Ganzfeld goggles are used to create a range of hallucinations. The most common and mild of hallucinations is visualizing colors streaking across an otherwise plain background. These hallucinations are caused by your brain attempting to make sense of the surroundings with a lack of neural input, thus, creating the ganzfeld effect.

The ganzfeld effect is a perception phenomena in which the brain looks for missing visual signals in an unstructured visual stimulus. In other words, when staring at blank space, your mind makes up its own visual cues known has hallucinations.

The common way of making ganzfeld goggles is by cutting a ping pong ball in half, but I will show you a simpler way to do so in less than 10 minutes.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You will need:

1. Paper mask cutout (provided)

2. Scissors

3. Cotton balls

4. Glue

5. Elastic band

6. Stapler

Step 2: Download, Print, and Cutout the Provided Pattern

Step 3: The Elastic Band

Cut the elastic band so that the mask will fit snuggly to your face. You can do this by slightly stretching the band so that each end will reach your temples.

Attach each end of the band to your mask using staples. You may want to use a few staples for reinforcement.

Step 4: Cotton Balls

Glue cotton balls (about 10-12) around the entire inside boarder of the mask.

The cotton balls help the mask to form better to your face, reducing peripheral vision.

Step 5: Finished Ganzfeld Goggles

You should now have your own pair of ganzfeld goggles.

Step 6: Using Your Ganzfeld Goggles

To create the ganzfeld effect, all neural input should be minimized as much as possible.

The goggles are used to block out all visual stimuli. In order to limit auditory stimuli, you can use noise canceling headphones or play white noise (many frequencies playing at one time that it washes all other external sounds out). There are apps for smart phones or websites that play white noise (provided below).

http://simplynoise.com/

http://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/whiteNoiseGenerator.php

You should sit comfortably in a chair, wearing ganzfeld goggles, and listen to white noise through headphones. During this time, you will be in a state of mild sensory deprivation. After several minutes, your mind should begin producing hallucinations. A typical session should only last about 30 minutes.

Disclaimer: Hallucinations can range from mild to severe. For this reason, you should use caution when attempting the experiment. Severe isolation and sensory deprivation for long periods of time can be harmful to the human psyche, so sessions should not be longer than 30 minutes. Lastly, a person with a mental illness in which white noise or isolation could agitate should not attempt the procedure.