For those of you interested, the theory of binaural beats, hemisync or "brainwave entrainment," is that one oscillating system (the brain), responds to oscillations from another (sound).  Binaural beats are felt by some to be special because a slightly different tone is placed in each ear; the resulting third tone or resonance heard by the brain is a combination which requires the unity of the two cerebral hemispheres.  The theory goes that if we listen to binaural tones we are using our right and left brains at the same time (whether we like it or not).  This may be a state that allows us to function better.  Others believe that brainwaves are better stimulated from monaural tones to go from beta to delta.  

When brainwaves are measured, we see several patterns:  The following is a good description modified from Transparent corporation:

Brainwaves Types

Wave
Frequency
Mental State / Sub-Categories (bands)

Beta
12hz - 38hz
Wide awake. This is the state you are normally in from the moment you wake up to the time you go to sleep at night. Usually, this state in itself is uneventful, but don't underestimate its importance. Entraining SMR and Beta 1 in particular is touted as being beneficial to people with mental or emotional disorders such as insomnia, depression or ADD. This band can also be used for increasing focus.

SMR (sensorimotor rhythm) (12 - 15Hz): Related to body motion. Increasing this can result in relaxed focus, improved attentive abilities. Generally a good thing to increase.
Beta 1 (15 - 20 Hz) - Can increase mental abilities, IQ, focus
Beta 2 (20 - 38Hz) - Highly alert, but also anxious

Alpha
8hz - 12hz
Awake but relaxed and not processing much information. When you get up in the morning and just before sleep, you are naturally in this state. When you close your eyes your brain automatically starts producing more Alpha waves.

Alpha is usually the goal of experienced mediators,  You can also use this state for effective self-hypnosis and mental re-programming.

Theta
3hz - 8hz
REM sleep or extreme relaxation. Lucid dreaming and OBEs can also occur at this state. Other "weird" and often "paranormal" experiences have been reported while in or very near the Theta state.

Theta can also be used for hypnosis, accelerated learning and mental programming (using pre-recorded suggestions).

Theta 1 - (3 - 5 Hz) If suppressed, can improve concentration and ability to focus attention. Generally not a good thing to increase.
Theta 2 - (5 - 8 Hz) Very relaxed and dreamful sleep. Life-Transforming, paranormal, and spiritual experiences are most common at this band.

Delta
0.2hz - 3hz
Deep, dreamless sleep. Delta is the slowest band of brainwaves. When your dominant brainwave is Delta, your body is healing itself and "resetting" its internal clocks. You do not dream in this state and are completely unconscious. Entrainment of the brain at this level is all but impossible. Most of the time, people wishing to enter Delta will have to settle for deep Theta and hope than their mind "drifts" down into Delta on its own.

Now, the theory goes that certain frequencies are more conducive to focusing our consciousness on the afterlife, and mystical experiences.  Theta has this association.  A good program will begin in Beta, and slowly "ramp" down to alpha then theta or delta, giving the brain enough time to adjust and "oscillate," at the right frequency.  One can experiment with these frequencies for self hypnosis, placing intent (something I like to do in alpha mode), or attempting to go out of body or to other focus levels.  TMI/RAM discovered certain frequencies were more conducive to different focus levels - the Gateway series is based on this.  

To explore consciousness however is much more than just tuning into the right frequency on a machine.  As Bruce has stated, we may have hindering belief systems that must be gotten rid of in order to really explore.  

The Monroe institute is one of the most credible sources of binaural recordings called hemisync.  There is a company that makes a competing product called Holosync, but I have not been able to verify many of their claims, although the CDs sound good.  Recently, I purchased a Neural Synthesizer online from Transparent corporation; this allows you to use sound without prefab. guidelines at your own pace.  I have found it to be very interesting, but plan to post more about my experience with meditating to different frequencies in my subsequent post.

I'd be interested in hearing from others in this thread on their experience with hemisync or sound for the benefit of us all, especially those who haven't tried it.

Matthew

I've not used any of these, but have been interested for some time.  I'm not a big fan of buying online though..

