Upside down

The mind’s eye can yank you from reality into an alternate world in seconds.

The mind is a magician. It harbours the special but mysterious power of imagination. When it gets to work, it makes us see more than what could possibly meet the eye. A stage show with the world’s finest conjurer will pale in comparison.

Take, for example, the stunning photo here and what my mind made of it. To borrow the name Netflix gives the alternate reality in its runaway hit, Stranger Things, I went ‘upside down’ with it.

As my mind’s eye zoomed in on the photograph, I was left staring at the vast blue sky. One fine line was scoring it -- a jet plane -- piercing through the light, fluffy clouds that punctuated the brilliant blue.

And then...in the blink of an eye, I was on that plane. No more gazing up through the photographer’s lens but looking down. I saw the calm ocean, peeking from under the clouds. A tiny speed boat grazed the water like a flying fish. I was completely ‘upside down’, immersed mind, body and soul in the scene below.

I was so ‘pic-struck’ (that is what I called it), I could not flip my mind back to the real image for a good couple of hours. I had to repeatedly tell myself that it was a jet flying high above my head to revert to reality.

When I had borrowed the picture, the photographer was happy at the chance to retrace her steps in Zurich where she had shot the jet in the sky. It is staggering how an already breathtaking shot could unlock a whole new vista.

The brain has the power to flip our reality, take us upside down, in a fraction of a second. Who needs to get high? Have you felt this sheer magic of the imagination? Tell us about your ‘upside down’.

By: Joyeeta Mukherjee

Disclaimer:
This article and the opinions expressed in it are personal opinions. It is not meant for imposing specific views or endorsing a particular way of life. Also please do ignore any errors or omissions that you might come across. We pledge to learn from them. Happy viewing.