Holosync meditation

Has anyone tried this? Benefits? Negatives? Any information will be appreciated.

I just listened to the free demo on the website and when the guy finally shut up, I found it very relaxing.

Really interested in hearing more from people with personal experience.

So I skipped all the talking ones, they were annoying and boring and ended up making me very restless and agitated. But I tried "The Dive" for the first time yesterday and it almost put me to sleep! That never ever ever happens. So Im interested to see how this goes. I slept really well last night too, dont know if that was related or not. I didnt feel great after it, I felt like I had just woken up, and I hate waking up. Then I was so tired I did have a short nap before work. But I went to work with no anxiety and had a good day.

Is this similar to binaural beats meditation? I've been doing them on youtube an they are helping a little. Sometimes I fall asleep during the meditations.

I'd be interested in knowing what you're experience with this is. I've just had a look at the site and it looks interesting.

Thanks for posting this info. I am trying to find alternatives to medications. I am on a whole cocktail now of psych meds.

My headphones broke so I havent been able to do it for a while, but have some new ones now and will start again next week. I'll keep you updated.

Since I prefer music, I have been buying CDs from the Dr. Jeffrey Thompson series from Amazon. So far, have purchased the Music for Brainwave Massage (the first and 2.0 - I like them best) as well as Healing Mind (the first and 2.0), Awakened Mind (2nd best) and Creative Mind (3rd best). There are others including Music for Relaxation and Music for Meditation. The cost was minimal and each CD is different so they do not feel repetitious when listening to them. Oddly, I seem to get better results when listening to them without headphones but that just may be me.

i have been using the holosync therapeutic model, sold by Bill Harris at CenterPointe.com, for over 8 yrs. i finished the first series in 7 yrs, and am now using the reinforcement and maintenance series. i have been evaluated as "in remission" for bipolar, GAD, phobias, OCD, suicidal ideations, and other 'stuff', and severe cognitive impairments, as a result.

i combined my time listening to holosync with meditation, as the two are practically twins. i hear it is not uncommon for people to fall asleep listening, or shortly thereafter. it has to do with the exhaustion of brain chemicals need to repair or regrow neural connections between the 2 sides of the brain, that results in the 'rebalancing' that is healthy.

i was fortunate enough to be able to listen first thing in the morning, by putting the sound track on my computer so i could sit up and listen. not having to be anyplace gave me the advantage of napping if needed.

CenterPointe has the advantage of providing 24/7 emotional and cognitive support for it's version, as it is intentionally therapeutic. they will also provide a Sleep soundtrack that can be used without earphones.

i love to talk about holosync, and CenterPointe, so if you have more questions, feel free to send me a PM, preferably, or i will check back here as i remember. my memory, which was practically destroyed 22 yrs ago, is finally returning, too. i could not be more pleased with the results i have obtained.

best wishes
Gus

I've never tried it, but it sounds very beneficial and helpful! Hope it helps you...keep us posted!!

Unguy. Thanks for recommendations.

I had a good time with holosync to begin with but found it caused a lot of upheaval especially when moving to new levels. I had a huge overwhelm incident when moving from Awakening Level 4 to Purification Level 1 and it took me over 18 months to overcome it (anti-anxiety and antidepressant meds needed!!).

Be careful with holosync, I don't think it's safe really at all.

Thanks for all your feedback

Magentalite, I was worried about it being harmful, yours isnt the first story I've read like that but there seems to be more that benefit than suffer from reviews. Im hoping I get benefit and not have a bad reaction to it. How did you know it was the meditation making you react that way? Im interested so I can look for warning signs.

It is day 6 of the Dive today. I am finding it harder to shut off my brain and just relax, the thoughts are coming back and I tend to get caught up in them and drift off into my own little world with the beats in the background. But then a beat will change and it will bring me back to the present. I do find the sounds quite relaxing.

One day I had to miss it, the next day when I did it again I had physical reactions, I felt really dizzy like I was being turned on my side and had a minor headache for a few hours after. It wasnt unpleasant, just unusual.

After doing it the last 2 days I have felt a difference in my brain, this might sound weird and I dont know if it is psychosomatic but its a good change so I dont really care what is causing it - I feel like all the thoughts are at the forefront of my mind, but there isnt a constant barrage of thoughts coming from the "back". When I can control the forefront thoughts, my mind is clear. I feel more at peace with myself, my concentration is better and I am able to socialise easier as I can engage with the other person instead of having thoughts distracting me.

I am keen to do more for longer daily, but on this program I need to do them in a certain order. Does anyone have any suggestions for meditation that will not interfere with Holosync? Can I do guided meditation or listen to rain sounds or will this mess up the program?

Oh I forgot to write, on the second day I had an anxiety attack during the meditation. I nearly got to the end of the track before it happened. I was feeling off before I started so I dont know if it was inevitable or if the holosync triggered it.

Again this afternoon after doing it, I felt pretty calm and at peace, much more "with it". But I did feel again like I had been tipped on my side, and it took a few hours to correct. I also have had an ongoing minor headache for a few days now which is starting to get on my nerves. But the peace I feel after it is just blissful. I dont want to give up on it yet.

The headache is getting much worse. To the point I need to take painkillers now. It is constant except when I am listening to the track.

There is no doubt my mind is much quieter. There seems to only been one string of thoughts instead of 50 going at once.

I find it hard to stay in the moment when I am listening. My mind does tend to wander off. But again there is only one string of thoughts, so I can redirect them.

Im a bit bummed about this headache. I was really enjoying the peace. But if its going to keep intensifying the headache I dont think I can continue. Does anyone know if this will pass?

Im on my second week of it now. And wow what an improvement! The headache did get bad, but one dose of painkillers cured it. And I started doing it in the morning instead of after lunch. I dont notice a straight away difference after a morning session as I did an afternoon session, but I guess that is because my "distress" levels are a lot lower. It helps me start my day in a lovely way.

Now when I meditate I am getting whole sections of time when there are no thoughts in my head! This is a major thing for me as there are pretty much always thoughts running through my head when I lay down with my eyes closed. Im still finding that I am anticipating new thoughts. I am finding it really helpful to put these thoughts in a bubble and let them float past. Sometimes no new thoughts pass, and that is just so bizarre to me! I feel like I may be on the path to being able to calm my mind and shut down the bad or intrusive thoughts.

Im still worried about going on to the next level, should I stay listening to the Dive until I can stay in a thought-less state for longer? Or should I follow the program?

Started Immersion yesterday. I tend to zone out more with the plain rain sound. Its very very easy to drift off into my own little world of thoughts. But in saying that I had trouble staying "with it" during the dive beforehand too. This week is a low week for me, and the full moon has messed with my sleep. I am finding it harder to stay in the moment and meditating is feeling like a waste of time, I am determined to stick with it though as I love it when I am stable. I hope that I can start to clear my mind again soon.

Does it matter that I am not doing it at the same time every day?

it is wonderful to read of your experiences, Supernova~! do you realize there is a toll free number to call for support and with questions, at CenterPointe.com?

as for the time of day, i like to use it when i'm fresh, either first thing (as you mentioned) or after a nap. it is a real, brain stimulating technology, so treat it as such and you should be ok.

i don't find any thing about other meditations, guided imagery, or 'normal' soothing soundtrack interferring with the effects. there is a Sleep CD from CenterPointe which helps many people, and is the sound of waves, i believe (?)... you can listen to it with or without earphones. i'm surprised you didn't receive it with your packet.

congratulations on persevering, and on being able to appreciate the results so soon~!

best wishes~
Gus

How are you going with Holosync meditation Supanova?

Going well thankyou for asking, although this weekend I have been a bit slack and havent done it. Its really hard to meditate with my partner here, I only have one room and he has the tv going. I look forward to doing it tomorrow and hope I havent messed with the program too much.

I have been doing the Dive followed by Immersion for a few weeks now, I am starting to prefer Immersion much to my surprise! But there have been a couple of occasions where it has put me to sleep. (To those that dont know, I have never ever fallen asleep to meditation sounds before Holosync, it truly surprises me as I had tried so much previously). I may need to start sitting up or doing it on the couch. Sometimes Im laying there and a really bizarre thought will float past my mostly quiet mind. I think that means I am starting to fall asleep but Im not too sure on that yet, its only happened a couple of times. Its usually enough to get the brain going again but after a few minutes I can clear my mind again.

I am finding I can stop the flow of thoughts for quite a few minutes now. I can lay there thoughtless for longer and longer the more I practice. Its becoming a familiar feeling rather than unfamiliar

Gus1234u, thankyou so much for the encouragement and answers. I have borrowed this program from a friend - minus the specific instruction but I have the order. I listened to Quietude the other day and enjoyed it.

I really like doing it after lunch at the moment, because that is when I notice the most dramatic improvement. I tend to run out of steam late afternoon, but if I meditate after lunch I have a little more energy. If its an anxious day I do it first thing.

I am really enjoying Holosync and am pleasantly surprised!

Hmm after a few days off it I am finding it difficult to have a clear mind again. I can sit for a couple of minutes but not long at all until the next thought comes up. The thoughts most certainly do slow down and after a while stopped being nervous and anxious thoughts, leading more onto random thoughts which were far less distressing. I really had to focus on letting the thoughts pass me by, it was harder not to get caught up in them. It took me near on 45 minutes to get into a relaxed mind yesterday and today. I hope tomorrow will be better. I do have to go to hospital tomorrow, so that could be affecting my ability to meditate as well as I could last week aswell.

After years of trying I can now control my breathing too. I am breathing much deeper than I was before. This is a big deal again for me as whenever I used to try and control my breathing I would end up having a panic attack. Now I can take very deep slow breathes with very little problem. This is going to be hugely helpful to me, it only occured to me today that I was taking such long deep breaths. The whole "in through your nose, out through your mouth" was very difficult for me to grasp, and now I do it naturally while mediating with no fuss.

Not sure I should mention this bit as I dont want anyone to think I am a tripper, but the last few weeks I have been incorporating crystals into my meditation. I was the furtherest thing from meditating crystal loving hippy just a few short years ago but now I am seeing the overwhelming benefits. When I hold a crystal it just seems easier to meditate. I have been using clear quartz and amethyst mostly. The amethyst is more calming for me while the clear quartz helps with my breathing and concentrating. I never expected anything like this to work, so I am very surprised and thrilled that it is.

Ready for the next update for those that are following along at home

I started Immersion X2 yesterday.

Something interesting happened yesterday... I was watching the thoughts drift by, and to my surprise they turned to a traumatic event in my life. It was as if I was telling my story to someone, the thoughts flowed but I didnt have any negative emotion connected to them. I watched the whole story play out. By the end I realised I was in the foetal position (but that could be due to pain as well). I didnt feel upset by these thoughts as I usually am when I think of this event. It actually felt like I had got things "right" in my mind. I now know I can tell this story without having any negative effect on my emotions, and that to me is a big deal! I couldnt even think about this event for years, let alone share the experience with anyone, and now I feel like I can.

I have no idea if this is directly related to Holosync or if something else has made this change, I know for sure there was nothing that triggered the thoughts as it came out of the blue 15 minutes or so into the meditation. Either way I feel I have moved on a little from this traumatic event and I am continuing to heal myself.

Today I was caught up in the thoughts, I tried many things to clear them away, what I tried may help others so I will write about them -

Sometimes I put the thoughts into a bubble and watch them float across my mind, letting them go when they pass and not bringing them back

Other times I imagine my thoughts evapourating away at the back of my mind, this is particularly helpful for those niggling constant background thoughts. I find it doesnt help me as much with the thoughts at the forefront

Some days I imagine a big vacuum cleaner at the top of my brain, sucking the thoughts out one by one. I watch them rise up and disappear into the vacuum, letting them go.

Today I tried to breathe in through my nose, clear the thoughts in my head and breathe them out of my mouth. It worked a bit, but not as much as I had hoped.

Some days it helps to focus on something. I was told one of my charkras was blocked and I should think of the colour "Yellow" to clear it. So I focus on "yellow" and do not let the other thoughts come in. It feels like they are banging at the door when I do this sometimes but I can usually keep my focus on "Yellow" for quite a while.

Unfortunately today, none of the techniques seemed to work. I am not discouraged though, I am quite certain that the pain from a minor surgery has a lot to do with it. If anyone has any tips on how to meditate with pain I am open to ideas I am willing to give most things a try. I find that without the constant distraction of my thoughts the pain gets worse. I will continue to meditate daily as I also think those couple of days off the holosync meditation affected how well I could relax. I will not be missing a day again!

i am so happy to hear of your wonderful results, Supanova~! this is why i keep telling people about Holosync~! as your brain repairs and creates new neural connections, old pathways are being accessed and new balance is available to handle that.

i'm very impressed with your attention to the meditation while listening. eventually, i believe, you will find meditation is actually the art of relaxation more than the trick of not thinking.

Congrats~!
Gus

Thanks for the ongoing support.

Its not been going so well the last few days. The day after I last posted I got to the point of panic again during meditation. I ended up sitting up repeating "I am calm, I am safe, I am comfortable" to myself for the last 45 minutes. After it I felt so bad but relieved it was over. Its amazing how much an hour can drag when you feel panicy.

Since then the meditation time has been worry time. I just worry about everything the worrying thoughts are constant in my head with no break. I know I am having issues with distress tolerance at the moment, I've tried to sit with the emotions, but it leads to panic, so I tried to CBT the thoughts away. That didnt work either, a new worry would come up straight away, and the old worries would come back. I'd get so distressed by the worries that my brain would just stop working all together and go into panic mode. The deep breathing has been helpful to keep me from hyperventilation but the sessions seem to drag. I've needed to sit up and have my eyes open for the last few minutes as I cant bare the darkness anymore. The intense anxiety/worry just wont let up, when it finally ends it is a relief so I can go and be distracted again instead of "stuck in a dark room with my thoughts".

Im really disappointed, I feel I am back where I started. I will keep meditating daily but it is a struggle to make myself do something that makes me feel so bad. Im hoping I will get through this phase and back on to the nice quiet mind I had a few weeks back. And go back to feeling refreshed after it instead of so horribly uncomfortable and distressed.

Has anyone else had this experience with meditation? Will this pass?

i have heard that a number of people do experience what you are reporting, and would remind you of the excellent support staff available at CenterPoint.com, by toll free phone number (if you don't have that , let me know and i'll dig it out).

it might help you to keep in mind that you are actually travelling a long tunnel, and making progress, even tho you might not see the light yet. this panic is likely a life-long unresolved fear which has haunted you without being confronted. here are some anxiety management skills, to help you keep going:

Coping With Anxiety and Panic:

1. Remember, feelings of panic are just exaggerations of normal bodily stress reactions.

2. Sensations are neither harmful nor dangerous - just unpleasant. Nothing worse will happen.

3. Anxiety is temporary. Instead of fighting it, relax into it. Just let it be.

4. Focus on facing the fear rather than trying to avoid it or escape from it.

5. Stop adding to the panic with frightening thoughts of where panic will lead.

6. Stay in the present. Be aware of what is happening to you rather than concern yourself with how much worse it might get.

7. Notice that when you stop adding to panic with frightening thoughts, the fear begins to fade.

8. Wait and give the fear time to pass.

9. Look around you. Plan what you will do next as the panic subsides.

10. When you are ready to go on, do so in an easy, relaxed manner. There is no hurry.

11. Think about the progress made so far despite all the difficulties.

Some Specific Actions:

1. Manage your breathing, if it is rapid, breathe into a paper sack to lower oxygen uptake;

2. Count your breaths, 1001, 1002, 1003, ect, up to 1020, then start again, slow down the count to slow your heartbeat. counting interferes with anxiety;

3. Delay doing anything about your anxiety or panic, just follow the steps and focus on getting thru it;

4. Distract yourself, with anything that requires you to focus and is simple and handy - at home you might read something easy, like a magazine, or knit or wash dishes, whatever engages your attention;

5. Eat something to replenish the blood sugars that adrenalin has burned up, and give yourself at least 15 minutes for the kidneys to clean out the 'ashes' in your blood;

6. Write these things down and keep them with you, until you have made them a habit

practice these skills before you need them, or when you are just mildly anxious, so they will be familiar when you are feeling very upset. i hope you find this information helpful~

best wishes~
Gus

Gus - I have a narrow, focused goal to reduce the dosage of sleep meds. The remissions you report sound awesome, but do they also include sleeping without, or on a lesser dosage, of sleep aids? Thanks.