From: peterson_at_d...
Date: 2001-04-15 04:27:10
--- In buildcheapeeg_at_yahoogroups.com, yaniv_vi_at_yahoo.com wrote:
> hi
> so about poetential uses , what about using the device for
> meditation practice ? or getting into deep theta/ deep delta ?
> is it safe for the private user ?
> and also the crossover frequency ? is it safe for the average user ?
> because alpha/theta is very similar to all the above .
> thanks yaniv .
>
Yaniv--Alpha is the primal frequency for meditation. The early
studies of experienced meditators at Menninger Clinic and elsewhere
found them to emit very high alpha amplitudes during meditation--80
or 100 uV in some cases. If you simply put your training time into
getting "good" at alpha, it may be a long time before you feel the
need to move on to other frequencies.
"Deep delta" will most likely just put you to sleep. I would be
somewhat careful about any theta training, but would not rule it out
for people who are sure of their psychological footing, so to speak.
As for crossover, permit me to paste in my comments from an earlier
posting to refresh you on the topic:
* * *
The "crossover" phenomenon refers to a condition where alpha and
theta amplitudes are equal, rather than to a specific frequency.
Usually, in most people's typical EEG
patterns, alpha is stronger than theta. You might have 20 uV of
alpha & 10 of theta, for example. However, sometimes theta amplitude
rises to match or exceed that of alpha, and if you were to graph the
alpha and theta traces over time, theta would "cross over" alpha.
Some equipment allows clients to mark the points in time when
significant mental events, such as traumatic memories or important
mental imagery, happen, and it was noticed that these psychological
events tend to correspond in time to alpha-theta crossovers. It is
therefore assumed that these are times when people have especially
good access to their unconscious processes. The state of alpha-theta
crossover is also good for creativity, for "oceanic" feelings, and
for intense spiritual experiences. The usual way to get there is via
alpha-theta training. Elmer Green did a lot of clinical work with
people in this state. He talks about some of the spiritual and
paranormal experiences his people had in a paper called "Experimental
Vipassana," which he has presented at several conferences, most
recently at the 2000 annual meeting of the AAPB (Association for
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback). At that conference Elmer
told me that he was working on a book called _The Ozaukee Book of the
Dead_ (I don't know the publisher offhand).
--Jim
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