Questions about using brain entrainment audio with binaural beats

[Bruce Achterberg]

I'm interested in exploring binaural beats (i.e. listening to audio that has the goal of brainwave entrainment).

That said, I have a bit of resistance that I'd like to soothe. Maybe you guys can help me out.

I see binaural beats (or at least, the audio that induces binaural beats in my brain) to be much like a food. Much like any food or substance I can put in my mouth, I can "consume" the audio, and as a result, they'll affect my somehow (hopefully positively).

When it comes to food, I have a good basis of understanding that I use to help guide me so that I have positive experiences with what I eat and how it affects me.

Part of what bothers me about binaural beats is that I'm not really sure what I'm working with. I've read about how they work and people's experiences with them, but I'd like to have a better basis of understanding I can use to evaluate and guide my experience with binaural beats so that I have a positive experience with them.

Below I'll share some questions I have.

I've included extra info below the questions because, in some cases, while I have an intuitive awareness of what I'm asking, it wasn't so easy to put into words and sum up in a one-line question.

I'd appreciate any info or links to info you have. Thanks, guys.

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1. How can I get best results from using them? How long can I use them before they become unhelpful?

E.g. To use the food example, I know that if I eat 2 avocados in one meal, my body will be okay, and that the avo's will be good for me. If I eat, say, 8 avocados in a meal, my body won't feel so good. Even if that happens, I know that if I give my body enough time to recover from the massive amount of fats I ingested from the 8 avocados, I'll be able to eat them again in a few days, and I'll probably knew when I'm ready by whether I have a desire for avocados or fatty foods (an emotional/feeling indicator), or by whether I see signs of low fat in my body (e.g. dry, cracked skin--a physical indicator).

To sum up, I have a good basis of understanding I can use when it comes to eating.

When it comes to binaural beats, I'd like to have more of a basis of understanding.

Obviously I want to do things in a balanced, harmonious, holistic way, but when it comes to binaural beats, I have no idea what that looks like.

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2. What happens if I'm, say, half-way through an audio track and get interrupted and don't finish it? Would it be okay to just start again, or would that be not-so-good?

Is it okay to just change from one state of brainwaves to another, or would that be not-so-good? Could I listen to an audio that would produce a certain state, and then listen to another audio directly after, and if not, why not? Are there some guidelines that are helpful to use?

At the moment, I don't know too much about how the brain functions in regards to brainwaves and states, so I'm not sure what is natural.

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3. Do our brainwaves get naturally entrained by anything else? Are we able to put ourselves into the same states we put ourselves in when listening to brainwave entrainment audio, and if so, what are some ways to do that?

E.g. I've heard that shamans and American Indians used drums in rituals and such, and those drum beats might have aided them reaching certain states.

I've also read from Angela that you can put yourself into an Alpha state by lying down, relaxing, and rolling your eyes to the back of your head.

Suffice to say, I'd like to know more about these states--i.e. how we might induce them naturally, or have them induced naturally without us even knowing about it.

I suspect that we're able to change the state of our brain at will, so I'm curious about how

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4. I've read that some people experience negative results from binaural beats. Why do some people have great experiences, and why do some have unpleasant experiences? (I understand there are many variables in play, and it's probably not easy to give a definitive, across the board answer, but I figure maybe someone has a good answer to this question.)

E.g. Inspirations reports feeling quite ill after listening to them. Alsy reports being able to absorb information from books well while not using entrainment, but having issues absorbing info when not. Vera Nadine reports getting headaches, feeling dizzy, and vomiting two days after using Holosync.

Why would they have those experiences when other people wouldn't? Why is there a range in experiences?

To me, it indicates that there's some sort underlying factors to be aware of when using binaural beats. If so, what are those factors?

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5. Are there any long-term effects associated with the long term use of binaural beats, positive or negative?

I.e. Could I, say, entrain a certain state in that isn't helpful to me (maybe without realising that it wasn't helpful until I've been doing it for quite a while), and if so, do these states linger around, or if you stopped listening to binaural beats audio, would you return to a "natural" state?

Again, I don't really understand the brain science as it relates to this topic, so I'm trying to get an idea of how these different states work.

I know that I could probably experience some positive results from listening to binaural beat audio, but I'm mindful of long-term results, and also mindful of considering it in a holistic context.

[Brutha]

I'm interested in exploring binaural beats (i.e. listening to audio that has the goal of brainwave entrainment).

Binaural beats aren't the only form of audio brainwave entertainment.

[quote]3. Do our brainwaves get naturally entrained by anything else? Are we able to put ourselves into the same states we put ourselves in when listening to brainwave entrainment audio, and if so, what are some ways to do that?[/qutoe]

I've also read from Angela that you can put yourself into an Alpha state by lying down,

When you have people capitalising Alpha state you often speak with people who aren't into measurement of brainwaves, which sometimes means that the might call things a Alpha state that aren't in the technical sense.
That said relaxing does lower your brainwave activity.

