Hospitals use electroencephalography to measure the electrical activity of the brain
generally for the purpose of diagnosing brain disorders and discovering the physical
location of a brain problem. The purpose that I have for measuring the electrical activity
of the brain is very different and is focussed on understanding the way in which the
brainwaves reflect the state of consciousness. Therefore the two types of EEG
instrumentation are necessarily dissimilar. In order to understand consciousness as a
reflection of brainwave patterns (or brainwave patterns as a reflection of consciousness),
I need an instant frequency analysis and display of the spectrum of brainwave frequencies.
This allows me to correlate the subjective state of the individual with his or her
brainwave pattern.
My work is built on the original research of the distinguished late British
psychophysiologist and biophysicist C. Maxwell Cade. Cade was a Fellow of many prestigious
British Institutes including the Royal Society of Medicine and the Institute of Electrical
Engineers. As both a scientist and a meditation and martial arts practitioner of long
standing, Cade became interested in determining the brainwave pattern of "higher
states of consciousness". To this end, in 1974, he invented, with British electronics
expert Geoffrey Blundell, the Mind Mirror(TM) EEG. Using this unique method of
band pass filtering with spectral analysis, he measured the brainwaves of accomplished
meditators, spiritual teachers, and healers to look for a common thread within the
combination of frequencies they produced. He found what he was looking for, a brainwave
pattern he labeled "The Awakened Mind". The Awakened Mind brainwave pattern is a
combination of brainwave frequencies consisting of beta, alpha, theta and delta in a
particular proportion and relation to each other, in both hemispheres simultaneously.
What follows is a brief history and technical description of the instrumentation. After
that, we will look at the importance of the interrelationship of the brainwave frequencies
and using EEGs to train states of consciousness.
THE MIND MIRROR
As Cade explained in his book on this subject THE AWAKENED MIND, co-authored by Nona
Coxhead and published in 1979 by Delacorte Press, the Mind Mirror(TM) was a
form of electroencephalograph that had never been produced before. It was a two channel
EEG consisting of twenty-four rows of Light Emitting Diodes arranged in two vertical
columns of twelve rows each, one column for each hemisphere. The amplitude was displayed
in microvolts
on the horizontal axis of each frequency.
The LEDs along the two central columns
represented 0 mv. with values increasing
as the lights moved closer to the edges. 1
The frequencies that Cade and Blundell originally used were 40 hz., 33 hz., 26 hz., 20
hz., 16 hz., 12 hz., 10.5 hz., 9 hz., 7 hz., 5 hz., 3 hz., and 1.5 hz. These were later
updated in the Mind Mirror(TM) II to fourteen frequencies is each hemisphere:
38 hz., 30 hz., 24 hz., 19 hz., 15 hz., 12.5 hz., 10.5 hz., 9 hz., 7.5 hz., 6 hz., 4.5
hz., 2.75 hz., 1.5 hz., and 0.75 hz. This increase gave us an additional frequency in both
the theta and the alpha ranges, thereby increasing the accuracy of the information. This
method of displaying the pattern was the first of its kind. Aesthetically pleasing, it was
easy to conceptualize the changing interplay of frequencies.
The latest model, Mind Mirror(TM) III, developed in 1992 by Neil Hancock of
Biomonitors in conjunction with Blundell, made significant changes by digitizing the
instrument. Biomonitors technical description is as follows: "The Mind Mirror(TM)
III is a twin channel EEG which performs instant frequency analysis and displays the
results on horizontal bar graphs on a LCD screen. Expanding bar graphs moving left show
the magnitude of the signal in the left hemisphere. Expanding bar graphs moving right show
the magnitude of the signal in the right hemisphere. Each bar graph represents the output
of one filter. The bar graphs are centered on the following frequencies: 0.75 hz., 1.5
hz., 3 hz., 4.5 hz., 6 hz., 7.5 hz., 9 hz., 10.5 hz., 12.5 hz., 15 hz., 19 hz., 24 hz., 30
hz., and 38 hz. The bandwidth of each bar graph is adjusted so that the 3db loss points
coincide with the equivalent points of the adjacent filter. A separate EMG bar graph
displays the magnitude of frequencies in a 100 to 200 hz. window.
"Maximum input sensitivity is 3 microvolts. The wide band noise is less than 1
microvolt. The sensitivity may be switched between 3, 5, 10, 30, 50 or 100 microvolt rms.
