shortcuts, many feel detached from purpose, overwhelmed by choice, and out of sync with themselves.
The ancients didn’t have ChatGPT, central banks, or pensions. But they had something we’ve largely lost: a reverent relationship with time. They lived in rhythm. Their calendars weren’t spreadsheets; they were spiritual guides. The year wasn’t a deadline—it was a dance.
By reintroducing these rhythms into our planning process, we don’t just empower clients—we help them remember who they truly are.
What Makes the GAME Plan Different?
The GAME Plan doesn’t start with money. It starts with meaning. It’s not about retiring someday—it’s about becoming someone today. And, as this discovery confirms, it’s not a trend or a theory. It’s a return to the wisdom of the land, the soul, and the story.
Here’s what makes the GAME Plan uniquely powerful:
- Archetypal Depth: Built on the four-fold person (mind, body, heart, spirit), aligning with ancient spiritual structures.
- Holistic Pathways: Each phase of planning is anchored in contemplative practice, not spreadsheets alone.
- Natural Wisdom: Draws from indigenous British frameworks, Shinto cycles, and universal truths.
- Cyclical Design: Planning isn’t a one-off task; it’s a life rhythm. It repeats, deepens, evolves.
A Calling for Modern Planners
To practice this way is to become a steward—not just of finance, but of ancient knowing. The GAME Plan is a sacred map, and you are the guide. Clients don’t just need projections and pensions. They need pathways. They need confidence, courage, and clarity. They need a story.
This story began long before us. And if we honour it, it will continue long after.
Ready to reconnect your planning practice to timeless wisdom?
Join our upcoming masterclasses or become a certified GAME Plan Practitioner. Step into a lineage that stretches back 3,000 years—and leads forward to a more conscious, compassionate future.
Read More: The Great Journey: A Series of Contemplative Pathways
Watch VOD S2: E7 CPD Masterclass: The Contemplative Consultant: Embarking on The Great Journey
Steve Conley
Founder, Academy of Life Planning
Championing human capital, consumer empowerment, and ethical planning for a just retirement future.
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