Scientists increasingly prove that deeply ingrained negative beliefs are the source of diseases and block the body’s self-healing processes. At the same time, research in areas such as neurobiology and epigenetics shows that regular meditation literally works wonders for health. Unfortunately, the state of meditation is unattainable for many people. However, they can be assisted by the phenomenal brain function generated by sounds, known as binaural beats.
Thoughts are of great importance
The brain is an amazing organ. Dr Bruce Lipton, the author of the widely known PSYCH-K® method, emphasizes during his presentations that the human brain has two parts: the subconscious and consciousness. According to Dr Lipton, the subconscious is our original brain and can process 40 million bits of data from the environment in one second. Unfortunately, this part of our brain is very habitual and is not creative at all; it can only replay learned things. The conscious part of our brain is much slower than the subconscious, capable of processing just 40 bits of data per second, but it is the part of the brain that can create, responsible for free will and intentions. According to neurobiologists, we are conscious of just 5% of our cognitive activity. It turns out then that 95% of our life comes from the subconscious part, and if this is programmed negatively, it follows that for 95% of the time, we will experience negative things. This is why it is so important to be present in the moment, in every moment of life. If the conscious mind is not present in the “here and now,” then our entire life is subordinate to the programs that we have “installed,” which change into our beliefs.
Meditation changes the quality of life
Every time we learn something new, we create new synaptic connections in the brain. The latest research by neurobiologists proves that being in a state of full concentration on one particular thing, on an idea, doubles the number of connections in the brain. Being aware of our unconscious thoughts, actions, and behaviours is the first step to being present, to being “here and now.” Meditation, which incredibly improves the quality of life, brings us into this state. Meditation returns the mind to its natural state of balance and allows the whole body to relax. Simply put, meditation involves being and accepting sensations and thoughts as they are, observing them. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to achieve this state, difficult to calm their thoughts. Why? According to Dr. Dispenza, we think about 60 to 70 thousand thoughts a day. Most of these thoughts are negative, unconscious programs, saying, for example, that we can’t do something, that we won’t achieve anything, that we are worth little, that we can’t change, that something is too difficult, etc. During meditation, these thoughts become very clear, and novices usually struggle with them. Then they come to believe that they are not very good at meditation and give up very quickly.
Specific brain activity helps in self-healing
The human brain operates at certain levels related to its activity. This activity, otherwise known as a phase, is nothing more than the bioelectric activity of the brain, which is expressed in specific numerical values called hertz (Hz). It is measured using an electroencephalograph (EEG). The highest possible brain activity is the mysterious lambda phase, which occurs in the range from 91 Hz to 200 Hz. This state is attributed to higher levels of consciousness, but unfortunately, it has not been very thoroughly studied so far. Below the lambda state is a fairly wide range of gamma frequencies, which begins at 39 Hz and ends at 90 Hz. In this phase, we deal with complex brain processes, and the perception of individual senses is significantly improved. High activity of this kind of waves suggests the development of self-awareness, self-control, and intelligence. It is also associated with emotions that accompany, among others, compassion and love. It has been proven that stimulating the brain’s gamma frequencies is very effective in combating depression. Below the gamma phase, in the frequency range from 12 Hz to 38 Hz, we observe the beta phase of brain activity. The beta phase is a very typical daily rhythm for humans, manifested by active thinking, active attention, and focus on the external world. Beta frequencies appear most often when we are actively engaged in various mental activities, when solving analytical problems, or making various kinds of decisions. It has also been proven that they accompany emotions related to fear, tension, or agitation. From the level of 7.5 Hz to 12 Hz, our brain is in the alpha state. These frequencies dominate in adults who are in a state of relaxation and so-called “attention-free awareness.” Alpha waves are also characteristic of the REM phase of sleep and are associated with calmness, good mood, and a state of tranquillity. The alpha phase is the most desirable phase of bioelectric brain activity, exceptionally useful during meditation practices, especially during so-called “open focus.” It also plays an important role in the process of releasing everyday stress or pain. It is also very important for learning. The frequency level from 4 Hz to 7.5 Hz is reserved for the theta phase. Theta frequencies are associated with even deeper relaxation than alpha frequencies, almost drowsiness, but also with internal focus, deep meditative state, stimulation of creative thinking, and free flow of ideas. Scientists suspect that theta is the phase in which learning content is assimilated and consolidated. Theta frequencies appear during deep meditation, as well as during hypnotic trance and moments of experiencing strong emotions related to satisfaction, pleasure, and fulfilment. In the theta state, logical connections disappear. Frequencies from 0.5 Hz to 4 Hz are reserved for the delta phase, associated with deep sleep, but also the so-called delta meditation. Increased delta frequency activity is associated with the possibility of accessing information from the unconscious mind. Inducing the delta state promotes calming of the mind and body and in many cases eliminates headaches. These frequencies are accompanied by creativity and sensory integration. The last, lowest brain activity is the epsilon phase with a frequency up to 0.5 Hz. We know very little about this phase. In the epsilon state, breathing and heart rate are virtually undetectable.