The CMR response is better than 60db. A built in test oscillator checks the performance of
the Mind Mirror(TM) III and, when connected to a subject, is used to check the
quality of the head contact.
"The last 30 minutes of use is automatically recorded and can be sent after the
session to a MS-DOS computer. Realtime communications uses a fiber optic lead which plugs
into the back of the unit. The Mind Mirror(TM) III uses a microprocessor to
process the signals and then displays them on LCD."
While digitizing the Mind Mirror(TM) offers considerable technical
advantages, the heart of the instrument, the band pass filtering, remains the same,
providing the instant frequency analysis that can both identify and help train an Awakened
Mind.
THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BRAINWAVE FREQUENCIES
We have a finely woven, intricate, interrelationship of brainwave frequencies that
delicately determines our state of consciousness. Singlemindedly developing a specific
category of brainwave can do more harm than good. By following a brainwave development
plan that does not take into account all of the frequencies in combination, you may be
exacerbating an already existing problem rather than improving your state of
consciousness.
First let us focus individually on the four categories of brainwave frequencies, beta,
alpha, theta, and delta. Then we will look at a variety of combinations. The drawings
below represent Mind Mirror patterns of the specific brainwaves described.
BETA WAVES generally are thought to range from 14 to about
26 hz., with the frequencies above that being referred to as "fast beta" or
"high beta". Beta is the normal wking state of consciousness where external
attention and conscious thought processes occur ranging from panic to calm, alert
thinking.
ALPHA WAVES are usually considered to fall
between 8 to 14 hz. This is a kind of neutral or natural state of mind where the
individual may experience relaxed detached awareness, imagery or daydreaming. Alpha
provides the bridge between the conscious mind of beta and the subconscious mind of theta.
However, alpha alone does not give the depth of meditation or inner experience it
was once thought to. (Some people easily produce it watching T.V.!)
THETA WAVES are usually thought to range between 4 to 8 hz.
This is the subconscious mind. Present in dreaming sleep, deep meditation, creative
inspiration and spiritual awakening, theta provides the "depth, breadth, and
height" of experience in higher states of consciousness when produced in combination
with other brainwaves. However, alone, the content of theta will not be remembered because
it is below the level of conscious awareness.
Delta Waves are
usually thought to range from 0.5 to 4 hz. They are what is left turned on when the rest
of us turns off and goes to sleep-- the unconscious. However, they are also produced in
some people in a waking state. Here they act as a kind of "radar", reaching out
and seeking information on the most unconscious levels. They provide the individual with
deep intuition and empathy and are present in many psi experiences including extrasensory
perception, telepathy, and healing.
The combination of these four categories of brainwaves determines our state of
consciousness at any given time. The drawings below represent some common patterns.
Beta and delta is a frequent combination for people having a brainwave
profile taken with their eyes open in a waking state. This can also be called alpha
blocking. With the beta, they
are thinking and with the delta
they are trying to understand on
an unconscious or intuitive level
what is going on. 6
Beta and alpha, with or without delta is a common pattern for people
trying to begin to
meditate or relax but who
are unsuccessful at stilling
their minds. 7
Alpha, with low frequency theta beginning to develop, and occasionally large
flares of delta indicates that the individual is going deeper in meditation,
subconscious insight is
emerging and the thought
process is quiet. 8
Alpha, theta, and delta is a deep
meditation pattern, however, the
delta is not essential to the
experience of meditation. 9
When the meditator loses the alpha waves and goes into a pattern of theta and
delta, I know that
he has lost conscious awareness
and will not be able to remember
the content of his meditation. 10
A brief intervention of verbal feedback at this point is often enough to bring the
bridge of alpha back so that he may resume his meditation and maintain some
level of conscious awareness.
Beta and theta indicates that the individual is conscious and thinking,
but there is also
subconscious "content"
that is not being accessed. 11
A HIERARCHY OF BRAINWAVES?
Many people have the misconception that the four categories of brainwaves have some
magical hierarchical order. This is absolutely false. Like the misconceptions of old that
alpha alone was meditation or a "higher state of consciousness", (when many
people simply produce it by closing their eyes), there are those who want to continue to
oversimplify the brainwave categories. This often takes the form of beta being the
"worst" brainwave, alpha beginning to be "better" with theta or even
sometimes delta, being declared "best". All you need to do is try going to work
without beta waves, and you will see how necessary they are. Conversely, in other schools
of thought, beta is king with the lower frequencies being either irrelevant or
detrimental. Not which frequency, but how the many frequencies combine,
determines our optimum states of consciousness.