I had some interesting experiences with hemisync....I initialy practised with focus 10 and I was really happy with the result as I was easily reaching that state. However I wasn't trying the other focus levels since I wasn't feeling ready to do them....then accidentaly I listened to a 1 hour hemi-sync that is for deep explorations....I thought that it was a focus -10 one... After that hour I had the weirdest feeling in my head, a feeling of something existing in the center and front part of my brain...not a bad feeling, just a notion that it was something there....and also I had extremely god focusing for the next couple of days.....Now the thing that scared me a lot was that the 3 nights that followed I had my first  episodes of sleep paralysis in which I was awake but couldn't move a muscle and at the same time I was clearly hearing voices sayind different things to me.....now the experiences themselves weren't bad , but the thought of having another one just frightened me....anyway these stopped after three days and since then I didn't have any other...I believe that the one hour of deep exploration hemi sync that I had, tuned my brain to a particulat vibration that lasted 3 days...I mean I could feel it...it is amazing what it can do and I know that at some point when I will feel ready I will start again exploring these focus levels....:)

Thanks for explaining the brain wave frequencies Matthew - valuable work.  i have always been cautious of hemisync, only because i do not know enough about it and i have not tried it. So i look forward to learning more about it with people who have. Thanks for your imput Zouzounel.

Does the hemisync .. is it music or tones? increase or decrease wave frequencies and this is the aim of hemisync?

As well as blending left and right brain functions?

Thanks Matthew.

Hi all,

Hemisync is often blended into interesting music at TMI.  All it consists of is two tones slighty different that when played in each ear cause a third tone to be produced in the brain (the difference between the oscillating frequencies).  If say a 110 HZ tone is played in the right ear and a 100 HZ tone is played in the left, a tone of 10 HZ is "heard," in the brain.  Theoretically  this must require both hemispheres to work together (using your "whole brain").  

Now if the hemisync frequency "heard" is equal to the alpha brainwave, the brain responds and ramps up or down to oscillate in time with the hemisync.  If you look at the chart in this thread, then you can see that one can gradually induce a state of brain activity with this external stimulus.  

The thing is, the brain may be thought of either as the biological substance that creates thought (modern biology) or, as I prefer to think of it, as a biological radio, channeling our thought into physical reality.  Prior explorations and science has shown that waking consciousness and alertness/nervousness is mostly in the Beta frequency.  Alpha is a state of relaxation and where most meditators aim to go.  Theta is a deeper state associated with lucid dreams, OOB experiences and travel to other realms, and Delta is, well, a dreamless state we don't know much about.  

My first Hemisync CD was Transcendence from TMI.  I put it on, and was nervous but excited about going OOB.  Within 10 minutes my whole body relaxed and went numb.  I felt vibrations described in texts about OOB.  No way, I thought - it can't be this quick, this easy.  I did not, however have an immediate OOBE.  This was, a beginner's phenomenon - I have heard it is common.  I have now listened enough to know that profound spiritual experiences are NOT guarenteed at all.  I think my deep belief that it would work contributed to the beginner's luck.  And those of you who read my posts know that I think it is all about thought and belief to begin with...

I will post more of my binaural experiences soon with the various frequencies, but I should say something here.  It is NOT dangerous.  You will not be whisked away anywhere unless your mind is open and your belief is there.  Your control is still within you.  This is not mind control.  This is simply a way to focus your concentration and attention and make use of the nature of the receiver properties of the human brain responding to oscillating sound.  There truly is nothing to fear from binaural beat recordings.  However, there are some cautions and interesting experiences which I will try to go into, as I hope others will.


Matthew

Thanks Matthew,

It reminds me of the - singing bowls of Tibet - here the monks would tap the bowls (if im correct they are made of copper) and the notes/tones released would put the monks into altered states - if thats the correct word - altered states.

I am learning further so thanks.

I have used quite a few of these types of binaural tone cds, from a number of different sources. They all tend to take me into a very good, very deep relaxed state. I've had NO bad experiences with any of them.

The experiences I have vary but they can settle your emotions into a peaceful state at the very least, and also take you to a nice lift-off point into very interesting visuals and experiences if you let go enough. I haven't used any of them looped to extend the duration, nor have I used them on an everyday basis.

