What is the function of the various brainwaves?
The brain produces waves of currents that flow throughout its neural pathways. The type of brainwave is defined by the frequency at which it is pulsing. The particular rate of pulsation determines your state of mind. There are often several patterns interacting at one time.
Entrainment can be utilized to synchronize your brain to specific frequencies. Two tuning forks of the same pitch will both resonate at the same frequency when one is struck. Brains operate much like a resonance chamber, oscillating pulses and patterns of neural excitations ripple through our brains much like never-ending waves in a dynamic pond of subtle electrical matter. Brainwave entrainment and binaural beats occur naturally in our environment.
We are learning more about how these states can be summoned and harnessed to create mindstates that are conducive to expanded states of consciousness. Great ideas occur during this time period. Einstein came up with the theory of relativity in this state, and likewise, one of the Watson and Crick pair visualized the double helix in this mindstate successfully cracking the illusive architecture of DNA.
Brains have a left and a right hemisphere. The left hemisphere is linear, logical, practical, and time orientated. The right hemisphere is non-linear, abstract, creative, wholistic, and non-logical. Accountants use less of the right hemisphere than artists would. We use one hemisphere at a time, favoring a particular hemisphere depending on activities. For math you would use more of the left side. Painting a picture, you would use more right hemispheric activity. It's not that simple, since both hemispheres are constantly interacting and both can be in use at the same time.
These hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum. It is a bridge between both sides. It can be exercised and strenthened until it is physically larger and more capable of transmitting data, thoughts and feedback between hemispheres.
By merging both hemispheres and allowing them to work together you can increase mental fitness (like having a faster modem working at faster speeds). A more integrated system creates better performance. Edgar Cayce, a famous clairvoyant healer was found to have an unusually large corpus callosum.
The brain is an electrochemical organ; and speculations are that a fully functioning brain can generate as much as 10 watts of electrical power. More conservative investigators calculated that if all 10 billion interconnected nerve cells discharged at one time that a single electrode placed on the human scalp would record 5 millionths to 50 millionths of a volt. Electrical activity emanating from the brain is displayed in brainwaves.
When the brain is aroused and actively engaged in mental activities, it generates beta waves. These beta waves are of relatively low amplitude, and are the fastest of the four different brainwaves. Beta waves are characteristics of a strongly engaged mind or active conversation.
Where beta represented arousal, alpha represents non-arousal. Alpha brainwaves are slower and higher in amplitude. A person who sits down to rest, reflect or meditate is often in an alpha state.
Theta brainwaves, are even greater amplitude and slower frequency. A person who begins to daydream, who is driving on a freeway, and discovers that they can't recall the last five miles, is often in a theta state.
Delta brainwaves are of the greatest amplitude and slowest frequency. Deep dreamless sleep is the lowest frequency. Humans dream in 90 minute cycles. When the delta brainwave frequencies increase into the frequency of theta brainwaves, active dreaming takes place. Rapid eye movement (REM) is characteristic of active dreaming.
Although one brainwave state may predominate at any given time, depending on activity level, the remaining three brain states are present in the mix of brainwaves at all times. Knowledge of brainwave states enhances ability to make use of specialized characteristics of those states. (being intensely focused, relaxed, creative and in restful sleep.)
Doctors doing electroencephalograph (EEG) work on clients with ADD find that the person has a predominant theta brainwave pattern. People without ADD are normally in the beta range.
Here is a table showing altered states, measured brainwaves and the state of mind experiencing these states.
NORMAL CONSCIOUS STATE ~ NORMAL MATERIAL LIFE:
High Beta 30 ~ 23 Hertz Panic, Hyperactivity
Beta 22.99 ~ 16 Hz Twitchy
Low Beta 15.99 ~ 14.5 Hz OK, Normal Consciousness
Beta/Alpha 14.49 ~ 13.5 Hz Calm
High Alpha 13.49 ~ 12.4 Hz Quietness
ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS:
Alpha 12.39 ~ 9.9 Hz Start of Meditation
Low Alpha 9.89 ~ 8.2 Hz Inspiration, Mental Mediumship--Clairvoyance etc.
Alpha/Theta 8.19 ~ 7.7 Hz Light Trance, Overshadowing
High Theta 7.69 ~ 7.1 Hz Partial Loss of Awareness
Theta 7 ~ 4.9 Hz Further Loss of Awareness
Low Theta 4.89 ~ 4.3 Hz Deeper Trance
Theta/Delta 4.29 ~ 3.9 Hz Out of Body Feeling
High Delta 3.89 ~ 3 Hz Guides Controlling
Delta 2.9 ~ 1.5 Hz Passive Body
Low Delta 1.49 ~ 0.5 Hz Full Deep Trance
Panning 0.49 ~ 0.01 Hz Where Have You Gone?
BRAINWAVE: RANGE: CORRESPONDING MENTAL STATE (....excluding those ranges higher than beta such as gamma)
BETA waves 13 to 30 Hz the fastest waves, most commonly found during our waking state, associated with outward awareness, engaged mind, arousal, actively perceiving and evaluating forms of data through the senses; also present with fear, anger, worry, hunger, and surprise.
ALPHA waves 7 to 13 Hz associated with non-drowsy but relaxed, tranquil state of consciousness, less engagement and arousal, pleasant inward awareness, body/mind integration, present during meditation and states of relaxation
THETA waves 3 to 7 Hz associated with increased recall, creativity, imagery and visualization , free-flowing thought, future planning, inspiration, drowsiness, present during dreaming and REM states
DELTA waves .1 to 3 Hz associated with deep dreamless sleep, deep trance state pituitary release of growth hormone, self-healing, present during deep levels of non-REM sleep.
