CALMNESS AND WELLBEING ON REQUEST

Submitted by the Author Avigail Berg:

CALMNESS AND WELLBEING ON REQUEST

Thesis

Submitted as the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts Holistic Health – Lesley University, July 2006

by Avigail Berg

Thesis guidance by Dr. Tami Aylat-Yaguri

Lesley University Israel

Abstract

This thesis explores the process of creating an inner space of calmness, as a

self management tool to reduce stress, and as a possible basis for selfhypnosis

technique to change negative patterns of behavior.

The inner space of calmness is a mind-body sensation of harmony, balance and

tranquility. This thesis examines how special calming, harmonic music, together

with guided imagery that is based on personal associations not only create

effective inner environment of calmness but aids to keep it in memory as an

experience and assists to “operate it” on request.

Observations on three persons describe the process of creating the inner space

of calmness and its effectiveness on their life. The last part includes a

discussion of the benefits and limitations of the method and suggestion for

further research.

Table of contents

Introduction 4

1 Theoretical Review on Stress and Ways to Calmness Space 7

The Connection between Mind and Body 7

Stress and its influence on Mind-Body 12

Building an Inner Space of Calmness 14

Ways to create the Inner Space of Calmness 16

Meditation 16

Neurofeedback 17

Music as a powerful tool for creating Inner Space of Calmness 21

Binaural Entrainment Music 25

Imagery and guided imagery 31

Self-hypnosis with music 35

Summary of the theoretical review 37

2 Implementing Inner Calmness and Wellbeing on Request 38

The process of exploring, creating and activating the inner space of calmness 40

Wrap up of the guided imagery tour 50

Adding self-hypnosis 50

3 Observations 52

4 Discussion & Conclusion 77

Limitation of Having effective space of calmness 82

Suggested areas for further research and study 83

Bibliography 84

Webology 86

Introduction

For more than 20 years, my personal interest has been to observe the

interactions between emotions, thoughts and body sensations and how they

affect wellbeing, self-management and behavior. It all started with my spiritual

connection to the philosopher and spiritual teacher J. Krishnamurti, who inspires

me with his perception about the limitation of thoughts, conditioning of

consciousness, and the possibility of evolution of the human mind, that might

bring an end to human sorrow and conflicts. All these years, I have meditated

with calming music, and noticed that special deep and harmonic music, together

with self-imagery of touring my inner organs and calming them, “paint” my

emotions, thoughts and inner organs with a “joyful and quiet sensation.”

Through that process of calming my inner organs, thoughts and

emotions, I’ve created and experienced an inner space of calmness. I also

noticed that by holding a small crystal in my hand, as a trigger, I can “apply to

myself” that inner space of calmness whenever I choose. Actually, there was a

conditioning between holding the small crystal and the psycho-physiological

perception of the inner space of calmness that spread throughout my being. I

found that I am able to cope with stress, pain, tension and even get better when

I’m ill, when I enter the state of operating the inner space of calmness. I started

implementing the idea of inner space of calmness with my colleagues in a hightech

company where I was a marketing manager. In the past year, I have used

it as an important tool with people during a coaching process .

In this thesis, I explore the components that together build a psychophysiological

perception of Inner Space of Calmness. In addition, I examine the

process of activating it “on request” for the purpose of reducing stress and

improving wellbeing. The research questions derive from investigating the

conditions that create a state of holistic mind-body inner sense of relaxation and

harmony which I call “inner space of calmness.” The external conditions that I

use for creating the inner environment – a special soft music and guided

imagery, are scientifically documented as having a positive effect on mind–body

health. The use of self-hypnosis has also been explored scientifically, as a selfregulation tool for reconditioning behaviors.

The emphasis in this thesis is to look at the process of integrating

physical sensation, thoughts and emotions to a state of mind-body inner

environment of silence and harmony which is perceived by the individuals who

come to me for coaching. The coach (in this case, me) facilitates and assists

them in the process of building a personal psycho-physiological inner space of

calmness. Eventually, they can apply it to themselves, in order to reduce stress

whenever necessary. The ability to “operate the inner space” can give further

motivation for those people, to use the special music as an environment for selfhypnosis in which they recondition compulsive behaviors and replace them with

more suitable ones.

The actual questions being focused in the thesis are the following:

1. What preparations are needed to awaken the awareness and attention for

perceiving inner space?

2. What musical characteristics are essential for deep relaxation?

3. How can guided imagery, together with calming music, enhance the

perception of Inner Space of Calmness?

4. What is the process of mind control and positive conditioning to operate

calmness on request, and how effective is it?

5. How can self-hypnosis methods, combined with calming music, assist self

reprogramming of conditioned compulsive habits and unwanted behavior and

replace them with healthier and balanced ones?

The theoretical basis of the questions is described in Chapter Two, and the

process of actually reaching the Inner Space of Calmness is explored in

Chapters Three and Four.

I believe this thesis can contribute to the holistic understanding of the

interdisciplinary connection of mind-body perception related to selfmanagement

solutions of stress, pain and compulsive behavior. The results of

the thesis can encourage trained people to seek a short-term training process

that will provide them with the compatible music and personalized guided

imagery for experiencing their inner space of calmness. A coach can facilitate

the process of building the inner space by helping to find, “the most appropriate

music” 1 together with building and guiding a personalized guided imagery, and

linking a special symbolic trigger to activate the inner space sensation. Later on,

the person who implements the inner space calmness environment can take it a

step further by using it as a basis for self-hypnosis and reconditioning negative

behavior. Furthermore, the Inner Space of Calmness environment creates inner

confidence, tranquility and balanced sensation in the mind-body and can also

be integrated with conventional psychiatric and psychological treatment and

enhance recovery process.

1 about the mystery of calming harmonic music and its effect on mind-body, see page 21.

1. Theoretical Review on Stress and Ways to Calmness Space

The literature review is an overview of the theoretical background of the main

subjects of this thesis: the interrelation between mind and body in exact and

social sciences, stress and its effects on our mind and body; the significance of

Inner Space of Calmness; ways of creating Inner Space of Calmness (such as

meditation and biofeedback); exploring the mystery of music as a powerful tool

for creating Inner Space of Calmness; imagery and guided imagery and selfhypnosis.