THE AWAKENED MIND
Exhilarated! - You know that you know. You have a sense of understanding on all levels.
Perhaps your awareness and ingenuity are leading you to thoughts and acts of extraordinary
creativity. Your intuitive insight into old problems makes them seem simple and easy to
handle, possibly even insignificant. "Why didn't I think of this before?" or
"It's so obvious!" may be your response to what, at one time, seemed like an
unanswerable question. Or perhaps your experience takes the form of increased spiritual
awareness. You have a feeling of greater knowledge of the universe. You are
experiencing an Awakened Mind.
The Awakened Mind brainwave pattern is a combination of all
four of the brainwave categories, beta, alpha, theta, and delta,,
simultaneously in both hemispheres.
When you produce all of these frequencies together in the right proportion and
relationship with each other, you experience the intuitive, empathetic radar of the delta
waves, the creative inspiration, personal insight, and spiritual awareness of the theta
waves, the bridging capacity and relaxed, detached, awareness of the alpha waves, and the
external attention and ability to consciously process thought of beta waves, all at
the same time!
Max Cade first measured this pattern in the spiritual domain. He saw it on Swamis and
Yogis, on spiritual teachers and on healers while in the process of healing. If you break
it down, you can see that it is simply the brainwaves of meditating and the brainwaves of
thinking at the same time - with one notable exception. As you can see from the diagram,
the amplitude of the beta of the Awakened Mind brainwave pattern reduces in the higher
frequencies. People in this state of awareness and creativity do not have the excess
thinking that manifests in internal list making, running commentaries, excessive
subvocalization, and mental panic that accompanies the faster beta waves.
HISTORY
I worked with Max Cade in London from 1973 to 1981. Then, with Max's support and
blessings, and the generous gift of a Mind Mirror(TM) from Geoffrey Blundell, I
returned to the United States to bring this information home. Very little was understood
at that time about the interrelationship of brainwave frequencies. I was living in
Boulder, Colorado, and teaching "Biofeedback Meditation and The Awakened Mind".
My path took me on one of teaching rather than research, but in the course of my work and
out of personal curiosity, I have had the good fortune to measure many thousands of
brainwave patterns and assist in their development.
In my work, I found that the Awakened Mind brainwave pattern was present during any kind
of "peak experience" or "peak performance", regardless of the content
or intention. I measured it in the creative arts: the choreographer creating a dance and
the composer creating music produced the Awakened Mind pattern. I saw it in the
(supposedly traditionally "left brain") world of scientists and mathematicians
(another myth gone). The Awakened Mind is the "ah-ha". At the exact instant of
solving the problem, or getting the insight, the pattern appears. I saw it in temples in
my travel to the Far East. I saw it in homemakers who liked to sit among the flowers and
"daydream". I saw it in the executive offices of multi-billion dollar
corporations. And I saw it develop in my students as I trained them.
VARIETIES OF THE AWAKENED MIND
One of the areas which I have developed beyond the early work of Max Cade, is in
identifying the fluid nature, changing qualities and varieties of Awakened Mind patterns.
I have learned to identify the category of brainwave by cluster formation and pattern
recognition as opposed to the specific frequency. The brainwaves are displayed in four
clusters
representing the four categories
of each hemisphere. Within each 13
cluster there is what I call the peak frequency, or the single frequency with the
strongest amplitude. The peak frequencies have to be in the right relationship to each
other in order to be a proper Awakened Mind pattern.
The interrelationship of the peak frequencies within the four clusters is much more
important than the frequencies themselves. Within this framework, it is possible for
someone to have brainwaves at 7 hz., that behave as alpha waves through their positioning
and function within the pattern as a whole and their interrelationship with the other
frequencies. In the same vein, it is also possible to have a frequency of 19 hz., behave
as an alpha wave, or a frequency of 9 hz. behave as a theta wave.
