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Brain Entertainment

article: Brain Entertainment

Published: May 30, 2008, 12:25 am
Revised: August 29, 2008, 1:22 pm
Author(s): Valerie Coleman

Information taken from: http://www.positivemindstates.com/

What Are Binaural Beats And How Do They Improve Mind Power? 

Binaural beats are an auditory stimulus that can be used to cause the brain to enter different brainwave frequencies. By doing so the brain, in time, becomes habituated to entering these different brainwave frequencies resulting in changes in experiential consciousness. 
Benefits range from relaxation,meditation,stress reduction, pain management, euphoria, increased endorphin levels and anti ageing hormones, improved sleep quality, decrease in sleep requirements, lucid dreaming, super learning, improved memory, enhanced creativity and intuition, greater awareness, and a variety of altered states of consciousness such as: remote viewing, telepathy, and out-of-body experiences.
What do brainwave frequencies have to do with Mind Power?    
The conclusion that the mind resides in the brain has long since been debunked. But what science has since discovered regarding the mind/brain relationship is that the states of consciousness of the mind can be observed by monitoring the pattern of brainwave frequencies occurring during any state of consciousness.    
By being able to monitor the brainwave frequencies during different states of consciousness, we now know that different brainwave frequencies correspond to different states of consciousness. So by having a way to change the pattern of our brainwaves, we are also able to affect the pattern of our conscious state, the state of our mind. This is what binaural beats are designed for: to cause certain brainwave frequencies to occur that correspond to positive and higher states of consciousness.   
 
 
 
 
How Do Binaural Beats Change Brainwave Patterns?   
The brain is an ever-fluctuating electrochemical environment. Whenever there is new stimulus, or lack of stimulus, introduced to this environment, it changes, its brainwave frequency changes. When the brainwave frequency changes, an experiential difference is occurring in the mind.

In our everyday woken state we can safely assume that the dominant brainwave frequency we are operating in is the beta state. This is a highly alert and often stressful state. In order to change this, we must engage some practice that requires the brain to ‘switchgears’ into another frequency. People who meditate regularly develop this ability, and what is known ashemispheric synchronization(both hemispheres synchronised). But for many who do not meditate, or have attempted to but find it difficult, audio with embedded binaural beats can be used to induce a change in brainwave states the same way that someone practiced in meditation can.
 
The workings behind this are physiological. Each ear is dedicated to both hemispheres of the brain (Rosenzweig, 1961). When the brain is stimulated by a binaural beat there are actually two sound waves of different frequency present, one in each hemisphere. If the right ear is presented with a steady tone of 310hz and the left ear 300hz the two tones combine in the brain and the brain perceives a difference of 10hz. This is the binaural beat and it is this beat the causes the change in brainwave frequency. This is commonly known asbrain entrainment.
 
So for example, let us assume we are in the Beta state 10hz –38hz and our brain now perceives the 10hz binaural beat, the brain will be entrained to enter a different brainwave frequency of 10hz (an Alpha brainwave state). By entering the Alpha brainwave you are entering a deeply relaxed state and the realm of the creative mind, and the platform for higher levels of consciousness. However binaural beats are not only designed to entrain your brain to enter only the Alpha state, but all brainwave states: Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta, and Gamma.
 
 
How do the different brainwave states affect the mind?   
Gamma 38 - 90Hz / Hyper Gamma – 100hz
Harmonizing and unifying thoughts processed in different parts of the brain, integrates different perceptions, self awareness and insight, produced during hypnotic states 
Beta 10hz – 38hz – Analytical 
Normal waking consciousness, focussed, analytical, mental processing, peak performance. The higher levels (30+) accompany high levels of stress.
Alpha 8hz – 9.9hz - Creative  
Relaxed state, common in focussed meditation, creative, resourceful, calm, at ease, whole brain integration, and beginning of higher levels of awareness. 
Theta 7.9hz – 4hz – Integrative 
Threshold of subconscious, dreaming, low anxiety, access to altered states, super learning, enhanced memory, and creative inspiration… 
Delta 3.9hz - .01 (estimated) – Intuitive & Healing 
Deep sleep, releases human growth hormone (youth hormone), low blood pressure, low respiration, low body temperature, deep intuition (associated with ‘super achievers’). Deep intuition.
<0.5hz (also known as Lamda) state Yogi’s enter where no heart beat, respiration or pulse is discernible. Little known about them.
 
