What lies beyond the edges of our normal everyday waking consciousness?
Join Dr Vince Polito for a trip through ancient and modern techniques of consciousness alteration to discover what altered states can teach us about the inner workings of our brains and minds.
We will explore how meditation can change our senses, test whether hypnotic suggestions can help break automatic habits, delve into the latest findings from the frontiers of psychedelic science, and explore how new technologies such as virtual reality and brain stimulation are being used to alter consciousness in the lab.
This interactive presentation will include opportunities for the audience to experience and compare some consciousness altering technologies.
Vince Polito is a Research Fellow in the Department of Cognitive Science at Macquarie University. His research investigates consciousness, beliefs, self representation, and psychedelics. His PhD research won the Ernest Hilgard Award for the best thesis on hypnosis from the American Psychological Association. In 2019 he published the first longitudinal study on the effects of microdosing psychedelics.