(Untitled)

[bhakti]

Earlier, kaige_of_ct posted this, and the more I look at it, the more fun it is. It's an optical illusion featuring a silhouette of a woman spinning in circles, and the question is, which way is she spinning

Comments

[grand_director]

I'm seeing the same trends. When I start reading something it goes counter-clockwise and so on. I wonder though if this is really about left vs. right brain activity or an example of the power of suggestion. It's obvious that the illusion can be seen both ways, but the suggestion that certain criteria can actually control how we are able to see it can be very powerful and limiting.

[bhakti]

I wondered about that as well. I wasn't consciously paying attention to my mental state each time I looked--the pattern I lay out above was something I saw in retrospect, not at the time--but I'd still read the blurb the first time I looked, so the suggestion was in my mind. And as you say, that could easily be enough to do it. But it's still darned interesting.

[svava]

I am no stuck in clockwise. I originally saw in a counter clockwise direction, read the blurb and I can now only see her dance in a clockwise direction. A little startling because I am sys admin and have been for over 10 years now..

[kombu]

If you want her to switch directions, try tipping your head in the direction you want her to spin. It moves her into the opposite visual field, thus into the opposite side of your brain. Then if you concentrate you can sometimes keep that direction of spinning as you move your head back to vertical. I can only keep her clockwise if I take my glasses off while doing this.

There's been extended discussion of this on one of our online communities. It's fun. One other suggestion is covering her body and concentrating on her feet as you try to switch the direction.

Some people have gotten it so she just flips back and forth.
One person slowed it down and said there are 32 images, but they're all on a flat plane so your brain has to fill in the 3D. Weirdness!
I love it!

[bhakti]

Neat! I'll have to go try that.

[kombu]

Didn't specify - tip your head about 90 deg.

Oh, and one of the other comments in the other discussion of this that I was reading - Why does she have visible nipples?

[kombu]

Oops, that was me above.

[alekryan]

it is spinning only one way for me

[aleyhr]

I do see her switch, but she goes counter-clockwise most of the time.