PATTERN RECOGNITION
In measuring brainwaves for understanding states of consciousness, it is vital
that we look at the pattern as a whole rather than the individual parts. We must
understand the interplay between ALL frequencies in order to understand what is actually
happening within the state of consciousness. The drawings illustrate some of the
varieties of Awakened Mind patterns possible and, below that, some patterns that might be
mistaken for an Awakened Mind pattern but are not.
14
Varieties of Awakened Mind Patterns
The fundamental requirement for an Awakened Mind pattern is that there is an open
flow of information between the conscious, subconscious and unconscious brainwaves.
What takes place within each of the categories is a different question and is often
contingent on the content of the mind rather than the state of consciousness.
Conversely, the figures below show brainwave patterns that ostensibly have all of the
components necessary for Awakened Mind patterns - namely beta, alpha theta and delta.
However, you can see that in figure 15a the distance between the alpha peak frequency and
the theta peak frequency is too great - even though one is truly alpha and the other is
truly theta. This creates a "bottleneck" where the flow of information is
stifled, making an Awakened Mind experience impossible. Figure 15b shows the same thing,
but this time the bottleneck is between the peak frequencies of beta and alpha. Figure 15c
shows not an Awakened Mind, but a meditation pattern inhibited by too much beta.
15a 15b 15c
Examples of patterns mistaken for an Awakened Mind
Success interpreting the brainwave patterns lies in the ability to understand the
intricacies of the interplay between frequencies. So far, I have only described static
brainwave states - like pictures taken from a freeze frame on the EEG. But brainwaves do
not behave in this way. They are constantly moving, changing and shifting. Another aspect
of this kind of pattern recognition in reading the movement of the brainwaves and
discerning the states of consciousness represented, is to understand the effects of the
"organization or disorganization" of the pattern as well as the
"stability" of the individual frequencies.
Analyzing the organization involves looking at how the clusters of frequencies of the
categories of beta, alpha, theta and delta move in relationship to each other. ie: What is
the pattern of movement of the different categories within the interrelationship? How
ordered or how random is the movement? Here we must look at the way in which the major
parts of the pattern work together to form a whole - not the individual frequencies.
Analyzing the stability, on the other hand, involves looking at the speed and pattern of
movement and rate of change of each individual frequency within any given category of
brainwave.
This paper is not long enough to go into the detail necessary to understand pattern
recognition and interpretation of the moving brainwave pattern, however, I would be remiss
in letting the reader think it is not a vital aspect of comprehending and training the
Awakened Mind.
STATE VERSUS CONTENT
There are two ways of looking at consciousness - the "state" of consciousness,
which can be defined in terms of brainwaves and in terms of experience, and the
"content" of consciousness, which can be defined as the material of the mind -
the thoughts, feelings, images, sensations, and attitudes that make up the substance of
consciousness. State and content can either be interdependent or independent according to
the situation. State can be used to access content and content can be used to access
state. So far, we have primarily been discussing the state of consciousness - the actual
brainwave patterns. The content of consciousness is the combination of thoughts, emotions,
and perceptions contained within the state - the material of the mind.
THE STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
There are many ways of learning how to alter your state of consciousness. It is simply a
question of changing your brainwave pattern. But, obviously, it helps to know what state
you are starting from, and what state you wish to go to. To this end, I begin working with
any client by taking a "brainwave profile".
BRAINWAVE PROFILE
The brainwave profile has two distinct sections. I look at the brainwaves of the client
while he is in an eyes open waking state and then when he is in an eyes closed relaxed or
meditating state. Both sections of the profile have a series of questions, instructions,
and exercises I ask the client to do, in order to get as complete a range of information
about his brainwave state as I want. I observe the frequency changes, the interactions of
the peak frequencies, the width of the clusters, the organization of the pattern, and the
stability of the movement in a variety of different contexts. From these observations, I
determine what I call a "signature pattern" for the individual. Actually each
person has two signature patterns - one for eyes open and one for eyes closed. The
signature pattern is NOT a stable fixed picture. Rather I have developed a way of
crystallizing the movement of the brainwaves into one drawing which describes the
amplitude and the movent of the frequencies. This drawing then helps me to determine what
kind of training is needed and in what order.
Below is an example of a hand drawn eyes closed signature pattern. The moving dynamic
pattern is captured in a static picture by the style and quality of the lines. The solid
lines are the most consistent and fixed aspects of the pattern while the broken lines
denote flares of brainwaves. The style of the broken or dotted line and the distance of
the connection of the flare from the main body of the pattern portray the frequency and
form of movement. I will often augment the drawing with the hz. numbers of key or peak
frequencies.
