Achieving Brainwave Wellness for Better Health

We all know the importance of taking care of our bodies, spending hours or even years on body wellness, perhaps by eating fresh and healthy foods and incorporating fitness and yoga into our lives. All of these are excellent for physical equilibrium, yet we probably have not spent as much time on brain wellness, the system that runs everything in our bodies.

Each year, the brain’s neuronal pathways change, and limitations often form in these pathways when we are involved in a car accident or other mishap, leading to memory loss and even physical illness. If we have had such a trauma, it is likely that our brain’s communication pathways may require support. Otherwise, we may experience fatigue, depression, anxiety, fear, loss of sleep and more symptoms of brain imbalance over time.

Brainwave entrainment refers to the brain’s electrical response to rhythmic sensory stimulation such as pulses of sound or light. The phenomenon was discovered around 200 A.D. by the Greek scientist Ptolemy, who philosophized about the mental effects of sunlight generated by a spinning wheel. In 1665, Dutch scientist Christian Huygens recorded the first instance of controlled entrainment.

The range of brainwaves includes beta (awake, thinking); delta (deep meditative); theta (sleeping); alpha (alert, relaxed); gamma (conscious awareness in stillness); and the newly proposed Schumann Resonance (Earth electromagnetic peaks corresponding to alpha/theta). Brainwave wellness has become a hot topic, and due to our social structure, most of our time is spent in the beta wave state. Our brains are designed to use all the different wave frequencies within each 24-hour period, and is has been proposed by some people that too much beta frequency creates “heat” for the brain, making it difficult to experience joy.

There are many ways to develop brainwave wellness, because the brain responds to sound and light input from our sensory organs. LED light therapy is claimed to be an excellent way to awaken neural pathways, typically using powerful, flickering lights to open up and activate the pineal gland, the “third eye” or “ajna chakra”, providing new neural pathways to stimulate a peaceful feeling of calm in our body. A healthy pineal gland connects us to the root of our soul wisdom in a harmonious natural and powerful way. This has been said to “bring us into balance with our own physiology.” The body knows how to respond to the light patterns, and a relaxation is automatically felt when brain wellness occurs. It is also recommended by proponents to support anti-aging.

There are many different ways to create health and wellness. Just as we eat different foods to nourish our bodies, we are meant to experience different brain states. The brain is a powerful tool that is designed to restore the body back to optimal wellness.

Maytawee studied with spiritual master Mooji and Monk Phra Bhasakorn and was ordained as a monk/nun. She has 25 years of experience as a mindful life coach, writer and inspirational speaker.

 

Brain Wellness Experiments

In 2014, Maytawee interviewed a Tibetan monk/nun that is a master of sun gazing, considered by some to be nature’s brain entrainment. Here are a few steps to achieve brainwave wellness without LED light therapy.

• Every hour in your day, stop and take a conscious breath while moving your attention to your body. Do this until you feel some relaxation. You have just switched from a beta brainwave to a delta brainwave.

• Take a walk in nature, smell the air, look at the trees and flowers and enjoy the sounds. You are now connected to the Schumann waves, a wonderful practice for feeling grounded.

• Once a day, sing along to some music that makes you happy. You have awakened your alpha brainwaves, which are excellent for creativity.

• Rest in a still, quiet room and place a cool towel on your head, covering your eyes. Begin to follow your breath in and out, feeling your body expand and contract and dropping deeper into the rest state. You are now rejuvenating in the gamma wave state.