| When the
brain is most creative it is able to form new associations between
disparate ideas. When you alter your attitude, what you do with
your body and what you choose to focus on, you’re actually
altering the frequency of your brain waves. There are several characteristic
electroencephalogram waveforms, or electromagnetic oscillations,
associated with various sleep and wakefulness states:
A gamma wave is a pattern of brain
waves associated with perception and consciousness. Gamma waves
are produced when masses of neurons emit electrical signals at the
rate of between 26 and 70 times a second (‘times a second’
is frequency, measured in hertz or Hz). Research has shown gamma
waves are continuously present during the process of awakening and
during active rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Beta waves occur above 12 Hz. Beta
states are the states associated with normal waking consciousness,
mostly active, busy or anxious thinking and active concentration.
Alpha waves are in the range of 8-12 Hz and signify periods of relaxation,
with eyes closed but still awake.
Theta waves operate between 4 and
8 Hz and are found during some sleep states, in states of quiet
focus like meditation and memory tasks. They reflect the on-line
state of the brain in readiness to process information.
A delta wave is a large, slow (2
Hz or less) brain wave and is usually associated with deep sleep.
So to summarise:
Gamma = perception, conciousness and dream sleep
Beta = concentration, wakefulness
Alpha = relaxation
Theta = meditation and creative thinking
Delta = deep sleep
EEG Biofeedback Training is a learning
strategy that enables people to alter their brain waves by getting
a feedback of their present state. Some psychologists have set up
biofeedback specifically to enable patients to enter the much rarer
theta brain wave state to utilise creative thinking. They do it
by monitoring the brain using electrodes. The patient sits relaxed
and wears headphones. If the machine registers alpha waves it plays
the relaxing sound of a babbling brook. If it registers theta waves
the sound changes to crashing waves which enhances the meditative
state. The system forces the patient to relax further and enter
theta wave thought.
What is happening in theta wave state
is that the brain has slowed down. This slower thinking allows connections
to be made between more distant connections in the brain that normal
gamma and beta wave thought hasn’t got time to access. This
really means that it allows the time for distant, perhaps long out
of use memory to be brought to conscious attention allowing older
unconnected images to be recontexualised with newer thoughts. This
is the creative process.
How can you access your theta wave
brain state? Is there something you can do or someplace you can
go? In your creative state you will find the solutions to your problems,
you'll be able to think of new ideas and better was of doing things.
Can you find time during a busy day to meditate? Can you really
afford not to?
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