16
PATTERN INTERPRETATION
Pattern recognition and interpretation of a spectral analysis EEG like the Mind Mirror
requires observation of many features. Besides looking at the peak frequency and the band
width of each of the brainwave categories and the organization and stability of the
pattern as a whole, it is important to note the repetition of identifiable, consistent,
but brief states. These can occur randomly or cyclicly, and can be a vital indication of
the individual's developmental status in terms of states of consciousness.
The most obvious example of this is a brief random flare of the Awakened Mind pattern.
When this is observed, I must next take into account what precedes it or seems to set it
off when I am making my training plan.
INDIVIDUALIZED OPTIMUM STATES
Once I have established the signature patterns of a client, the next step is to
determine what his or her optimum brainwave pattern would be. Here I have to take into
account the needs and expectations of the individual and the reason he or she wants
brainwave training. While most clients that I see would ultimately like to have mastery
over their brainwave states and be able to produce their optimum patterns at will,
occasionally there are individuals who visit me for very specific reasons that have
nothing to do with wishing to activate an Awakened Mind. When this occurs, even though I
can see what training would be best for them in terms of peak performance states, it is
important to focus on and respect theirs specific needs. However, for the purposes of this
chapter, I am going to assume that the training process that we are referring to relates
to maximizing brainwave mastery and developing higher states of consciousness.
As we have seen earlier, there is not one specific Awakened Mind brainwave pattern that
I try to mold everyone into. There are, however, the principles of the optimum states of
consciousness. If I apply these principles of the Awakened Mind to an individual's
signature pattern, through a process that is almost algorithmic, I can determine what
their individualized Awakened Mind pattern would look like.
So much of the rest of my work with clients, especially the "content" aspect
is heuristic. However, this basic determination of the direction their Awakened Mind
pattern will take when it is evolving, is important to the development of a training plan.
A brief note here: I have identified two signature patterns - one with eyes open and one
with eyes closed. Since we are concerned here with discussing the development of the
Awakened Mind brainwave pattern, it is most common that I use the closed eyed signature
pattern as the initial basis for the training plan. This is simply because most
people are already closer to it in a state of eyes closed internalization, so that makes
the best starting point. Eventually, I can take them into open eyed training once they are
well on the way to mastery in the closed eyed state. When people already have a reasonably
accessible Awakened Mind pattern with their eyes closed, they may want to begin open eyed
training.
Twenty plus year of developing brainwave training plans for clients led me to create a
generalized training procedure or protocol that has the most effective and immediate
impact on brainwaves for training an Awakened Mind brainwave pattern. This protocol may be
followed with anyone regardless of their original state of consciousness to establish a
well rounded mastery and progress towards the Awakened Mind pattern. For that reason it is
especially useful in group training situations where the measurement of individual
baselines or signature patterns is impossible.
WISE PROTOCOL
Eyes Closed
1. Increase relaxation
2. Access Theta
3. Reduce Beta
4. Access Alpha
5. Address Hemispheric Balance
6. Address Delta
7. Stabilize Alpha
8. Stabilize Theta
9. Alpha and Theta together
10. Add Beta for Awakened Mind
11. Stabilize Awakened Mind
Eyes Open
1. Alpha
2. Alpha and Theta
3. Awakened Mind
In individual training, this protocol can be personalized according to the original
signature pattern. The order of the training process can be vital. Specific
frequency training, without detailed analysis of the interrelationship of the individual's
frequencies might result in a the brainwave pattern "devolving" rather than
"evolving" - in other words getting worse in terms of higher states of
consciousness. For example, an individual came to me with very high amplitude alpha
peaking at 10.5 hz. and almost no accompanying theta in her "meditation"
pattern. She wanted to use a light and sound device set on 10 hz. to "help her
meditate" because she had heard alpha was good for meditation. She wondered why she
could not get deep meditations.
In this case, her excessive alpha was already inhibiting the development of the theta
waves. She needed to reduce her alpha in order to allow the theta to emerge. My approach
with her was to sacrifice as much of the alpha as necessary, perhaps most of it initially,
to get her theta to develop. Then carefully maintain the theta while adding the alpha
back.
