Personal and Spiritual Development: Brainwave Entrainment and Synchronization
Ranked #4,902 in Tech & Geek, #113,346 overall
Personal and Spiritual Development with Brainwave Entrainment
Brainwave Entrainment has many applications, perhaps most profound among them is its ability to grant you unrivalled self-development potential.
There is information elsewhere on precisely how brainwave entrainment works, and I don't want to get too much into the technological specifics right here - rather I will focus on its huge potential to not only help people, but to completely revolutionize themselves. Now this point shouldn't be underestimated, I am not only talking about entering a relaxed state, or using the technology to induce sleep - which are among its most common uses.
Going beyond that, brainwave entrainment is capable - with a willing and flexible mind - of reprogramming yourself. Now there are many questions that may arise from that point, and such a bold statement may cause some people to step back somewhat. So before you relax too much, I will make another apparently bold (though true) statement; brainwave entrainment will allow you to enter altered states of consciousness, states which approach those of zen meditation masters and yoga practitioners.
It can quite literally act as a pathway into understanding our own spirituality!
There is information elsewhere on precisely how brainwave entrainment works, and I don't want to get too much into the technological specifics right here - rather I will focus on its huge potential to not only help people, but to completely revolutionize themselves. Now this point shouldn't be underestimated, I am not only talking about entering a relaxed state, or using the technology to induce sleep - which are among its most common uses.
Going beyond that, brainwave entrainment is capable - with a willing and flexible mind - of reprogramming yourself. Now there are many questions that may arise from that point, and such a bold statement may cause some people to step back somewhat. So before you relax too much, I will make another apparently bold (though true) statement; brainwave entrainment will allow you to enter altered states of consciousness, states which approach those of zen meditation masters and yoga practitioners.
It can quite literally act as a pathway into understanding our own spirituality!
The Science
There is a science behind brainwave entrainment, which is nearly three quarters of a century old. And there is a related, oft told story of Christian Huygens and his pendulum clocks - which he discovered would synchronise with each other even when set in motion at spaced intervals and speeds.
Like the varying speed of a swinging pendulum, the brain works at a variety of frequencies - each of which has a corresponding 'state of consciousness'. These frequencies are known as brainwaves - and we all have them.
But brainwaves aren't merely a symptom of our current state of mind. Unlike say, a tense muscle which can be an indication of cramp; the process of brainwaves goes in two directions. Brainwaves can be read in order to determine an individuals state of mind, but brainwave can also be induced to put an individual into a desired state of mind.
This is known as brainwave entrainment. It works via a natural brain function called 'frequency following response' or FFR. When hearing a repetitive sound - like a consistent drum beat - the brain will naturally tune itself to this frequency.
All that is required then is a knowledge of human brainwave frequencies, and a sound which matches a desired frequency. This will quite effectively alter an individuals state of consciousness.
Like the varying speed of a swinging pendulum, the brain works at a variety of frequencies - each of which has a corresponding 'state of consciousness'. These frequencies are known as brainwaves - and we all have them.
But brainwaves aren't merely a symptom of our current state of mind. Unlike say, a tense muscle which can be an indication of cramp; the process of brainwaves goes in two directions. Brainwaves can be read in order to determine an individuals state of mind, but brainwave can also be induced to put an individual into a desired state of mind.
This is known as brainwave entrainment. It works via a natural brain function called 'frequency following response' or FFR. When hearing a repetitive sound - like a consistent drum beat - the brain will naturally tune itself to this frequency.
All that is required then is a knowledge of human brainwave frequencies, and a sound which matches a desired frequency. This will quite effectively alter an individuals state of consciousness.
Beyond Science
There is still a lot about the brain that science doesn't yet understand. And although neuroscience is making headways into the nature of consciousness - it is still very much an unknown subject. Conversely the ancient mystics of the far east had a strong grasp upon that very same thing. To them consciousness what something one could experience, and they possessed numerable ways in which they could do this.
It is only today, that science is starting to come to the same understandings that the ancient mystics had. Through science, brainwave entrainment provides a way into the mind; a key to aid us in unlocking some of the mysterious experiences of life.
For example it is know that experienced Zen Monks enter either a theta frequency or a gamma frequency brainwave state whilst in deep meditation. By using brainwave entrainment as these frequencies it is possible to help re-create these transcendental states within the mind of even those without any previous experience.
Brainwave entrainment is still a fairly young science, but already it is creating a path which may well blend the realms of the mystic and the realms of the scientist.
It is only today, that science is starting to come to the same understandings that the ancient mystics had. Through science, brainwave entrainment provides a way into the mind; a key to aid us in unlocking some of the mysterious experiences of life.
For example it is know that experienced Zen Monks enter either a theta frequency or a gamma frequency brainwave state whilst in deep meditation. By using brainwave entrainment as these frequencies it is possible to help re-create these transcendental states within the mind of even those without any previous experience.
Brainwave entrainment is still a fairly young science, but already it is creating a path which may well blend the realms of the mystic and the realms of the scientist.
Brainwave Entrainment and You
Meditation, Sleep and Life Enhancement
Bringing brainwave entrainment technology into your own life has become an increasingly easy process. There are a number of software programs out there, which allow you to create your own audio files - some of these are free, whilst others can get fairly expensive.
Another - and certainly easier way, is to use brainwave entrainment CDs - a good place to start with these, is to look for specialists in the field. Three very good ones are Hemi-Sync, Holo-Sync and Brainwave-Sync. Each have their own distinctive style and each provide a different set of experiences. Why not take a look into these and see which one suits you.
