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morrowasted
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Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why
#28327126 - 05/20/23 05:20 AM (15 days, 21 hours ago) |
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https://www.psypost.org/2023/05/manipulating-light-can-induce-psychedelic-experiences-and-scientists-arent-quite-sure-why-163287
For millennia, people have used mind-altering techniques to achieve different states of consciousness, envision spiritual figures, connect with nature, or simply for the fun of it. Psychedelic substances, in particular, have a long and controversial history. But for just as long, people have been having these experiences without drugs too, using rhythmic techniques such as rocking, chanting or drumming.
Perhaps the most powerful technique of this kind is flickering light, called “ganzflicker”. Ganzflicker effects can be achieved by turning a light on and off, or by alternating colours in a rapid, rhythmic pattern (like a strobe). This can create an instant psychedelic experience...
See rest in article. It's so full of ads that copy pasting is a pain in the ass. Good read though. I can attest to this personally. Craziest visuals I've ever had were from k+L using one of those multicolor lightbulbs full of filaments of varying lengths
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durian_2008
Cornucopian Eating an Elephant



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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted]
#28327657 - 05/20/23 02:43 PM (15 days, 12 hours ago) |
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Quote:
A Dreamachine consists of an upright cylinder with patterns cut into it and a lightbulb suspended at its centre. When spun on a turntable at 78rpm, the flickering patterns (viewed through closed eyelids) can cause trance-like hallucinations.
The normal RPMS for 36 and 42 inch ceiling fans range from 20 to 300, while normal RPMs for 52 inch ceiling fans range from 20 to 220
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morrowasted
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: durian_2008]
#28327741 - 05/20/23 04:04 PM (15 days, 11 hours ago) |
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Interestingly enough now that you point it out, said instance of craziest visuals I've ever had was against the backdrop of a ceiling fan... I had not even considered the potential relevance of that before
During that experience I had a light bulb filled with filaments of random varying lengths and colors and I was moving it in time to the music I was listening to. At a certain point I began to be able to freeze whatever image I saw, rotate it in my mind 360°, transform it in three dimensions however I like, and then resume seeing in real time exactly when I decided to. I can't help but imagine something like this happened with the (re) discovery of the DNA molecule
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pablokabute
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted]
#28328046 - 05/20/23 08:17 PM (15 days, 6 hours ago) |
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More than 5yrs ago "ajna light" was a thing and yes it can get trippy..
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--- https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/23378638/fpart/1/vc/1 'The second seal: “All CONTAMINATED things and events are unsatisfactory.”'
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durian_2008
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted]
#28329380 - 05/21/23 11:49 PM (14 days, 3 hours ago) |
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I'm considering a fabric, hanging lampshade.
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morrowasted
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: durian_2008]
#28330597 - 05/22/23 11:21 PM (13 days, 3 hours ago) |
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Tonight I took one tab and went to a very small (like 7 people plus a DJ virtually zero talking or boozing) what turned out to be a flow-light dance event, which I had never heard of. Legitimately didn't know what I was walking into whatsoever, I just trusted the source of the invitation. And I'm glad I did- even though, ironically, the cool cats slipped me the invitation were no shows
This funny feedback loop happens when you're on psychedelics actively manipulating light so that it flows with rhythm and then *bing* the OP['s message] pops into your head.