I alternate among my library quite a bit. I use guided meditations with and without binaural beats, and also music cds which have binaural beats. I tend to pick out what feels right at the moment, and occasionally add to it.  

I think the pure music cds might also be useful for using before sleep to get your mind into a place to set intentions for the dream state or waking life.  I just personally prefer a more passive experience, so I look for guided imagery which meets my needs when I want to set intentions.  

I have been having extremely vivid dreams recently and am somewhat interested in finding out whether I can train myself to become lucid there by using suggestion before sleep. I set an intention during a cd a few days ago and received a visitation that I requested. At least, that was my impression!

I do think the cds with binaural tones, on the whole, are pretty powerful. I have had some very amazing experiences with them.

love, blink

Im sure there's a link between the binaural tones and the octave ratio of the planets ..

Quote:

Im sure there's a link between the binaural tones and the octave ratio of the planets ..

I'm sure you're right. I'm not sure what you mean by the octave ratio of the planets, and yet it resonates very strongly with me. ::)  Thanks.

Love, Mairlyn ;-)

Hi Marilyn

Yes, there must be a link!

The octave ratio of the Planets is also known as the Music of the Spheres or Harmony of the Spheres. And it is what astrologers base their philosophy upon; to quote Pythagoras-

"Let us set our hearts on the sublime symphonies of the Universe.  Though our mortal ears be deaf to the Music of the Spheres, yet it will be heard in the extended ears of our souls"

It is said God created the Universe by releasing the Sounding Note that placed the Planets in harmony together, as a orchestra that is perfectly in tune.  The Planets are in a Slow Dance and weave their Dance throughout the Universe and if we listen carefully we Dance with them and they Dance with us.  

Pythagoras (580 bc) laid the basis for the idea of planetary ratio when he showed that intervals of the scale could be expressed in simple ratios: applying these ratios to the supposed distances of the planets.  And later Robert Fludd (15th century) believed that the music is produced from the impinging of the moving Sun upon the paths of the planets.

Johannes Kepler in 1619 made an equation between the celestial motions of the solar system and musical intervals and is as follows; Saturn is connected with the major third, with the twelve tones and the minor third.  Jupiter is connected with the octave, the three octaves and the perfect fifth.  Mars is connected with the minor third (plus two octaves and plus one octave). The earth itself is connected with the diatonic semitone, the perfect fifth and the major sixth.  Venus is connected with the chromatic semitone, the minor sixth and the double octave.  Mercury is connected with the minor third (plus one octave) and the major sixth.

This is about all the information i have on the subject and i am not sure if there is further research on the subject out there - there must be Marsilio Ficino a renaissance sought to correlate the planets with musical tones and must have produced some work on his research although i have not seen it.

Im not sure how we are going to correlate the binaural tones with the music of the spheres - but there must be a correlation and Matthew's breakdown of the different states is a good start to do this.

i just need to say, i have no education in written music and quite honestly do not understand the different notes written above.    :-?

"Red lights, green lights; strawberry wine
A good friend of mine
Follows the stars
Venus and Mars are alright tonight"


Paul McCartney

Strawberry wine!! lol okay while our left or is it right or maybe both brain is correlating the ratios let's get back to the topic;

further questions-

Who makes the CD's?  And are they in a series eg. would you do 'level one' Beta 1 state first and then do 'level two' SMR .. is it important to build up like this or is it more what level you choose eg go straight to the Theta 2 level?

Thanks  :)

CDs are made from several sources.  TMI (Monroe institute), and Holosync are two makers of Binaural beat CDs.  TMI has the most experience here charting territory, but they concentrate on certain focus levels - in some ways, I feel these may be helpful but also act as a belief system - we should always feel free to explore.

Transparent Corp makes several inexpensive synthesizers you can download to your computer for around $40.00.  Filled with premade tracks for beta, alpha, theta, and delta waves, you can experiment.  I'm liking this more and more.  

I have heard people make a rigorous system of ramping down from beta to alpha to theta gradually over weeks.  I do not believe there is any danger however in experimenting on your own.  I have gone to the deepest delta tracks recently and had moving albeit unnerving experiences.  

