It goes without saying that we know much about the human brain, but also, we know almost nothing. Whenever something new is uncovered, scientists celebrate a new cerebral frontier. Then, within a matter of time, they go even deeper. And deeper. In a sense, the study of the brain is much like hypnosis: It takes inquisitive minds to places they never expected to go.
What about Meditation?
There’s a narrative concerning meditation that goes something like this: Why do I need to meditate? I’ll just sleep. It’s the same thing.
That sort of question comes from misinformation or lack of information. Let me help to break it down.
According to myriad studies concerning brain waves, meditation and sleep actually have little-to-nothing in common. They are completely different statuses and different conditions. They refresh the mind in different ways.
They accomplish different goals. And, most dramatically, they also involve completely different brainwaves.
Meditation almost certainly relies on one of five genres of brain waves:
- Gamma Waves (38 to 42 Hz):These are all about focus. Focus, focus, focus. Gamma waves lower anxiety and boost positive emotions.
- Beta Waves (12 to 38 Hz):These occur when the brain reflects actively over a particular issue. So why are betas picked up during meditation? Because the focus involved in reaching a deeper state is a key beta wave function.
- Alpha Waves (8 to 12 Hz):The most common brainwaves, which are experienced during the beginning of meditation, when one is attempting to reach a deeper place. Alpha brainwaves are dominant when someone is actively thinking and learning.
- Theta Waves (3 to 8 Hz):These waves encourage creativity while providing an upbeat mental state. They increase your memory, improve focus and keep one calm and balanced.
- Delta Waves (0.5 to 3 Hz):These brainwaves are dominant during times of deep meditation or dreamless sleep.
When you sleep, you are utilizing delta brainwaves—slow, loud, low-frequency brainwaves that suspend external awareness. Delta waves begin to emerge during stage 3 sleep, during which people become less responsive, and noises and activity in the environment may fail to generate a response. There is little-to-no recall from test subjects about the delta state, because it is as deep as the mind can go.
Now here’s where things get incredibly interesting.
When a subject goes under deep hypnotic trance, they are actually combining the brain waves of sleep and the brain waves of meditation.
At the start of a trance, beta, alpha and theta waves dominate the experience. As the subject drops deeper and deeper into trance, the hypnotic brain changes: the waves slow gradually towards the beginning of delta. When you are in the deepest levels of hypnosis, you are on the cusp of sleep. This is where bliss is found.
Enter: External Frequencies and Brain Waves
The human brain not only adapts to external frequencies, but can actually do so on command. External stimuli, ranging from sound to light to electricity to touch, are naturally converted into electromagnetic impulses that are—in a sense—read by the body.
When the external stimuli are received by the brain, the brain will respond by wanting to match the external frequencies.
The cerebellum is a region that plays an important role in regulating pleasure responses. The cerebellum is the link between our brains and our hearts, influencing the rhythm of the performance of both organs – their frequencies, depending on the situation we are in. This is where our mind tells our body: slow down and relax.
The Power of Light & Sound Machines on the Hypnotic Brain
When starting the hypnosis journey, beginners can sometimes have difficulty reaching the deepest levels of trance. This is where specialized light and sound machines can be extremely valuable.
Light and sound machines from companies like Photosonix help to guide your mind to a trance state (or other desired states for relaxation, meditation, learning, performance, sleep and stress reduction). Sometimes referred to as “Mind Machines,” light and sound machines are electronic devices that deliver pulsating light and sound frequencies. During a hypnosis session, you wear lightweight glasses and headphones, which deliver programmed pulses from the device.
Strobing light and sound have a powerful effect on your state of mind, because your brainwaves take on the same frequency as the strobe. With the right frequencies, these devices can gently guide your brainwaves to the deepest levels of hypnosis.
Let’s Do It Together
Ready to unlock your own hypnotic brain? Start with these titles to get a taste for hypnosis and discover the hidden desires that your mind is craving.