Except for the leader’s private information, this intro
duction should not be read until just before refreshments are served.
Can we believe our senses? Is it possible that our eyes, ears, sense of touch, etc. can give our brain wrong infor
mation?
If so, when is this likely to happen and how can we double-check ourselves?
To prepare for this Evening, the leader needs the fol
lowing materials: an empty frozen-juice can in the stan
dard six-ounce size, an empty coffee can (two-pound size), two dinner plates and three household buckets (preferably of uniform size).
Before the Evening is over, participants should realize that we cannot always believe our senses; some distortion is constantly occurring. And that one quick way we can help to purify our “reception” is by being aware of this possibility of distortion.
Future Evenings will provide more advanced techniques to heighten fidelity and sensitivity. Meanwhile, prepare for an Evening of surprises as follows:
Fill the juice can with sand or soil almost to the top.
Place only a little in the coffee can so that it weighs one ounce less. Weigh them on a scale that indicates ounces.
If the bathroom scale is not this accurate and you do not have a postal scale, try the local meat market or grocery store. Keep these cans in the kitchen out of sight of the participants. The three buckets should also be a deep,
dark secret. You should be ready to fill these with ice water, hot water and lukewarm (skin temperature) water respectively.
You are now ready for the fun.
Procedure
Step 1 The above introduction is not read. These in
structions are not read. The leader states that the title of the evening is “Body Magic” but explains, ‘That’s all I’m permitted to say.”
Step 2 The leader asks each person to shake hands with the person on each side of him; all are in a circular group. He next asks that the act be repeated with the left hand. A discussion ensues on the differences felt by breaking through the sense barrier built by habit. The leader asks for another round of handshaking—this time the right hand is used and the grip held for as long as is necessary to attain the same degree of “feeling” as en
joyed by the left hand. Differences are noted as some need to hold for longer than their partners or other pairs.
Step 3 The leader asks that participants arrange their chairs so that two equal groups face each other on oppo
site sides of the room. While they are moving the chairs, he goes into the kitchen for the two cans and returns. He asks the two people at the ends of each row nearest him to stand up and face so that the group can see them. Each is asked to hold palms up, waist high. The leader places the cans on the hands of the first person and asks which is heavier. He gets an opinion in the same way from the second person. He then asks that both be blindfolded, using handkerchiefs or scarves.
While this is being done, he puts the cans on the floor in full view of all and brings two dinner plates from the kitchen. The first blindfolded “weigher” then again places palms up and the dinner plates are placed on his hands.
“Any weight difference?” Then the two cans are placed on the plates. “How about now?” The second blindfolded
“weigher” is then given his chance. If all has gone well, the two “weighers” have declared the coffee can heavier on the first go around with no blindfold, even though it is actually lighter. And no weight difference has been felt when they were blindfolded. If, per chance, one of the blindfolded “weighers” has felt a weight difference on the plates above when blindfolded, they should be reversed and weighed again. This may reveal that a “righty” or
“lefty” is being affected by the better muscles of the hand he favors. Occasionally, a blindfolded “weigher” will accurately detect the one ounce difference of the two
cans.
Step 4 The leader requests a discussion on why the lighter can “felt” heavier while the optical sense was par
ticipating. While discussion is in progress he prepares the three pails. One has lukewarm water. One has ice water from which any unmelted ice is now removed. The other is filled with steaming hot water from the tap. This water should be tested so that one’s hand can be inserted in it, but still it should be as hot as possible. In some climates this bucket will steam. If it does, the leader asks three pairs of opposite participants to blindfold themselves when he brings out the lukewarm bucket and places it in the center of the room. He waits until this is done before returning for the other two buckets.
Step 5 The participants are instructed that no talking is permitted by anybody unless so instructed. The leader places the cold bucket of water in front of the first blind
folded person and the hot bucket in front of the blind
folded person opposite him. He asks each to place his right hand in the bucket and to hold it there without comment for thirty seconds. Then he leads each to the center bucket and asks each to immerse the same hand in that bucket in turn for just a second or two. He then asks the two to discuss the temperature of the center bucket with each other and to come to some conclusion.
Step 6 When a disagreement is apparent, the procedure is repeated for the second and third pair of blindfolded members. Others not blindfolded are invited to go through the two-part procedure.
Step 7 Blindfolds are removed. The obvious reasons for the different “feeling” of the water are discussed. The terms “vantage point,” “relative” and “comparative” are likely to pop up in the discussion.
Step 8 After the cans and pails are removed, the par
ticipants are asked to return to their chairs in the original circular arrangement. The leader asks one person to think of a brief episode involving him that day, to write it down in a few short sentences and in fifteen seconds maximum to whisper it into the ear of the person on his right. That person in turn whispers it into the ear of the person on his right. When the last person receives it, he announces to the group what he heard. The first person
then recites the original form of the “message.” The in
evitable discrepancy is analyzed and discussed.
Step 9 Step 8 can be repeated until the appropriate hour for serving refreshments. The following is read as a preamble to discussion:
The senses can be fooled. Separately they are not totally trustworthy in our evaluation and judgment of life’s experiences. When all the senses that can be used in a situation are put to work, the results can be more accurate, especially a sixth sense or intuitive deduction at a higher level of consciousness. Our feelings about people can be quite wrong when the input is limited to sight and sound. This higher level of conscious aware
ness is vital.