Manifesto: metempsychosis
Immersive media can be used to reveal more awareness of the subconscious and unconscious states of the human mind. Humans created technology by encoding their collective consciousness into logical processes, which are carried out through the symbiosis of software and hardware. Due to technology being an extension of the human brain, it can be programmed to evoke different states of being for the creator. This is a practical example of atoms analyzing themselves through this pipeline. Virtual Reality has the unique capability to create a perceived sense of presence in the digital realm by replicating familiar aspects of the physical world and enhancing elements that otherwise would not be possible to experience, and eliminating all outside distractions. This level of detachment from the familiar allows the mind to think unconventionally and accept stimuli without the brain blocking novelty.
The reasoning for using immersive media to understand beyond conciseness becomes essential with Web 3.0. Our physical reality will soon have a digital layer over its entirety; it will ultimately completely detach people from the organic human experience. Necessary steps have to be taken to ground the global population in feeling the present moment, which will aid the healthy transition into the Robotic Age. Maintaining sanity can be achieved through creating virtual experiences that evoke a feeling of mindful consciousness. Being in the present moment, non-judgmentally, is the first step in taking ownership of individual awareness. Whereas practicing mindfulness skills in the physical world requires immense patience and visualization, the virtual realm can provide the environment to evoke a strong emotional response that our brain can register and further transfer into other areas of being. The ability to manipulate perception through virtual means serves as a shortcut to feeling through practical engagement.
Metempsychosis is a Virtual Reality experience that introduces the seven fundamental principles of mindfulness. It is created as a lubricant for a smoother transition into the metaverse. The represented imagery showcases nature but begins to blur what is familiar and enters the altered abstraction as each section evolves. This experience is meant to be watched more than once due to the complexity of the narration and imagery. It is simplistic, but there is the context between the lines and a continuous narrative from start to finish, which is not meant to be evident on the surface level viewing. By creation, it is meant to reveal more information as each viewing concludes. The abstract nature of the narration and imagery is chosen to provoke the user’s way of thinking and indirectly lead them through practicing each principle throughout the different sections. Through this brief introduction of mindfulness principles in highly immersive media, the project sets an exemplary method of using technology to communicate with the subconscious and unconscious states of the mind. As more creators begin to build in the virtual realms, the detachment from the physical world should be employed to reach higher states of own being. This way, our society can continue to be connected to the oneness of our universal experience as we inevitably disconnect through using digital tools for efficiency and pleasure.
