Hi All,

I want to describe my experience with brain entrainment – which I called “training wheels” for developing greater consciousness of my mental processes.

First, I liked the BrainWave app, found it very soothing and hopefully protective.  On evening three, however, while sitting in bed at night, I had the distinct impression that the steady entrainment frequency (which I was using for a vague sense of “protection”) could also be used to slip programming into me by matching the frequency as a carrier wave – and might be doing it right then – there seemed to be some sort of interference coming through!

Immediately, I removed my ear buds and replaced the entrainment frequency app with simple calming music of my choice, figuring that it would be harder for anyone to hide programming inside the ever-changing music.  Then I began using music for a big portion of each day after that – which is something I haven’t done much of throughout my life.  (Most of my life, I’ve valued silence and the thoughts of my own mind which I haven’t wanted distracted or overridden by others’ ideas and sounds.)

The habit of listening to music during the day (steady til April 28 when I first drafted this, then dropped again) – music chosen to make me calm and happy – caused me to realize that sometimes my own thoughts – especially when I focus on the mind control – can become toxic!  My Own Thoughts weren’t the pure source I’d always thought they were.  And music, carefully chosen, could put me on a better path – or at least I was willing to try it.  And surprise, surprise, I found myself maintaining a better mood and attitude!

Now, I apologize if this is a no-brainer for some of you who’ve always used music that way, but it’s new for me, and it caused me to realize that entrainment might be thought of as more than just the adaptation of the brain to a particular frequency, but also the adaptation of the brain to a general idea, which it can then magnify, repeat, resonate with, and even amplify.  And if the general trend is negative, it can be interrupted better with music than with my own best intentions.  Surprising discovery, because I always valued the natural way over technology – but soon I was back to my valued silence.

So the exercise of trying out the BrainWave brain entrainment app allowed me to think about, feel, and experience, the dramatic effects of a frequency calming my mind – and a frequency threatening my mind (it seemed), two important things I’m glad to have experienced and recognized.

Second, I could also consider – in a deeply felt way – that the mind can also be entrained to an idea with just with my own mental habits – an idea we’ve all heard of in the “think positive” memes, which I’ve resented until now.  Finally, I can see the wisdom, rather than only denial, in a moderate application of the advice.

For the last few weeks, I haven’t used the app, but I feel far more aware now of the state of my mind and my ability to change it with either intention or technology if I should need.

I hope this encourages readers to consider their own mental patterns, disciplines, and ways to moderate and protect their mental states.  While technology may seem like a sort of dependence, it was a good awakening experience for a few days at least for me, helping me toward natural processes, with new awareness of technological and non-technological possibilities.