Learning to consciously master your thoughts requires the kind of self discipline and study that usually is hard to obtain in our hectic world, but thanks to modern technology, it can be achieved without rigorous practice. Brainwave entrainment refers to a variety of equipment that helps you to gain control over your mental processes by helping your brain find and maintain a natural balance. You don’t have to be a Zen master to achieve these states, you can just sit back and use a host of scientifically devised techniques from light pulse goggles to audio stimulation to simple bio-feedback programs to achieve more mental clarity than is available to our everyday waking consciousness.
By using the brain’s natural inclination to synchronize its two hemispheres to blend sights, sounds and sensations into a seamless experience, brainwave entrainment techniques are calibrated to provide external stimuli so that your brain responds appropriately. Think about how your body floods your system with adrenaline so that you can avoid danger. With the correct application of light waves and audio stimulation, you can create alpha brain wave patterns that prompt your body to release endorphins — which naturally block pain — as well as oxytocin, the ‘feel good’ hormone that elevates your mental state so you can relax and explore new levels of consciousness.
One brainwave entrainment technique simply involves laying still while listening with headphones to an audio recording that plays a different tone into each ear. Automatically, you brain blends the two tones, creating a harmonic frequency that melds into a single pleasant tone. This technique gently balances the two hemispheres of your brain to clarify your mental and emotional states.
You can also listen to binaural beats, deep rhythmic pulses which resemble your heartbeat. As you relax and listen to the beats, your heart rate automatically adjust to the pulse, and the pattern gradually gets slower and slower until you are in a very relaxed, receptive state of mind. Some programs include guided meditations that help you meet specific mental goals, such as overcoming an addiction or developing good mental habits that lead to increased confidence and self-esteem.
To achieve even deeper states of consciousness, add visual stimulation — such as goggles equipped with pulsing LED strobe lights that match the binaural beats — that further enhance the effect. Some brainwave entrainment products have biofeedback software so you can train your brain to achieve relaxed states on demand. When you use brainwave entrainment devices, you achieve a meditative state that allows you to relax deeply so you can have the opportunity to heal both mentally and physically.