Binaural Beats
Before talking about Binaural
Beats, here’s a little background info on the brain, and the
various states we can achieve…
 The
Human brain produces waves of currents that flow throughout its
neural pathways. The type of brainwave produced is defined by
the frequency at which it pulses, and the particular rate of
pulsation determines our respective state of mind.
There are four common types
of brainwave patterns, but due to the complexity of our brains
there are often several patterns interacting at one time. It’s
the predominance of one particular brainwave frequency that
determines our state of mind.
For example, if you’re in a
beta state, there may be trace levels of alpha and theta states.
These states would be minimal compared to the dominating amount
of beta present.
Our brains have a left and a
right hemisphere. The left hemisphere is linear, logical,
practical, and time orientated while the right hemisphere seems
to be much more non-linear, abstract, creative, wholistic, and
non-logical.
These hemispheres are
connected by the corpus callosum. It serves as a conduit or a
bridge between both sides. This bridge can literally be
exercised and strengthened until it is physically larger and
more capable of transmitting data, thoughts and feedback between
hemispheres. By merging both hemispheres and
allowing them to work together we can increase our mental
fitness.
It's basically like having a
faster modem working at faster speeds. A more integrated system
creates better performance. The famous clairvoyant healer Edgar
Cayce was found to have an unusually large corpus callosum,
but could it be that everyone has a smaller one than they should
or could have if they
were to consciously exercise it???
Below is a simple chart
containing the four common types of brainwave frequencies along
with their characteristic features and associated mental states.
The frequencies are measures in hertz (Hz) which is roughly
translated as beats per second or cycles per second.
( Ex. A brainwave monitored as pulsing 20 times per second would
be a beta wave since the Beta range is between 13 to 30 Hz)
BRAINWAVE:
RANGE: CORRESPONDING MENTAL STATE
(....excluding those ranges higher than beta such as gamma)
BETA waves 13 to 30 Hz the fastest waves, most commonly found during our
waking state, associated with outward awareness, engaged mind,
arousal, actively perceiving and evaluating forms of data
through the senses; also present with fear, anger, worry,
hunger, and surprise.
ALPHA waves 7 to 13 Hz associated with non-drowsy
but relaxed, tranquil state of consciousness, less engagement
and arousal, pleasant inward awareness, body/mind integration,
present during meditation and states of relaxation
THETA waves 3 to 7 Hz associated with increased recall, creativity, imagery
and visualization , free-flowing thought, future planning,
inspiration, drowsiness, present during dreaming and REM states
DELTA
waves .1 to 3 Hz associated with deep dreamless sleep, deep trance state
pituitary release of growth hormone, self-healing, present
during deep levels of non-REM sleep.
So all these brainwave states
have been examined and charted to find the respective mindstates
that are experienced when they are present. We
are learning more and more about how these states can be
summoned and harnessed to create mindstates that are conducive
to expanded states of consciousness. For example,
the best moments of creativity, those Eureka! flashes,
occur mostly when theta waves are a majority.
This is also when we are
verging between waking and sleeping when we are in that Twilight
Zone-like consciousness mindfully floating at the gateway of
sleep.
So, that leads us to
Binaural Beats. When you listen to a Binauaral Beat, the
brain can be moved into a particular state, such as Alpha or
Beta.
This state relates to the
frequency of the beat being listened to. Now, the average
human can hear the frequencies from 20 Hz (cycles per second) to
20 kiloHertz, (20 thoudand Hertz). These frequencies are
the lowest (bass) and highest (treble) of hearing.
For most of us though, this
isn’t what we actually hear. Age, long-term exposure to
certain frequencies, too much rock and roll, or working in a
factory can all play a part in us not having perfect hearing.
So, here’s the thing.
If we can only hear as low as say, 50 Hertz in reality, how can
we possible get the benefits of Alpha waves, which resonate at
7-13 Hertz? Glad you asked…How this works is Binaural
Beats.
If we
COULD somehow manage get the mind to hear those lower
frequencies, we'd be able to recreate such states of mind
literally on demand.
And that's
just what German experimenter H.W. Dove discovered in 1839. He
found out that by playing two coherent sounds of similar
frequencies into each ear, one could produce a third "binaural
beat" at a specific frequency INSIDE the mind... thereby
directly influencing the brainwaves and the state of mind.
Let’s take
an example. Imagine a pure tone of 400Hz is presented to the
right ear, and a pure tone of 410Hz is presented to the left ear
(using stereo headphones).
Inside the
head, the difference between the two tones is realized... and a
third “binaural beat” of 10Hz is produced. This is equal to the
alpha frequency, which brings about light relaxation,
“superlearning” and positive thinking.
So, that’s
how the brain ‘hears’ these low frequencies. It listens to the
‘difference’ between the two frequencies we actually hear.
So, the
files that you get from your library (The Chill sessions
library, not your local library!!) have already been overlaid
with these tones, so that he corresponding Binaural Beat relates
to the state of mind we want to create.)
Clear as
mud?? There’s a ton of info on this, so please let us know
if you’d like any further explanations.
For now
though, just try them out your self. Remember, headphones
need top be used so that the Binaural Beat is heard. Don’t
drive or attempt anything that requires your full attention
while listening to these audios.
Make sure you’re happy for your clients to listen to these as
part of your session/therapy with them. |
