Beta and delta brain waves were always present to some degree during wakefulness.

A study published in Neuron, helps us understand the value of delta and beta brain waves in a new way. Basically, the study showed that beta brain waves denote attention and attentiveness while the much slower delta brain waves tell us when to pay attention. It makes sense that we don’t pay attention to everything all the time – we’d be overwhelmed. Some mechanism within us figures out the patterns of attention we need to employ in order to better utilize our attentive powers. Timing is everything…

Through a series of experiments utilizing a brain-computer interface, the study authors discovered that beta and delta brain waves were always present to some degree during wakefulness. The frequency and intensity of the delta wave helped the authors predict when attention would be paid while the frequency and intensity of the beta wave helped them predict how attentive the subject would be at any given time. Fundamentally, this demonstrates that our brains are always bathed in delta AND beta waves during times of outward attention such as when noticing something important or just paying attention to something. The study did not investigate sleep states.

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“When subjects posed expressions of fear, they had a subjectively larger visual field, faster eye movements during target localization and an increase in nasal volume and air velocity during inspiration.”

“When subjects posed expressions of fear, they had a subjectively larger visual field, faster eye movements during target localization and an increase in nasal volume and air velocity during inspiration,” observed researcher Dr Joshua M Susskind and colleagues from the Department of Psychology, University of Toronto in Canada. The opposite pattern was found for disgust. The study was supported by a Canada Research Chairs program and a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council grant and published in the peer-reviewed science journal Nature Neuroscience.

Using computer-generated graphics, the researchers trained a group of undergraduate students to model a set of facial expressions and then tested their vision and the airflow through their nose. During the training, the participants were presented with facial examples from one of eight different individuals, four men and four women, displaying six different emotional expressions. They used pictures of faces showing anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise. After the participants rated these faces to identify which type of expression was shown, they were then asked to perform the face themselves. For fear, they were asked to furrow the brow by contracting the muscles, widen the eyes and flare the nostrils. For neutral expressions, they were asked to relax their muscles. Read the rest of this entry »

I was using the Voyager Galaxy with a client who reported suffering from depression. I was adjusting the frequency of the lights when the client suddenly yelled out to me to stop at a certain frequency. The client was “seeing” recognizable imagery! What’s more, when I placed the glasses on myself, I saw clear recognizable imagery, too! All I could figure was that the frequency matched some physical brain structure that opened imagery to me (and my client).

What I saw was clear and distinct as though I was looking out the window at an actual scene. The colors were as clear as broad daylight. What’s more, the scene changed in a logical order; that is, it proceeded like I was watching a movie. My client, too, saw a moving imagery that was spontaneous. I suspect that the frequency triggered spontaneous imagery related to deeper issues that were metaphorically represented.

Since then, I’ve experimented with the Galaxy on a number of clients and several have reported spontaneous imagery at frequencies of 12.3 to 12.8 hz. More imagery was reported at 12.7 hz unison (both lights flashing in unison) than at other frequencies in that range. In one instance, a person reported imagery that evoked strong emotion that we could work with using RET. Most other clients merely received insight or, in some cases, “gee whiz” information. As a hypnotherapist versed in metaphor, I could use their “gee whiz” imagery to draw useful information for the client’s sessions.

Not everyone who tries this process sees visions. Of the 25 clients with whom I’ve done this, 14 saw visions, 2 saw “something interesting”, and the rest saw lights flashing or unrecognizable patterns.

I’ve found that I can use the Light & Sound mind machine while my client is describing their issue symptoms. At frequencies of 8.5 – 10 hz alternating, I’ve found that clients tend to more quickly solve their own problems. One woman I worked with said she felt she could do anything in that state of mind.

For RET Technicians, try using a mind machine while doing the RET SSPT process called Life Skills Coaching.

What seemed to work for me was to slowly adjust the mind machine’s frequency up, little by little, until the client showed a distinct relaxing of the facial muscles. Then I’d leave the frequency there for a while before inviting the client to discuss their issue with me. My job was to help them elicit further aspects of their issue or problem. “What ELSE…” “…And then…” etc. Mostly I focused on behavior, belief, and physical sensation, rather than on emotion.

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Have you ever tried a mind machine? You know, those cool hand-held computers that present you with flashing lights and brain wave tones? Basically, you put on headsets and special glasses that have LEDs in them, close your eyes, hit the start button and WOW! Yeah – those are the mind machines I’m talking about.

I own several models – Voyager Mind’s Eye (used to be Voyager XL), Voyager Galaxy, Proteus, and Sirius (Used to be Orion). My favorite is the Voyager Mind’s Eye. Here is my personal evaluation of each:
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