|
|
WEEKLY COACHING TIP #
114
EXPLORING
THE POWER OF YOUR MIND
Episode 3 : Training your Mind NOTE: THE FREE
TALK AT THE END OF THIS TIP! Last week we saw how important it is to experience Theta and Alpha brain states. Thank you to all the people who sent me their experience and suggestions, there's obviously a lot of you who have experienced Alpha and realised it. Some ways we can access alpha are: 1. Every day "detached" activities: Walking, Showering, Sleeping, Driving, Ironing, Working (manual) ... Provided your mind is relaxed enough, these activities will allow you to enter the alpha (and theta) states usually for a short period of time. This will happen as your brain switches off, and you may experience glimpses of inspiration at that time. People will normally get a minimum of these moments (provided they don't drink coffee all day).
Benefits: Relaxation
& Inspiration
Limitations: Too short
to get much more benefit
2. Every day "focused/directed" activities: Art, Sport, Working (not manual) ... If you are skilled enough at what you are doing (i.e. it won't happen with beginners and intermediates) and get to the right balance between inconscious effort and focus, then you will enter the state called "the zone" or "peak state" during which your performance will increase greatly. e.g. Alpha brainwaves have been shown to precede and enable moments of peak sport performance (Reference: Allman, 1992)
Benefits: Performance
Limitations: Need
skills, Limited to that activity
3. State Induced activities: Yoga, Meditation, Visualisation, Self-Hypnosis, Sedona Method, Tantra ... These are aimed to induce a certain state of mind. The longer you practice and the more experienced you become will increase the duration and quality of your Alpha state. (References: Wenger & Bagchi, 1961 ; Anand, Chhina & Singh, 1961 ; Kasamatsu& Hirai, 1956 ; Hardt, Timmons, Yeager & Kamiya, 1976)
At this point I
want to introduce 2 additional points:
A. There
are different qualities of "alpha" waves (e.g. depending on
rhythm, coherence ...)
B. Different
parts of the brain may generate different brain waves (e.g. experienced Zen
or TM meditators are able to generate Alpha waves in several
areas of the brain)
Benefits:
Multiple as you can work on your specific need
Limitations:
You need serious practice
4. Alpha Specific Training: These are specifically designed to train people to access the Alpha state "on demand" and reap the benefits, i.e. increasing Memory, Energy, Performance, Creativity, Self-Confidence, Health, Stopping Addictions etc... They are usually used by big companies, government agencies, top athletes and performers. The 3 types of training I'm aware of are: A. Neuro-Feedback Training: This is a kind of biofeedback where you have electrodes on your scalp, connected to machines filtering the alpha waves and giving you back a signal so you know you reached it. The feedback allow you to improve so quickly that the pioneer in this field claim (References: Hardt, 1993) that after their 7 day course, you can reach the same level of Alpha as Advanced Zen meditators with 20 years experience!
Benefits : Even the sky is
no limit
Limitations: The 7
day training will cost you 14,000 USD (that doesn't include the
flight to California!)
B. Heart-Feedback
Training: The Heartmath Institute (which I previously mentioned) has developed
some training (and software) that allow you to "tune" your heart
rate, which from what I understand is in correlation with your brain activity.
I'm planning to learn more about these techniques and will keep you posted.
C. Alpha Dynamic Training:
This company has been training thousands of people for 20 years (mainly in Australia). Here again the announced benefits are massive: Pain Relief, Improved Learning, Performance, Creativity & Intuition, Fixing Insomnia, Stop Smoking, Weight Control etc...
The good
news is you don't have to go to Australia (or California), as there
are coming to London.
There is also
going to be a free talk in Richmond by Peter Heibloem, who runs
these seminars. He will explain to you Alpha in more detail, how
to access it and what it can do for you. He will then be running a
seminar early September in London, which I myself will be
attending, as I think this is superb training.
I certainly would recommend attending the free talk, if you are even slightly interested in self development and mind control. If you want more information about the free talk (or the training) then email me asap as I believe seats are limited.
Please
invite people to join us
in our journey to Discover
the Power of Your Mind!
Simple,
just forward this email.
Until
next week onwards and upwards!
Denise
Bosque
Explorer
of the Mind
2004 Denise Bosque All Rights Reserved
|
|
|