The Connection between Mind and Body

For centuries, healers in many cultures have believed that our thoughts,

feelings, sensations, and actions have a significant effect on our health and that

mind-body are holistically connected. Today, mind-body holistic approach has

been confirmed by the science of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), which

focuses on the complex biochemical links between the mind, the brain and the

immune system.

By understanding these connections, we are better able to protect our

health. We feel emotions in our bodies: we “burn” with anger, “tremble” with

fear, and get “choked up” with sadness. Thoughts and emotions cause changes

in the body: when we think about a sad story, tears fill our eyes. We imagine

squeezing a lemon into our mouth and our mouth fills up with saliva. And when

our body is attacked by a virus or a bacterium, many psychological and physical

factors work together to determine whether or not we get sick. Complex

pathways run between the brain and the body’s nervous, endocrine, circulatory

and immune systems. The entire body is literally “wired” by the brain but it is

actually a two-way interaction and it is more complex because it is the mind

(conscious and unconscious) that influences our thoughts, emotions and

behavior. Positive emotions can apparently trigger a biochemical response that

promotes cardiac health and boosts the immune system. Negative emotions

can set off a complex chain of activity that disrupts the body’s homeostasis,

harmony and balance, run down its immune functions, and increases blood

pressure and heart rate. In trying to understand the complexity of the

interactions between mind and body, let’s investigate what health actually is.

The Oxford Dictionary offers the following definitions: Health – a state of

being well in body or mind; condition of body: Healthy n. having or conductive to

good health: “Heal” – restore to health; cure.

The scientist and philosopher Fritjof Capra extends the view that: “Health is

really a multidimensional phenomenon involving interdependent physical,

psychological, and social aspects” (1982, p. 353). Later Capra states, “Health,

then is an experience of wellbeing resulting from a dynamic balance that

involves the physical and psychological aspects of the organism; as well as its

interactions with its natural and social environment” (1982, p.354).

The Oxford Dictionary’s mention of the body and the mind in the context

of defining health has a link with the important concept in Capra’s statement in

his notion that health is dependent on the dynamic balance between the

physical and psychological aspects of an organism. Another way to talk about

this is in terms of the “body” and the “mind” and to discuss the nature of the

interconnections and dynamic balance in the body-mind or mind-body status of

an organism or more specifically a person. The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of

the word “heal” states that “to heal” is to “restore to health.” Inherent in this

definition to “restore” is the indication that the natural balance has been

disturbed and it needs to be restored in order for health to be experienced. Also

implied in this definition is that health is an innate or inherited state, the

template as it were of how things should be; that there is an intelligence at work

here that is part of a broader, more universal, intelligence that we share with all

things in nature.

This innate intelligence is described by Lonsdorf, Butler and Brown

(1993): internal harmony is perhaps the most salient feature of all living

systems, expressing the intelligent growth and regulation of all aspects of

nature, from the blossoming of a rose, to the rising of the tides, to the

movement of the planets. From cell to galaxies, all matter in life is arranged to

uphold and express nature’s intelligence in a vast universe of balance and

cohesion. In this way the organized intelligence of the universe is a collection of

many forms or bits of expressed intelligence, all life – but all organized in

different ways… In humans, the material essence of nature’s intelligence is

called DNA. Health is therefore the natural optimal status of a person, and a

disturbance in the dynamic balance or internal homeostasis between the

physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of a person contributes to

ill-health.

Thus, the essence of healing is to do with re-establishing this dynamic

balance between the multi-dimensional makeup of the organism or person.

Intrinsic in this approach is the belief that the organism has the capacity and

capability to heal itself when given the right type of support to do so; that selfcorrection is an inherent given for the organism once it is alerted to an

imbalance. It is by understanding this “near-miraculous ability” of the organism

to heal itself that is vital in this equation, just as when there is an injury to soft

tissue or a fracture of a bone, the process of healing occurs almost immediately

without any conscious involvement on the part of the person who has sustained

the injury.

This ability to heal is therefore an integral part of the body’s inherent

wisdom. Recognizing this healing potential is fundamental in being able to

consciously support the body in what it is in fact designed to do. The Inner

Space of Calmness creation is an inner environment to reach that natural

wisdom that for various reasons was off tune. This environment is the ground

to explore the body-mind or mind-body connections in some detail. The

increasing information available from researchers such as Candice Pert (Rossi,

1993, pp. 148, 157, 229), in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), defined

as “psycho” for mind, “neuro” for the neuroendocrine system (the nervous and

hormonal systems), and “immunology” for the immune system. The field shows

us the ability to communicate with the unconscious mind through our conscious

thoughts, sensations and emotions.

Research over the past twenty years has seen the development of

psychoneuroimmunology, which is based primarily upon the neuroscience of

the central nervous system, the neuroendocrine system and the immune

system and their inter-relationships. The central nervous system is a huge array

of connections throughout the body incorporating sympathetic and

parasympathetic systems. It allows the brain to send information throughout the

body via chemicals generally referred to as information substances (IS). It was

once thought that the brain sent out these information substances to respond to

the various problems in the body and that the communication was that of a oneway

direction. What has become clear is that the central nervous system

virtually controls the body’s defense mechanisms. The holistic psychological

and philosophical mind-body perception gets its evidence from research in the

interdisciplinary field of psychoneuroimmunology. Involved in applied research

into mind-body interconnectivity are researchers in several scientific and

medical disciplines such as psychology, neuroscience, immunology,

pharmacology, psychiatry, behavioral medicine, infectious diseases,

endocrinology and rheumatology. They are interested in the interactions

between the nervous system and the immune system, and the relationship

between behavior and health. Every thought, emotion, idea or belief has a

neurochemical consequence.

A Harvard study in the 1970s discovered receptors on our immune cells

for neuropeptides. Neuropeptides are chemicals produced by the brain, which

vary with our emotions (Psychosomatic Medicine 46, 1984). The results of this

study point to the simple fact that our immune system is listening to our mental

talk. How we think is how we feel. When someone tells us that we’re only as old

as we feel, we should believe it, for we are the masters of our immune system.

