Introduction

Electrical activity associated with the brain has been sub-divided into four principal brain wave states, ranging from high amplitude, low frequency (Delta) to low amplitude, high frequency (Beta). These brain wave states have been correlated to states of mental awareness common in humans, ranging from deep dreamless sleep (Delta) to a state of high arousal (Beta).

The following definition of brain wave states has been taken from Wikipedia:

“Gamma waves

Gamma waves have the highest range of frequencies (around 40 Hz) and are involved in higher mental activity. They have also been detected during the process of awakening and during active rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Beta waves

Beta waves are the most common of the brain wave patterns that occur when awake. These occur during period of intense concentration, problem solving, and focused analysis. The frequency of beta waves is between 13–30 Hz (cycles per second).

Alpha waves

Alpha waves are any of the electrical waves from the parietal and occipital regions of the brain, having frequencies from 8 to 12 hertz (cycles per second). Some scientists consider the range 8–13 Hz and are most usual when we are mentally alert, calm and relaxed, or when day-dreaming. Alpha waves are a sign of relaxation, as they indicate a lack of sensory stimulation in a conscious person.

Theta waves

Theta waves occur when we are mentally drowsy and unfocused, during deep calmness, most daydreaming, relaxation or tranquility, as for example we make the transitions from drowsiness to sleep or from sleep to the waking state. The frequency of theta waves is between 4–7 Hz (cycles per second) though some researchers regard theta to be 5 to 8 cps.

In brain wave frequencies, theta is the frequency range where drowsiness, unconsciousness, dreaming states and deep tranquility happen. Most daydreaming occurs while in the theta range. It is normally a very positive mental state and prolonged states of the theta brain wave frequency while conscious can be extremely productive and a time of very meaningful/creative mental activity.

With practice, meditation can also lower a person’s brain wave frequency to theta while allowing the meditator to remain conscious.

Delta waves

Delta waves occur primarily during deep sleep or states of unconsciousness. The frequency of delta waves is between 0.5 – 4 Hz (cycles per second)”.

In any given state, a range of brain wave activity is present, corresponding to the categories defined, however, one range of frequencies will be dominant over the others for a given state of awareness. For example, a person in the Beta state (i.e. awake and engaged in “intense concentration, problem solving and focused analysis”) will also evidence some activity corresponding to the Gamma, Beta and Delta ranges of brain wave patterns. Furthermore, when passing from one state of awareness to another (i.e. from awake and engaged in “intense concentration, problem solving and focused analysis” to a state of deep sleep), one’s brain wave patterns will similarly transition from one corresponding state to another, through any intermediate patterns (i.e. from Beta through Alpha to Delta).

States of Awareness

The human mind has been separated into three general components, operating independently and simultaneously, comprised of the conscious, sub-conscious and autonomic.

Conscious State (Awareness)

There are many different definitions as to what criteria define consciousness, or conscious awareness. For example, recent research into coma patients has distinguished between a vegetative state and a minimally conscious state (see these The New Scientist articles [1], [2], [3], [4],[5]). Although it may seem like a semantic distinction, it has significant ethical implications with regard to patient comfort and, more importantly, further medical care.

As a result of a wide range of potential criteria for defining “consciousness”, a widely acceptable definition of the conscious state, or consciousness, has been very difficult to elusive to establish. For the purposes of this article, we will use the following definition (taken from Wikipedia and references therein):

Consciousness is subjective experience or awareness or wakefulness or the executive control system of the mind[1] It is an umbrella term that may refer to a variety of mental phenomena [2]. Although humans realize what everyday experiences are, consciousness refuses to be defined, philosophers note (e.g. John Searle in The Oxford Companion to Philosophy).[3]

“Anything that we are aware of at a given moment forms part of our consciousness, making conscious experience at once the most familiar and most mysterious aspect of our lives”

- Schneider and Velmans, 2007[4]

“Awareness” is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects or sensory patterns. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of something” (Wikipedia).

Autonomic Nervous System

The Autonomic Nervous System is, essentially, all of the bodies activities over which we have no conscious control. A more rigorous definition of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

“… is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system functioning largely below the level of consciousness and … affects heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation, perspiration, diameter of the pupils, micturition (urination), and sexual arousal. Whereas most of its actions are involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in tandem with the conscious mind” (Wikipedia).

Sub-conscious State

The sub-conscious state is a very powerful component of the mind, yet it is largely ignored or, at best, under utilized. We will explore some definitions before discussing the sub-conscious further.