Scientists are constantly conducting ever-newer studies on brain function. Some of the more interesting studies on this topic have been conducted on yogis trained in various advanced meditation techniques, Zen monks, and shamans. As a result of these studies, it was determined that in states of deep meditation, their brains were characterized by the significant predominance of alpha (7.5 Hz – 12 Hz) and theta (4 Hz – 7.5Hz) brain waves. On this basis, it was concluded that inducing the brain into these states through meditation is very desirable and beneficial for the human body. In addition, exceptionally high synchronization of the left and right hemispheres was also recorded during the state of meditation. This observation is important because it has been proven multiple times that people with above-average intelligence have high synchronization of the brain hemispheres, i.e., they use both hemispheres simultaneously.
At this point, it should also be mentioned the research of Dr Lipton and Dr Dispenza, whose results clearly indicate that it is meditation that leads to the activation of the body’s self-healing processes and ensures the achievement of homeostasis.
Binaural beats help enter meditation
Humans have five senses that anchor them in reality and allow them to move efficiently within it. Hearing is one of them. The hearing centre in the brain, caring for our safety, analyses the sounds reaching us even when we sleep. That is why sound has a huge impact on the human body. To such a great extent, in fact, that it can change the frequency of brain waves. Thanks to this, we can easily relax or enter a state of meditation.
The phenomenon of binaural beats was discovered by accident by the German physicist and meteorologist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in 1839. Unfortunately, the possibilities of using this phenomenon were not fully explored at that time. Binaural beats were only appreciated in the second half of the 20th century, when they began to be used in connection with searches related to the development of various meditation techniques. Binaural beats are based on a rather specific ability of the human brain, which can register so-called phase differences in the heard sound. In the case of binaural beats, we are talking about two different sounds that our brain combines in a rather amazing way into one sound. The experience of binaural beats is only possible with the use of stereo headphones, although in my practice, I manage to induce them also using two Tibetan bowls. The whole process involves delivering two different, yet similar, sounds to each ear and allowing the brain to work its magic.
Sound is a mechanical wave, which means that its graph is a sinusoidal wave. In each graph of this type, a phase, i.e., the top, and an anti-phase, i.e., the bottom, can be distinguished. If we overlay two waves of the same frequency, we will see that they can behave in two different ways, either mutually strengthen or suppress each other. Wave reinforcement is otherwise their synchronization. This phenomenon occurs when the phases and anti-phases of these waves overlap, i.e., the top overlaps with the top, and the bottom with the bottom. Wave suppression, on the other hand, will occur when the phase of one wave overlaps with the anti-phase of the other wave, i.e., the top of one wave covers the bottom of the other, and the bottom with the top. However, when two sounds (two waves) that differ slightly are overlaid, the phase of one of them will shift in subsequent cycles towards the anti-phase of the other until the moment of overlap (reinforcement), and then it will shift towards its phase, also until the moment of overlap (suppression). Simply put, the effect of binaural beats arises when sounds alternately reinforce and silence each other at a frequency resulting from the initial difference between them.
Although the whole process probably sounds quite complicated, it can be easily understood with an example. Imagine that a sound with a frequency of say 400 Hz is delivered to the left ear and at the same time a sound with a frequency of 409 Hz is delivered to the right ear. In the final effect, we would expect to hear two different sounds. However, because the difference between them does not exceed 30 Hz (a necessary condition for the occurrence of the binaural beats phenomenon), the human brain produces a third sound with a vibrato effect. The vibrato is created as a result of the difference between the sound delivered to the left and right ears, which in our case is exactly 9 Hz. This means that within just one second, we will hear the sound at maximum intensity 9 times as a result of the overlaying of phases and 9 times (not complete) silence as a result of the overlaying of anti-phases. To produce the effect of binaural beats, two conditions must be met: each of the initial sounds delivered to the ears must be lower than 1000 Hz, and the difference between them must not be greater than 30 Hz.
Sound affects brain functions
Surely music provides us with many aesthetic experiences, changes our mood, affects our emotions. It is a phenomenon whose impact on the human body we are still discovering. Sound is a powerful tool by which we can make changes to the physiological states of the brain, levels of its activity, by inducing and lowering the activity of the central nervous system. These changes also entail biochemical changes throughout the body. Binaural beats change the so-called action currents of the human cerebral cortex, which adapt to the frequency of the beats. In practice, this means that thanks to the use of binaural beats, we can adjust the brain’s work to the desired state, which makes it easier for many people to achieve deep relaxation and easier entry into a state of meditation, helps solve sleep problems by improving its quality, facilitates concentration, aids in learning, activates stress relief and self-healing processes, allows reducing tensions in the body, facilitates blood flow, delivers oxygen and nutrients to cells, strengthens the immune system. Scientists have also determined beyond any doubt that binaural beats also synchronize the work of the brain hemispheres, which significantly affects creativity and mental acuity. To achieve the best effects, comprehensive systems have been developed that combine binaural beats, visualizations, breathing techniques, meditations, and affirmations.
There are many websites on the Internet offering comprehensive systems of binaural beats in combination with other techniques. YouTube is also a great source. However, the safest way would be to test ready-made applications available for smartphones (e.g., Brain Wave, Binaural Beats, and a whole host of others).
Author: Izabela Strzelecka