Posted in: Other - Mind Hacks
Date: November 19, 2009
Is the dancer spinning clockwise or counter clockwise?
Whatever the case, I'm going to teach you how to control this illusion. You'll be able to change the dancer's direction of spin whenever you want. This is surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it.
First, you have to realize one thing: There is no dancer. It's like that scene from the Matrix, when the little boy tells Neo there is no spoon. Same thing here. There is no dancer. All there really is, is a bunch of black, moving pixels that we think "spin". We like to see a face and arms and legs, but the truth is, it's all really in our imaginations.
Next what I want you to do, is focus on one part of the body. I find the foot on the floor to be the easiest. Look at the foot, and try to ignore everything else. When the foot gets to the far right, imagine the foot bouncing in the opposite direction. Try and actually "see" and "feel" the bounce. Sense the change in direction. What you're trying to do is insert new programming into your brain. Now, when the foot gets to the opposite side, "bounce" it again. Eventually, you'll be able to bounce the foot back and forth.
As you continue to practice, you'll be able to look at larger sections of the body at a time. You'll start seeing how the hands and legs move together, and you'll be able to switch their direction in unison.
Keep in mind that this is just one of many techniques you could use. The heart and soul of what I'm teaching you is this: mind programming involves using thoughts that just "make sense." You have to discover this for yourself. To me it just makes sense to see and feel a bounce. For you, it might be something different. Maybe you imagine a cloaked figure in the negative space that "pushes" the dancer in the opposite direction.
Some mental exercises to try:
This is a great mental exercise, and the more you practice the better you'll get.