Omnivos Therapeutics Sound Therapy Education Center

Working with Binaural Beats and Sound Therapy: Part 3

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In the previous articles, I discussed binaural beats in general and how to use tuning forks and binaural beats. In this post, I will talk about how to create binaural beats with crystal singing bowls.

Using binaural beats with crystal singing bowls is less exact than with tuning forks or with electronics where you would select specific frequencies to work with. Crystal singing bowls are not measured by frequencies, they are measured by musical notes; C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A# and B.

Musical notes are further measured by a term called cents. Cents indicate whether the note is an exact pitch, flat (lower than the exact note) or sharp (higher than the exact note). Cents are usually measured from -50 to +50. Say you have a bowl in the note of C that measures -45. You'd say that bowl is C-45.

In the image to the right, the chromatic tuner is showing the instrument to be a A 0 or exact pitch. You can measure the note of your singing bowl (or any instrument) with chromatic tuner which you can get at most music stores for about $75.

Because singing bowls are not measured by exact frequencies, you cannot easily pick two bowls and decide that these will create an alpha wave. Instead, you'll either have to measure each bowl or listen to them. When you hear a binaural beat it will sound or feel like a wave moving back and forth from ear to ear. If it moves slowly, it is closer to an alpha to delta wave. If it moves faster, it is beta or higher. Feeling the wave is the best method. Play 2 bowls together, if they sound or feel soothing its alpha or slower.

When we select a singing bowl set, we always test to make sure the wave created by bowls are alpha, theta or delta. We don't call it that however, the term we use is harmonize. Every singing bowl in a set should harmonize with the others.

Much of what is mentioned above may be hard to understand because sound therapy is an experience so the best way to appreciate binaural beats is to experience them.

Working With Binaural Beats in Sound Therapy: Part 2

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In the previous article, I discussed what binaural beats are and how they can be used. As with everything involving sound therapy, it is an experience and not a lecture so I want to emphasize that the best way to understand how to use binaural beats is to try it. I'll talk about tuning fork and binaural beats below and cover crystal singing bowls and binaural beats in a separate post.

Difference Tone

A difference tone is the difference between 2 frequencies. For example, if you have an Otto 128 (128hz) and the Earth Tuner (136hz), you'd subtract 136-128 to get 8. The difference tone of these two forks is 8hz. Now take a look at the table at the bottom of this post. Notice that an alpha wave is between 8hz and 12hz. Therefore, using the Otto 128 by one ear and the Earth tuner by the other will create an alpha wave or alpha state. If you have these two tuning forks, give it a try now. It should feel relaxing.

Say you want to calm your system after a long day at work or with the kids. Choose two tuning forks which will create a difference tone between 8hz and 12hz.

On the other hand, perhaps you are a little tired and are about to go into an important meeting. Select two tuning forks whose difference tone will create a beta state, 13hz +. Don't get carried a way with this. If you want to be more alert, work between 13hz and say 20hz. There is no reason to go to a difference tone of 30hz because that may actually create an anxiety state. It depends on the individual.

3 Easy Ways to Work with Binaural Beats and Tuning Forks

1. Earth/Ohm and the Otto 128 tuners: As I mentioned above, these two forks create an alpha state. If you are a practitioner, use these two forks before and after a session.
2. Brain Tuners: This is a special set of unweighted tuning forks specially created for working with binaural beats. The forks are labeled as Alpha, Beta, Delta and Theta.
3. Planetary Tuners: These are the best commercially available set of tuning forks to experiment with binaural beats. It is an 11 fork weighted set where you can create many different combinations of difference tones. As the name suggests, these are the frequencies of the planets so there is the added benefit of connecting with the energies of our solar system.

If you have any questions regarding binaural beats, feel free to contact me or search for binaural beats on the net.

