… imagine a world where Everything is possible.

Dreaming is scientifically thought to occur when Alpha brain waves are dominant and the brain enters a deep state of relaxation. In the early 1960’s the artist Brion Gysin, with the help of his friend the mathematician Ian Sommerville, invented a type of stroboscopic machine, popularly known as the Dreamachine.

Designed to be viewed with the eyes closed, it sends pulses of light into the brain that match the rhythm of alpha wave cycles, at a rate between 8-13 hertz, which is about 78 RPM on a turntable, alternatively at 45RPM with the proper pattern dimensions.

The device was created partly based on British neuroscientist W. Gray Walter’s earlier investigations into what he termed the “flicker phenomenon”. In his experiments Walter found that pulses of light could induce trance states and alter brain wave activity. Brion Gysin’s motive to discover the stroboscopic effect was the result of inspiration traveling through France…

“Had a transcendental storm of colour visions today in the bus going to Marseilles. We ran through a long avenue of trees and I closed my eyes against the setting sun. An overwhelming flood of intensely bright colors exploded behind my eyelids: a multidimensional kaleidoscope whirling out through space. I was swept out of time. I was out in a world of infinite number. The vision stopped abruptly as we left the trees. Was that a vision? What happened to me?”
Extract from the diary of Brion Gysin December 21, 1958

The reported effects of Gysin’s brain machines are somewhat astounding, including visual sensations that are something like complex multi-layered geometries of patterns, vivid and otherworldly colors, and dream-like holographic imagery all moving in a rhythmic pulse. Fans of psychotropic drugs may notice how similar these descriptions are to what people experience during a trip. Fans of lucid dreaming may notice how similar these effects are to some of the unusual physical and mental states that accompany lucid dreaming. It is claimed that a Dreamachine allows one to enter a hypnagogic state.

After using a dream machine, participants often feel relaxed and energized as if they had just come out of a meditation. Machines of this type have sometimes been used for therapy, and are often used in conjunction with ambient music or biurnal beats, meditative breathing exercises, and other methods of self-hypnosis. Use of a dream machine is safe for most people, except people with epilepsy who may be sensitive to flashes of light.

CHAPEL OF EXTREME EXPERIENCE
by John Geiger

The true story of how the discovery of flicker potentials, and scientific observations about strange patterns, organized hallucinations, and even the displacement of time derived from stroboscopic light, very nearly resulted in a Dream Machine in every suburban living room.

William S. Burroughs said: “Flicker administered under large dosage and repeated later could well lead to overflow of brain areas … Anything that can be done chemically can be done in other ways.”

Aldous Huxley called it “an aid to visionary experience.”

Many prominent Artists and Modern Thinkers have used the Dreamachine for inspiration in the creative process, including: David Bowie, Kurt Cobain John Giorno, Laurie Anderson, Steve Lacy, Keith Haring, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Bowles, Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, Kenneth Anger, Genesis P-Orridge, Floria Sigismondi, William Burroughs, and many others.

Find out how to get a: New Authentic Dreamachine