Exploring Infinity

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Thanks goes out to Robert Anton Wilson for this one. In his book Prometheus Rising (which is a worthwhile read, btw), Wilson suggests an experiment with reality, and yes, it is also a slick way to make a little coin while you’re at it. I found this experiment to be highly valuable and I hope you will too.

An Experiment With Reality

Purpose:

To gain insight into the nature of your reality.

Exersize:

Step 1: Visualize a quarter vividly, and imagine vividly that you are going to find the quarter on the street. Then, look for the quarter every time you take a walk, meanwhile continuing to visualize it. See how long it takes you to find the quarter.

Step 2: Explain the above experiment by the hypothesis of “selective attention” – that is, believe there are lots of lost quarters everywhere and you were bound to find one by continually looking. Go looking for a second quarter.

Step 3: Explain the experiment by the alternative “mystical” hypothesis that “mind controls everything.” Believe that you made the quarter manifest in this universe. Go looking for another quarter.

Step 4: Compare the time it takes to find the second quarter using the first hypothesis (attention) with the time it takes using the second hypothesis (mind-over-matter).

Step 5: With your own ingenuity, invent similar experiments and each time compare the two theories – “selective attention”(coincidence) vs. “mind controls everything” (psychokinesis).

Step 6: Avoid coming to any strong conclusions prematurely. At the end of the month think it over again. Believe it possible that you do not know everything yet, and that you might have something still to learn.