So interesting, actually in the second experiment the pink elephant came dancing and smiling, almost like a background cartoon. I really allowed it in :)
That's great Alexandra! Letting it in removes the 'alert' from it and so it (whatever the 'it' is - a worry, a disturbing memory or an image) can pass through your attention unimpeded and within moments. Everything passes through our attention eventually in any case, but suppressing and avoiding whatever the 'it' is paradoxically makes it stickier, so it hangs around troubling us for much longer than if we let it be in the background!
So interesting, actually in the second experiment the pink elephant came dancing and smiling, almost like a background cartoon. I really allowed it in :)
That's great Alexandra! Letting it in removes the 'alert' from it and so it (whatever the 'it' is - a worry, a disturbing memory or an image) can pass through your attention unimpeded and within moments. Everything passes through our attention eventually in any case, but suppressing and avoiding whatever the 'it' is paradoxically makes it stickier, so it hangs around troubling us for much longer than if we let it be in the background!
Great Video. Makes sense. :)