Know Before Interaction

  • Know that Defali engages with the primal aspects of our existence. As such, it may evoke feelings of discomfort or fear of the unknown—natural responses when facing our most fundamental selves. Defali works through these fears, unlocking the self-imposed restraints that limit us.

  • For best experience, a desktop is recommended.

  • Before sleeping is ideal. The mind is more receptive in a relaxed state, allowing the experience to integrate more deeply into subconscious processing.

  • Yes. Approaching Defali with intention can enhance the experience. Whether it’s clarity, emotional release, or simply a deeper connection to your human experience, setting an intention guides your awareness.

  • Yes. The visuals and sound work together as a unified experience. Let yourself fully immerse in both to receive the intended effect.

  • The soundtrack is composed of specific soundscapes designed to engage neural pathways that influence consciousness. These frequencies and tonal shifts help stimulate cognitive function, memory recall, and deep states of awareness.

  • If you feel inclined, yes. Writing down emotional or mental responses can help you process and integrate what arises during the interaction. Even brief reflections can reveal deeper insights over time.

All, Brain Stem Tasmiah Chowdhury All, Brain Stem Tasmiah Chowdhury

The Brain Stem- Mid Brain

The Brain Stem

Mid-Brain

Defali

By Tasmiah Chowdhury

This experience engages the midbrain’s sensory and cognitive processing centers, particularly the superior and inferior colliculi, which regulate visual and auditory perception. The interplay of charcoal textures and vibrational music activates pattern recognition, guiding the brain to find meaning within ambiguity. Sensory input transcends literal interpretation, inviting a more fluid and intuitive form of perception. Additionally, the reticular activating system (RAS), responsible for regulating wakefulness and attention, is directly influenced through its meditative framework. Entering in a quiet, intentional state shifts consciousness between deep relaxation and heightened awareness, reinforcing its role as a liminal space for perception.

Beyond sensory engagement, this integration extends to the dopaminergic pathways of the midbrain, which influence motivation, reward, and altered states of consciousness. Its abstract nature mirrors how the brain processes psychedelic experiences, where familiar structures dissolve and new patterns emerge. This functions as an integrative experience, expanding perception and self-awareness through a dynamic interaction between external stimuli and internal meaning-making. By engaging the midbrain’s mechanisms of sensory processing, attention, and neural plasticity, it fundamentally shifts how reality is perceived and internalized.

Defali Image: Mixed Media-Charcoal, Copper, Thread, Plastic, and Graphic

Soundtrack: Kalimba. Golden Whistle. Water. Egyptian Sistrum. Music of Memory

This journey of barbaric discipline,
of unearthing myself,
oh, how desperately I sought myself.
How I wanted to be anything but human,
yet, layer upon layer, I only saw vibrance in this self.
Why must one escape being human?

Yet this journey of blatant cruelty
I have done, needed itself.
Now, even though I know nothing exists,
I remind myself:
there is this dream, so beautiful,
full of joy and abundance,
I must return to.

This is the dream I gift myself,
the dream of being human.

⬤

A minimum three nights

Chickpea

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