For some brainwave patterns it is advisable to work on reducing the beta waves before
attempting to access and develop theta, depending on the frequencies, amplitude and
characteristics of the beta waves. I must also take into account the original
accessibility of the lower frequencies and their availability or resistance when I do
theta eliciting tests in the initial brainwave profile.
BRAINWAVE TRAINING
Having completed the brainwave profile, determined the appropriate signature pattern,
and developed an individualized protocol, we are now ready to begin the brainwave
training. I will first talk about training the state of consciousness, but the use of
content within the training process is, more often than not, an integrated component.
Methods: Biomonitoring versus Biofeedback
Although I frequently integrate brief periods of biofeedback into the initial stages of
brainwave training, the bulk of the training sessions consists of biomonitoring and
instructions based on the brainwave patterns that are being monitored. The patterns that I
am looking at and the patterns I am training are complex. The process of learning begins
with accessing the state that we are looking for. I have many techniques that I use
to assist the individual in accessing the frequencies desired in the particular stage of
training we are involved in. Biomonitoring helps me determine which combination of these
techniques is appropriate to use at any given time.
Among the resources I use to affect the brainwave states are:
- Breathing techniques
- Deep psychophysiological relaxation
- Concentration exercises
- Special eye, tongue, and body positions
- The use of specific colors
- The use of specific words
- The use of specific sensory imagery: visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory,
and kinesthetic
- Guided fantasy
- Traditional meditations
- "Energy" work
I monitor the brainwaves in real time and make decisions as to what will best assist the
individual to access the desired frequencies most effectively. Biomonitoring can be used
to effectively shape the desired pattern by instantly adjusting guidance to suit immediate
needs. I watch the results and alter my instructions accordingly, often not giving any
biofeedback until the desired state is reached, or at least close at hand.
Once the state we are working on is reached, I will give biofeedback so that the
individual can begin to learn to recognize it. I ask him or her to find some way to
"mark" the state inside -a word, image, symbol, phrase, body sensation, etc.
that can be recalled later to help him or her return to the state more directly and
quickly. A table of subjective landmarks with several dozen subjective experiences related
to brainwave states is used to help participants find "keys" for returning to
and mastering different frequency combinations. I later ask the client to recognize the
state himself when he has reached it. The final stage is to be able to return to the state
at will and with full awareness.
Initial biofeedback offers the individual the opportunity to experience that a
particular state can be reached. For example, if he doesn't think he can produce
alpha, and he can, I will give him that feedback. Biofeedback is also useful when the
brainwaves fluctuate in and out of the desired state in a consistent way. Then giving the
client the "now you have it, now you don't" type of information is very valuable
in his learning to sustain it. However, that feedback is only valuable when the state that
he is fluctuating in and out of is the desired state, not simply a portion of the
desired state. If I gave alpha feedback on a flare at 12 hz., when what I am really
looking for is a broad range of alpha covering 9 to 12 hz. and peaking at 10.5 hz., I
would probably be giving premature biofeedback which might ultimately hinder the
development of the appropriate alpha. It all depends on the organization, stability, and
behavior of the other frequencies.
I rarely, if ever, give single frequency biofeedback without taking into account the
pattern as a whole. If, for example, I were to give feedback of successful 9hz., and the
individual was producing very strong amplitude in 19, 24, 30, and 38 hz., I would not be
giving him the message that I want him to receive without explaining that. Otherwise, his
internal experience of what he thought was only alpha would include a heavy dose of beta
as well.
With advanced students I can actually give biofeedback of various frequency combinations
without confusing them. For example: "Your beta has reduced appropriately. You have
consistent alpha with flares of theta. Strong theta.....holding.......now its gone......
now its back........now the alpha is fading......bring it back." In this way I
can help them to shape their brainwave pattern in the way they want it to be.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RELAXATION
Although I listed deep psychophysiological relaxation as simply one of the brainwave
training resources above, I want to make special note of its importance for the whole of
consciousness training. It is much more difficult for an individual to willingly alter his
brainwave state from a place of physiological tension than from a place of deep
relaxation. Beta is easier to reduce, and alpha and theta are easier to access when the
body is relaxed and the client has let go as much as possible. For this reason, relaxation
training is an integral part of my work with brainwaves. I use electrical skin resistance
meters to measure the depth of relaxation - both for biomonitoring and biofeedback.
