Brainwave Entrainment

Before I begin my story, you may be wondering what exactly are brainwaves. Or how brainwave entrainment can be beneficial to one’s mental and physical health.
 
Brainwaves are electrical impulses in the brain. They are measurable and grouped in four separate categories though there may be more.  The four groups are Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta – the fifth group being Gamma.  The Hz stands for Hertz which is the number of pulses measured in your brain per second.
  • BETA (13-30+Hz) Beta is the state of normal waking consciousness.  It is the ‘alert’ state.  When we are working, talking or brainstorming we are more than likely in Beta. On the extreme end, Beta is sometimes associated with anxiety and high-stress levels.
ALPHA (8-12.9 Hz) Alpha is a state of relaxation.  We are not sleeping but calm, focused and very receptive to learning.  A lot of meditation occurs in the alpha state.  The alpha state is for visualization.
  • THETA (4-7.9 Hz) Theta is deep relaxation.  It is when the mind is deep in concentration or when a person is daydreaming.  It is great for high levels of creativity and for mental programming.  This is a state where you do things on ‘auto-pilot’ because you’ve done them so often – you disengage from the task at hand.  The best example and I’ve experience it many times is when you have driven a mile, or miles, but don’t remember doing so.
  • DELTA (0.1-3.9 Hz) Delta is deep, dreamless sleep. It can also be a state of consciousness where you appear hypnotized or ‘in a trance’. You may feel euphoric and one with all.  Delta assists in pain reduction and healing.
We spend a little time each day in all these different brainwave states. It is good to learn and recognize them since it also increases your awareness.  They help us become more productive, focused and creative or used to help us unwind and sleep better.
 
Now that you know a little about brainwaves how do you ‘entrain’ your brain and get the wonderful benefits?
Brainwave entrainment synchronizes both hemispheres of the brain so they operate as one, not separate of each other.  Why should we attempt to do this?  Besides the obvious of taking advantage of both ‘sides’ of the brain rather than one there are physical and emotional benefits.  (Two halves are better than one half since both parts make up the whole brain).
 
If you desire the following then you deserve to review the information I have to share with you:
  • de-stress daily, for real – experience a euphoric feeling after listening to the audios almost always
  • raise your threshold of stress (so all of those little things don’t bother you anymore)
  • keep a sense of well-being and an alert clear mind
  • expand your awareness
  • live consciously
  • enhance and increase your creativity
  • sleep better and perhaps sleep less
  • stay focused on your work or studies and retain the information
  • be happy without any apparent reason
  • increase mental powers
  • closer observation and attachment to nature
Here is a simple explanation of how binaural beats work. If one ear hears a sound or frequency of 200 Hz and the other ear hears 210 Hz, these two sounds then combine in the brain.  The difference between these two different frequencies (10 Hz) we hear as a single, binaural beat.
 
Each binaural beat generates two brainwaves, one from each hemisphere. These two separate waves entrain the hemispheres of our brains toward the same tone or frequency of 10 Hz. That is the difference between the two sounds the ears first heard or received.
 
Your brain ‘fills’ the gap between the two tones and becomes entrained or synchronized, hearing only the one tone of 10 Hz.
The hemispheres no longer tend to think of each other as separate and you no longer tend to feel separate of what it is you are focusing on.   You become more intuitive, more in the zone and become more effective in anything you attempt to do.
 
I started working with this modality in April 2008 and in the last couple of years I’ve used it less and less. Now I use it when I feel I could benefit – when I get distracted or for a pain or to start a relaxed state so I can meditate easier.
It has changed me and in many subtle ways.  There have been so many minute changes that are hard to put in words.
 
The most important way listening to the recordings has changed my life is that my tolerance level has increased.  Little things are that – little – and they are not worth the time of day to spend my energy on. I am not bothered by them like I used to be.
From the very beginning I started feeling more rested, calm and clear-headed and these results would last through the day.
I would also feel energized as if I had taken a nap for a couple of hours. I always felt refreshed and alert afterwards, never groggy.
There have been sessions that have gone by that only seemed like a few minutes. Other times seemed to drag on while listening to the beats and tones.
 
The best advice given to me in the beginning is to let whatever happens before, during or after your meditation be alright.
 
  • Let whatever happens be ok, let it happen and don’t try to analyze or figure it all out.
These audios expand your awareness. In the beginning after a couple of times of listening I started observing myself and watching what I did.
 
I have experienced a closer attachment to nature, especially right after a meditation. I seem to notice everything, the trees swaying, the leaves, the subtle colors I usually don’t notice. The sounds surrounding me seem to culminate into one harmonious melody.
  • I am alive during those moments.
At times I have felt tremendous energy in my hands, a tingling.  I have felt energy shifts from yawning to deep vibrations to loss of body consciousness.
 
When I first started brain entrainment I used to analyze everything that happened, keeping a journal. That didn’t last because it seemed unnecessary. I started becoming more and more content, worry-free and stress-free.
I mentioned how I started observing myself a lot.  This is critical to our self-growth in that you can see what does and doesn’t serve you anymore and you can make the choice to change.
 
Another big change for me was that I knew I was suffering from what I thought was peri-menopause symptoms.  I’m not saying we don’t experience changes during this time (or the time before and after) but I was blaming the intense crazy emotional states on a hormonal imbalance.
 
For instance, a situation occurred where in the past I would have started crying immediately.  I deserved a good cry and I felt I had a good reason for it, I was hurting. Instead, I realized that because I  would’ve cried in the past doesn’t mean that I needed to continue to cry and suffer now. So I didn’t!
 