There is no better cure for anything than a good attitude. The perception of

sensing a psycho-physiological inner calming space and the ability to keep it in

one’s memory as a defined experience derives from a mind-body approach. A

person’s ability to activate the Inner Space of Calmness on request, and by

doing so manage psycho-physiological wellbeing, is also based on this

approach. As a theoretical overview, it is important to mention

psychoneuroimmunology interdisciplinary research as an important example of

mind-body approach from the western medical view.

Stress and its influence on Mind-Body

The emphasis in this thesis is to explore the process of integrating physical

sensation, thoughts and emotions into a state of mind-body inner environment

of silence and harmony, which I call the inner space of calmness. The process

includes awareness and memorizing that experience by the person, in a way

that s/he can eventually apply it on request, in order to reduce stress, whenever

needed. The theoretical overview of stress and how it influences the mind-body

is the background to understanding why Inner Space of Calmness is an

effective inner environment to retune and rebalance the natural health

homeostasis.

The endocrinologist Dr. Hans Selye did groundbreaking research in the

1930’s, developing a theory on how mental and/or physical stress is transuded

into “psychosomatic problems” by the hormones of the “hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal

axis” of the endocrine system (Rossi. 1993, p. 28). Dr. Selye’s research

clearly shows the link between prolonged stress and a disturbance in the

natural dynamic balance of an organism or person leading to ill-health. The

physiological changes that occur as a result of stress can obviously be

extremely detrimental over time.

Multitasking has become a part of our everyday lives. At any given time,

most of us are actively working on, or overseeing, a handful of projects and

problems simultaneously, making it nearly impossible to slow down and relax.

From the moment we wake up we have our “to do list” – at home, at work, with

our parents, children, friends, community. Even if we “steal” some moments for

ourselves, go to the beach, or take a walk, thoughts and emotions take over our

mind and in a nonstop way continue the processing of “solving problems” with

endless scenarios in our mind.

At night when our body and mind finally calm down, dreams take over.

Sometimes we wake up from a dreadful dream, sweating and stressed, with our

first breath in the morning and it follows us all the day long. Everyday stress

doesn’t seem to be a health hazard, and we are not always aware of its

accumulative effect. One day, with no further notice, if we don’t learn to reduce

it, it can become chronic, taking the form of major life disruptions and

suppressing the immune system. It also can trigger allergies or a recurrence of

herpes, and can impair cardiovascular health by raising blood pressure and

heart rate.

The question is how can awareness together with stress management

tools, bring back harmony, homeostasis and balance? Where do we start? In

the book “The Relaxation Response”, (Benson, 2000) based on studies at

Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Benson

discusses pragmatic easy relaxation techniques, which have immense physical

benefits, from lowering blood pressure to a reduction in heart disease. The book

explains how anyone can benefit from learning and perfecting relaxation

techniques. In doing so, Dr. Benson created a book that is relied on by

healthcare professionals and authorities to treat the negative effects of stress.

By learning to invoke the relaxation response once or twice a day for just ten

minutes at a sitting, we can effectively lower blood pressure and gain tranquility

in our emotional life, making us more successful both in the workplace and at

home. Dr. Benson’s Relaxation Response is an example of a technique that can

be implied as part of a daily awareness behavior of preventing accumulating

stress symptoms. The next paragraph will introduce us to the concept of Inner

Space of Calmness as an environment that retunes self mind-body balance

besides reducing stress.

Building an Inner Space of Calmness

The Inner Space of Calmness is a bio-psychological sensation of relaxation and

a harmonious feeling. Breathing is deep and smooth. The body organs are

comfortable and there is no focused pain in any of them. The mind is quiet and

alert. There is a feeling of inner intelligence and confidence of a whole bodymind

organism. There is a feeling of calm consciousness where emotions and

thoughts are silent – like a calm clear lake. There is a sensitive ability to observe

inner processes of perception such as paying attention to the interrelation

between thoughts, emotions and sensations, and to outside triggers (such as

sound, objects, people) and how they affect the body and mind. Inner Space of

Calmness is the inner environment of mind-body in which a person can

recharge healing energies. It is a friendly effective environment to manage and

reduce stress psycho-physiological negative effects.

In his numerous books, the philosopher and spiritual teacher, Jidu

Krishnamurti, talks over and over again about inner silence and harmony as the

basis for mind-body intelligence (Krishnamurti. 1973, p. 368).

“Can thoughts be completely silent and only function when necessary?

When one has to use technological knowledge, in the office, when one is talking

and so on – and the rest of the time, be absolutely quiet? The more there is

space and silence, the more it can function logically, sanely, healthily with

knowledge…. Thoughts which are the response of memory, of knowledge,

experience of time is the content of consciousness; thought must function with

knowledge, but it can only function with highest intelligence, when there is

space and silence – when it functions from there…. “How is that mind to be

completely still? Harmony is stillness. There is harmony between the

body, the heart and the mind. Complete harmony – not discord. Where the

body has its own intelligence when it is sensitive, alive and not spoilt, it

has its own intelligence…”

Krishnamurti talked of the limitation of thoughts. How the chatting mind

always wants to find solutions and explanations but because it is limited to

grasp reality and is conditioned by society and culture, there is always a gap

between “what is” and “what is wished to be.” this endless conflicts add fuel to

stressed conditions in our life. Krishnamurti says that the silence of the mind is

a state that thoughts and emotions cannot experience. He says that emptiness

and silence are the basis for a new order of awareness from which health can

evolve.

Deepak Chopra, a physician who integrates western and eastern

medicine, a philosopher, coach and writer – also relates to the silent mind in his

book “Unconditional Life – Mastering Forces that Shape Personal Reality.”

Talking with a cancer person, he says: “I wanted you to sit quietly for a moment

in order to experience if only vaguely the state of inner silence. Thoughts come

and go in this silence. But when a thought isn’t present and there is no impulse

of fear, no strong memory or temptation to act, the mind is just by itself, being

itself. At that exact second, there is a choice to have the next thought or

emotion.” (Chopra.1991, p.107)

In my experience as a coach, the calmness space is the inner

environment where biological organs, thoughts and emotions are harmonious

with each other. The senses are sharp, awakened and alert but in a “silent

mode,” not in a “stressed mode.” Potential energy can be used for clear inner

and outer observation and for reconditioning bio-psychological attitudes and

behavior such as reducing stress and behaving in a relaxed way in stressed

situations.

