Part Seven: Cyber-Shamanism: The Fusion of Modern Technology with Ancient, Plant-Based Shamanism
By Zoe Seven
Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Technology in the Cyber Age
In 1665, a Dutch scientist by the name of Christian Huygens discovered that two ormore pendulum clocks mounted side-by-side on the same wall would gradually come to swing at the same rate. This is the basis of what is known today as entrainment. This is the same as having two tuning forks that produce a frequency of say, 440 Hz. If one of the forks is struck, the second fork will begin to vibrate. This sympathetic vibration, if you will, is also an example of entrainment.
The principle of entrainment is the same one used to drive brainwaves. Research in this area shows that there is a correlation between brainwave response and external pulses or frequencies introduced to a subject’s brain. Likewise using this same principal, shamans using a simple drum beat can draw listeners from their waking Beta brain state into a relaxed Alpha state of mind, for example. As you may begin to see, by making a simple noise at a specific frequency, and keeping it steady and rhythmic, it is possible to drive brainwaves.
On the other side of the spectrum discoveries in the field of neuroscience over the past few decades have enabled scientists and researchers to learn more about the inner workings of the brain than ever before. Many of these discoveries, such as the properties of various brain chemicals and their effects on consciousness, as well as the fact that brain activity can be altered by external sources including electromagnetic fields and various frequencies of sound and light have been the rage in brain research. In the case of hemispheric synchronization via modern light and sound stimulation technology, two separate frequencies of sound are fed into each ear (via headphones), which in turn produce a sympathetic vibratory response in the brain. The pulsating sound frequencies – heard through headphones – end up stimulating the vestibular system, cerebellum, limbic system, and cortex via the nerve endings of the ears; while the flashing light frequencies of the device’s eyeset stimulate the desired frequency rates (beta, alpha, theta, delta) in the visual cortex and hyppocampus brain centers via the photoreceptors of the eyes. This leads to the coordination of both brain hemispheres. In essence by using a brainwave synchronizer one can program the device with a specific light and sound rhythmic patterns that will coax the brain hemispheres to pulsate in near perfect unison and synchrony by way of flickering lights and pulsating sounds.
Again, although all of this is indeed fascinating and this technology is superb, I have to honestly admit that the most interesting and valuable insights and experiences occurred to me from my combination of both modern neuro-technology devices together with shamanic plants. The reason I say this is because it’s as though the devices (or meditation, chanting, yoga, etc.) only take the user up to the threshold of particular psychological states. But in order to fully enter ‘into’ them one needs certain keys – chemical in nature. These keys are specific chemical codes that our brains read and incorporate into their mode of operation at the time of ingestion. In this case the molecules of the psychoactives are they keys that open these doors or windows of consciousness. In turn, the four brainwave states [predominant] – beta, alpha, theta, and delta – at their various potential frequency rates result in different “locations” in the psychological landscape of one’s psyche when combined with psychoactives.
A problem that most psychonauts report is poor recollection of their experiences. Now to get a better idea of the training I underwent in order to succesfully translate inner experiences into verbal descriptions I suggest you read my first book, INTO THE VOID. In it you will find a number of excercises, techniques, and tools that will help you in this endevour. But here I will briefly go over one one of the tools and some of the research that enabled me to retain the full memory of my psychonautical experiences.
While I was engaged in my research for my first book I came across the work of a neuroscientist by the name of Allan Hobson, whom interestingly,theorizes that when the brain enters REM sleep it apparently stops manufacturing the neurotransmitter chemicals responsible for memory. This perked up my interest since Hobson’s theory made perfect sense – at least to me anyway. I say this because although humans have typically about six dreams each night, we have very poor memory of them, if any at all. And when I began to work with neuroelectrical stimulation I began to notice one of its universally recognized side effects: vivid dreaming.
Copyright: Zoe Seven, Author and AVS Journal, Michael Landgraf, Publisher (2006) Granada Hills, CA. All rights reserved.