I CHOSE NOT TO CRY and moved past those thoughts and I thought, “Wow, this is different.”
When you watch yourself you become aware, this is quite powerful!
 
  • I’m not on auto-pilot these days as long as I remain present
I notice when I meditate in the mornings my whole day smoothly flows by, everything seems to click. I prefer the evenings, though, since it is so refreshing after a long day of work or study. It’s best to do it around the same time every day but it doesn’t matter when.
 
Another major change that has occurred with me is with drinking, consumption.  I used to always have a couple of drinks/glasses of wine at the end of the work day and even more on the weekends. But since I started ‘meditating’ I didn’t want the alcohol.  I had no need for it.  I guess I was using the drinks to wind down and didn’t realize it had become such an ingrained habit until I started meditating. This was a very, very, positive change.  At first, I’d tell myself to have a drink before listening because I knew I wouldn’t want one after the fact.
 
Once while working I was thinking of how happy I was. And I asked myself why? Why are you so happy? What happened? Actually at the time I had found out I was being laid off and also my cat was sick. Didn’t seem to matter, I was happy and I couldn’t figure out why. Then it dawned on me. Do I need for something to happen to be happy?
 
My meditations have made me a very happy person and now this is the state I usually find myself in and not the other way around. It was obvious my left brain logic met its match, the right brain, and the left relinquished its power. Nothing needed to occur for me to be happy, wow! And when all the voices finally stopped asking why, I guess it was because they finally got the message, too.
 
I also wanted to share with you something else. For so many years, what seems a lifetime, I have been reading self-help books and I will continue. BUT, when you begin meditating (searching for answers on the inside) all the lights turn on very fast. You also get an insatiable hunger to learn more, MORE OF your GREATER SELF!
 
My story is no different than yours.  We may have different careers and we may live miles apart but our dreams include wanting increased happiness in our lives since that is our ultimate goal. It’s not the new car or home, they are temporary fixes only.  We want to be happy, that is our ultimate goal, to have peace and joy.
When nothing else is working for you then try this.  It is like traditional meditation, only better.
 
Have you always wanted to meditate but couldn’t focus longer than a few minutes?  Didn’t think it would work for you? This is why brainwave entrainment works.
 
Meditating or quieting your mind when done daily will have you jumping for joy at times for no reason at all.  How long does it take?  It’s different for everyone but in a very short time you get the benefits of what it takes traditional meditation years to do.  This is priceless.
 
After my first session I was so ‘clear’ and felt euphoric, it was better than napping.
 
The meditations bring up old memories (some not good) but once brought to the surface it seems the emotion that attached to it (the memory) dissolves.
 
If the meditation makes you uncomfortable it is because you are resisting something.  Your meditation is cleaning your mind and trying to eliminate the garbage while ego is trying to keep you safe so it makes you believe you must resist.
 
Continuing to resist will not increase your happiness but at best keep you captive to those things stressing you out.
 
You don’t know it yet but you already know what to do, so the best thing is to stop resisting.  Meditation proves this over and over by helping you to live consciously.  The more you live this way the more you realize how valuable you are and you may even discover your purpose here.
 
This gives us practice in ‘being’ and in not always doing.
 
There are many different companies that have created recordings for brainwave entrainment.  Some use binaural beats, others use isochronic tones and some mix the two together.  Most all recordings have some music or sounds in the background but you can buy the recordings with the ‘beats’ alone.   Most also offer free samples.
I started out with Holosync and the recordings were very good (Dive and Oasis) but the program was expensive.
I looked around for another package and found the Brain Evolution System.
 
Brain Evolution System is great because they communicate what you will expect to experience by email. They also keep an open communication line with you if you have any questions.
 
Click here for the free MP3 from the Brain Evolution system.
 
Follow their instructions because it is good to entrain your brain starting with alpha tones and then working your way down to delta.  (You can buy singular recordings elsewhere so if you go that route start with the entrainment of alpha first).
A lot of programs like the BrainEvolution System have packages of recordings where each gives you a taste of all the brainwaves, a little at a time.  Each one is generally listened to for a week or two before you move on to the next recording that includes even lower frequencies.
 
The same company also has a package called the BrainSalon which are mp3’s designed for a specific goal you are trying to achieve in your life – (focus, energy, creativity, sleep, relaxation and happiness).
 
Another great system is Genius Brain Power created by Cameron Day.  His product consists of 5 modules with user manual and e-book and he is also giving away 9 bonuses.  This package has everything you need to get started and then some.  Soothe your nerves and get relaxed in 15 minutes!  Harmonize the brain and watch the goodness unfold.
 
Do your own research – there is much information available.  You can even create your own sound recordings if you wish with the right equipment.
If there was only one thing I could ever share with anyone that made a tremendous difference in my life, this would be it. So sit back, close your eyes and listen – it doesn’t get any easier than that.
 
UPDATE:  Another great artist, Marcus Knudsen is now doing binaural but if you haven’t listed to his other music I’d really recommend you try it – it’s based on sacred geometry.

Try Marcus’s recordings at Bliss Coded Sound.

My favorite of the nature bliss sounds (there are four of them) is the Paradise Forest.  Today while listening I could have sworn I felt the vibration from the buzzing of a flying insect pass by my face.  I started to reach out for it then realized it was part of the recording.  It is like being a part of 3D movie but with your eyes closed.

There is also a bonus recording when you order the SuperPack,  it’s called ‘Wonderful Life’ and it is perfect to listen to when you are short on time.  I listen to it every morning when I get to work to start the day feeling right and in control, grounded.

The sounds Marcus has created are beautiful and bountiful.

Update: BUY Super Pack 3.0 and also receive the album ‘Enchanted Forest’.