Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.
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When I first decided to learn how to Meditate, I needed some Meditation Tips to get started! I read books about the various types of meditation, but I wasn’t exactly sure if what I was doing was “right” and I felt unsure of myself. I wanted a simplified list of things to do, things not to do and what exactly this thing called meditation was all about.

I did some research on the internet and ran into some Meditating masters. I read everything I could get my hands on that had any sort of description of the process. Eventually, I was able to gather specific information that related with each of the techniques I read about. I put it all together and came up with a basic list that fit into the How-To of meditating. It looked a little like this.

1. Find a cozy place to sit

2. Make sure you won’t be interrupted – turn off phones and any other possible distractions

3. Set the mood for relaxation – light a candle, put on some soft music

This is what my list started to look like. Each person is different and I discovered that I had to create a process that made sense to me. I took something from this style of meditation and little something from another style and created a process that I was able to follow.

I learned how to go into meditative states, quiet my mind and experience deep thoughts and feelings.

As time progressed, I began to develop a stronger awareness, gain better control over my mind and experience and let go of a whole lot of thoughts and feelings that were holding me back from being happy. This all came from a desire to eliminate stress, anxiety and depression out of my life and learn to clear my mind and develop inner peace and outward success.
Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.

This ‘frequency following’ response of brainwave entrainment can be seen in action with those prone to epilepsy. If a strobe flashes at their seizure frequency, the brain will ‘entrain’ to the flashing light, resulting in a seizure.

On the positive side, this same mechanism is commonly used to induce many brainwave states; such as a trance, enhanced focus, relaxation, meditation or sleep induction. The brainwave entrainment effectively pushes the entire brain into a certain state.

Brainwave entrainment works for almost everyone. It is a great way to lead your mind into states that you might usually have difficulty reaching, allowing you to experience what those states feel like.

THE HYPE
There is a lot of marketing hype around brainwave entrainment. It is sold with promises of increasing IQ, promoting weight loss, ‘mind-tripping’, enhancing creativity, concentration, inducing spiritual states and more.

While these claims are not entirely true, they are not altogether false either. In practice, the claims are based on an overly-simplistic view of how the brain and the brainwaves function.
THE RUB
People are very seldom deficient in a certain brainwave type in all areas of their brain. Usually the distribution is much spottier, with an excess in one area and a deficiency in another.

We are all different, especially when it comes to the distribution of our brainwaves. Boosting a certain brainwave state may be beneficial for one person, and emotionally uncomfortable for another. Without knowing each person’s starting position, entrainment can be rather ‘hit and miss’.

If brainwave entrainment leaves you with unwanted side-effects (see below) or discomfort, you’re probably encouraging a range of brainwaves that are already excessive in some area of your brain. The way around this is to get a brain map to see what your brain’s strengths and weaknesses are, and see what (if any) brainwaves could use some encouragement.