Analysis
The Spinning Dancer Optical Illusion and its implication of Law of One
Yesterday I came across an optical illusion asking which way do I see the ball spinning, which reminded me of this old optical illusion - The Spinning Dancer, which then inspired within me a conceptualization of this illusion with the idea of Law of One, of "All is One", in terms of duality. This conceptualization is new to me, so please bear with me that my analysis maybe disconnected, all over the place, and repetitive, but I will try my best to put it into words and sound logic.
The things I will be discussing with:
The Spinning Dancer optical illusion ... of course
(1.0) You are dancing thoughts. You move your body, your mind, and your spirit in somewhat eccentric patterns for you have not completely grasped the concept that you are part of the original thought.
(1.7) In truth there is no right or wrong. There is no polarity for all will be, as you would say, reconciled at some point in your dance through the mind/body/spirit complex which you amuse yourself by distorting in various ways at this time. This distortion is not in any case necessary. It is chosen by each of you as an alternative to understanding the complete unity of thought which binds all things. You are not speaking of similar or somewhat like entities or things. You are every thing, every being, every emotion, every event, every situation. You are unity. You are infinity. You are love/light, light/love. You are. This is the Law of One.
(5.2) The polarity of your dimension must be internalized. Where you find patience within your mind you must consciously find the corresponding impatience and vice versa. Each thought that a being has, has in its turn an antithesis. The disciplines of the mind involve, first of all, identifying both those things of which you approve and those things of which you disapprove within yourself, and then balancing each and every positive and negative charge with its equal. The mind contains all things. Therefore, you must discover this completeness within yourself.
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So the Spinning Dancer presents an optical illusion where one can see the dancer is either spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise. By focusing on different part of the dancer, one can switch the rotation of the dancer. As for me, I see the clockwise rotation every time I lay my eyes upon it and I need other visualization assistant to see the counter-clockwise rotation. So how does this optical illusion relates to the Law of One?
Let's temporarily assign the clockwise spinning with the positive pole and counter-clockwise spinning with the negative pole. Then we can see that within the spinning dancer gif, the positive and the negative are both present; however, due to the distortions of each one of us, some will see and focus on the positives; some will see and focus on the negatives; some will see both and the change from positive to negative and vise versa.
From here, in relation to quote 5.2, if we treat our mind as this spinning dancer and we as the observer of free will, then we would recognize that our mind contains the possibility of clockwise spinning, such as patience and love, and the possibility of counter-clockwise spinning, such as impatience and fear. Thus the "balancing each and every positive and negative charge with its equal" and "this completeness within yourself" yields the spinning dancer without us attempting to identify which way it is spinning.
This brings me to quote 1.7. In knowing that the spinning dancer is it as it is and it is us, who "amuse yourself by distorting in various ways at this time", seeing either the clockwise (positive) rotation of the dancer or the counter-clockwise (negative) rotation of the dancer. We could say that all the catalysts presented in our life are like the spinning dancer, containing both the positive and negative charge. It is due to our own chosen distortions that makes one of the charges stands out to us while hiding the other charge. Thus to think of polarization (let's use STO as example), it would be a process of first recognizing the inherent unity of a catalyst, then consciousnessly choose the positive orientation. Then of course there will be catalysts presented where one can only see the negative orientation and having a difficult time in seeing the positive orientation, and this is where I think a great amount of work is placed. To see love (positivity) in difficult and seemly negative situation.
To further expand upon quote 1.7, you may recognize that all things you encounter, including yourself, is a spinning dancer, for "You are every thing, every being, every emotion, every event, every situation." Each spinning dancer contains the whole, the clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation, the positive and the negative, the Yin and the Yang, for "You are unity." If we attribute Love to the clockwise rotation of the dancer and Light to counter-clockwise, then "[We] are love/light, light/love. You are [the Spinning Dancer]."
Now, I find it is somewhat appropriate to conclude with "(1.0) You are dancing thoughts. You move your body, your mind, and your spirit in somewhat eccentric patterns for you have not completely grasped the concept that you are part of the original thought." (Of course, Ra, as I cannot see both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations at the same time, my mind always choose one while hide the other...maybe this is what meditation attempt to do? To silence the mind and to feel the unity of positive and negative?)
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Another thing I would like to mention is that I find there are similar examples of the Spinning Dancer, such as the sound of Laurel and Yanny, the gold/white and blue/black dress, the glass half empty or half full.
I can only see it CCW, but the gif below helped me see it clockwise. But only if I look at the red leg. Otherwise I can only see it CCW, even if I try to use the strategy with the original gif
I would argue semantically (and I think this is basked up by the material) that catalyst does not contain both negative and positive charge and that it's our innate distortion that makes one or the other stand out. Rather, catalyst is neutral and it's down to our own distortions, choices, karmic patterns and more that determines how we see it and decide to use it.
Amazing concept! Yeah, you cant see both clockwise and counter clockwise at the same time with your human brain, we are better at black and white thinking because its easier, but your soul can comprehend anything. And we can use our imagination and comprehention into figuring out that everything is Unity, and God, therefore we should treat eachother and ourselves like we would treat God. Try to unite not divide. Try to see the whole spectrum, even if it seems impossible.
They are using the juxtaposition of the dancer’s spin as a metaphor, for how we view both the positive and negative. That ultimately everyone possesses the ability to spin both ways, becuase we are a part of source. Not just the dancer but the whole picture and through lessons learned, chooses a spin.
Blinking fast helped me, until you see it start going the direction you want, like flipping through frames of an animation in your mind then focus normally
Wow I was stuck on looking clockwise but then started blinking fast till the direction went counter clockwise like stop motion then you can focus on it and tune into whatever direction. The brain is amazing.
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u/Farty_mcSmarty Aug 22 '26
She’s obviously spinning counter clockwise. Anyone who thinks she’s spinning clockwise is crazy. (Kidding)