the flicker

Fire light twinkling stars potter's wheel with a light- (photosensitive epilepsy. Ptolemy- slow spinning wheel and sunlight(euphoria) which created visual patterns and colors appearing in the eye. 30s-40s strobe lights at specific flashing frequencies. Frequency Drumming: theta range (4-8 cycles per second) Historically the altering of consciousness has been experienced through daily experiences with nature and later through the development of new technologies. In times before technological development, alterations in mind states could occur for our ancestors by looking above to twinkling stars against a black night sky. This was probably the simplest form of the earliest observable flicker effect. Observance of Nature itself was needed in order to trigger the curiosities that have ultimately led to our increased awareness of self; one in which we consciously realized ourselves locked in a world within a world. The inner world we live in is one which humans have always longed to alter, to achieve enlightenment and to reach a better understanding of the world we are daily experiencing. Perhaps, our aim has been to ultimately freely receive a shared consciousness as vast as the sky above. From Gathering around a fire after mans' great harnessing of it's power, light was available in order to induce feelings not previously available. Cultures built themselves around the relaxing setting which created a mood for religious ceremonies. Later, motion was also realized as a force which could as well add to increased feelings of deeper awareness and physiological feelings such as hallucinations, visions, and euphoria. For example, Ptolemy who interestingly was also an astronomer, found euphoria through the spinning wheel and sunlight; this process created visual patterns and colors which appeared in the eyes. Furthermore, exposure to a potter's wheel with a light was discovered to alter a subjects consciousness. This was also found to cause a state in which some suffered a chemical internal alteration from an external source, called photosensitive epilepsy. This early danger clearly illustrated the connection between the mind, body, and external stimuli. Thus, showing the sensitivity of human interaction with technology and it's amazing and sometimes unpredictable effects. Through the increases in technology altered states of consciousness were made more readily available for experimentation. Because, humans long to explore the realms of consciousness, it could be argued that techniques will continue to develop as technologies advance. New technologies have ways of creating external stimuli which could ultimately stimulate the human mind and body much as the flickering lights in the night sky influenced our ancestors.