BWG vs Nothing?

[Tom]

Often I read that the process of learning to meditate is like a bucket of water. It is so automated to keep churning the water that the mud and gravel and sand keep mixing around and do not settle to the bottom. The water is never clear. You can't just tell someone to stop churning the water to let the water clear and the junk settle to the bottom. It is a lot easier to give that effort and energy a different outlet: a meditation technique. The energy from the churning gradually goes instead into the technique and the water begins to clear. I'd argue that this is the limit of the comparison, because in the mind the mud and gravel and sand are transformed into positive qualities while in the bucket of water there is always the potential that someone will be able to kick the bucket and stir it up again. When the water has cleared, and the tendency to keep stirring it is gone, it is necessary to drop the technique. At this point even the technique (because it is an artificial modification of the mind) must be dropped. Not before then. As long as the tendency to keep churning the water is there, the technique is needed. When the tendency is gone, the technique can be dropped. At this point it is finally meditation. The nice thing about binaurals is that if you find a brand that works for you they are like putting your bucket of muddy water into a centrifuge. The process is actually a lot rougher, and it is a good thing if you become irritated from time to time. The point is to clear the water, and a centrifuge is faster than waiting for gravity to do all the work on its own.

[CFTraveler]

Often I read that the process of learning to meditate is like a bucket of water. It is so automated to keep churning the water that the mud and gravel and sand keep mixing around and do not settle to the bottom. The water is never clear. You can't just tell someone to stop churning the water to let the water clear and the junk settle to the bottom. It is a lot easier to give that effort and energy a different outlet: a meditation technique. The energy from the churning gradually goes instead into the technique and the water begins to clear. I'd argue that this is the limit of the comparison, because in the mind the mud and gravel and sand are transformed into positive qualities while in the bucket of water there is always the potential that someone will be able to kick the bucket and stir it up again. When the water has cleared, and the tendency to keep stirring it is gone, it is necessary to drop the technique. At this point even the technique (because it is an artificial modification of the mind) must be dropped. Not before then. As long as the tendency to keep churning the water is there, the technique is needed. When the tendency is gone, the technique can be dropped. At this point it is finally meditation. The nice thing about binaurals is that if you find a brand that works for you they are like putting your bucket of muddy water into a centrifuge. The process is actually a lot rougher, and it is a good thing if you become irritated from time to time. The point is to clear the water, and a centrifuge is faster than waiting for gravity to do all the work on its own.

Thank you for the clarification. (no pun intended).

[BriMercer]

Tom,

Excellent metaphor.

I wanted to weigh in on the BWGen as preparatory work for learning OBE. First of all, I agree that the BWGen isn't necessary for learning meditation or OBE. The BWGen is just another tool. I kind of see it like those machines that spit out tennis balls so tennis players can practice returning serves. It's just another means to train.

I do think the BWGen can accelerate learning, both as a technique for quieting the mind as well as an effective means to practice the mind-awake/body-asleep state. I created the MAP presets to direct mind and body toward sleep. Listeners then get practice keeping their mind awake and clear without "clicking out". And it is mastering that state that advances learning for OBE.

I also have experienced the BWGen presets actually stimulating the energy body spontaneously. I've felt mild tingling, localized buzzing, a sense of swaying or spinning, and have even felt my energy body moving past the limits of my physical body. I have no doubt it can help one achieve an OBE.

Is the BWGen a crutch for learning meditation and OBE prep-work? No. Think of it more a training wheels. Eventually, you get more proficient at recognizing the trance state and thus the time you takes to get there on your own is reduced. You don't need the BWGen now, but it allowed you to be able to get there on your own faster.

Brian

[enoch]

I found bwg to be a mass irritation. I prefer a pair of earplugs and some nice viz. each to their own, I suppose. bwg was good for clairaudience, but that kinda diverts from the intention too.

[Scorpyn]

Interesting...

I found the parts of the lucid dreaming presets a bit creepy (it sounded a bit like ppl were talking but at the same time not) but other than that they seem pretty good. Sometimes they "tickle my brain" as I described it in my log.

[enoch]

lol..I know that feeling. "Tickle my brain."

[Tom]

http://www.olegabrielsen.com/software/

This program has a free version with 7 qualities of energy that it adds. The full version of the program has 52 to choose from. They work a lot like presets in a binaural program. I like it a lot and have been modifying all my MP3 files to burn to CD to listen to at work. I've bought the full version of the program, which means that I can modify MP3 and wav files for people and then give back the modified version. It comes with a commercial license for distributing modified files, if not distributing the whole program itself. Even if you find plain binaurals irritating, you might be able to benefit from using this because you start with your own files for background. I can't say enough good things about this program, especially considering that if I hadn't experienced it for myself I would not have believed it possible.

[enoch]

Thanks Tom, I'll check it out.