Trouble meditating? Try binaural beats

[Mr. Cat]

It seems that many on PR, including myself, have difficulty meditating when severe brain fog hits, even those who have had pre-ME meditation practices of many years. I've been experimenting a little with binaural beats, which are specifically-designed music pieces, in which subliminal binaural tones designed to stimulate various brain wave patterns underlie a new-agey piece of music, or the sound of a burbling brook, etc.

I'm too brain foggy tonight to do a lot of internet research on the subject and post it, though there is certainly a lot of information available online. However, my direct experience after listening to such programs is that I am often simultaneously both more energetic/alert, and relaxed/calm, and can drop into meditative states much easier, and much deeper than my CFS-brain can access by itself.

Here's a site to get a free sample download: http://www.omharmonics.com/invitation/index-b

You can also find loads of binaural programs on Youtube such as this one:

You do have to listen to them with headphones to take advantage of the binaural effect, which works as it does because the sound is slightly different in each ear.

Please let me know your experiences if you try/have tried this. Certainly not a cure, but something to play with.

 

[GhostGum]

I have been using some of these for a while now, there is an interesting one here that was apparently put together by a professor and several audiologists over several years, I do not think it is one to help you sleep/relax though, makes me feel a little wired.

What I much prefer to help me relax are inductions, have become somewhat quite addicted to them actually, because after many months of experimenting with hypnosis, online and professionally I am still finding deeper states of relaxation which is flowing over into day to day stuff. I think after so many years of being ill, being a bit isolated, not to mention having TMJ issues there was a whole lot of s**t and tension there I was not even aware of, that this has helped melt through a bit.

None of it has helped my underlying health issues greatly, does squat and I still sleep terribly on bad days, but boy is it nice to find states of relaxation I am not even sure I knew existed. Seems to work on some people but not so much others though, but also takes time and practise, not to mention you have to let go to some extent.

A lot of these use binaural sounds in the background as well.

If the ladies prefer a male voice there are some under the channel of the first clip here.

 

[GracieJ]

I am glad you both have had success with these. I have as well, and purchased a good set of binaural recordings last year after trying out a few.

One of the first binaural recordings I downloaded left me agitated and upset and feeling very scattered. I have had to be careful with them. Seems it is as easy to upset the mind as it is to calm it down, and it is another bandwagon for people to jump on, produce something, and sell it regardless of quality.

Looking forward to trying the links. Brain re-entrainment is something I have been looking at for a few years. Some things really work, some don't, some get adverse results. Not sure why for any of the three.

The good recordings are amazing and effective in producing calm and clarity.

 

[Daffodil]

I once paid a large amount of money (when desperate) to learn Transcendental Meditation. it took all of 20 min and after a while of doing it, I ended up in a psych ward. Now, I am too scared to meditate!

Despite all the positive articles I read about meditation, I did once find an article that stated that it can, in some cases, increase the sense of isolation and worsen depression in those who are predisposed and maybe not the most stable.

It's also possible that, since I meditated a few years after I acquired CFS, my brain was somehow affected in ways that it wouldn't normally be.

Anyway, this thread is not about TM.....just thought I would share.

 

[maddietod]

I've used Hemi-Sync's Journey Home for years, and more recently added some iAwake products. When I get too scattered to meditate, any of these gets me coherent.

I like iAwake because if you click on a title, you get to a page that lets you listen to a few minutes of the CD. So you can find out if that 'deeply calming' CD paradoxically stimulates you.

 

[Ema]

I've been using HoloSync for about 4 months now.

I find these type of products very useful overall though I did listen to a LOT to find the ones I found most calming overall.

 

[GracieJ]

Cannot remember if this one has binaural beats subliminally or not. It might. I have very much enjoyed EquiSync while falling asleep. I wake up feeling like I am in my own skin, and use certain ones in the morning since they are more stimulating.

 

[GhostGum]

I thought I would bump this thread and add a couple of the best relaxation/hypnosis walk through channels I have found more recently. Both British, one male, one female and they both do by far some of the best paced and thorough videos I have come across, sadly the woman does not add much content, Michael is very active though,

https://www.youtube.com/user/FernberryHypnosis/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelSealey/videos

I still find a lot of this quite helpful, after a busy day I am still surprised sometimes by how much it can slow my brain and system right down, which I can just not do by myself. I think it is nice to just put headphones on and drown out everything else too probably.