Having the qualities of a dream-like sequence of fantastic, shifting images. Describes experiences that seem surreal, constantly changing, and difficult to distinguish from imagination.
From 'phantasmagoria,' coined in 1802 from Greek 'phantasma' (apparition) and possibly 'agora' (assembly). Originally described magic lantern shows that projected ghostly images, later used for any sequence of dreamlike, shifting visions.
Phantasmagorical experiences occur when the brain's reality-testing mechanisms become less rigid, often during altered states of consciousness. The same neural processes that create dreams can intrude into waking life, blending memory, imagination, and perception into a fluid, shape-shifting narrative.
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