Lucid dreaming without methods of induction. Instant?
The discussion I want to bring up here is the discovery that a dream state was triggered by light rapidly flashing onto the closed eyelids of a man (Brion Gysin) while on a train. Sunlight supposedly flashed through the window as he passed tree's, buildings, and other objects, and while he was fully awake, he had a full 3d vivid experience. The man then created a lamp and shade system that recreated flashing lights at a certain frequency and was said that this triggered the vivid life experience, that we today know of as Lucid Dreaming.
"He built the Dreamachine in 1961. Described as "the first art object to be seen with the eyes closed",[12] the flicker device uses alpha waves in the 8-16 Hz range to produce a change of consciousness in receptive viewers."
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Watch information about it here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arow2ShAFDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqjvI93O8uE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM8pf5-COw8
The news story above shows a very fast flashing light imitating this and the news anchor seems to have some incredible experience from it. This is not an advertisement for the link in the video as I have heard the company involved may be unreliable.
What is this? Is this something anyone has experimented with or used? Is it the same as a real life wild or even something worth experimenting further with?
A search in these forums for Brion Gysin turned up nothing of signifigance so I thought this may be worth our discussion here.
There is a free version of this machine via website to be used with a laptop or computer. Using it I get weird visualizations, but have never tried it more than a minute or two.. also.. I read that the lights have to be very bright and that a computer probably cannot re-create the effect so I don't count on this as a test but more as a light example.
THE ONLINE DREAM MACHINE
After reading all the information above, what do you think?
Anyone have any experience with this?
Interesting BUT !!!!!!!!!!!!
Although this sounds promising, a word of warning -
Flashing lights at certain frequencies have been proven to trigger epilepsy, even in some who have never had it before.
White LED 'Blue Light' output
Hi all,
WHITE LED 'BLUE LIGHT' output - IMPORTANT!
I touch on what IMG stated on an earlier post on this thread regarding the light output from the dreammachine, etc.
"...Another point is that in the video the machine uses an incandescent light bulb which emits no blue light mainly red which if it did would upset the light to dark sleep rhythm of the mind...maybe you may want to use orange or red LEDs. White LEDs in particular have alot of blue light so I think I would avoid those..."
Note that I highlighed the sentence regarding the avoidance of using 'White' LED's. I would have to agree that the use of White LED's in such projects as this should be avoided where possible.
'White' LED's are reportedly up to 10 times stronger than their Red LED counterpart.
If you do a Google search on the subject of Blue Light radiation (from the LED) you will find interesting reading:
For example: Artificial Lighting and the Blue Light Hazard
Read that article (especially about the LED) & draw your OWN conclusions.
Don't think that I'm being a killjoy. I think it would be safer to use the 'standard' Red LED at a low level.
I know some will keep the eyes closed with the LED's flashing, so you would see 'red' due to the eyelid / blood vessels, etc. anyway.
From the posts I have read: Inc. the stuff about the Gysin 'dream-machine', that it is a device for inducing Hypnagogic type Imagery rather than any 'lucid dreamstate' by producing 'alpha waves'. Shaman's, etc. practiced this thousands of years ago after finding out that staring in front of a burning fire that the flames induced a type of 'trance' state.
...And no I don't suggest setting fire to your bed!:eek: