The Book Stacks

Review by Mr. JM

States of Mind as measured by brain waves are a fascinating area to get into. James Hardt opens new areas in his book The Art of Smart Thinking (TAST) as he brings out his explorations into what is possible using biofeedback.

I first started delving into the various brainwave levels using a technology called Brainwave Entrainment. The brain has an unusual feature; when it hears a tone in one ear and a slightly different tone in the other, it will add them both to produce a stereo effect that’s actually unheard by either ear. Somewhere in the brain, the two tones produce a ‘beat’ that is the difference between the two tones.

If the beat is at the range of the natural brainwaves, the brain can become ‘entrained’ or sort of go into sympathetic rhythm with the beat. After a short period (about 7 minutes) it begins to follow along with the beat and can enter the state of mind associated with that beat. So using brainwave entrainment, we can enter (say) deep meditation (low Theta) more easily than simply trying to mediate into that level of trance.

If the beats fall into the Alpha range, it can provide an enhanced learning or creative frame of mind. If we use a Delta beat, we can slip quickly into deep sleep and get more real rest in a couple of hours than we would in a normal night of sleep.

But in Brainwave Entrainment, the mind is being led. It’s like an hypnosis, leading the brain into states but not actually teaching us to achieve those states voluntarily. Biofeedback offers a new level of access to these states of mind. With biofeedback, we can learn to initiate the chosen brainwave state without the external stimulus.

Biofeedback has been used to help with physical complaints like Reynard’s disease. Hardt explains this and some of the more general uses to which the technology has been applied. Most people would have heard that, using biofeedback, a person can learn to relax, and perhaps also about slowing heartbeat.

According to Hardt, any body function for which we can get an immediate physical feedback can be controlled by conscious will. Where he goes further is to claim in TAST, and provide background information for, the use of biofeedback to provide changes in mental states.

These include, but are not limited to, changes in self image, in relationships, in happiness, in creativity and in spirituality.