Relaxation is also vital for developing theta waves for working with the content of
consciousness.
THE CONTENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS
The content of consciousness is the material of the mind, which takes place in many
forms. A useful metaphorical way of looking at it is that the brainwave pattern
"contains" the content. Figure 17a shows the content of beta while thinking and
figure 17b shows the content of alpha and theta while meditating. Figure 17c illustrates
how an Awakened Mind pattern allows the flow of content between the subconscious and
conscious mind.
17a 17b 17c
USING CONTENT TO AFFECT STATE
By accessing the subconscious and working with the material that is there, the client's
theta waves increase (figure 18).
The specific nature of the material
is not always important - what is 18
important is that it is an aspect of his subconscious. The content of theta differs from
that of alpha in the style of imagery that is experienced. While alpha images can
generally be colorful, distinct, and vivid, theta imagery is usually darker, fuzzier, and
often more meaningful. In people with high levels of visual imagery ability, flares of
theta can be accompanied by the colors of blue and purple, hence the classic phrase of
inspiration, "It came to me out of the blue!"
While working with theta development and the subconscious, I draw upon the principles of
gestalt, hypnotherapy, and a variety of psychological modalities, but the most important
resources are intuition and common sense. I often ask the client himself what content he
would like to use in his theta development work. Generally he chooses some aspect of his
life with which he has had difficulty - often something fairly hidden - which is why it
remains stuck in underdeveloped theta waves.
REPRESSED PSYCHOLOGICAL MATERIAL
Certain brainwave frequencies and behavior indicate to me that the individual has some
sort of repressed psychological material - or important content of which he is unaware.
For example, an individual might fluctuate between Figure 19a and Figure 19b while I am
developing the subconscious. Figure 19a shows a brainwave state where there is a large
amount of subconscious material in the theta waves but no bridge between the conscious and
subconscious mind. This individual is, in all likelihood, unaware of the contents of his
subconscious. When his state of consciousness changes to that depicted in Figure 19b, he
has opened up the bridge of alpha, and his conscious mind is ready and usually willing to
receive the information, but the theta has disappeared! The information is still not
available.
19a 19b
This vacillation between the two distinct patterns can occur rapidly and in response to
particular questions. In some cases, I can actually "see" the suppressed
material being shunted around so that the conscious mind will not have access to it. In
these cases I must work very carefully with the individuals involved to ascertain whether
or not they are prepared to "release" this content and whether or not they want
to continue in this way with their consciousness training. I then provide the support and
follow up that is needed, or make sure that they have a therapist to whom they can take
this material. I have seen memories of catastrophic fire, rape, incest, abuse, and other
traumatic experiences emerge from theta development.
Once the suppressed material is released and the individual has either processed it or
let go of it, the ability to access the theta state is more easily maintained. With theta
developed and "cleared" so to speak, the natural tendency is to replace the
trauma with creativity or spirituality.
There are two major approaches to accessing repressed psychological material through
brainwave training. One is to take the individual down into theta and then slowly add the
alpha bridge to his pattern. The other is to access the alpha and maintain it while
developing the theta. I use different styles in working with each technique, and again
make my decisions based on the individuals' needs and the behavior of the brainwave
patterns as a whole including the beta waves.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TRAINER AND THE CLIENT
To be most successful, my methods and equipment require a person to interface between
the instruments and the individual. As you can see from the above descriptions, I place
strong importance on the way that I, or those I have trained, work with clients. This is not
clinical biofeedback. This is not a behavioral science. Although, I certainly
incorporate aspects of behaviorism through my use of direct biofeedback, even that is done
by the practitioner, not by a machine. The practitioner can then make use of how he
or she gives the feedback, by changing the tone and loudness of voice and the actual
wording to improve the client's self confidence and therefore his or her performance. The
positive effects of the client/practitioner relationship through encouragement and
validation are as important in the brainwave training of "state" as in the
brainwave training through "content".
MEDITATION AND SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality is rarely addressed in the same breath as electroencephalography. Yet if we
are to use electroencephalography for consciousness training, it must be. We, as human
beings, have a drive towards some kind of connection with a power greater than ourselves,
just as we have a drive toward reaching "higher" states of consciousness. This
drive can be suppressed or sublimated by all of the myriad forms of
"self-medication" including, but not limited to, alcohol, drugs, food,
relationships, and work. Nevertheless, the drive is there. If it can be recognized,
accepted, and even validated, the individual can be helped along his path to coming in
touch with who he really is, thereby manifesting his fuller potential, not only as a
spiritual, feeling, thinking human being, but as a member of the larger community of
mankind. Brainwave training can assist in this process.