Ways to create the Inner Space of Calmness

The natural question is how to reach an Inner Space of Calmness? What are

the outer triggers or tools, together with inner conditions that can bring about

the inner environment of body-mind calmness? There are many methods, such

as yoga or sport that enable the release of stress and bring about physical,

emotional and mental sensations of relaxation. In many such methods, the

Inner Space of Calmness is not an aim, but a side-effect. Meditation and

biofeedback are alternative options for sensing, memorizing and operating the

Inner Space of Calmness and I now relate to them, before suggesting the

benefits of calming music together with guided imagery.

Meditation

For over 60 years, Krishnamurti talked with people, scientists, students and

teachers about freeing the mind, meditation and humanity. Krishnamurti didn’t

teach “the how:” he said that every one has to experience the truth for himself.

He talked of quieting the mind through observation and attention:

“Meditation is something extraordinary, if you know how to do it. I am going to

talk a little about it. First of all, sit very quietly; do not force yourself to sit quietly,but sit or lie down quietly without force of any kind. Do you understand? Then

watch your thinking. Watch what you are thinking about. You find you are

thinking about your shoes, your saris, what you are going to say, and the bird

outside to which you listen; follow such thoughts and enquire why each thought

arises. Do not try to change your thinking. See why certain thoughts arise in

your mind so that you begin to understand the meaning of every thought and

feeling without any enforcement. And when a thought arises, do not condemn it,

do not say it is right, it is wrong; it is good, it is bad. Just watch it, so that you

begin to have a perception, a consciousness which is active in seeing every

kind of thought, every kind of feeling. You will know every hidden secret

thought, every hidden motive, every feeling, without distortion, without saying it

is right, wrong, good or bad. When you look, when you go into thought very very

deeply, your mind becomes extraordinarily subtle, alive. No part of the mind is

asleep. The mind is completely awake. That is merely the foundation. Then your

mind is very quiet. Your whole being becomes very still. Then go through that

stillness, deeper, further – that whole process is meditation.

(http://www.katinkahesselink.net/kr/meditate.htm, June 15, 2006)

There are many ways and methods of meditation such as Zen

meditation, Vipassana, and Transcendental Meditation. Most of them are

characterized by the aim of quieting the “chatting mind” and getting connected

to inner peace. The majority require long periods of discipline and practicing in

order to reach a peaceful mind in a way that can reduce stress on request.

More popular western methods of creating an Inner Space of Calmness are

biofeedback and neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback – which is the biofeedback of the brain waves and its influence

on the body – was applied to consciousness research in the 1950s by Joe

Kamiya in the United States and by C. Maxwell Cade in 1960s England. Cade,

an electronics genius and Zen meditation master, invented a unique EEG

biofeedback device called the “Mind Mirror,” and took a more unrestrained

approach to consciousness research than did Kamiya. Cade wanted to trace

the development of consciousness, so he measured the brain waves of

spiritually advanced yogis during meditation and in waking states. He

discovered a common brainwave pattern and the key characteristics of the

“awakened mind”: heightened mental clarity, creativity, insight, intuition and

spiritual connection. Cade found that people with an “awakened mind” enjoy an

open, flowing and highly creative state.

(http://www.biomonitors.com/MaxCadeTitle.htm , May 22, 2006)

In 1973, the humanistic psychologist Anna Wise began to work with

Cade in London. Over the next 30 years Wise conducted people into meditative

states while they were hooked up to the Mind Mirror. Her discoveries profoundly

advanced our understanding of consciousness, how it works and its direct

influence on the body-mind. In 1981, recognizing the ability of biofeedback

meditation to awaken and evolve the mind and body, Wise returned to the

United States and expanded beyond Cade’s focus on spirituality and

consciousness.

For close to twenty years she measured the brain waves of artists,

composers, dancers, inventors, mathematicians, scientists, CEOs and

presidents of corporations. She saw what Cade had noticed, and more: people

with the awakened, high-performance mind were high achievers, often at the

top of their professions. They are excited, enthusiastic and successful people

enjoying an “aha” experience of life. No matter what their spiritual orientation,

they know how to quiet the mind, go within and master their brain waves for

insight, healing, creativity and a happy, satisfying life. These awakened

Westerners possessed the same qualities of mastery as the yogis and swamis

measured by Max Cade. As Wise explains in her books, people enjoying the

qualities of mastery are compassionate, empathetic and helpful. They are

warm, kind, peaceful and balanced people who are perceptive, insightful and do

not criticize, judge or blame others. Nor does the awakened person attempt to

control the thoughts or actions of other people. A person with an awakened

mind is naturally devoted to love and service arising from a deep, heartfelt

devotion to humanity and God, or divine consciousness. Over the past 30

years, Wise has used biofeedback meditation training to research and develop

in people this advanced state of consciousness. Wise pioneered relaxation and

mind-expansion techniques that enable people to experience biofeedback’s “felt

sense of state” to recreate the state of consciousness that is optimal for the

moment. (http://www.toolsforwellness.com/annawise.html, May 23, 2006)

Neurofeedback, then, is actually brainwave training. It is widely believed

to increase the stability and flexibility of the brain, or its ability to move between

mental states. The healthier the neurons, the healthier the systems they govern.

While most brain wave research draws on studies of epilepsy, Attention Deficit

Disorder (ADD) and alcoholism, the anecdotal evidence, stories and data

gathered by thousands of well-trained, intelligent professionals is compelling,

according to Jim Robbins, author of “A Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of

the New Brain Wave Biofeedback.” Of particular interest is a theory posed by

electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback practitioners who believe that the

health of the body derives from the health of the brain and/or central nervous

system. The theory maintains that a chronically over-aroused nervous system

produces physical and mental stress, anxiety, agitation, impulsivity and anger.

Hyper-arousal is thought to be the cause of nervous system burnout and

physical conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, among others. A chronically

under-aroused nervous system produces some types of depression and lack of

motivation.