Are The Results Lasting? 
Yes, if binaural beats are applied consistently for a period of some months, then the brain becomes habituated (entrained) and the effects are lasting. Note that when listening to binaural beats one should do so when there will be no interruption and with focussed intent.
Are Binaural Beats Safe To Use?   
Yes binaural beats are simply a result of two different sounds with varying frequencies. The binaural beat is created within your own brain. Binaural beats have long been used by people striving for levels of peak performance: Fortune 100 companies, Nasa …. It is only now that binaural beats are entering the main stream.
 

Scientific Evidence For Brain Entrainment

Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 11. No. 3, pp. 263-274, 1997 
0892-3310/97© 1997 Society for Scientific Exploration.

Accessing Anomalous States of Consciousness with a Binaural Beat Technology

The Monroe Institute, 62 Roberts Mountain Road, Faber, VA 22938-2317

Abstract - Exposure to binaural beats in an environment of restricted stimulation coupled with a guidance process can safely provide access to and experiences in many propitious states of consciousness. This method requires a unique combination of well-understood psycho-physiological inductive techniques with the addition of a refined binaural-beat technology. Binaural beats provide potential consciousness-altering information to the brain's reticular activating system. The reticular activating system in turn interprets and reacts to this information by stimulating the thalamus and cortex thereby altering arousal states, intentional focus, and the level of awareness, i.e., the elements of consciousness itself. This effective binaural-beat process offers a wide variety of beneficial applications and vehicle for the exploration of expanded states of consciousness

The scientific evidence below is an extract from the E Book 'Secrets of Brainwave Harmonics Revealed' and is available in the public domain.

Physiology & Behavior, Vol. 63. No. 2, pp. 249-252, 1998©1998 Elsevier Science Inc.

Binaural Auditory Beats Affect Vigilance Performance and Mood
JAMES D. LANE*, STEFAN J. KASIAMN*, JUSTINE E. OWENS** and GAIL R. MARSH*

*Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; and 
**Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Received 18 July 1997; Accepted 29 August 1997
LANE, J. D., S. J. KASIAN, J. E. OWENS AND G. R. MARSH. 

Binaural auditory beats affect vigilance performance and mood. 

PHYSIOL BEHAV 63 (2) 249 252, 1998. - 

When two tones of slightly different frequency are presented separately to the left and right ears the listener perceives a single tone that varies in amplitude at a frequency equal to the frequency difference between the two tones, a perceptual phenomenon known as the binaural auditory beat. Anecdotal reports suggest that binaural auditory beats within the electroencephalograph frequency range can entrain EEG activity and may affect states of consciousness, although few scientific studies have been published. This study compared the effects of binaural auditory beats in the EEG beta and EEG theta/delta frequency ranges on mood and on performance of a vigilance task to investigate their effects on subjective and objective measures of arousal. Participants (n = 29) performed a 30-min visual vigilance task on three different days while listening to pink noise containing simple tones or binaural beats either in the beta range (16 and 24 Hz) or the theta/delta range (1.5 and 4 Hz). However, participants were kept blind to the presence of binaural beats to control expectation effects. Presentation of beta-frequency binaural beats yielded more correct target detections and fewer false alarms than presentation of theta/delta frequency binaural beats. In addition, the beta-frequency beats were associated with less negative mood. Results suggest that the presentation of binaural auditory beats can affect psychomotor performance and mood. This technology may have applications for the control of attention and arousal and the enhancement of human performance. ©1998 Elsevier Science Inc.

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Comments

  • Posted by Daniel O'Malley on May 30, 2008 6:59 pm

    I wrote a paper on this in high school, and part of my research led me to this site: www.brainsync.com

    I highly recommend some of their audio programs, particularly the deep meditation and higher cognitive ones. I highly recommend higher cognition anyways :)

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