Asi Wind: What Magic & Mind Reading Reveal About the Brain

In this episode, my guest is Asi Wind. He's one of the world’s top magicians and mentalists. 

We discuss what magic and mentalism reveal about the human mind, including how memories are made, how to erase them, and how and why we perceive things the way we do, all in the context of how he performs his astonishing tricks. 

Asi explains that magic works because it involves storytelling, which is key to how we organize memories. He also explains how emotional connection allows people to co-create and believe a common narrative, even one that did not actually occur. 

We also discuss how Asi's love of painting and photography and his specific daily routine allow him to access creativity. We also discuss fear, perfectionism, and how feeling emotions deeply serves his craft. 

Whether you are interested in magic or not, this conversation with Asi will give you an incredible window into how you perceive, learn, and remember the world around you and how what you believe may or may not be based in reality. 

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Asi Wind

(00:03:05) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:07:07) “Jazzy Magic”, Tricks & Improvisation, Memory

(00:14:57) Magic & Imagination

(00:24:06) Memory “Experiments”

(00:25:19) Sponsor: AG1

(00:30:46) Reality Augmentation, Free Will

(00:35:31) Audience Interactions & Connection, Empathy, Tool: Breathing

(00:41:20) Audience, Empathetic Attunement & Connection; Skeptics

(00:49:10) Trick Explanation, Props

(00:57:21) Exposing Magic, Misdirection, Storytelling

(01:08:36) Delight, Hypnosis, Behavior Patterns

(01:17:35) Hypnotists & Guiding Attention; Social Media

(01:23:01) “Power of Pauses” & Memory; Tool: Gap Effects & Learning

(01:30:14) Tension, Understanding Magic

(01:36:16) Storytelling

(01:43:00) Painting & Composition

(01:51:08) Truths, Clean Slate, Art & Storytelling

(01:59:03) Art & Motivation, Honesty

(02:05:17) Inspiration & Creativity, “Sponge”

(02:12:38) Morning Routine & Creativity

(02:19:28) Memory & Fear, Power of Story; Tool: Walking & Creativity

(02:29:53) Body Language

(02:33:01) Perfectionism; Negative Emotions, Photography

(02:40:19) Sensitivity, Empathy, Family

(02:45:16) Incredibly Human Show

(02:49:22) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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