Brain instability produces bipolar disorder, migraines, panic attacks,

motor and vocal tics, vertigo, teeth-grinding, epilepsy and other problems. In the

above model, nearly all health problems flow from over-arousal, under-arousal

or instability in the central nervous system. When any of these conditions

causes too much stress in the brain and body, predisposed conditions flare up:

joint pain, sleeplessness, migraines, panic attacks, depression, anxiety,

attention problems and so forth. This theory could conceivably hold the secret to

the body-mind connection:

1) A stressed central nervous system “shorts out” and causes problems.

2) Neurofeedback corrects them by relaxing the body and rebalancing the

brain, which reconnects and heals the central nervous system (CNS); the CNS

can then work to re-coordinate a large number of interconnected systems within

the body and mind.

Researcher would agree that neurofeedback is all about restoring the

body-mind balance that creates health. The main drawback is that when one

learns these states, continual reinforcement is necessary for similar continued

ability, day by day. Psychologically, biofeedback gives scientific objective

criteria to the Inner Space of Calmness. I would say it’s the border between

alpha and theta brain waves, when the state of mind is awareness in deep

relaxation. But again, as mentioned in the meditation method, biofeedback

demands discipline and systematic training with a computerized system that is

daunting for many people who are not yet familiar with computers; additionally,

it does not provide a solution for a large number of users.

Music as a powerful tool for creating Inner Space of Calmness

We saw that meditation and biofeedback are effective tools that can lead people

to a deep inner sense of calmness. But the two tools need long periods of

exercise, motivation and discipline to create and encode it in memory. The idea

of an Inner Space of Calmness is not only to sense silence in “real time” but

also to grasp the harmony and relaxation feelings of one’s inner organs,

observe the silence of thoughts and emotions to that extent, that people are

able to encode this bio-psychological inner space of calmness and apply it to

themselves – on request. Later, I will present how guided imagery and selfhypnosis

methods are essential for the process of deepening and encoding the

Inner Space of Calmness in memory or in the subconscious. At this stage,

though, we will explore the mystery around sound, and specifically music as a

powerful tool for creating the inner bio-psychological calmness space

environment.

All over the world and throughout history, sound and music have a strong

effect on human beings’ mood. Harmonic calm music usually makes us happier.

It seems as if harmonic quiet music has a direct positive effect on our cells. Not

only does our physical body relax with calming harmonic music but our thoughts

and emotions are soothed as well. That sort of music – and many classical

music symphonies among them – bypasses the “chatting left brain” and creates

an inner peaceful environment to reduce stress. Here is an historical review

that was gathered over the years around the mystery of sound and music:

Sound has been used as a healing force for thousands of years. Ancient

civilizations used sound for healing. In the Bible we are told that David played

his harp to lift King Saul’s depression. Egyptian papyri over 2,600 years old

refer to incantations as cures for infertility and rheumatic pain. The ancient

Greeks believed music had the power to heal body and soul. Pythagoras used

special songs and incantations with particular melodies and rhythms, to cure

diseases of the body and mind. Pythagoras believed that if one listened to

music on a daily basis it would improve and enrich one’s health. Pythagoras

used music to dispel psychic traumata among his disciples. He believed that the

effect of daily diatonic chromatic and harmonic melodies would eliminate

negative emotions and restore his disciples to a calm condition just as if the

music was medicine. (Meyer, Neff & Garfield-O’Brien, 2003).

What is behind sound healing? Sound healing is the therapeutic

application of sound frequencies to a person’s body / mind with the intention of

bringing them into a state of harmony and health. The dictionary defines

“harmony” as “congruity of parts to their whole or to one another.” As mentioned

before, “health” is defined as “the state of being bodily and mentally vigorous

and free of disease.”

Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a French ear, nose & throat specialist, has devoted the

past 50 years to understanding the ear and its function. He believes that the ear

is the most important of all our sense organs. It controls the body’s sense of

balance, rhythm and movement and is the conductor of the entire nervous

system. Tomatis believes that high frequency sounds (3,000 Hz and above)

activate the brain and affect cognitive functions such as thinking, spatial

perception and memory. Listening to these sounds increases our attentiveness

and concentration. When an opera singer causes a glass to vibrate with her

voice, she has matched the resonant frequency of the glass. As the singer

increases the volume of her sound, the resonance becomes too great for the

forces that hold the glass together, and it shatters. Modern medicine now uses

sound waves to break up kidney stones and gallstones.

Every organ, every bone, every cell in the body has its own resonant

frequency. Together they make up a composite frequency like the instruments

of an orchestra. When one organ in the body is out of tune, it affects the whole

body. Through sound healing it may be possible to bring the diseased organ

into harmony with the rest of the body, hence avoiding the need for drugs or

surgery. (http://www.tomatis.com/English/index.htm, April 22,2006).

In the 1960s Hans Jenny, a Swiss scientist, spent over ten years

conducting experiments to discover the effects of sound waves on materials

placed on metal plates vibrated with sound. Materials such as glycerin, mercury,

gel, powder and iron filings were used. He photographed the patterns created,

and found that low frequency sounds produced simple geometric shapes in the

materials. As the sound frequency was increased, these simple forms would

break up and more complex patterns would appear. The sound “OH” would

produce a perfect circle. The sound “OM” produced a pattern that resembles

the Shri Yantra; the ancient mandala for “OM” used in India for thousands of

years. Jenny came to the conclusion that sound creates form and that the

entire human body had its own sound made up of all the sounds of its cells,

tissues and organs. (http://www.cymaticsource.com, April 23,2006)

Fabien Maman, a French professional jazz musician, noticed that certain

musical keys had an energizing effect on both the musicians and the audience.

Fabien worked with the French physicist Joel Sternheimer. Sternheimer had

discovered that elementary particles vibrate at frequencies in accordance with

musical laws. They found that body tissue, organs and acupuncture meridians

each have a musical note. A few years later, Fabian met Grimal, a senior

researcher at the National Centre for Scientific Research in Paris. They devoted

a year-and-a-half to studying the effects of sound on normal and malignant

cells. Using drums, gongs, flutes, guitar, bass and a xylophone, they

investigated the effects of sound on healthy blood cells, hemoglobin, and the

“Hela” cancer cell from the uterus. They found that even at 30-40 decibels the

sound always produced noticeable changes in the cells. As the sounds

progressed up the musical scale there would be an “explosion” of the cancer

cells at a certain frequency as the sound traveled outward from the centre of the

cell to its outer membrane. The experiment yielded the most dramatic results

when the human voice was used. Fabian reached the conclusion that in the

human voice there is an added element which cannot be found in any other

instrument. In his view, the human voice carries its own spiritual resonance.

