Surreal dreams and total immersion.

Imagine being able to design your own dreams.  Sounds fascinating ...  maybe another form of Creative Visualization :

Whatever you ardently desire,
Sincerely believe in,
Vividly imagine, and
Enthusiastically act upon,
Must inevitably come to pass.

- Sybil Leek, Diary of a Witch

Only here a gadget does it for you.  Yet a little scary ... what if the dream doesn't come true ... or on the other hand, starts governing your life ?  

I remember seeing a sci-fi movie many years ago on a similar theme - i forget the name now - where the main character had lost his girlfriend in an accident - and was able to re-create a life with her - through a gadget.  Photographs of his dead girl were fed into the gadget, and sounds, visuals, scents and touch were built in.  And he started to live his life with her in a small cubicle in a corner of his home, with the gadget and a headset ... and his dreams and fantasies with the dead girl.  So much so that he completely lost touch with reality ... and almost died - by physically stopping eating and sleeping, losing all ties with his family and friends, etc - you get the picture !  

'New toy makes your dreams come true'

"TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese company that came up with the hit "BowLingual" device that translates dogs' barks into human words has now come up with a dream product -- literally. Takara Co says its Yumemi Kobo, or "dream workshop", gadget gives stressed out people a chance to go on a holiday or find their ideal partner -- at least in their dreams.

Before nodding off, the would-be dreamer is supposed to look at a photo of what he or she wants to dream about and then record the story-line on the $140 (77 pound) machine. Using the voice recording as well as lights, music and aromas, the machine stimulates sleepers during periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and helps them direct their own dreams, the company says. After eight hours, it wakes them up gradually with music and lights that simulate sunlight, avoiding any shock that could destroy fragile memories.

The manufacturers caution, though, that not all users of the gadget achieve exactly the dreams they hope for ..."

A search on Google on this gadget led me to Josh Rubin's blog - Cool Hunting ... its neat ... he talks of "stuff from the intersection of design, culture and technology".

2:00:53 PM    comment []  trackback []

Thought for the Day - from my daily dose of guruisms : 

"Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that attention over time as best we can. In the process, we become more in touch with our life as it is unfolding."

-- Myla & Jon Kabat-Zinn

Why do we want to become more aware?

If we remain unaware, we:
- repeat the past
- remain stuck in relationships
- live superficial, literal and one dimensional lives
- lack experiences of love and beauty, and
- have limited connection to others and the universe.

With awareness, we are fully involved with life. Awareness is sensing deeply and sensitively for what really is. To do this, we need to approach the present as totally new. When we can be open and attentive in each moment, we begin to free ourselves from the conditioning of the past and the suffering that it so often brings.

"If moment by moment you can keep your mind clear then nothing will confuse you."  - Sheng Yen

12:28:28 PM    comment []  trackback []

Got this in Connection Advantage - the newsletter from Spoke Software. 

'Using the Language of the "Old Brain" to boost the impact of any message'

By Christophe Morin & Patric Renvoise, authors of "Selling to the Old Brain"

New research in neuroscience reveals that the human brain is divided into three separate parts that act as separate organs with different cellular structures and different functions. Knowing how these separate parts work can help you in your efforts to reach and influence customers.

Three Parts of the Brain

The brain stem, formed during the earliest stages of evolution, sits atop the spinal column in the base of the skull. This is the "Old Brain" (also referred to as the reptilian brain, because all vertebrates have one, from vertebrates to reptiles), a.k.a. the "Survival Brain," because it's responsible for fight, flight and feeding functions.

The Old Brain also oversees such important functions as breathing, sleeping, reproduction, circulation of the blood, and contractions of muscles in response to external stimulation.

The two other parts of the brain include:

1. The "New Brain." The New Brain thinks. It processes rational data and shares its deductions with the other two brains.

2. The "Middle Brain." The Middle Brain feels. It processes emotions and gut feelings and also shares its findings with the other two brains.

Since it is responsible for our survival, the Old Brain plays a central role in all decisions. It takes input from the other two brains, but it alone controls the final decision-making process.

What Stimulates the Old Brain?

We've found six proven stimuli that influence the Old Brain. If you use these to speak to the Old Brain in a language it can understand and relate to, you'll significantly improve your ability to influence any audience, anytime.

1. Self-Centered. The Old Brain is a selfish entity. General considerations about what others think don't reach it. The Old Brain is the center of me. Don't assume that it has any patience or empathy for anything that doesn't immediately concern its survival and well-being.

2. Contrast. Before/after, with/without, slow/fast all allow the Old Brain to decide. Contrast is a safe decision engine. It enables the Old Brain to make quick and safe decisions. Without contrast, the Old Brain enters a state of confusion, which ultimately results in delaying decision.

3. Concrete. Numbers work for the New Brain, but the Old Brain won't decide based on numbers alone. The Old Brain constantly scans for what's familiar and friendly, what can be recognized quickly, what is tangible and immutable. The Old Brain can't process concepts like "flexible solution," "integrated approach," or "scalable architecture," without efforts and doubts.

4. First and last. The Old Brain forgets most everything in the middle. This short attention span has huge implications on how to construct and deliver powerful messages. Placing the most important content at the beginning is a must, and repeating it at the end is an imperative. Keep in mind that anything you say in the middle of your delivery will be mostly overlooked.

5. Visual. The Old Brain is visual. Neuroscience demonstrates that when you see something that looks like a snake, your Old Brain warns you instantly of danger ñ so that you react even before the New Brain physically recognizes it's a snake. This implies that visual processing enters the Old Brain first, which can lead to very fast and effective connections to the true decision-maker.

6. Emotion. The Old Brain is strongly triggered by emotions. Neuroscience has clearly demonstrated that "emotional cocktails" create chemical reactions that directly impact the way information is memorized and processed by the Old Brain.

To maximize sales efforts you need to craft your message to appeal to the Old Brain. Having insight to the point of view of the person you are meeting with will enable you to create a message honed for the Old Brain. By implementing this model you can positively influence the sales cycle."

I spent some time looking around the SalesBrain website too - there are useful pointers not just for 'sales persons' but more for communicators in any field - market researcher, educationists, advertisers and marketers.  There's a little test to gauge how adept you are at Selling to the Old Brain -  I scored 118  - a healthy score i think :). 

I noticed that many of the questions borrow from the field of NLP - techniques we have been using for a while now as researchers and communication consultants.  

Has anyone read the book ?  Views ?  

11:55:58 AM    comment []  trackback []

New York Times alerts us to watch out for a new worm : Bagle-A.

..... Users who suspect their computers may be infected with the virus should look for a file called bbeagle.exe in their Windows System directory. The file disguises itself with Microsoft familiar calculator icon."

Afterthought : could this be a hoax ?  I haven't really verified this - just went with it because i trust the source. 

9:13:47 AM    comment []  trackback []