Purpose: This exercise creates happiness among the participants. It is a natural high that you can achieve with your group.
Requirements: You need a completely dark room and a flashlight. I usually use the flash from my camera.
Source: I did not discover this exercise. It was discovered in the Early 1900’s and it has been researched within the field of visual perception. I do not have anything more specific related to the source of this exercise at this moment, except that I was able to experience it during a Visual Perception Conference.
Instructions: A person alone, or a group of people can participate in this exercise. You go into a room and wait between 10 and 15 minutes for your night vision to develop. Keep your eyes open (and instruct others to have them open as well) and then activate the flash from the camera.
An image of whatever you are looking at that moment will form in your retina. Because images that form in your retina when you have night vision stay longer, it will seem like you are still able to see even when there is absolutely no light in the room. This will feel strange and sort of like hallucinating. You can also look at your feet or knees during the flash, then look at the ceiling afterwards, you will perceive your knees on the ceiling and it would be a very strange but pleasant feeling.
Looking at your hands during the flash is also fun because after the flash you will still see your hand motionless even when you move your hands during this moment. This will create a disconnection between what you see, your motionless hand and what you’re doing, waving your hand.
At the end of the exercise, people tend to report a feeling of happiness about the whole experience.