For whatever reason I can very intuitively 'flowlight dance'- at least when on acid. Never tried it otherwise, but I have a feeling that 'monkeymind' might normally inhibit the ease of slipping into flowstate. I'm sort of a hermit and I mean it when I say I've never seen these whip shaped things with long light filaments of different lengths, but the person who brought them said I could try it out and it didn't take me but 3 minutes to be good enough at it that one guy asked if he could record a video of it. And no, he wasn't being snarky. There was one early 20sish fat Hispanic guy in there who seemed really new and nervous and wasn't dancing much (but tried, stating 'Im tripping really hard on shrooms), but literally everybody else was epically good at flow/light dancing, and I have a feeling if that going back and keeps taking friends he's eventually going to be good at Twilight dancing and probably also not be fat- that that I think that really matters
Edited by morrowasted (05/22/23 11:41 PM)
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CidneyIndole
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted] 2
#28345222 - 06/03/23 04:01 AM (1 day, 23 hours ago) |
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Quote:
morrowasted said: Interestingly enough now that you point it out, said instance of craziest visuals I've ever had was against the backdrop of a ceiling fan... I had not even considered the potential relevance of that before
TBH one of my favorite "trip toys" is basically just a white ceiling fan, with a TV turned on (and muted) in a dark room...
You just lie underneath the fan (listening to music, obviously lol) looking straight up at it --ideally the TV itself shouldn't be within view-- and as the fan spins, the blades will pick up the colored light from the TV.
Of course, the light patterns will change (more often with some programming than others, but music videos seem to work well). And as you begin to trip harder, the spinning / colors/ light reflections can get pretty funky, make some interesting patterns / shapes, often seem to synch when the music in fun ways, and sometimes has an almost hypnotic effect.
(Oh, and bonus points if your white fan blades are held in place with polished metal, as that will really pick up the light, and makes the inside of your fan-dala™ really pop.)
Simple, but way too fun when you're tripping.
Obviously I discovered that one accidentally, quite naturally in the course of events one night... but after that I always wanted access to a ceiling fan for psychedelic reasons.

Kinda bummed my current bedroom doesn't have one. (And I rent, so fuck me.)
Anyway, that being said, I have always wanted to experiment more with light induced effects on consciousness...
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I am me. We are You.
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durian_2008
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: CidneyIndole]
#28345513 - 06/03/23 09:41 AM (1 day, 17 hours ago) |
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So, there was actually no reason to make any moving parts, if the fan produces the correct flicker rate with the lighted wall or ceiling as a backdrop.
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morrowasted
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: durian_2008]
#28345529 - 06/03/23 10:15 AM (1 day, 16 hours ago) |
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Hmmm
Quote:
Spikes are metabolically expensive to produce," says lead author Kristin Koch, a PhD student in the lab of senior author Peter Sterling, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience. "Our findings hint that sluggish cells might be 'cheaper,' metabolically speaking, because they send more information per spike. If a message must be sent at a high rate, the brain uses the brisk channels. But if a message can afford to be sent more slowly, the brain uses the sluggish channels and pays a lower metabolic cost."
"In terms of sending visual information to the brain, these brisk cells are the Fedex of the optic system, versus the sluggish cells, which are the equivalent of the U.S. mail," notes Sterling. "Sluggish cells have not been studied that closely until now. The amazing thing is that when it's all said and done, the sluggish cells turned out to be the most important in terms of the amount of information sent."
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/468943
Quote:
The research suggests that the human retina transmits data to the brain at the rate of 10 million bits per second,
Something about saccades... Injecting noise into those 'sluggish but more important cells'... Someone help me piece this together.
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morrowasted
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted]
#28345541 - 06/03/23 10:22 AM (1 day, 16 hours ago) |
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Even though he optic nerve can transmit it 10 million bits per second, the visual grid in the occipital cortex does not have 10 million bits worth of memory/space.
Seems to me that the flicker rate necessary to reproduce this effect would vary depending upon the architecture of those sifting cells, particularly the ones described as slow. The final gatekeepers so to speak
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morrowasted
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Re: Manipulating light can induce psychedelic experiences – and scientists aren’t quite sure why [Re: morrowasted]
#28345546 - 06/03/23 10:24 AM (1 day, 16 hours ago) |
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Maybe redgreenvines can help shed some light, on very much intended, on the subject. This associative ngram demonstration is sort of hidden in his signature and I can't help but feel like whatever went into him making or understanding that would help us sort through this problem
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