10 Amazing Optical Illusion Pictures

Do we always see what we think we see?

Here is a great collection of free optical illusion pictures for those still not convinced with the first optical illusion test.

Make your way through the pictures below, and read the text under each picture if you have difficulty noticing anything.

Is the ladder going up or down?

Are the dots in between the squares white, black or grey?

Are the lines parallel or crooked?

How many legs does this elephant have?

Focus on the dot in the middle and then move your head backwards and forwards.

Is this picture still or moving?

Is there anything in between the different squares?

Is this the face of a lady or a word? (Try tilting your head sideways)

This is a real amazing illusion! Focus on the 4 dots in the middle of the picture for 30 seconds. Then look at a blank wall and see what you see or more importantly - who do you see? Maybe blink your eyes a few times to find out.

Is this even possible?

How Do Optical Illusions Work?

The connection between our eyes and our mind is a fascinating process that operates on so many different levels. This Optical Illusion Test is a great example of how sometimes what we see is different then what is real. This is because what we see is processed on different levels, both consciously and subconsciously and is also not always just from what we see through our eyes but also from what our mind projects to our eyes and we subsequently consciously become aware of.

In this test the pictures appear to be moving even though they are really still. This is an example of our eyes relaying information to the brain and not being able to clearly identify exactly what it is what we see through our conscious awareness. The effect is heightened because our eyes perceive depth through the stereo effect created through each of our eyes.

The human mind is a complex processor of information that we see, hear,smell, touch and taste. However the ability of the mind to extend beyond these five senses when it comes to how we perceive different things is quite amazing. For example there are other vibrational energies and frequencies that exist outside of sensory perception levels. An instance of this can be seen in this article on Intuition & Human Sensing Systems. Science describes and acknowledges these frequencies on the Electromagnetic Spectrum Chart, showing a wide range of frequencies existing well beyond and above our own sensory perceptions.

It is interesting to note that the subliminal messages on Rick Collingwood's Self Hypnosis CDs & MP3s work in much the same way as an optical illusion only using our ears instead of our eyes. Our subconscious mind processes the subliminals messages although we do not consciously hear them.