If you want to read from people who know a lot about brainwave entertainement I would recommand you to check out Transparent Corporation (they also have a forum).
Brain Waves & Brainwave Entrainment is also a nice article.

Is it okay to just change from one state of brainwaves to another, or would that be not-so-good?

It would be okay but there the chance that the brainwave entertainment doesn't do anything if it goes to fast.

Suffice to say, I'd like to know more about these states--i.e. how we might induce them naturally, or have them induced naturally without us even knowing about it.

When you are mentally calm the frequency of your brainwaves gets lower. When you get mentally active it gets higher.

Alsy reports being able to absorb information from books well while not using entrainment, but having issues absorbing info when not.

Brainwave Entertainment can be used to put yourself into an alpha state or to put yourself into an beta state.
If you have to do heavy mental activity such as reading and reflecting on a text a beta state is better than the alpha state.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Bruce Achterberg

Suffice to say, I'd like to know more about these states--i.e. how we might induce them naturally

Sure you can. There are many different techniques, here's one. Start falling asleep.

Seriously, your mind starts moving towards alpha as you fall asleep.

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by Brutha

Binaural beats aren't the only form of audio brainwave entertainment.

Oh?

I suspected this might be the case.

I'm currently only aware of the binaural beat type--i.e. the type where two different sine waves are played into either ear (i.e. "binaurally"), and a part of your brain "hears" a phantom frequency that you perceive as a pulsing binaural beat.

I also know you can use light machines to entrain the brain (although I don't understand how they work exactly).

What are the other types you audio entrainment know of, other than binaural beats?

Originally Posted by Brutha

When you have people capitalising Alpha state you often speak with people who aren't into measurement of brainwaves, which sometimes means that the might call things a Alpha state that aren't in the technical sense.
That said relaxing does lower your brainwave activity.

If you want to read from people who know a lot about brainwave entertainement I would recommand you to check out Transparent Corporation (they also have a forum).
Brain Waves & Brainwave Entrainment is also a nice article.

I had to think for a moment whether it was gramatically correct to capitalise "alpha," heh. (I didn't know, so I just went with something.)

Thanks for the link to the resources.

Originally Posted by Brutha

It would be okay but there the chance that the brainwave entertainment doesn't do anything if it goes to fast.
When you are mentally calm the frequency of your brainwaves gets lower. When you get mentally active it gets higher.
Brainwave Entertainment can be used to put yourself into an alpha state or to put yourself into an beta state.
If you have to do heavy mental activity such as reading and reflecting on a text a beta state is better than the alpha state.

Yeah, that's what I felt--that they tend to shift naturally.

That's what I'm interested in, really--what is natural. I'd also like to know more about what state my brain is in most of the time (but for that I'd need an EEG... which transparent do sell, heh, but I don't have the cash for them at this moment. I'd love to get one, though).

I figure if I knew that, I could use binaural beats more consciously (although there would still be more things I'd like to know about them).

Mostly, this thread stemmed from me looking at binaural beats and thinking, "it seems kind of strange to alter our brainwaves using an external source." It seems like altering our states like that could be not-so-good, and it bothers me a bit that there's no real guideline--everyone's sort of just saying "hey, check out these brain-altering audio programs" without a real awareness of how to use them (relative to the holistic implications of using binaural beats).

That said, I know basically all food we ingest is a "drug" in that all food is a stimulant, some foods just stimulate to varying degrees.

I'm sure binaural beat audio can produce desired states and make certain tasks easier, but I try my best to consider things holistically.

Perhaps I have a flawed belief about binaural beats, and what is "natural," but that's the partly why I made this thread--to explore and learn more. I'm kind of looking for a reference point. I could use binaural beat audio, sure, but that's still not much of a reference point--it seems far, far too subjective and would take me a long time to figure out what exactly I'm feeling and stuff like that.

Suffice to say, I can feel what I'm looking for, but I can't really describe what it is I'm looking for (if I could I'd be able to more readily search for it), so I'm throwing out my net and exploring.

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Sure you can. There are many different techniques, here's one. Start falling asleep.

Seriously, your mind starts moving towards alpha as you fall asleep.

Touche. you can achieve listening to audio with binaural beats (and other such technology)?

To phrase my question better, what are some natural ways I can consciously put myself into a different brainwave states (like the states I can produce listening to audio with binaural beats, and other such entrainment technology) while remaining conscious?

I figure almost everything we do alters our brainwave state, but I'm sort of digging to find out if we can do it more consciously without the aid of technology.

As I said above to Brutha, I'm looking for something, and I can feel what I'm looking for, which is why I'm asking these questions. (You're into the LoA, right? You could say I can feel something in my vibrational escrow, so I'm feeling around for it. I don't expect it to necessarily come through this avenue, but exploring always seems helpful, if only to clarify my desire. )