The Sensora: A Multi-Sensorial Therapeutic Device
(Part Two)
by Anadi A. Martel, M.Sc., of Sensortech, Inc.
3.3 Color Therapy
The use of colors for therapeutic purposes is as old as civilization, and many traditional color systems have been developed over the ages. Modern science has both broadened and more clearly defined the use and the effects of color. Extensive psychological research allows us to specify the arousing, relaxing, awareness sharpening, or pacifying effects of various colors.
Fields of medicine such as Syntonic Optometry have been deepening our understanding of the therapeutic use of light and color.
While the Sensora does not espouse any specific color system, it can be used as a sophisticated delivery instrument for many such approaches since it is fully programmable. Its LPA-1 light projector is optimized to generate saturated colors across the complete rainbow spectrum and has the capability to create color patterns covering the user’s field of vision. This gives the perceiver the sensation of being inside an encompassing field of light, thereby greatly enhancing the psychological impact of colors.
Physiological effects of color:
In addition to their subjective perceptual effects, colors appear to have more direct physiological effects on the body. Ongoing research provides intriguing glimpses into possible mechanisms for such effects.
One operational vector is indicated by studies which have demonstrated the existence of an “energy section” of the optic nerve connecting the retina of the eye directly to the pineal and pituitary glands. This nerve fiber network operates in parallel to the normal “optical section” of the visual system, and transmits the effects of light directly to the hormonal system, which is an essential mediator and modifier of metabolism and mood.
Another biochemical avenue is indicated by the fact that the transparent capillary vessels in the retina directly expose the blood to light coming into the eyes. The blood flow through this channel is surprisingly large: it has been established that the body’s entire blood supply runs through it every 2 hours. This provides ample exposure to any potential catalytic effects of specific light frequencies on the blood’s chemistry.
Color properties:
While the exact properties of specific colors are open to debate, certain broad tendencies are pretty much universally accepted; these have been extensively applied in the creation of the current generation of Sensora programs.
Red, Orange Energizing, invigorating colors
Yellow Considered to be an excellent facilitator for intellectual work
Green The color of nature, associated with heightening the emotional qualities of the heart
Blue Contributes to the creation of ordered thought and harmonious mood
Pink Has a calming and soothing effect on the disposition
Violet Associated with feelings of being uplifted; accessing higher spheres of consciousness
Ultraviolet Stimulates concentration and the ability to learn
Known characteristics of the main colors
3.4 Open Environment
All along the Sensora’s development, we have considered important to design it as a whole environment surrounding the user. Obviously this approach is costly, since it requires rather large-scale multi-sensorial equipment and the dedicated use of a Sensora room, but we consider that it brings significant advantages that cannot be obtained with other approaches.
– The quality of the Sensora light projections would be impossible to duplicate on smaller display systems (whether of video-screen or LED goggle type), and its spatialized sound environment could not be effectively reproduced through headphones.
– We have found that an open environment is more readily accepted by the population at large than smaller enclosing devices. Being wrapped-up in light goggles or being enclosed in a small space such as a flotation-tank sometimes brings up claustrophobialike feelings in people, and it requires a certain dedication to persevere in using them; whereas an open space often feels less threatening, more welcoming, for people uninitiated to mindmachines.
– For most people, the striking impression felt when walking into the Sensora space and being fully immersed in its multi-sensorial field results in a psychological readiness to be touched more deeply by the experience.
To summarize this principle, we like saying that comparing the Sensora environment with smaller mind-machines is somewhat like comparing the experiences of cinema and TV: the film being watched may be the same in both cases, but the immersive cinema experience will obviously have a greater impact than that of a small TV.
3.5 Sensory Sweeping
This operational principle evolved out of our observations while working with Sensora multi-sensorial programming. It is a working hypothesis that, while not necessarily scientifically established, seems to point to an interesting field of study.
The idea behind it is quite simple and is based on the well-known principle according to which “what you don’t use, you loose”: neuronal pathways in the brain need to be used and exercised in order to develop, otherwise they gradually whither away. It is also known that many neuronal structures in the brain have a continuous mapping to parts of the body: for example in the significant portion of the brain dedicated to skin perception and the sense of touch, contiguous skin areas are mapped to contiguous brain areas. Therefore sweeping a kinesthetic stimulus over a continuous area of the body activates matching neuronal pathways over a corresponding continuous circuit in the brain. In certain types of therapy, such continuity is thought to help in restoring and developing neural interconnections.
From these factors it can reasonably be inferred that repeatedly performing such a sweeping pattern can bring about a beneficial “exercising” of neuronal pathways. The Sensora instruments allow many different types of sensory sweeping, which are extensively used in the sessions:
-The Transducer Chair is optimized to perform kinesthetic stimulus sweeping over programmable patterns; in fact to our knowledge it may be the only existing instrument permitting this type of work. Our ongoing tests are helping to understand which types of patterns, speed and rotational direction bring about different responses in subjects.
-The Light Modulation projections allow the generation of precise sweeps across the color spectrum. These effects are amongst the most spectacular and subjectively pleasing to the eye. In a related phenomenon, sweeping patterns combining complementary colors have been found to be especially potent.
-The spatialized soundtrack allows the generation of sounds continuously moving across the surround sound field. Here again, various types of patterns, speed and rotational direction bring about different responses in subjects. 3.6 Multi-Sensorial Synergy
We are all familiar with the synergetic capabilities of our senses: under the right circumstances different senses can merge and blend. The Sensora fully exploits this phenomenon: being simultaneously immersed in fields of light, sound and kinesthetic sensations brings about an effect that is greater than the sum of each individual sensation.
In a Sensora session this multi-sensorial synergy has important subjective consequences:
-It can bring a sense of fusion and unity to the experience
-It can heighten the overall intensity of the experience
-It can facilitate the letting-go that brings a deeper relaxation
As an interesting note, we can add that we also experimented with integrating olfactory sensations within Sensora sessions. As is well known, the sense of smell has a high synergetic capability, and we indeed obtained excellent results. However we had to abandon this path for practical implementation reasons: odors cannot be turned off as easily as sound or light, and eventually permanently permeate the session room.
3.7 Bypassing the Mind
We consider that a key aspect of the success of the Sensora process is its ability to create an environment in which the user can remain at rest, essentially doing nothing, without becoming bored.
If someone can be brought to a state of restful inactivity, relaxation will naturally unfold. The problem is that in our “MTV age”, most people’s attention span is notoriously short: this state of inactivity quickly becomes monotonous and dull, and it cannot be maintained for any length of time. Some stimulation, something interesting is required to hold one’s attention… But stimulation will automatically disrupt the restful state.
A way out of this paradox is to use stimulation that is fascinating and beautiful enough to hold the attention, while presenting a minimum of form or message capable of triggering the mind’s activity. In the Sensora this is achieved with the correct blend of selected sensory elements.
The primary factor in this approach is the use of light projection with only pure colors. Recent PET-Scan studies have shown that most of the brain’s visual centers and associated cognitive processing centers, which are normally activated by forms or images, remain quiet when the eyes are viewing pure colored patterns. This suggests that the experience of color is a sensation complete in itself, not requiring subsequent analysis or interpretation by the brain, permitting most brain centers to rest.
Another factor involves the rhythm of sensory transitions, which when held within a certain range maintains an aliveness while not disrupting the restful state.
3.8 Stimuli Dosage
In the course of our experimentation we have found a very wide spectrum in people’s sensitivity to multi-sensorial environments. On one extreme are individuals who are easily overwhelmed by the slightest stimulus; on the other are individuals for whom the most extreme effects remain bland… A guiding principle in the development of Sensora programs has therefore been the careful dosage of the different sensorial parameters.
Each of the 3 sensory sources in the Sensora has the potential to be rendered so intense as to become unpleasant, and their combination synergistically even more so. With this in mind, we have carefully calibrated each operating parameter of the Sensora instruments so that they can be used over a full proportional range, from a null value up to the maximum setting.
For example, at its minimum settings the LPA-1 light projector is capable of generating a precise range of very low phosphene-like light levels, near the limit of the vision’s sensitivity threshold. We have found that occasional phases using these evanescent light levels, disappearing into darkness, are particularly valuable.
Similarly, although the Sensora’s brainwave entrainment light effects can be set to a full stroboscopic pulsation, we have found it advantageous to be able to reduce them to a subtle, barely perceptible shimmering in the light patterns, with most applications falling somewhere in between these extremes.
As a way of dealing with people’s various sensitivities, we have created a library of Sensora programs with gradated relative intensities. The “Relaxation Series” programs are soft enough to be enjoyed by all users, while the “Energy Series” programs are designed for users looking for more intense experiences.
Epilepsy Risk:
Exposure to pulsating light may increase the risk of an epileptic seizure in a small proportion of the population. This risk is minimal (current research indicates that 1 in 20,000 adults over 25 have this photosensitivity) but must still be considered.
In the case of the Sensora, since the light pulsations used for photic driving are generally softer than those used in common brainwave entrainment device (such as light goggles), the risk is further minimized: not a single case has ever been encountered since the beginning of our experiments.