This difference, evident from the photographs, is what makes the voice the most

powerful healing instrument – particularly when the person needing the healing

produced the sounds with his or her own voice. (Goldman, 1992).

Don Campbell, in his book “The Mozart Effect,” (Campbell, 1997) shows

how music, particularly Mozart’s, has all kinds of beneficial effects for human

health. Scientists suggest that listening to Mozart helps us to improve our

powers of concentration and enhances our ability to make intuitive leaps; by

organizing the firing pattern of neurons in the cerebral cortex.

Fetuses prefer Mozart and Vivaldi to other composers. When pregnant

mothers listened to Mozart and Vivaldi, the babies’ heart rates invariably

steadied and kicking declined. Rock music ‘drove most fetuses to distraction’

and they ‘kicked violently’ when it was played to their pregnant mothers. Slower

tempo music slows our breathing rate. The human heartbeat will tend to match

the rhythm of music. The pitch and rhythm of music influence the limbic

system, affecting our emotions. Scientists concluded that preferred music “may

elicit a profound positive emotional experience that can trigger the release of

hormones, which can contribute to a lessening of those factors which enhance

the disease process.” Music is now used to reduce the pain and anxiety of

persons undergoing dental treatment and surgical operations. In a study of

59,000 persons, 97% of them stated that music really helped them to relax in

the post-operative situation and during surgery under local anesthesia.

We can see that from every aspect of life, philosophy, spirituality and

science, when sounds and music are harmonic and calm, they touch the mind

and body positively. While exploring music that can be “user friendly” in sensing

an Inner Space of Calmness, I learned about binaural entrainment music.

Binaural entrainment music

One of the strengths of neurofeedback that was mentioned before is the

person’s ability to reach alpha brain waves (which are a sign of relaxed body

and mind in awakened consciousness) by using a self-regulation technique. So

I searched for music that can be rapidly effective for most people as a basic

environment tool for creating bio-psychological inner calm space, and in fact

creating alpha brainwaves in people, independent of the need to use a

computerized biofeedback system. Surfing the web, reading and investigating

the subject, I learned about the concepts of binaural and entrainment on which

the HEMI-SYNC technology of The Monroe Institute, founded by Robert A.

Monroe, is based.

Binaural beats are auditory brainstem responses that originate in each

of the brain hemispheres. They result from the interaction of two different

auditory impulses, originating in opposite ears, below 1000 Hz and which differ

in frequency between 1 and 30 Hz (Oster, 1973). For example, if a pure tone of

400 Hz is presented to the right ear and a pure tone of 410 Hz is simultaneously

presented to the left ear, an amplitude modulated standing wave of 10 Hz, the

difference between the two tones is experienced as the two wave forms mesh in

and out of phase within the superior olivary nuclei. This binaural beat is not

heard in the ordinary sense of the word (the human range of hearing is from 20-

20,000 Hz). It is perceived as an auditory beat and theoretically can be used to

entrain specific neural rhythms of that external stimulus. Therefore, in the

example above, the 10 Hz which is an alpha wave range can be utilized as a

consciousness management technique to sense calmness.

The binaural-beat appears to be associated with an electroencephalographic

(EEG) frequency-following response in the brain (3). Many studies have

demonstrated the presence of a frequency-following response to auditory

stimuli, recorded at the vertex of the human brain (top of the head). This EEG

activity was termed “frequency-following response” because its period

corresponds to the fundamental frequency of the stimulus (Smith, Marsh, &

Brown, 1975 in http://www.monroeinstitute.com/content.php?content_id=21, May 22,

2006).

Binaural-beat stimulation appears to encourage access to altered states

of consciousness. Uses of audio with embedded binaural beats that are mixed

with music result in relaxation, meditation, stress reduction, pain management,

improved sleep quality, and decrease in sleep requirements. The resonant

entrainment of oscillating systems is a well-understood principle within the

physical sciences. If a tuning fork designed to produce a frequency of 440 Hz is

struck (causing it to oscillate) and then brought near to another 440 Hz tuning

fork, the second tuning fork will begin to oscillate. The first tuning fork is said to

have entrained the second or caused it to resonate.

The physics of entrainment apply to biosystems as well. Of interest

here are the electromagnetic brain waves. The electrochemical activity of the

brain results in the production of electromagnetic wave forms which can be

objectively measured with sensitive equipment. Brain waves change

frequencies based on neural activity within the brain. Because neural activity is

electrochemical, brain function can be modified through the introduction of

specific chemicals (drugs), by altering the brain’s electromagnetic environment

through induction, or through resonant entrainment techniques which is done in

our case with the binaural bits.

Binaural beats were discovered in 1839 by a German experimenter, H.

W. Dove. The human ability to “hear” binaural beats appears to be the result of

evolutionary adaptation. When signals of two different frequencies are

presented, one to each ear, the brain detects phase differences between these

signals. “Under natural circumstances a detected phase difference would

provide directional information. The brain processes this anomalous information

differently when these phase differences are heard with stereo headphones or

speakers. A perceptual integration of the two signals takes place, producing the

sensation of a third “beat” frequency. The difference between the signals waxes

and wanes as the two different input frequencies mesh in and out of phase. As

a result of these constantly increasing and decreasing differences, an

amplitude-modulated standing wave – the binaural beat – is heard.