To date, most people are unaware of the effect their sub-conscious mind has on their day-to-day lives. Many people (i.e. Emile Coue, Charles Haanel, Napoleon Hill, Jose Silva, Richard Brandler, etc) have discussed the interaction between the conscious and the sub-conscious mind. Furthermore, they have proposed methods of accessing, and even programming, the sub-conscious mind.

With the introduction of computers into our lives, the analogy is often made between the sub-conscious mind and computer programming. The belief is that if we don’t filter the information going into our sub-conscious mind as “Input”, we allow it to be “programmed” by anything (“Garbage In, Garbage out”). On the other hand, if we actively filter and monitor the information made available to our sub-conscious, we can effect change in our lives. An analogy is often made of a garden. A neglected garden (the unfiltered sub-conscious mind) is rapidly overgrown with weeds and other undesirable plants whereas the garden that is nurtured and cared for (the filtered sub-conscious mind) is esthetically pleasing, brings joy, provides sustenance … in short, a multitude of benefits.

Accessing the Sub-conscious Mind

In order to program the mind, one has first to access it. Intentional access to the sub-conscious (as an Induced State of Awareness) can be achieved through a variety of methods, and through each of the body’s five senses, examples of which include the following:

1. Auditory (hearing) – chanting, auditory story telling, mantra, overtone singing, drumming, music, etc.),
2. Kinesthetic (feeling and movement) – dance, story telling by movement, mudra, embodying rituals, yoga, breathwork, oxygen deprivation, sexual stimulation etc),
3. Visual (sense of sight) – yantra, visual story telling, mandala, cinema, theater, art, architecture, beauty, strobe lights, form constants, symmetry, etc.)
4. Olfactory (sense of smell) – perfume, pheromones, incense, flowers, pollen, etc.), and
5. Gustatory (sense of taste) – including: starvation, herbs, hallucinogens and drugs.

Utilizing the Sub-conscious Mind

It is important to realize that, whether actively or passively, your sub-conscious mind is being accessed on a daily basis. It is important to recognize this fact and monitor the content to which you are being exposed by way of passive “mental programming”. Perhaps the best example might be the television. Hours are lost sitting in front of the TV, watching a series of programs that do not challenge or engage the mind. It becomes, in effect, a form of meditation. Next time you spend an evening watching TV, consciously note how rapidly the evening passed and consider how easily you are able to recall the content of the evenings programs you have just viewed.

Recognizing, and accepting, the fact that your sub-conscious mind is being programmed, make the decision to filter and monitor the material to which you are being exposed. Better yet, implement an active program of mental programming intentionally designed to improve your live experience.

Self-Speak

By “Self-Speak”, I mean the internal manner in which you refer to yourself throughout the day, the manner in which you mentally talk to yourself.. This is the inner voice you “hear” but may not monitor. As we progress through our day, we will have our relative successes and failures, make mistakes, encounter situations in which we exercise good and poor judgement, say things we wish we hadn’t, etc. The manner in which we speak to ourselves in these situations has a long lasting effect on our attitude, our self-confidence and our self-esteem.

Spend some time and actively monitor the nature and content of your Self-Speak. Are you forgiving of yourself and your mistakes? Do you chastise yourself for your relative failures moderately, severely? Do you congratulate and celebrate when you have a relative success?

The next time an “event” happens, something having some significance and/or importance to you, note what you say and how you say it to yourself. Ideally, you want your self-speak to consist of positive, supportive statements such as:

• Nailed that One!
• Perfect!
• No one could have done better!
• That was thoughtful!

However, unless you are monitoring yourself, it is quite probable that your self-speak consists of statements more like:

• Loser!
• You blew that one!
• What an idiot!

The first set of “Positive” feedback would make you feel great, powerful … king / queen of the world. The second set of “Negative” feedback statements would make any situation feel worse. At the end of the day, particularly a difficult day, you would probably feel demoralized and worthless.

In order to realize the importance of your self-speak, consider what you would think if your best friend accompanied you all day long and said exactly the same things to you that you say to yourself! Better yet, how long would your friends continue to send time with you if you were to speak to them in the same manner you speak to yourself? Would you speak to your boss in the same way?

Put some thought into it, monitor your comments to yourself and you will, over time, realize how important Self-Speak is to your personal self-improvement program.

How would you regard a friendship in which your friend spoke to you in the manner you speak to yourself? Is there any better friend to you than yourself? Treat yourself as YOUR BEST FRIEND!

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