Another - and certainly easier way, is to use brainwave entrainment CDs - a good place to start with these, is to look for specialists in the field. Three very good ones are Hemi-Sync, Holo-Sync and Brainwave-Sync. Each have their own distinctive style and each provide a different set of experiences. Why not take a look into these and see which one suits you.
New Text module
The shamans of Peru have long held a secret, which is now spreading out to the modern world; their sacred rituals of Ayahuasca. A powerful brew, so strong that it allows the imbiber to travel deep within their own consciousness taking fantastic journeys to other inner worlds. Now science is playing catch up; neuroscience is taking massive leaps in understanding the nature of the brain. A somewhat related branch of science has allowed us to detect and start to understand brainwaves - is this a bold new step into the unknown realms of the mind? Now, an emerging technology known as brainwave entrainment may very well hold the key for the everyday person to replicate those ancient traditions of the Peruvian Shamans.
Brainwave Frequencies
You can check the linking above to learn more about brainwave entrainment, though what follows is a very short quotation:
"The aim of brainwave entrainment is to induce the brain into a specific targeted brainwave frequency. It is therefore important to understand the nature of human brainwaves and what they appear to do. EEG recordings show that there are different types of brainwaves each working on a different 'frequency'. These frequencies are measurable in Hz in much the same way a radio signal can be measured. It is interesting to realize that the brain produces different brainwave frequencies depending upon its current activity."
So of course, everything we do, think or feel has a corresponding brainwave frequency. In short brainwave entrainment allows us to recreate these frequencies within our brain simply by listening to audio or watching flashing lights. whilst the above contains fairly technical information regarding brainwave entrainment, for those of you that want something a little lighter - here is a more general explanation of brainwaves and their functions.
Altered States of Consciousness
Altered states are not only the realm of the Shamans of Peru, but shamans from all over the world. In many cases, those who did not use brews such as Ayahuasca, used methods such as rhythmic drumming which was of course an early form of brainwave entrainment. Combined with their rituals these proved to be very effective ways of projecting an individual into an altered state.
This is where the ancient ways of the shaman and the new science of brainwave entrainment begin to cross paths. Whilst in these altered states, it is possible to monitor the brainwaves of the practitioner and detect the precise frequencies their brain is under. Any individual can then replicate these frequencies within their own brain simply by listening to audio encoded to these specific frequencies. Theoretically this could allow the listener to experience a form of altered state, similar to those of the shaman.
Brainwave-Sync had this idea in mind when they developed their 'Shamanic Consciousness' brainwave CD. The frequencies embedded into the audio specifically match those discovered in Ayahuasca practitioners. Frequencies aside though, sound in itself is very powerful, a simple sound has the power to carry you back to your childhood, or bring back memories of distant places, this is why it is important to not only use specific frequencies within an entrainment audio, but also to use evoking sounds. Brainwave-Sync match this on both counts and I have found the aforementioned CD very powerful and very effective.
Naturally they are not the only providers of brainwave entrainment on the market, there are many others out there who are equally worth considering, the Monroe Institute is a fantastic example. Robert Monroe wrote a great deal about altered states in his book 'Journeys out of the Body'.
More than just a Gimmick
Brainwave entrainment is much more than just a fad, it truly has the potential to be life-altering. It certainly has had a profound affect on my life in more ways than just one
Brainwave Frequencies
You can check the linking above to learn more about brainwave entrainment, though what follows is a very short quotation:
"The aim of brainwave entrainment is to induce the brain into a specific targeted brainwave frequency. It is therefore important to understand the nature of human brainwaves and what they appear to do. EEG recordings show that there are different types of brainwaves each working on a different 'frequency'. These frequencies are measurable in Hz in much the same way a radio signal can be measured. It is interesting to realize that the brain produces different brainwave frequencies depending upon its current activity."
So of course, everything we do, think or feel has a corresponding brainwave frequency. In short brainwave entrainment allows us to recreate these frequencies within our brain simply by listening to audio or watching flashing lights. whilst the above contains fairly technical information regarding brainwave entrainment, for those of you that want something a little lighter - here is a more general explanation of brainwaves and their functions.
Altered States of Consciousness
Altered states are not only the realm of the Shamans of Peru, but shamans from all over the world. In many cases, those who did not use brews such as Ayahuasca, used methods such as rhythmic drumming which was of course an early form of brainwave entrainment. Combined with their rituals these proved to be very effective ways of projecting an individual into an altered state.
This is where the ancient ways of the shaman and the new science of brainwave entrainment begin to cross paths. Whilst in these altered states, it is possible to monitor the brainwaves of the practitioner and detect the precise frequencies their brain is under. Any individual can then replicate these frequencies within their own brain simply by listening to audio encoded to these specific frequencies. Theoretically this could allow the listener to experience a form of altered state, similar to those of the shaman.
Brainwave-Sync had this idea in mind when they developed their 'Shamanic Consciousness' brainwave CD. The frequencies embedded into the audio specifically match those discovered in Ayahuasca practitioners. Frequencies aside though, sound in itself is very powerful, a simple sound has the power to carry you back to your childhood, or bring back memories of distant places, this is why it is important to not only use specific frequencies within an entrainment audio, but also to use evoking sounds. Brainwave-Sync match this on both counts and I have found the aforementioned CD very powerful and very effective.
Naturally they are not the only providers of brainwave entrainment on the market, there are many others out there who are equally worth considering, the Monroe Institute is a fantastic example. Robert Monroe wrote a great deal about altered states in his book 'Journeys out of the Body'.
More than just a Gimmick
Brainwave entrainment is much more than just a fad, it truly has the potential to be life-altering. It certainly has had a profound affect on my life in more ways than just one
