Re: A Dodgy Way To Get Into Theta?

[Guest guest]

Sounds like another version of the old Edison ball-bearing story.Supposedly Edison, when he was out of ideas to solve a problem, would put pie pans on the floor on either side of his desk chair, put a few ball bearings in each hand then lean back and let himself drift off.  When he started down into sleep, his hands would open, drop the bearings into the pie pans, and he would wake up (keeping his eyes closed) and often find " voila " that he had a new idea for responding to the problem.

Probably not much written about getting into theta, since most neurofeedback is about getting OUT of it.  There's no real problem to getting into it.  Just stare off into space and daydream, or close your eyes and let yourself drift toward sleep, and you'll go into theta dominant states.  There's a big difference between synchronous theta and asynchronous theta, which is a kind of spaced-out unfocused state.

Be careful what you wish for.Pete-- Van Deusenpvdtlc@...http://www.brain-trainer.comUSA 305 433 3160

BR 47 3346 6235The Learning Curve, Inc.

On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 5:03 PM, duquesne97217 <ryon@...> wrote:

 

Most biofeedback books barely mention theta and there is almost no

techniques for getting into theta. But there was a [biofeedback]

book that I was reviewing for Amazon.com that had a very simple

technique for getting into theta that involved nothing more than

a dinner bell.

Basically, one holds the bell handle and as they relax, drift

off towards sleep and theta, the bell rings as their arm drops.

Since dinner bells aren't all that common around here these days,

I've never tried this particular technique, but I have wonder if

it's a viable way to learn how to get into theta consciously if

done over time. And to what frequency? Does anyone ave any ideas

about this?

Ron

[Guest guest]

When I learned the alpha theta protocol at the  Menninger Foundation decades ago, we were told a story about Edison, who threw everyone 'off track' by telling them that creativity was 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration.

His technique for getting into a Theta State (in order to access  'unconscious' creative solutions to inventions that he was working on....)  was to slump back in his chair while contemplating a problem, nod off, at which point he would lose muscle tone, and the ball bearings which he had been holding in each hand would fall out of his hands onto the metal pie pans placed strategically beneath his hands on the floor on each side of his chair. Since he was 'the Boss', he did not have to answer to anyone justifying his numerous 'naps'....

SitarOn Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 4:03 PM, duquesne97217 <ryon@...> wrote:

 

Most biofeedback books barely mention theta and there is almost no

techniques for getting into theta. But there was a [biofeedback]

book that I was reviewing for Amazon.com that had a very simple

technique for getting into theta that involved nothing more than

a dinner bell.

Basically, one holds the bell handle and as they relax, drift

off towards sleep and theta, the bell rings as their arm drops.

Since dinner bells aren't all that common around here these days,

I've never tried this particular technique, but I have wonder if

it's a viable way to learn how to get into theta consciously if

done over time. And to what frequency? Does anyone ave any ideas

about this?

Ron

-- ____________________________________________ A. Sitar, PhD,  BCNPsychologistBoard Certified in Neurofeedback

President-Elect, Mid-Atlantic Society for Biofeedback & Behavioral MedicinePsychotherapy, Biofeedback, and  Neurofeedback7910 Woodmont Ave.   Suite  1309Bethesda, MD   20814301.718.3588michaelasitar@...

Because e-mail is not a secure form of communication, confidentiality of e-mail messages cannot be guaranteed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, or disseminate any part of or any attachment to this message. If the message has been sent to you in error, please notify the sender by replying to this transmission. Thank you.

[Guest guest]

Revise those figures....  I guess I adjusted for inflation..... " Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration. " On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 6:57 PM, pvdtlc <pvdtlc@...> wrote:

 

Sounds like another version of the old Edison ball-bearing story.Supposedly Edison, when he was out of ideas to solve a problem, would put pie pans on the floor on either side of his desk chair, put a few ball bearings in each hand then lean back and let himself drift off.  When he started down into sleep, his hands would open, drop the bearings into the pie pans, and he would wake up (keeping his eyes closed) and often find " voila " that he had a new idea for responding to the problem.

Probably not much written about getting into theta, since most neurofeedback is about getting OUT of it.  There's no real problem to getting into it.  Just stare off into space and daydream, or close your eyes and let yourself drift toward sleep, and you'll go into theta dominant states.  There's a big difference between synchronous theta and asynchronous theta, which is a kind of spaced-out unfocused state.

Be careful what you wish for.Pete-- Van Deusenpvdtlc@...http://www.brain-trainer.com

USA 305 433 3160

BR 47 3346 6235The Learning Curve, Inc.

On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 5:03 PM, duquesne97217 <ryon@...> wrote:

 

Most biofeedback books barely mention theta and there is almost no

techniques for getting into theta. But there was a [biofeedback]

book that I was reviewing for Amazon.com that had a very simple

technique for getting into theta that involved nothing more than

a dinner bell.

Basically, one holds the bell handle and as they relax, drift

off towards sleep and theta, the bell rings as their arm drops.

Since dinner bells aren't all that common around here these days,

I've never tried this particular technique, but I have wonder if

it's a viable way to learn how to get into theta consciously if

done over time. And to what frequency? Does anyone ave any ideas

about this?

Ron

-- ____________________________________________ A. Sitar, PhD,  BCNPsychologistBoard Certified in Neurofeedback

President-Elect, Mid-Atlantic Society for Biofeedback & Behavioral MedicinePsychotherapy, Biofeedback, and  Neurofeedback7910 Woodmont Ave.   Suite  1309Bethesda, MD   20814301.718.3588michaelasitar@...

Because e-mail is not a secure form of communication, confidentiality of e-mail messages cannot be guaranteed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, or disseminate any part of or any attachment to this message. If the message has been sent to you in error, please notify the sender by replying to this transmission. Thank you.

[Guest guest]

>

> There's a big

> difference between synchronous theta and asynchronous theta, which is a kind

> of spaced-out unfocused state.

>

> Be careful what you wish for.

>

> Pete

I don't know why it hasn't happened since I've gotten older, but

as far back as a few years ago I had on occasion walked around for

20 to 30 minutes in theta-- a very weird state where the " lights

are on but nobody's home; " reaction but little or no rational thought.

One occasion, I was in really low theta because I can sometimes

be easily entrained by the medical strobe lights they use in

EEG exams. I had always believed that a person can't be conscious

and functional at a 4 Hz predominant frequency, but while I was

a little dizzy and woozy at first, I got around quite well. Theta isn't the

no-man's land everyone makes it out to be. :-)

Ron

[Guest guest]

Have you ever tried a simple technique called Ganzfeld? You can

Google up the details but basically this method provides one with

a non-visual field by cutting a ping pong ball in half, placing

each half over each eye.

Ganzfeld simulates what happens if you were in a snow storm and

there was a white-out condition. The brain then starts to produce alpha like

crazy.

Ron

> > > >

> > > > Keep your eyes closed when you come back up.

> > > > Keep a tape recorder beside you and begin just free-flowing whatever you

> > > > recall or see out loud (I usually do it very quietly and NOT worrying

> > > about

> > > > grammar, etc.

> > > >

> > > > Then, I've found, that taking the tape to a computer and transcribing

it,

> > > I

> > > > will often pull out new streams connected to the ones I recorded that

> > > expand

> > > > the material.

> > > >

> > > > Be aware though that this can be dispiriting as well. I have never

> > > > forgotten when I was actively writing short stories I had an astonishing

> > > > dream that was perfect for a story. Woke up enough to jot down notes and

> > > > record a little before drifting back to sleep. I woke up the next

> > > morning,

> > > > remembered that

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>