States of mind
States of Mind
There are four medically defined states of mind. These were named in the order that they were discovered. Each state of mind represents a frequency range within which brain waves are vibrating. The table below shows the four states:
State Hz Description
beta 14+ The beta state is the state that your brain operates in during normal day-to-day activities. In your normal waking state your brain rhythms operate at about 20Hz. Stress is a result of brain waves operating at a higher frequency. The higher the frequency the more stressed you become.
alpha 7-14 Alpha is commonly known as the "superconcious" state.
theta 4-7 This is the state of light sleep.
delta 1-4 Delta is the deep sleeping state when one is comatose.
The advantages of the Alpha state
When one operates in the alpha state one is at their most efficient. Alpha induces clarity, heightened awareness and intuition. Alpha is a much more efficient state than Beta and using Alpha one can effectively plan your day, meetings, or any stressful event. It is also commonly used as a means of achieving one's goals.
Inducing the Alpha state
There are many different techniques for stimulating alpha brainwaves. Almost all of these involve relaxing the physical body and mind. It is very important to know that you cannot get into alpha without relaxing. If you are stressed or feeling hyperactive then your brain will be operating in a state of beta.
Music
Music has a profound impact on the state of mind. Research has shown that some forms of music stimulate alpha brain waves whilst others stimulate beta. Certain styles of classical music have produced the best results in laboratory tests. The music should be calming and have a rhythm that pulses slightly slower than the average heart-rate.
The colours technique
A common method of inducing alpha is the colours technique. This involves visualising visible colours starting with a high frequency colour (red) and working through to a low frequency colour (violet). The principle behind this technique is that as you imagine colours which vibrate at increasingly slower frequencies, you stimulate increasingly slower brain waves in your mind.
For example, one would close the eyes and visualise the colours in the following sequence:
RED � ORANGE � YELLOW � GREEN � BLUE � PURPLE � VIOLET
Think of each colour for about five seconds before moving on to the next colour.
How to visualise colours
If you have trouble imagining a colour, then simply imagine an object in the colour that you wish to visualise. For example, for the colour orange, you could imagine the an orange, an amber traffic light, an article of clothing you might own which is orange.
The countdown technique
The countdown technique is a simple technique which involves mentally (or verbally) counting down numbers. Generally one would count down slowly from 21 to 1, pausing between each number and using positive suggestions to induce a positive state of mind.
e.g.
21 (pause) I feel relaxed
20 (pause) My body is becoming totally relaxed
19 (pause) I feel secure
18 (pause) All stress and tension is leaving me now
and so on ..
The eyes up technique
Have you ever noticed when you ask a person a question that forces them to recall information they briefly look upwards? This is another way of reaching the alpha state, simply look upwards and concentrate on taking slow, deep breaths. This technique is particularily useful for times when you need to collect yourself quickly.
Part of this material will be duplicated in the section on neuro linguistic programming.
The nature technique
The nature technique involves closing the eyes and imagining oneself in a peaceful natural scene. This could be a waterfall, on top of a high hill, in a jungle, or any natural scene that makes you feel calm and relaxed. A variation of this technique is to stare for a short time at a poster of a peaceful scene.
Breath techniques
This is effective to calm oneself. Inhale as much air as possible and hold for a count of 2 seconds. Exhale all the air and hold also hold this for 2 seconds. Repeat this 10 times focusing on the energy that you receive with each breath.
Electronic methods
It is possible to induce a state of alpha electronically. This is usually done by listening to a sound at a certain frequency or by watching a light pulsing at the correct frequency. We would not recommend using an artificial method to induce the alpha state because people tend to become dependent on the electronic devices. It is far better to learn to induce the desired state of mind naturally.
Combining techniques
It is possible to combine all of these techniques. For example, you may wish to use one of the breath techniques followed by the nature technique.
Source: http://www.mindpower.co.zw/about/about.mindpower.cfm
Originally Posted by Veinsaw