State of Consciousness	EEG Rhythms	Description
Beta 13Hz +		Beta state is associated with peak concentration, heightened alertness, hand eye coordination and visual acuity. -Peak-concentration -Heightened alertness -Cognition -Visual acuity
Alpha 8Hz - 12Hz		Alpha state is a place of deep relaxation, but not quite meditation. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness-it is the gateway, the entry point that leads into deeper states of consciousness. -Relaxation -Quietly Alert -Introspective -Creativity -Visualization
Theta 4Hz - 7Hz		Theta is known as the twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In Theta, we are in a waking dream, vivid imagery flashes before the mind's eye and we are receptive to information beyond our normal conscious awareness. Theta has also been identified as the gateway to learning an memory. -Waking-dream -Vivid imagery -Meditation -Memory -Intuition
Delta < 4Hz		Delta is associated with deep sleep and long trains of thoughts about nothingness or energy without form. During delta we plug into our source, the Universal Energy Field, and use the energy to revitalize our mind and body. -Detached Awareness -Healing -Deep Sleep

The table above is courtesy of Dr. John Beaulieu

Working With Binaural Beats in Sound Therapy: Part 1

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"Binaural beats or binaural tones are auditory processing artifacts, or apparent sounds, the perception of which arises in the brain for specific physical stimuli." Wikipedia

Bet that was helpful. Here it is in english and how it pertains to sound therapy. When you place two different sounds by your ears, one by the right and the other by the left, your brain creates a third tone called a binaural beat.

If you happen to have 2 tuning forks, tap and place them by either ear. Listen for the third note which may feel like a wave of sound moving from the right to left side of your brain. That's the binaural bead.

Now scroll down to the bottom of this page where you will find four pictures, each one showing an EEG. Don't read the descriptions, just take a quick look at the images then come back to this point...

So, which image looks like high alert? Most people would say the Beta image. Which image looks the calmest? That would be Delta. Each of these images also represent your mental state, very alert, relaxed, asleep.

• You are driving down the road, a child runs in front of the car and you hit the brakes. At that moment your brain is in a beta state, very alert. Your brain wave looks like the beta image.
• You are sitting on the couch at the end of the day, feeling relaxed and calmer. This is an alpha state. Theta and delta states are where you are when you are in a deep sleep or deep meditation.

So What Do I Do With This Information?

Say it is close to bed time but you are still very awake, in a beta or high alpha state. You can help your brain to slow down to an alpha state by listening to something that creates an alpha state.

Another example, you are a health practitioner, doesn't matter if you are an massage therapist, working with reiki, acupuncture, herbs or an onocologist. You can tell you client is in a high alert or agitated state. It would be better if they could relax before beginning by bringing them to an alpha state.

There are a lot of ways to do this, recordings, breathing techiniques and yes, with the use of tuning forks and crystal singing bowls which have nearly instantaneous results. You can work with different binaural beats by selecting specific frequencies.

Explaining it at this point will make this post too long so I will cover how to select tuning forks to create beta, alpha, theta and delta states in the next post.

State of Consciousness	EEG Rhythms	Description
Beta 13Hz +		Beta state is associated with peak concentration, heightened alertness, hand eye coordination and visual acuity. -Peak-concentration -Heightened alertness -Cognition -Visual acuity
Alpha 8Hz - 12Hz		Alpha state is a place of deep relaxation, but not quite meditation. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness-it is the gateway, the entry point that leads into deeper states of consciousness. -Relaxation -Quietly Alert -Introspective -Creativity -Visualization
Theta 4Hz - 7Hz		Theta is known as the twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In Theta, we are in a waking dream, vivid imagery flashes before the mind's eye and we are receptive to information beyond our normal conscious awareness. Theta has also been identified as the gateway to learning an memory. -Waking-dream -Vivid imagery -Meditation -Memory -Intuition
Delta < 4Hz		Delta is associated with deep sleep and long trains of thoughts about nothingness or energy without form. During delta we plug into our source, the Universal Energy Field, and use the energy to revitalize our mind and body. -Detached Awareness -Healing -Deep Sleep

Any two tuning forks used together create a binaural beat. To work with binaural beats described in this article, take a look at the Brain Tuners.