The Art and Science of Wishing

Imagine you're blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Or see 11:11 on the clock. What do you wish for? When you made your wish, did you realize you just engaged over a dozen different scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, cognitive and social psychology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, sociology, behavioral science, consciousness research, physics, and even the frontiers of information theory and complexity science? Did you also know that rituals of collective wishing have been drivers of survival and progress since the dawn of humanity? In this groundbreaking book drawing on extensive research from over 70 scientists across dozens of disciplines and wishing rituals from 50 countries, Brownell Landrum explores the multi-dimensional aspects of this seemingly common yet amazingly complex custom and reveals how to elevate your own wishing practice by applying the Art – and Science – of Wishing to turn your wishes into Cosmic Wishes. The journey began while writing her novel A Love Story to the Universe. In it, Brownell envisioned a realm called Astraea where wishes are gathered, sorted, and granted. Creating this magical world sparked profound questions that led to the writing of this book. What is a wish? How is a wish different from prayer or a goal? How has wishing influenced cultures around the world? How are wishes answered? And perhaps most importantly: How might we collectively harness this incredible knowledge to elevate our wishes and change the world? You'll also be invited to join the Cosmic Wish Experiment—a simple, fun, and free, global, 8-week program grounded in solid science where you'll join thousands of others to explore how peaceful, positive, and purposeful collective wishing can elevate global consciousness.