Nevertheless, to accommodate people who are known to be at risk, the SD-1 Sensor Driver provides a control allowing the removal of brainwave entrainment modulations from Sensora sessions while maintaining all other sensorial aspects intact.
3.9 The Aesthetic Factor
As a rule, mind machines are designed to bring about results by applying certain basic mechanisms, such as generating light or sound pulsations for brainwave entrainment, or projecting specific color sequences: their intent is to implement objective and scientific processes, as do laboratory instruments.
With the Sensora, we attempted to develop an approach that merges such objective processes with the subjectivity of the mind’s perception – somewhat more like developing a musical instrument.
This approach works by considering a session both as an objective process involving precise sensorial parameters and as a work of art to be enjoyed aesthetically. This in turn defines certain new requirements for the instruments involved: they must be able to generate aesthetically pleasing sensations as well as performing their objective functions. In order to be successful, the system must be composed of high-quality elements: colors with a high degree of chromatic purity, excellent sound system, well-designed environment in the session room, programming capable of dealing with the subtlety of delicate sensations.
Under appropriate circumstances, people can rarely avoid being touched by the beauty of pure colors and sound. The Sensora works at a broader level than simpler mind machines, because it can provoke an emotional response of this kind. This opens wider possibilities – but also makes the quantification of its effects more difficult.
3.10 Archetypal Evocation
This last operating principle completes the shift towards a more inner-oriented, psychosensorial perspective. Pure colors and sounds are fundamental building blocks of our perception; in the Sensora programs we have an opportunity to use and combine them in order to evoke timeless universal experiences that can be described as “archetypal”.
Here are a few examples illustrating this principle:
-The heartbeat rhythm is immensely potent. Light pulsations based on this frequency (at about 1.3 Hz) and its harmonics have a powerful impact, especially when accompanied by matching sound beats. This is a rhythm that has been used for ages in shamanic rituals around the world.
-The resonance frequency of the Earth electro-magnetic field (known as the Schumann Resonance frequency, at about 7.8Hz) creates especially pleasing and harmonious light and sound pulsations. This may be understood when one considers that this frequency has always been pervading the atmosphere and is probably deeply embedded in the organic processes of life itself.
-The innate fascination exerted by light pulsations can be linked to the flickering of fire, which has been a symbol of security and comfort (as in gazing at a camp fire) from the earliest days of human evolution.
-When used at low intensities the Sensora light projections can be reminiscent of a starry night, creating the impression of floating in the infinite expanse of the Milky Way.
-The hemispherical projection screen of the Sensora presents a round shape that we have found instrumental in bringing about an overall impression of wholeness. It helps create for the user the sensation of being at the center of a cosmos; an archetypal analogy would be the feeling of being at the center of a “Medicine-Wheel”.
-Natural sounds have an unparalleled capacity to open the doors of one’s imagination, and can help to tap into a wide variety of archetypal and ancestral memories. We have been creating our own spatialized recordings of exceptional natural sounds from around the world, which are extensively used in Sensora soundtracks.
All these elements contribute to extend the perceptual context of a Sensora session towards a more “magical” experience.
4 Therapeutic Applications
4.1 “Inner Entertainment”
The most obvious applications of the Sensora are sessions designed to simply enjoy its multisensorial environment, as a kind of “inner entertainment” that helps to harmonize the user’s mood.
Each Sensora session is a self-contained multi-media program, with a complete process unfolding and coming to a conclusion. We have found a session duration of 20-25 minutes to be an optimal compromise: it is long enough to allow the user to shift into a new, refreshed mental state, while remaining short enough to ensure the installation’s cost-effectiveness.
We have created a number of sessions optimized for the following processes:
Relaxation:
This is a very natural application for the Sensora, with numerous therapeutic applications. Relying on pacifying colors, slower rhythms, Alpha/Theta brainwave frequencies, flowing soundtracks, the Sensora “Relaxation Series” sessions can efficiently bring users to a state of deep relaxation.
Creativity Enhancement:
These sessions, which we call the “Energy Series”, use a range of colors, frequencies and sounds that have more stimulating and invigorating effects. By nourishing the senses while giving the mind a rest, they can constitute an energizing and centering prelude to activities requiring mental creativity.
Guided Meditation:
Each session from the “Meditation Series” guides the user through a simple and effective meditation technique. They provide an enjoyable way to experiment with meditation and its inner exploration.
