Brainwave Synchronization

Brainwave Synchronization is similar to biofeedback, but does not necessarily require any expensive equipment that you don't have (you need a computer). This was first developed to introduce meditation to the western cultures, who tend to be too impatient to learn the traditional way. Although noticeable effects can be sometimes found on the first use, this method does not liberate the user like meditation does from external paraphernalia. All you really need for this is a computer. Sound card and headphones are definently recommended, but not necessary.

The idea behind this method is that a flashes of light at certain speeds, or certain sounds can be used to train the brain to enter a certain state of consciousness. There are a few shareware programs out there made for this.

The best program I have ever used for this is Cool Edit (http://www.syntrillium.com/cool.htm) This sound editor has plenty of suggested reading about brainwave synchronization in the help files, and has tools to create your own brainwave files. Once you learn to use this program, authoring brainwave files in just minutes will be a simple task. Along with their brainwave generator, you can use their program to setup brain frequencies with tones. This is done by sending a separate tone into each ear. The difference in the frequency of the two tones is the beat frequency that your brain will synchronize to. For example, you could send a 200hz tone into the right ear, and a 208hz tone into the left ear. This will produce a beat frequency of 8hz in your brain, which is a good meditation and relaxation frequency. This program requires Windows, and a sound card. To synchronize your brainwaves with sound you must use headphones, normal speakers will not work correctly.

For those of you who wish to experiment with the visual side of brainwave synchronization, there is a nice program available called Flasher (http://www.hyperreal.com/tools/msdos/graphics/eye_candy/flasher.zip). This program will demonstrate the ability to alter your consciousness with a strobe flashing at a specific speed.

If you do not have the correct computer or operating system for these programs, but have your own sound editor that can play two separate tones into each ear of a headphone, you can still create brainwave files. Follow the instructions I gave for creating tone beats with cooledit with your specific program. Here is a list of brainwave frequencies and their known effects:

1-3 Hz : Delta waves are associated with deep sleep

4-7 Hz : Theta waves are associated with REM sleep and deep

relaxation

8-14 Hz : Alpha waves are associated with light relaxation

and meditation

15-30 Hz : Beta waves are associated with the fully awake state,

and can produce neat visual effects when a strobe is

set to these speeds.

31+ Hz : These are not widely tested, and are not known to

have specific effects. If someone knows more about

this uncharted territory, please let me know.

* Hz, pronounced Hertz, is cycles per second of the wave.