What works for you may not work for another.  That is why experimentation is important.  For stating intent, healing and relaxation, many of us seem to gel well with low alpha recordings.  


Matthew

The people that produce the Cd's .. are they Neurologists?  .. i have this image of the Cd's being made in a lab with doctors in white coats  :-?

Thanks Matthew

augoeideian

All you need to do is check out these websites for yourself:

www.monroeinstitute.com

www.transparentcorp.com

Love
Irene

Thanks Irene i have looked at both.

Gosh the Monroe Institute looks like a lovely place .. it looks like its in the Swiss Alps!  Is that Virginia .. wow.

Interesting further information on the hemisync on the website (nice website btw) you will have to excuse my cautious nature ... i'm still not 100% convinced .. for example if i need to relax i take a long walk in nature and smell the flowers and feel the air in my hair lol.

But im not expecting its your job to have to convince me though .. its something i must figure out for myself ... i am enjoying the discussion though.

:)

It was fun to listen to the first tape in a series made by Bob Monroe. Yes it really was only tapes then. One of a series of six. I used earphones. There was a demonstration of hemisync. First one tone was played in one ear and then another tone was played in the other ear. They were definitely two distinct tones. Then both tones were played simultaneously, there was a second when I think I heard both tones, and then all I could discern was one tone, different pitch than the other two...do they pulse also? I can't remember. But I could confirm it was a synthesis of the two tones by sequentially removing either the left or right earphone, which got me back to one of the original tones. The synthesis took place in my head! wow.

Different topic. Last week I was listening to a drummer talk about the ceremonies in Haiti or in Africa where people get possessed. The drummer was playing a djembe and talking about polyrhythms. We were talking about 12/8 time. Sometimes it sounds like 1-2-3-4 and sometimes the triplets predominate. You think you are hearing a different rhythm but it is really the same hand motions. So the drummer was saying that there was a point where the lead drummer in the ceremony seemed to shift the emphasis ...I'll over simplify here....from the 4 count to the 3 count. And that would be the point at which people seemed to experience possession. It is hard to not think that the drummers get entrained to what the drums are playing and that some people experience the shift as a change in conciousness. Maybe drums are some forerunner of binaural beats.

Having said that I feel compelled to explain to augoeideian that the TMI tapes do NOT en-trance you and you can turn them off at any point (except I usually fall asleep).

We are all just one waveform responding to another.  Drumming produces audible sound waves with frequencies.  So does any type of music and hemisync.  Our five senses can be directed to send us to a different conscious plane.

Can anyone doubt that when you smell a certain food or fragrance it "takes you back."  Suddenly, in your mind's eye, you see your childhood association with that smell - often a good warm feeling.  

In this way, there is no magic to hemisync.  All of the five senses can be used to focus our consciousness on one thing or another.


Matthew

I heard myself talking to a group of people out there. I said to them just as if I knew what I was talking about "in my next life I will write a book how the human being is nothing more than alternating current."

nobody argued with me..the afterlife must be a nice place :)  as I think about sound and balance and duality and alternating current, I know to have electric light we must have alternating current in a wire. Suppose electricity is a symbolic form of the light that the NDE person sees? Further, suppose the Light is intelligent. I assume this current has a hum sound. I assume there is much sound in the grid. looking at the brain it has an electrical neuron charge when different levels of thought are produced. alpha, beta, theta, delta and sub definitions as well of the current of thought.
suppose the heart and  the mind were in perfect balance? is this what hemi sync might help us do? or to get the "feel" of being perfectly in sync with the two hemispheres of the brain which must learn to work together.
each focus level as described by TMI can be reached from within by intention and by balancing that intention through the heart, utilizing PUL ..all heart with no mind is the doormat, all mind with no heart is the ruthless. there must be balance.

http://images.bravenet.com/common/images/smilies/grouphug.gif

Thanks for the further information .. Lucy not trance is a good description then.
Matthew's comment does make a lot of sense (good pun!) and again reminds me of the music of the spheres.

