Sound Healing

Binaural beats or binaural tones are auditory processing artifacts, or apparent sounds, the perception of which arises in the brain for specific physical stimuli. This effect was discovered in 1839 by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, and earned greater public awareness in the late 20th century based on claims that binaural beats could help induce relaxation, meditation, creativity and other desirable mental states. The effect on the brainwaves depends on the difference in frequencies of each tone: for example, if 300 Hz was played in one ear and 310 in the other, then the binaural beat would have a frequency of 10 Hz.

The brain produces a phenomenon resulting in low-frequency pulsations in the amplitude and sound localisation of a perceived sound when two tones at slightly different frequencies are presented separately, one to each of a subject's ears, using stereo headphones. A beating tone will be perceived, as if the two tones mixed naturally, out of the brain. The frequencies of the tones must be below 1,000 hertz for the beating to be noticeable. The difference between the two frequencies must be small (less than or equal to 30 Hz) for the effect to occur; otherwise, the two tones will be heard separately and no beat will be perceived.

Binaural beats are of interest to neurophysiologists investigating the sense of hearing. Binaural beats reportedly influence the brain in more subtle ways through the entrainment of brainwaves and have been claimed to reduce anxiety and to provide other health benefits such as control over pain.

Isochronic tones are regular beats of a single tone used for brainwave entrainment. Similar to monaural beats, the interference pattern that produces the beat is outside the brain so headphones are not required for entrainment to be effective. They differ from monaural beats, which are constant sine wave pulses rather than entirely separate pulses of a single tone. As the contrast between noise and silence is more pronounced than the constant pulses of monaural beats, the stimulus is stronger and has a greater effect on brain entrainment.

Isochronic tones work by emitting sound at regular intervals. This excites the thalamus and causes the brain to duplicate the frequency of the Isochronic tones, changing its thought patterns.

Brainwave entrainment or "brainwave synchronization," is any practice that aims to cause brainwave frequencies to fall into step with a periodic stimulus having a frequency corresponding to the intended brain-state (for example, to induce sleep), usually attempted with the use of specialized software. It purportedly depends upon a "frequency following" response on the assumption that the human brain has a tendency to change its dominant EEG frequency towards the frequency of a dominant external stimulus. Such a stimulus is often aural, as in the case of binaural or monaural beats and isochronic tones, or else visual, as with a dreamachine, a combination of the two with a mind machine, or even electromagnetic radiation.

A delta wave is a high amplitude brain wave with a frequency of oscillation between 0.1–4 hertz and are the brain state of deep sleep and unconsciousness. Delta waves, like other brain waves, are recorded with an electroencephalogram (EEG) and are usually associated with the deepest stages of sleep (3 and 4 NREM), also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS), and aid in characterising the depth of sleep.

Delta wave activity is known to stimulate the release of several hormones, including growth hormone releasing hormone GHRH and prolactin (PRL). GHRH is released from the hypothalamus, which in turn stimulates release of growth hormone from the pituitary. Like growth hormone, the secretion of prolactin - which is closely related to growth hormone (GH) - is also regulated by the pituitary. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) activity is decreased in response to delta-wave signalling.

The theta rhythm is an oscillatory pattern in EEG signals recorded either from inside the brain or from electrodes glued to the scalp. Two types of theta rhythm have been described. The "hippocampal theta rhythm" is a strong oscillation that can be observed in the hippocampus. "Cortical theta rhythms" are low-frequency components of scalp EEG. These waves are clinically associated with inhibition of elicited responses and has been found to spike in situations where a person is actively trying to repress a response or action.

Theta brain waves are the brain state of REM sleep (dreams), hypnosis, lucid dreaming, and the barely conscious state just before sleeping and just after waking. Theta is thought to be the border between the conscious and the subconscious world, and by learning to use a conscious, waking theta brain wave we can access and influence the powerful subconscious part of ourselves that is normally inaccessible to our waking minds. While in the Theta state, the mind is capable of deep and profound learning, healing, and growth.

Alpha brain waves are the brain state of relaxation and meditation. The alpha state is associated with creativity and super learning, where the brain learns at a faster and deeper level than it does in beta. Most meditation and energy healing techniques cultivate and utilise an alpha brain wave for relaxation and healing.

Given the alpha wave's connection with relaxed mental states, many people have latched onto the idea of utilising this state through a technique called biofeedback training. This technique utilises EEG to indicate to a subject or trainer when the subject is in an alpha wave state, which the subject is then instructed to remain in. There are several different prospects of this training that are currently being explored. Arguably, the most popular one is the use of this training in meditation. Zen-trained meditation masters produce noticeably more alpha waves during meditation. This fact has led to a popular trend of biofeedback training programs for everyday stress relief.

Psychologists are hoping to use this technique to help people overcome phobias, calm down hyperactive children, and help children with stuttering problems to relax enough to practice regular speech.

Beta brain waves are the brain states of our normal waking consciousness. Nearly all forms of action, thinking, and problem solving are done with a beta brain wave. Most people spend most of their waking lives in a beta state. Beta waves are split into three sections: Low Beta Waves (12.5-16 Hz, "Beta 1 power"); Beta Waves (16.5–20 Hz, "Beta 2 power"); and High Beta Waves (20.5-28 Hz, "Beta 3 power").

Bursts of beta activity are associated with a strengthening of sensory feedback in static motor control and reduced when there is movement change. Beta activity is increased when movement has to be resisted or voluntarily suppressed.

A gamma wave is a pattern of neural oscillation in humans with a frequency between 25 and 140 Hz. Gamma rhythms are correlated with large scale brain network activity and cognitive phenomena such as working memory, attention, and perceptual grouping, and can be increased in amplitude via meditation or neurostimulation.

After watching the documentary below focusing on the 2019 study published by Dr. Jon Dean from the University of Michigan regarding endogenous DMT, it got me thinking. Could brainwave entrainment in the gamma range act to affect the release of endogenous 5-MEO-DMT and N'N-DMT? Possibly in combination with breathing techniques?

I have also included a single video below of binaural beats in the gamma range.