Entrainment - What does it feel like?
I usually lie down in a quiet room with subdued lighting with my eyes closed
and play a cassettes on a walkman with headphones (not speakers). The
volume should be adjusted so that the sound is clearly audible, but not so loud
that it become the focus of your attention simply because of its volume.
The effect I notice most often is that of finding my mind
wandering and realising that I've forgotten about the tones or noise in the
earphones. When the mind is wandering the thoughts can go in really odd
directions reviving childhood scenes or memories that haven't been thought about
for decades.
There have been times when I can feel the sounds
"pulling" my mind in a particular direction. A particularly unusual
feeling is that of having one's mind pulled in two different directions
simultaneously by two different sets of tones - and having the effect last after
the tape has ended.
Other times, there has been the feeling of being on the edge
of a (mental) abyss and having to pull back to stop myself from being pulled
into it.
One of the most fascinating times was an occasion when I felt
like, all of a sudden, I could see into eternity. It was a conscious feeling
like having a veil removed from my sight - an inexplainable feeling but really
amazing. I know this sounds presumptuous - especially to say that I could see
forever when I've got my eyes closed and it's all happening inside my head!
However, that's what it felt like and I can't explain it any other way.
The effects are unpredictable, and depend on how busy my mind
is, whether I'm worried or preoccupied and how willing I am to just let go. On
many occasions, I've found myself thinking "I'm not going to be able to
lock on today" and I realise that the entrainment signals are in the last
stages of a tape where they're pulling me back to consciousness - much like
dreaming you're dreaming, just before you wake up. Just when I think the tape
isn't working, I've found that most of half an hour has passed without me
realising it.
As I said above, the results are varied, sometimes exciting
and generally very relaxing. If you like exploring your mind, this is a great
way to go! |