I can understand in today's world where our society is so demanding and pretty awful for the spirit really (i think) how we need to break down through barriers and mis-conceptions and labels just to find ourselves .. without relying on drugs or drink.

Hi Guys,

I LOVE talking about hemi-sync!  Matthews’s description on how the tapes work is very complete, Thanx.  When I listen to the tapes, I find that my inner being becomes very relaxed and I am more able to let intrusive thoughts of the day go.  I’ve been using them primarily for sleep since the late 90’s and they have traveled with me through many changes and stressful times these past 8 years.  The most recent was my brush with death through Valley Fever.  I suspect that because of them and the level they taught me to be comfortable in, I was able to keep a perspective on my illness and to not become afraid.

I do need to mention that I primarily work with the tapes because my CD players keep breaking and that I use the hemi-sync sounds for entraining my consciousness to that deep level of relaxation because I was lousy mediator.  But because of the tapes, I’m becoming better.  I also want to mention that in reading one of the books on hemi-sync that Monroe made it clear that the hemi-sync sounds produced in the institutes labs are no different than the various sounds that surround us.  It is just that he has just narrowed certain sounds down for us to use at our convenience when we have some quiet time and want to reach a certain level of consciousness for inner work or need to fill a room with sound to have the individuals there focus on the task at hand.  I seem to remember an example was given of irritating sounds that leave a person drained like certain stages of take-off when in a plane as a negative sound.  Whereas the hemi-sync tapes for most people leave them relaxed, energized, focused, etc.

The part that I most trust about Monroe’s hemi-sync tapes is that they are constructed to train an individual to recall the sensation of “floating?” when not listening to the tape. So it’s not a case where you have to become dependant on having a tape and recorder with you at all times or that you are to keep buying tapes because with little practice or recall you are able to recapture the feeling.  I suspect that it’s because of this ability to recognize and alter consciousness taught to me through use of the tapes that I was able to follow Bruce’s retrieval exercises with success and respond appropriately during my recent coma experience.

Again I want to say that for most individuals who can shift gears and alter consciousness through mediation, hypnosis, or by using other deep relaxation methods, the tapes would be an extra fun thing.  But for old hyper me, the hemi-sync tapes did the trick and continue to do so, sometimes merely by my remembering the feeling the give me.  Also I want to mention that I probably have about 70 tapes or CDs at this time, have listened to most of them but really only rely on about 2 or 3 when I need that extra boost to tame the wild horses in my mind.

Hope this helps, Love to all, Jean  :-*            

Interesting post, Doc. I think that this kind of discussion about approaches, mind set, tools, and techniques is especially valuable.  As with all the psycho-spiritual techniques attempted over the ages, those that are effective need to be publicized for the rest of us. Monroe Inst and hemi-synch impresses me.

In my clinical practice I've tried to develop a large number of plain vanilla hypnotic tapes, CDs and such, and have pretty well lost faith in them as a generic technique. They work well only when the listeners have been prepared by trancework beforehand. "As you are emerging from trance the CD I give you is gaining the power to put you back there, just as fast as you desire." So if the CD requires prior trancework, I wondered why bother with a CD? As a result, for a lot of us who get Cheap Charley's "Instant Trance" CD, the only benefit is that Charley gets a little richer, while we get frustrated. The missing ingredient is a prior trance level introduction to empower them.

Binaural methods engage the mind differently, and are more effective. Monroe seems to have a useful method, perhaps because it cannot be readily accessed by the everyday conscious mind due to the deep level of intermediate function.  It seems likely that an equivalent process might be developed for vision as well, mixing fragmentary elements to obtain a whole. The next level of this technology could possibly be a combined multiple level and multiple modality approach intended to involve some of the other deep structures of mental function.  There's a huge amount of knowledge associated with gestalt psychology that has sort of crept around the edges of these ideas, but to my knowledge, has never really gotten involved with the potentialities available by working with these concepts. Monroe's hemi synch might be the beginning of a new approach to subconscious access in which multiple types of deep structure are selectively engaged through externals.  This would make a fascinating career path for a budding psychologist with an interest in exotic transpersonal states. -

dave