Meditation is perhaps the most commonly talked about and accepted "altered state of
consciousness". Yet there are many different definitions, methods, philosophies,
dogmas, techniques, attitudes about, approaches to, and uses for the mental state called
meditation. I prefer to think of meditation only in terms of brainwave patterns -
describing it as a "state" rather than as a "technique" or a
"content". While there are many different nuances to the meditation state, it
basically consists of alpha and theta and usually some delta. While prayer
may add beta because it is a more verbal form of meditation, and deep
psychophysiological relaxation may reduce alpha because it can be a less conscious form of
meditation, the similarity of the general combination of brainwaves remains in meditation,
prayer, contemplation, hypnosis, auto hypnosis, guided fantasy, visualization, and deep
psychophysiological relaxation. The essence of the spiritual connection seems to take
place in the theta waves, with alpha providing the bridge to the conscious mind so that
awareness can be maintained.
So how can we teach meditation with EEGs? Simply by brainwave training for the
production of joint alpha and theta waves in the right proportion to each other, and the
mastery of beta waves, you are teaching meditation. What happens in the content of this
meditation state is up to both the client and the practitioner. If the state is being
trained, how the content is being approached may have vital impact on the
"meditator". Conversely, if only the content is being taught, as in most
meditation trainings, how the state is being approached may also have vital impact on the
meditator. Teaching meditation with EEGs is a natural progression of spirituality into the
21st century.
If you decide to teach meditation with electroencephalography, beware the hidden fear of
many long term meditators, "Am I doing it right?" While many people learn
meditation "correctly", those who have focussed entirely on technique may
rightly feel that they are missing something. I had a client who had "meditated"
for an hour a day every day for twelve years. He came to me because he felt he was
"missing something". Through EEG measurement, we discovered he had been sitting
and thinking for 12 years. After only a few sessions, he went into a deep
meditation. At the end he sat bolt upright and exclaimed, "I just meditated for the
first time!"
Brainwave training for the purpose of individual evolution will have a strong impact on
personal spirituality. We can expect to see more integration and less distinction between
the two realms of science and spirituality in the future.
ADDING THE BETA BACK
So how do we ultimately develop an Awakened Mind through brainwave training? To the
state of meditation we add specific frequencies of beta waves. The optimum frequencies
required depend on the frequencies of the alpha, theta, and delta waves of the meditator.
Again this can be done through specific brainwave training techniques or through working
with content. Some "problem-solving" meditations and "self-healing"
meditations have the principles of adding the beta back built in by requiring the
meditator to "think".
FEEDING BACK THE "AH-HA"
Direct open eyed biofeedback can also be used as an excellent Awakened Mind training
technique. When I have a client who already moves in and out of an Awakened Mind state, I
will have him look at the Mind Mirror(TM) himself during the session. Then I
will get him talking about something that he finds particularly stimulating, exhilarating,
or meaningful. When he happens upon an Awakened Mind state in the course of the
conversation, I will point it out to him immediately so that he can see it on the EEG.
Usually the impact of this is so strong on him, that he has an "ah-ha"
experience when he sees the pattern. In other words, he understands on all levels of
himself what he just experienced and the brainwaves he produced.
This understanding then creates another Awakened Mind pattern which I again point out,
which in turn creates another Awakened Mind pattern... and another... I have seen
individuals sustain this cycle once it has started for up to a dozen brief "peak
experiences" at a time. They later report greater ease in both identifying and
producing this state without the use of the EEG.
Delta Waves are
usually thought to range from 0.5 to 4 hz. They are what is left turned on when the rest
of us turns off and goes to sleep-- the unconscious. However, they are also produced in
some people in a waking state. Here they act as a kind of "radar", reaching out
and seeking information on the most unconscious levels. They provide the individual with
deep intuition and empathy and are present in many psi experiences including extrasensory
perception, telepathy, and healing.
The Awakened Mind brainwave pattern is a combination of all
four of the brainwave categories, beta, alpha, theta, and delta,,
simultaneously in both hemispheres. 
