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Meditation has so many benefits. It can open up the mind, relax your body and spirit and can improve your general outlook for the day.
Yet so many people have difficulty in reaching that true state we know as “meditation.” Random thoughts sneak in no matter how you try to eliminate them (and in fact, they can be MORE intrusive the more you try). And your beta brain wave (fully alert) mind is simply not used to emptying entirely; it seems to rebel during your meditation session.
How to overcome these naturally built-in issues? One process is called brainwave entrainment. By using a professional, high-quality entrainment program, you will actually encourage your brain to follow its own natural, physical processes that lead to a state of meditation.
What is Brainwave Entrainment?
Brainwave entrainment – or simply, brain entrainment – means utilizing one or more of your senses to get your brain to follow a certain pathway. The most commonly used sense for this process is the sense of sound.
In sound-based brainwave entrainment, tones are played in your ears at certain rhythms. Generally, these are played in such a way to reduce the Hz (frequency) of the tones from fully-alert beta to alpha, a slightly dreamy, deeper and slower state than beta.
Many of these tones can not actually be “heard” by the ears. However, your brain senses them and, due to their rhythmic nature, begins to follow them. This process causes your brain to automatically follow, and to slow its activity from beta to alpha.
Effortless Meditation
Brainwave entrainment can be utilized to create a variety of effects. A program may direct your brain to become more creative, happier, even better at sports. And yes, there are programs aimed specifically at creating a meditation state.
The beauty of brainwave entrainment is that it causes the brain to bypass your natural (beta) tendency to analyze, to notice outside sounds, smells and tactile (touch) sensations – without any effort on your part. And since taking away the concept of “effort” is itself tantamount to achieving a meditation state, this produces a “double whammy” effect that makes your brain naturally go into deep meditation.
Using Brain Entrainment to Achieve Meditation
Choose a great program and a very good set of headphones. Then make sure you do the following:
Choose a completely undisturbed time. Wait until the kids are in school or playing at a friend’s house, make sure the dog is walked and put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.
Eliminate distractions. Turn your phone off. If your computer gives you sound alerts, turn off the volume or shut the computer down for the duration of the session. Close the door and windows to cut down on outside distractions you can’t control.
Open your mind…and relax. Relaxation is your best ally when using brain entrainment to achieve a meditation state.
Don’t “try.” Allow the tones to wash over you. Don’t concentrate hard and don’t expect any specific feelings to come up. Don’t keep saying to yourself, “Am I in a meditative state yet?” Just allow the tones to do their own work.
Repeat the process once or twice a day. You may actually notice the positive effects of meditation throughout your day before you actually recognize the feeling during a session. So don’t be discouraged – just allow the tones and your brain to do their own work, while you lie back and reap the benefits of a meditation state of mind. Enjoy!