The binaural beat is perceived as a fluctuating rhythm at the frequency of

the difference between the two auditory inputs. When the brain is entrained to

lower frequencies and awareness is maintained, a unique state of

consciousness emerges. This state is often referred to as hypnogogia “mind

awake / body asleep.” Synchronized brain waves have long been associated

with meditative and hypnogogic states, and audio with embedded binaural

beats has the ability to induce and improve such states of consciousness. The

reason for this is physiological. Each ear is “hardwired” (so to speak) to both

hemispheres of the brain (Rosenzweig, 1961). Each hemisphere has its own

olivary nucleus (sound-processing center) which receives signals from each

ear. In keeping with this physiological structure, when a binaural beat is

perceived there are actually two standing waves of equal amplitude and

frequency present, one in each hemisphere. So, there are two separate

standing waves entraining portions of each hemisphere to the same frequency.

The binaural beats appear to contribute to the hemispheric synchronization

evidenced in meditative and hypnogogic states of consciousness. Brain function

is also enhanced through the increase of cross-colossal communication

between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

The binaural beats used in the creation of Hemi-Sync are generated by

the auditory introduction of sound frequencies that differ by a very small

amount. For example, if a frequency of 100 Hz is blended with a frequency of

107 Hz, a 7 Hz binaural beat will be heard. The listener perceives this as a

wavering sound or warble tone. When one frequency is introduced to the right

ear and the second is placed in the left ear, the brain integrates the two sounds.

The binaural beat can be identified at a cortical level through an electroencephalogram

(EEG). Because the ear is not physiologically capable of hearing sounds below 20 Hz, the individual does not actually hear a 7 Hz tone.

Only the original two frequencies of 100 Hz and 107 Hz are actually perceived.

However, the brain creates the third frequency (i.e., 7 Hz) as a difference-tone

or binaural-beat, and the central nervous system follows it, increasing its

production of brain waves of this frequency (Oster, 1973). The term “Hemi-

Sync” was used by Monroe to describe this auditory-guidance system. Binaural

beat frequencies that were created were identified on an EEG as having equal

amplitude, location, and phase relationships in both cortical hemispheres. This

reflected a hemispherically synchronized brain wave pattern. This is a naturally

occurring phenomenon in brain wave recordings; however, it occurs relatively

infrequently and lasts for a very brief time period. As Monroe studied listener

responses to a wide variety of binaural beats, he found certain complex

combinations of binaural beats to be more effective than other combinations. In

addition, these multilayered combinations were more effective than binaural

beats of single frequencies. These sound patterns were further standardized on

adult listeners and became the basis for the different Hemi-Sync sound

sequences incorporated into the audiotapes used in the Monroe Institute

programs.

The initial Hemi-Sync tapes were a blend of Hemi-Sync sound patterns in

a background of “pink sound” or natural ocean surf. Pink sound is white noise

which amplifies lower frequency sounds and reduces high frequency sounds

creating a more pleasing natural sound. These tapes included verbal elements

such as breathing exercises, guided relaxation, affirmation, and guided

visualization. They contained a directed purpose of facilitating states of

consciousness as varied as sleep, reverie, intuitive and transpersonal states of

consciousness. Adult listeners consistently reported increased physical

relaxation, greater emotional calming, increased focus of attention, and greater

access to internal imagery. In the early 1980s, Monroe began to incorporate

many of the Hemi-Sync patterns developed for the guided tapes into a music

background, which he called Metamusic.

Metamusic allowed listeners of all ages to enjoy Hemi-Sync as an open, nondirected

background for activities such as self-generated imagery. In my own

experience, and with people who came for coaching, I learned that listening to

Metamusic by itself relaxes the body in general, but the mind (thoughts and

emotions) continues to flow along an unknown roadmap of associations. The

“inner tsunami of thoughts-emotions-thoughts-emotions” interferes with the

process of building the Inner Space of Calmness. (http://www.monroeinstitute.org/,

February 20, 2006).

Since we cannot actually stop thoughts and emotions, we can use guided

imagery to focus our intention and attention to create the sensation of biopsychological Inner Space of Calmness (calming thoughts, emotions and inner

organs, feeling integrated harmony of these three components, and releasing

potential energy for sensitive observation, and responsiveness that derives from

awareness, awakening and silence.)

Harmonic calming music, and more specifically music that can entrain

alpha brain waves, is a very “user-friendly,” effective tool for creating the Inner

Space of Calmness environment of mind and body. However, imagery and

guided imagery are essential in order to organize that space and perceive it as

an experience which the whole brain (left and right hemispheres) can recognize,

grasp, encode in memory and revive again to consciousness and to physical

relaxing sensation.

Imagery and guided imagery

We can use imagination as a powerful tool of the mind to evaluate different

situations of the past and of the future. As long as we are aware that we are in

“imagery mode,” it can be used as a very powerful simulator of the mind. It can

be used in therapy to encourage changes in attitudes, behavior, or physiological

reactions. As a mental process, it is often defined as “any thought representing

a sensory quality”. It includes, as well as the visual, all the senses – aural,

tactile, olfactory, and kinesthetic.

Imagery is integrated in many behavioral therapies not specifically

labeled imagery. Since it often involves directed concentration, it can also be

thought of as a form of meditation (see the “Meditation” section). Imagery can

be taught either individually or in groups, and the therapist often uses it to affect

a particular result, such as quitting smoking or bolstering the immune system to

attack cancer cells.

Practices that have a component of imagery are almost ubiquitous. They

include, among many others, biofeedback, desensitization and counterconditioning,

psychosynthesis, neurolinguistic programming, Gestalt therapy, rational emotive therapy, and hypnosis (see the “Hypnosis” section). Any therapy that relies on imagery or fantasy to motivate, communicate, solve problems, or evoke heightened awareness and sensitivity could be described as a form of imagery. Forms of meditation that involve repeating a sound or mantra or focusing attention on an object that has no concurrent external referent (such as a whale in the ocean) could also be developed as aspects of imagery. Likewise, relaxation techniques that involve instruction (e.g., “Your hands are heavy”), such as autogenic training, have an imagery component.

Numerous studies indicate that mental imagery can bring about significant physiological and biochemical changes. These findings, which have encouraged the development of imagery as a healthcare tool, include its capacity to affect oxygen supply in tissues (Olness and Conroy, 1985); some of these findings are from well-controlled studies, but the vast majority represents reports of single cases or small studies that have not been replicated. Nevertheless, the conclusion is that there is a relationship between imagery of bodily change and actual bodily change. Without question, imagery calls for further and more precise investigation. Techniques used in evaluation or diagnostic imagery involve asking the person to describe his or her condition in sensory terms. The therapist gathers information regarding the experience and the associations in the person’s stock of memory.

