Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks Stopping the Clock: Steve Taylor on the Psychology and Physics of Time Expansion
Society views time as a fixed commodity, yet modern theoretical physics and cognitive neuroscience suggest otherwise. If the linear flow of time is truly an illusion, then time isn't just a resource to be managed; it's a perception to be mastered.
My guest on the podcast today, Prof. Steve Taylor, argues that time isn't experienced evenly. He suggests that where you place your attention and how you live day-to-day can change the way time unfolds, stretching or compressing your sense of it.
Steve is a researcher in psychology and a senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University. He has served as the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology section of the British Psychological Society. He writes the popular blog Out of the Darkness for Psychology Today and has contributed to Scientific American, The Conversation, and The Psychologist.
In his work on "Time Expansion Experiences," Steve explores why we experience time differently in different states of mind. We discuss everything from slow-motion accident stories (and why calm can show up in chaos) to meditation, flow states, and the mind-bending "eternal now" where mysticism and physics converge.
Highlights from the episode:-
Accidents and "slow-motion" perception: Why the mind slows down in crisis.
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The age gap: Why children experience long summers while adults feel seasons fly by.
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Retrospective time theory: How we judge duration after the fact.
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Automatization: How your brain edits reality to remain efficient.
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Digital distortion: Social media's impact on your experience of time.
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The power of novelty: How small changes can make life feel longer.
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The "Block Universe" theory: Exploring Einstein and Minkowski's spacetime.
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NDE life reviews: Examining the spatial sequence of memory.
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Time cessation phenomena: What happens when time stops altogether.
The discussion moves from metaphysics to real-world advice on subjectively "lengthening" your life. Enjoy!
Show notes and more visit larryweeks.com