An attention loop is trapped attention or consciousness flowing in a circular motion. In other words, it is consciousness stuck in a feedback loop and like all forms of feedback it can be increased, reduced, or sustained by adjusting the signal input. In all forms of art, there is the potential for the creation of an attention loop. And the only factor that differentiates what can or will not create an attention loop is “art force.”
In painting, the right mix of color, shape, perspective, brush stroke, brightness (or darkness), and size, all contribute to the increase or decrease of the narrowing of focus. The narrowing of the mind’s focus is the gateway to the birth of a trance state.
In music, it doesn’t matter if it’s Rock, Dance, Pop music, Jazz, or Country, there is always a chance that one or a combination of sonic elements well crafted, composed, and arranged can shift a person into a trance state.
In writing, the sounds of words, their numerous meanings and associations, the images they create in the imagination, and their relationship to one another all operate as a force in unison to imprint themselves on a person’s subconsciousness.
In each of these artistic categories, the trick is to construct something that will attract, capture, and hold the attention of the individual audience member. When the attention passes through these three steps and remains in suspension for a period of time, that’s when the artwork evolves into an experience. This is “art force” at work.
The experience itself must occur long enough to imprint the idea, melody, image, or words in the person’s subconscious. The reason this is important is because in the subconscious an artistic product can freely associate with the individual’s memories, emotions, and thinking processes.
This action of intertwining happens automatically and eventually reaches a limit. The action is complete when the idea, music, images, or words are seemingly soldered into the person’s mental circuits where they are activated by conscious thought and powered by life energy.
The process is not unlike a digital download or software program that gets installed and neatly filed away into a part of the computer for future use.
The entire trance event happens because of the power and impact of a first impression or repeated exposure to a noteworthy piece of art, literature, or music. Only a strong artistic product has the power to captivate the mind and trap it in an attention loop.
The creation of a proper trance requires that your artistic creation possess some quality which makes it magical or transformative for the imagination. It must contain something meaningful, aesthetically explosive, daring, or new in sufficient quantity to be mentally noteworthy. As the awareness loops in a circular flow of consciousness, a light trance state is induced and is broken or deepened by the addition of reinforcing elements.
If your product has enough “art force” it will be capable of narrowing an individual’s awareness in order to capture their attention. This is the first step in trance creation.
Because it’s in the nature of a trance to be easily broken, as artists we must add reinforcing elements to strengthen the original stimuli. So simply stated, a trance ends when distractions occur or new elements are brought in that diminish the initial artistic impact. And the trance deepens when supportive elements are added that seamlessly reinforce the original stimulus.
Your mode of operation should always be to make each of your artistic creations unique, unified, and complete. Whether or not they are part of a series or larger work like a book, exhibit, or album, no matter what, each piece should be able to exist and stand on its own. A state of trance is capable of being produced with any artistic medium, although some are more efficient than others at doing so.
The allure of your work should be so strong that fascination is able to infect those who would normally not be interested in that type of painting, book, food, music, or art in general.
A defined sense of style and mastery of technical skill are your keys to full expression. The heightened sense experience that you would provide the audience should always be approached as an attempt to overwhelm them.
In general, instrumental music is the most effective medium for creating attention loops, closely followed by spoken and written words. Music leads because it is action-oriented, forceful, portable, all-encompassing, layered, invisible, and repetitive. Speech, spoken or sung, shares of many of these same qualities with music, but the character of musical instruments varies much more widely than do the qualities of human voices.
In a book, the clues must point and lead to a conclusion while hiding the remaining plot. In a recipe, the chef must find a balance between all the delicate flavors they combine in each dish. In a song, the lyrics and voice must fuse into a singular dramatic presentation. Even within the lyrics, the phrasing of words must be focus and unified around a central message.
The “art force” within any aesthetic product relies on this consistency, but when an attention loop is reinforced incorrectly, the state of trance basically dissolves and disappears. All musical inconsistencies will break a trance.
Part of your final checklist should include the elimination of any inconsistencies or distracting elements. You may need an independent observer to help you see your work with fresh eyes or an objective viewpoint.
In fact, the whole purpose of the final checklist is to make sure that you maintain and deepen the state of trance by removing the negative trance elements and reinforcing the positive elements. If you’ve done your due diligence the hypnotic elements in your work should be off the charts. Over time and experimenting with different approaches you’ll soon discover your own signature formulas for creating works others easily recognize as yours exclusively.
And don’t be afraid of running out of ideas. It’s the nature of creativity to always be flowing outward. Don’t hold back or reduce the intensity of your expression. Believing that you’ll run out of ideas is the only way you can be held back, that idea alone will stop the flow of ideas.