The brain and Addictions

[nonena]

Astraltaveler seems to use the mind machine as a substitute for his addiction. This wouldn't work in my case, if the urge is there I can't stop it. I have to prevent the physiology from developing and I see the machine as one step in reducing the tension developing.
An update is that I now use the machine probably 6 or more times a week, once a day to aid falling asleep in the evenings. I always play program 37, I have maximum light intensity and medium volume on the supplied head phones. I almost always fall asleep before the program finishes. I have to remove the equipment later in the night when I wake up. I find it OK to use but not particularly appealing. Is everything that is good for you unattractive? Are things you like and want inevitably bad?
I have borrowed the wife's ear plugs for an iphone. They are less obtrusive lying in bed. Another advantage is they have a white lead which makes them easier to untangle from the glasses and power cable. They seem to be more sensitive than the ear phones supplied and I have volume on the lowest setting when using them. I am planning on replacing the plastic bits on the glasses that go from the frame to the ears with rubber or elastic around the head. I can't remember the correct name for them just now. May be I will stick some foam or padding around the out side of the glasses to make them less obtrusive. Not sure if these things will work or not.
I am impressed with the sturdiness of the equipment supplied. I was worried I would damage things the way I use them, the control unit has been dropped on the floor repeatedly off the bed or table. No doubt in my sleep the glasses and headphones are buffeted.
Today in the afternoon I tried something different, program 37 at full volume and full light intensity. I must have completed over 40 minutes before being disturbed and having to do something for someone. It was uncomfortable and I assume not as relaxing. The colours and patterns seemed to be different than how I usually perceive them. It would have been more pervasive than at low volume, a lot less thoughts. I don't even try and concentrate on the effects at any time, my concentration is poor.
I have some queries, they are probably answered else where but I would rather not go look for them. Does the entraining continue when you are asleep and the program is playing? If the effects are uncomfortable, for example volume is high does that influence the process? What effect would it have? Is there any potential problem in using the equipment as I am? Would changing the type of head phones be at all negative? Is it likely that there are programs that would be significantly better for me than program 37, outside of falling asleep, in producing a desirable state of mind? If so which is likely to be the most fruitful source to go looking for these alternatives?

[neuroasis]

Brain waves have characteristic phases in a general sense when one is asleep. Of course as all things there are extreme variances between individuals. It is not really evident that stimulation frequencies while asleep especially in the deeper stages would have notable impact. I can of course be persuaded otherwise given evidence. These protocols are most beneficial however at sleep onset and in the early phases.

It is not recommended that you use a program that works for you to sleep in any other manner outside that use. Doing so risks losing the association of sleep encouragement. It is best to dedicate that one program to that. I have noticed many times that programs appear quite different at various times of the day. It may be due to the influence of the active brain wave state, melatonin concentration, neurotransmitter activity, etc. This needs further research.

I highly recommend these headphones for use during sleep or session where you may want to fall asleep during or at the end.
Acoustic Sheep SleepPhones

We are planning to release light strips for DIY projects. Actually we already have some Procyon ones available with Kasina style on order. Here is an easy DIY project to make a sleep mask




There is also the method in this thread too. http://www.mindplacesupport.com/foru...2817#post12817

With sessions that have elements that are uncomfortable, try them a couple of times and see if it was a first impression reaction. It there are elements you can adjust like sound volume, light brightness etc, then do so. Otherwise, with the wide variety of sessions there is no need to persist if that session is not enjoyable for you.

Thanks for your continued interesting posts.
Scott

[brewmasher]

The latest research done by Transparent Corp and Dr. Giovanni Santostasi, who works at the sleep lab at Northwestern suggests that sounds that appear to be moving is actually registered by the sleeping brain. I have tested the sessions created by them, and have created my own sleep sessions incorporating 3-D sound and auto panning effects. I have to say that the improvement in sleep sessions by the utilization of sleep phones and 3-D sound is remarkable. My only problem is the sleep phones I have are not that comfortable on the ears, and the wires get tangled up with my restlessness. Hopefully a new pair of Bluetooth sleep phones will be in my future.

[MTOICH427]

I am a recovering addict, I just got out of a 28 day inpatient rehab and the lamina was the first thing I purchased. When I first heard that there was a machine that could possibly allow me to access different levels of consciousness without drugs I was sold. It actually is helping. I have been listening to these meditation tapes called The Gateway Experience because I heard with enough practice some people can astral project ( have an out of body experience. I just started listening to some lower tones before i fall asleep like 10hz and below and I have been having awesome lucid dreams that leave me waking up feeling great, which is not a feeling I'm used to. It really is helping me beat my addiction. The only reason I started using begin with was because I wanted to feel good and not have anxiety. I didn't realize that that eventually I would never feel good and would always have anxiety. Now that Im sober the mind machine really helps my state of mind. I figure being hooked on meditating is way better then being hooked on anything else, that's for damn sure.
Does anyone have any more tracks or know where i can find any in KBS format that i can download that might help with my astral projection goal?

[JoeV]

I am a recovering addict, I just got out of a 28 day inpatient rehab and the lamina was the first thing I purchased. When I first heard that there was a machine that could possibly allow me to access different levels of consciousness without drugs I was sold. It actually is helping. I have been listening to these meditation tapes called The Gateway Experience because I heard with enough practice some people can astral project ( have an out of body experience. I just started listening to some lower tones before i fall asleep like 10hz and below and I have been having awesome lucid dreams that leave me waking up feeling great, which is not a feeling I'm used to. It really is helping me beat my addiction. The only reason I started using begin with was because I wanted to feel good and not have anxiety. I didn't realize that that eventually I would never feel good and would always have anxiety. Now that Im sober the mind machine really helps my state of mind. I figure being hooked on meditating is way better then being hooked on anything else, that's for damn sure.
Does anyone have any more tracks or know where i can find any in KBS format that i can download that might help with my astral projection goal?

Have you tried using MP3 session via 35. mm AUX cord or USB? There are plenty of free sessions in the Library section for astral projection.

You can listen to your Gateway Experience recordings and use the Limina for light entrainment. Highlight Sessions on the main screen and hold the center button down for a couple seconds to put it in manual mode. Schumann Resonance (7.83 Hz) is good for astral projection.

You can use the KBS editor if you would like to create your own sessions.