Evaluation imagery is usually done early in a therapy session and serves

as a format for designing both mental rehearsal and therapeutic intervention

strategies. Mental rehearsal is an imagery technique used before medical

techniques, usually in an attempt to relieve anxiety, pain, and side-effects which

are exacerbated by heightened emotional reactions.

Typically, a relaxation strategy is taught, the treatment and recovery

period are described in sensory terms as the person is taken on a guided

imagery “trip.” Care is taken to be factual without using emotion-laden or fearprovoking words, and the medical procedure is reframed in a positive way

whenever possible. The person is taught coping techniques such as distraction,

mental dissociation, muscle relaxation, and abdominal breathing.

Published results with mental rehearsals (or sensory education) are

almost uniformly positive and often dramatic. Effects include reduced pain and

anxiety; decreased length of hospital stay; the use of fewer pain medicines,

barbiturates, tranquilizers, and other medications; and reduced treatment sideeffects.

Mental rehearsal is a cornerstone of certain natural childbirth practices.

It has also been tested in burn debridement (Kenner and Achterberg, 1983) and

as a preparation for spinal surgery (Lawlis et al., 1985), cholecystectomy, pelvic

examination, cast removal, and endoscopy (Johnson et al., 1978). In each of

these instances, rehearsal through imagery was found to diminish pain and

discomfort, and to reduce side-effects.

Imagery as a therapeutic intervention is based on the idea that the

images have either a direct or an indirect effect on health. Therefore, either the

persons are shown how to use their own flow of images about the healing

process or, alternatively, they are guided through a series of images that are

intended to soothe and distract them, reduce any sympathetic nervous system

arousal, and generally enhance their relaxation. The practitioner may also use

“end-state” types of imagery, in which persons imagine themselves in a state of

perfect health, well-being, or successfully achieved goals.

Imagery has been successfully tested as a strategy for alleviating the

nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy in cancer persons, to

relieve stress and to facilitate weight gain in cancer persons. It has been

successfully used and tested for pain-control in a variety of settings; as

adjunctive therapy for several diseases, including diabetes and with geriatric

persons to enhance immunity. Imagery is usually combined with other

behavioral approaches. It is best known in the treatment of cancer as a means

to help persons mobilize their immune systems but is also used as part of a

multidisciplinary approach to cardiac rehabilitation (Ornish, 1990; Ornish, 1983)

and in many settings that specialize in treating chronic pain.

The measurement of imagery as a mental process is fraught with the

same problems faced in measuring any other so-called hypothetical construct,

including learning, motivation, and perception. One may assume that

“imagination” means “not real.” But the thoughts, words, and images that flow

from your imagination can have very real physiological consequences for the

body. Often the brain cannot distinguish whether we are imagining something or

actually experiencing it.

The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), a music-assisted

mode of self-exploration and therapy, is the basis for Carol A. Bush’s book

“Healing Imagery & Music” (Bush, 1995). Carol Bush (M.S.W., Licensed Clinical

Social Worker, Fellow of the Association of Music and Imagery, and Co-Director

of the Mid-Atlantic Training Institute) is a pioneer of the Bonny Method of

Guided Imagery and Music. The Bonny Method of GIM was conceived and

developed by Helen L. Bonny, Ph.D. Inspired by a mystical experience with

music while playing the violin, Dr. Bonny felt called to lead other people to the

healing power of music. In the early 1970s, she used her unique understanding

of music and her well-developed therapeutic skills at the Maryland Psychiatric

Research Center, where she combined relaxation techniques and classical

musical selections to elicit responses from persons. She went on to research

her findings and ultimately to develop the Bonny Method.

The Bonny Method of GIM is characterized by the use of specially

sequenced classical music within a one-to-one session conducted by a

facilitator who is formally trained in the Bonny Method of GIM. After an initial

discussion with an individual, the facilitator provides relaxation and focusing

suggestions to assist the individual’s entry into a relaxed state. This is followed

by an interactive music listening experience in which the individual listens to the

music and describes the images, sensations, feelings, and awareness evoked

by it. The facilitator, who is also listening to the music, helps to focus and

support the individual’s image experiences in a variety of ways. At the close of

the music, the facilitator assists the individual’s return from the expanded state

of consciousness and helps him or her to integrate the experiences evoked by

the music.

Since for one person, a calm surrounding may be associated with the sea

shore, while for another – who almost drowned in childhood – the sea might

evoke anxiety, the GIM method suggests the importance of drawing on a

person’s own memory with its specific associations of a calm surrounding. Such

associations can arise either from a specific past experience, or images that

arise of their own accord with no specific structured experienced memory.

Self-hypnosis with music

Self-hypnosis is a practice that essentially concentrates the mind on certain

chosen topics. It is regularly used to help people stop smoking, eat less, and

achieve personal goals. By concentrating our mind and imagining senses,

thoughts and even images we can persuade our conscious and subconscious

mind. In this way, we can easily tell ourselves that we do not need a cigarette or

persuade ourselves that we don’t need to eat compulsively. Self-hypnosis can

be used for many different things, among them conquering fears or overcoming

self-doubt. It can even be used to quit habits and generally improve our outlook

on daily life.

Self-hypnosis can help us to develop and express awareness and

intuition, feel worthwhile, self-confident, and zestful, gain a happier home life;

become a better husband, wife, parent, or friend, acquire the ability to relax

completely in any situation; make better decisions, improve concentration,

overcome procrastination, improve the quality of our emotional expression,

reduce conflict and stress, promote health and well-being, regain the natural

ability to sleep easily, sell our ideas or services with confidence and

enthusiasm, increase our income, attract and maintain worthwhile friendships,

discover negative mental patterns and how they affect us, free ourselves from

hostility, resentment, fear of rejection, select our goals in life; chart our course

for their realization, program our mind with positive mental concepts and

success attitudes, and develop the ability to construct mental images easily. In

his book “Master the Power of Self Hypnosis” Roy Hunter, an internatio