The Sensora as a hi-tech relaxation space can be used in numerous locations:
-Spas and Resorts
-Health Centers and Private Clinics
-Corporate facilities for employees
-Waiting lounges for airports
4.2 Mind Machines and Meditation
The therapeutic properties of various types of meditation are gradually being established. But in order to be effective, meditation techniques must be learned and practiced: meditation requires a certain discipline and effort. What role can “mind machines” such as the Sensora play in enhancing meditation?
In essence, meditation can be said to be a purely subjective process of consciousness looking into itself. Taking this into consideration, our point of view is that no external stimulus introduced by a machine can “generate” meditation: the meditator has to “do” the looking, no machine can do it for him/her…
What a machine can possibly do is to generate an environment where this process of looking is facilitated, i.e. where the meditator will find it easier to remain present and aware. This will happen in an environment where the brain’s mental activity is quieted down, where an atmosphere of harmony and security dissolves current worries and leads to greater inner ease.
So while we would certainly not claim that the Sensora “produces” meditation in users, it has been our experience that it can be a beautiful support to meditation. We have also seen many instances where people having no prior knowledge of meditation have “accidentally” been drawn during a session to a state of inner silence that has left them quite baffled…
4.3 Support for Psychotherapeutic Processes
Our experience has clearly established the potential of a multi-sensorial tool such as the Sensora as a support for psychotherapeutic processes. The exact mechanisms through which this support operates remain to be explored in details, and promise to reveal valuable insights into the burgeoning science of applying light and sound to therapy.
One possible interpretation relates to the fact that the Sensora environment can often lead to semi-hypnagogic mental states, where one floats in intermediate stages between waking and dreaming. In these states the boundary between the conscious and unconscious mind seems to become more permeable, and the unconscious can occasionally release memories, feelings or insights.
In practice we have found the Sensora to act as a kind of amplifier, capable of intensifying various psychotherapeutic processes through the totality and focus brought about by its immersive environment. We have for example successfully used it together with techniques involving counseling, as well as early-childhood regression, and hypnotherapy.
As a support to psychotherapy sessions, the Sensora can be used in various ways:
-Before a session: the Sensora brings the client to a state of deep relaxation and receptivity, from where it is easier and faster to move into real issues during the subsequent psychotherapy session.
-After a session: the Sensora is a safe space where the client can settle down and integrate whatever issues may have come up during the psychotherapy session. We have seen cases where a client came to a spontaneous resolution of inner conflicts brought in focus by a session, while simply relaxing in the harmonious Sensora environment.
-During a session: our experiments with conducting sessions in the Sensora room, alternating between therapy and multi-sensorial breaks, indicate that there are a multitude of creative ways to combine both.
One of the most touching events in our research has been to witness the broad smile and tears of a deaf and dumb young woman, who explained that while lying on the Transducer chair she had for the first time been able to sense sound and music through her skin. This type of feedback has all along helped us to persevere in this work.
4.4 Future Prospects
No medical application can be claimed for the Sensora, since no systematic research in this field has as of yet been performed. Some doctors have however expressed interest in exploring possible applications in fields where relaxation and sensory stimulation are known to be beneficial.
For example, simpler sensory stimulation devices are already in use in a number of countries for the treatment of autistic and multi-handicapped children. Other potential applications mentioned relate to:
-Treatment of sleep disorders
-Treatment of addictions
–Rehabilitation of cerebral poly-traumatisms
-Pre-surgery preparation and relaxatio
-Experimental cancer healing modalities involving positive visualization
-Behavioral Therapy
-High-performance sports training
In all these cases, the Sensora could potentially be a valuable tool both with its existing programs and especially as a hardware base for developing optimized multi-sensorial programs.
4.5 Call for Research Projects
We are convinced that the science of using light and sound for therapeutic purposes will greatly evolve in the coming century: systems such as the Sensora are but the beginning of a whole new field of research.
We invite any researcher interested in exploring the application of the Sensora to his/her field of work, including psychotherapy, psychology and medicine, to contact us. We are open to supporting research projects in various ways.
About the Author: Anadi A. Martel entered University at the age of 16 and completed graduate studies in Theoretical Physics. After spending a few years in India he decided to become an independent researcher, specializing in electronics design. During the 1980s he developed a variety of unique sound and light devices. He then gradually experimented with ways of bringing them together in multi-sensorial systems. The outcome of this research is the Sensora, which was developed in collaboration with Ma Premo, a psychotherapist.
For details about the Sensora contact http://www.mindmachines.com/LightSoundRelaxationSuperstore/Brainwave-Entrainment-DVD-Videos/
Copyright: AVS Journal, Michael Landgraf, Publisher and Anadi Martel, Author. All rights reserved.