The Dynamism Deck
Play the Theory. Discover Your Self.
What if some mental health struggles aren't pathological but rather signs of a personality developing? That’s the heart of the positive disintegration, Dr. Kazimierz DÄ…browski’s theory of personality development.
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The Dynamism Deck brings that theory to life.
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43 beautifully designed cards.
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5 ways to play.
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1 immersive experience of your inner world.
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This isn’t therapy. This is a mirror for the mind. You don’t just read the theory. You play it.
Order the Dynamism Deck here:
Game Design
and Card Design By Youssef Sleiman
What Is It?
The Dynamism Deck is an interactive card set based on the Theory of Positive Disintegration developed by Polish psychologist Dr. Kazimierz DÄ…browski.
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Each card explores one of the dynamisms, instincts, levels, or developmental factors of the theory—using DÄ…browski’s own words, paired with AI-generated visuals that tease meaning out of the abstract.
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Every card is a facet. Together, the deck reveals a multifaceted theory of personality development.
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​While overexcitabilities are well known, DÄ…browski’s full framework remains largely underexplored. This deck dives deeper, blending DÄ…browski’s exact, original words with AI-generated visual prompts to make theory interactive.
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What's in the Deck?
43 Large Format Cards (2.75” x 4.75”), including:
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37 Theory Cards: Dynamisms, instincts, developmental levels, and other key elements from DÄ…browski’s model
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5 Instruction Cards: Detailed how-to-play guidance for solo and group experiences
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1 Introduction Card: Start here, get oriented, dive in
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Sourced from DÄ…browski’s Original Works:
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Positive Disintegration (1964)
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Personality-shaping Through Positive Disintegration (1967)
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Mental Growth Through Positive Disintegration (1970)
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Psychoneurosis Is Not an Illness (1972)
What's on each card?
Each dynamism card shows:
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Name of the dynamism, instinct, or level
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Brief and in-depth definitions
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Book citations for deeper study
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Developmental level(s) associated
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Related dynamisms
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AI-generated imagery as a visual prompt
Use Cases:
How Could You Use the Dynamism Deck?
The cards aren't just for fans of the theory. They're a powerful, hands-on tool for anyone interested in applying the theory to their life.
The Dynamism Deck works as a hands-on exploration tool for anyone eager to understand:
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Intense inner experiences
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Emotional complexity
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The pain of transformation
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The journey to becoming your authentic self
Play is a powerful educator. These cards can help you get started with the theory and go beyond to applying it.
Why turn DÄ…browski’s theory into tarot cards?
Ironically, to de-mystify the dynamisms. Play can be a powerful educator. The Polish psychologist's books depict a multi-faceted, partially sequential, and organic process.
Elaborate explanations and glossaries can go far to convey such an interconnected conceptualization of the human mind. Play allows the learner to witness for themselves the interactions within his personality development theory.
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The deck itself doesn't incorporate any tarot symbolism itself in the art or design. Rather, the deck's design borrows from tarot's large card size to make room for art and passages. Each level, instinct, factor and dynamism card incorporates original passages from DÄ…browski’s books explaining his theory of positive disintegration:
Positive Disintegration (1964)
Personality-shaping Through Positive Disintegration (1967)
Mental Growth Through Positive Disintegration (1970)
Psychoneurosis Is Not An Illness (1972)​
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What is a dynamism?
It’s what DÄ…browski called mental forces in the mind. They're internal forces—emotions, instincts, values, anxieties—that push you to rethink, re-evaluate, and rebuild yourself. Each exhibits unique qualities and may play a role in shaping a person's personality.
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They’re the reason you can’t just “stay the same.”
They’re the psychic earthquakes that crack your foundation—so something new can emerge.
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Some are conscious.
Some unconscious.
Some helpful. Some painful.
Which are necessary for you?
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That's what playing with the deck can help you find out.
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Why AI art?
Generative artificial intelligence can only make the most predictable image from a text prompt.
DÄ…browski created language for forces the world didn’t yet have names for. When you feed that into AI, you get something strange.
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It doesn’t define the dynamism. Instead, the art reflects how language struggles to grasp the dynamisms—producing eerie, symbolic interpretations that provoke thought more than illustrate facts.
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Uncanny. Esoteric. Rich with meaning.
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