Meditation and Neurofeedback
Our approach embraces both eastern and western disciplines, bringing spiritual neuroscience firmly into the 21st century.
By applying state of the art western neuroscience to what would traditionally be called a spiritual process, we facilitate grounded, stable growth; calming and balancing, strengthening communication between the conscious and subconscious mind, increasing awareness and heightening perception.
Our spiritual development programme is based on the brainwave patterns of advanced meditators, monks, yogis and healers. These brainwave patterns appear independent of spiritual dogma, belief or tradition.
Neurofeedback gives you a little ‘outside help’, so you can reach these states more easily on your own; making it one of the most powerful tools for spiritual development available.
While neurofeedback doesn’t offer ‘instant enlightenment’ (see spiritual stability below), the foundational qualities of an enlightened brain are skills anyone can learn with practice.
The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And the habit into character.
So, watch the thought and its ways with care.
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become.
~ The Buddha.
Mindfulness, Meditation and Neurofeedback
Through mindfulness and meditation research, neuroscientists have come to recognise the emotional and health benefits of a clear, balanced and centred mind.
By training a quiet and clear mind, the more subtle and complex thoughts come into awareness. We become more resilient, more connected, more ourselves; allowing intuition and inspiration to flow. These basic principles underlie our approach to neurofeedback.
The advantage of integrating modern neuroscience with eastern traditions is that any essential mental training can be accomplished in a much shorter time, working directly with the brain’s inherent neuroplasticity. Our neurofeedback brain training acts as a mental compass, showing the way into states that are difficult to reach without guidance. After some practice, you can get there on your own.
This field of study has been greatly aided by the Dalai Lama, who for nearly 20 years has furthered scientific knowledge in this area by strengthening the exchange of knowledge between eastern masters and neuroscientists.
Eastern Philosophy Meets Western Technology
Strengthening, balancing, and stabilising the nervous system is the physical basis for any path of spiritual or self-development; for millennia it has stood at the core of every major religion and spiritual practice the world over. By freeing ourselves of extraneous thoughts and developing our full capacities, we expand our awareness.
Opening this inner clarity transforms our experience to create a better human being – more compassionate, selfless, with greater calmness and equanimity, closer to the intrinsic Self that defines us as a particular person.
This principle of a balanced mind underlies all our neurofeedback work.
Spiritual Stability
Maintaining spiritual stability is an integral part of the awakening process. Instability associated with awakenings is often referred to as a ‘healing crisis’, ‘dark night of the soul’, or ‘spiritual psychosis’.
Spiritual traditions are very specific about the pace and order of practice. Advanced practices were once kept secret; the nervous system must undergo refinement before using strong techniques.
These traditional techniques are designed to expose both the positive and negative aspects of the mind, and can bring on a strong influx of subconscious material. If handled without due care, methods such as Kriya or Tantra Yoga, and drug induced awakenings (with subsances such as Ayahuasca and other psychadelics) can leave people unstable.
Western adaptations of eastern techniques seldom give due regard to the mental groundwork required before beginning these practices, which can lead the unprepared into strong psychological upheaval. Ultimately this instability is part of a healing and growth process. Some move through this easily, for others it may last for days, weeks, or even years. It can be an uncomfortable place to be stuck.
For those who have found themselves in trouble from an imbalanced awakening, we work to re-stabilise the central nervous system so you can move forward again.
Symptoms Of Instability
Psychological upheaval – intensifications on unresolved psychological issues, fear of death and insanity, mood swings, waves of anxiety, anger, guilt, or depression – coupled with profound compassion, unconditional love, and overwhelming bliss. This is usually accompanied by a compelling need to recognise and resolve inner conflicts.
Physiological problems – emergence of latent illnesses, pseudo-illness, nervous problems, eating disorders, transient pains, heat, burning, itching, expanded senses, high sensitivity, hyperactivity or lethargy, extreme variations in sexual desire. Intense involuntary body movements into unfamiliar postures, shaking, vibrations, jerking, sensations of electricity, tingling, waves of heat flooding the body.
Expanded perceptions – Extreme sensitivity to the moods of others, and unusual perceptions. While these are not problems in themselves, they can be confusing and difficult to integrate.
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