The Museum of Infinite Realities
An Array of Potential Futures
In Brussels, there exists the Museum of Infinite Realities. I’ve recently been considering different versions of myself and do an exploration into our infiniteness seemed a prudent exercise.
Whether looking back into the past, or in the present-day in different situations we find ourselves, we all have a tendency to act differently based on our surroundings. In the current openness I find myself at in life, I find myself at the cusp of infinite realities. Multiple versions of myself are seeking to figure out who I truly am.
The Museum in Brussels takes you through an interactive experience in which you are attributed to one of six animals based on the choices you make during the experience. The animals are the following:
Lion - Found in tight knit groups with a dominant leader. The lion is perceived by others as strong, brave, and confident. But the Lion’s ability to lead can be seen as overpowering or a desire for excessive control.
Tiger - Highly adaptable and can blend into different environments with ease. They often combine spirituality and creativity. However, the Tiger can be restless and indecisive.
Wolf - Thrive in a carefully balanced social dynamic. Often use their creativity to get out of problems. Exclusion of outsiders can put off Wolves from building new relationships.
Fox - Foxes think outside the box, approaching new situations with curiosity while maintaining a sense of idealism. However, misplaced idealism can lead to the Fox being manipulated or even self delusion.
Bear - Rely on past knowledge and instincts to survive in changing environments. Seen as knowledgeable, full of wisdom, and independent. But, a Bear focusing on the past can hinder innovation or lead to a rejection of new ideas.
Eagle - Often found hovering above, seeing the bigger picture. Eagles are loyal, good listeners, and often self reflect. However, Eagles can pursue self-reflection too much, leading to inner conflict.
Which animal do you believe you align with most? I wasn’t the animal that I thought I’d be upon first hearing the descriptions. See, the experience takes you through different choices you have to make in each of its seven rooms. In the first, you answer questions relating to you as a person. Are you logical or creative? Do you recharge your batteries in a large group; a small knit group, or alone? What is your relationship to spirituality? These questions create a base layer upon which you then advance into the next rooms of the museum.
Throughout the experience, you are asked key questions that determine the direction your individual experience at the museum heads in:
Everything or Nothing?
Are You Ready To Let Go?
Did You Dance?
Very little context was provided before any of these questions. They seemingly arose unprompted, which was a shock. As can be many parts of life. Dramatic events can emerge that leave us having to ask these deep questions to ourselves.
I struggled with the question of everything or nothing. I see it as a sliding scale, where somewhere on that scale exists “enough”. Given the choice, this is where I’d like to be. But this time I wasn’t given the choice.
And so, I chose everything. If I had everything, I could choose what was enough for me, right? Or, I’d be busy, rushing around trying to provide care and attention to everything.
This is one reason I enjoyed the museum so much. It’s based heavily on perception. You could be willing to let go, yet you stand still when prompted to dance later on in the experience. I started to tip-tap my feet. Was that dancing, or was I still not willing to let go? I feel and perceive that I’m ready to let go, to embrace change, but ultimately, we can convince ourselves of this without our actions backing it up at all. And so, next time I make a decision in life, a large decision, I’ll ask, am I willing to let go, or am I convincing myself I am?
If you’re ever in Brussels, I’d highly recommend the experience. It was much more than finding out what animal we most related to. The experience asks you important questions we don’t typically ponder everyday, and that’s a great exercise to undertake.