What is alpha state? Alpha state: how to enter? Add your price to the base Comment. Altered state of consciousness what is it how to enter and exit
Instruction manual
Choose a quiet place, close the curtains, turn off the phone and turn on the relaxing music. It can be the sound of water or birds singing, the main thing is that you like it and you can relax under it. Take a comfortable pose, sit in a chair or lie down on a bed, feel warmth, calm and safety.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath. Forget about the problems. Tell yourself that now there is no need to go somewhere or do something. Enjoy these moments of freedom.
Take a deep breath, feel the air filling the lungs. Imagine how healing energy enters the body. When you exhale, feel how pain, fatigue and tension leave the body. This energy relieves stress and toxins. Focus on her and breathe. Feel the mind and body relax.
Relax your scalp, eyelids, face, mouth. Go to the shoulders, hands, chest, abdomen, hips, then knees and feet. Feel the muscles, organs, cells, fibers and nerves relax in the body. They become light. Feel the warmth and lightness flowing through your body. Watch your breath, imagine life energy, feel that it is inside you.
Now, to dive into a deeper meditative level, count in your mind to 21. Slowly. Take a deep breath, pronounce a number, exhale. On the last digit, feel the peace within. This is the state of altered consciousness. The body is relaxed, the mind communicates with the universe on a subtle level.
There is an alternative way to plunge into yourself, counting not up to 21, but up to 3. Similarly, relax the body (from the scalp to the feet), only take three deep breaths and imagine the figure 3. Next, relax the mind. To do this, imagine calm images: a pond with daisies, a magical forest, the twittering of birds. It can be anything, it is important to feel comfort and calm. Take three more deep breaths and imagine the number 2. The final step is the meditative level. Take 3 more deep breaths and imagine the number 1. This technique allows you to change for a few minutes. It is suitable if you need to make a quick decision. To enter a deeper trance, read from 10 to 1. Be sure to in reverse order.
And the easiest option. Lie on your back and look at the ceiling. Take a deep breath, hold your breath for two to three seconds, and exhale slowly. Close your eyes and hold your breath. Continue until the eyelids become heavy. Do not make sudden movements, breathe deeply and often.
It can be difficult for a modern person to focus on work or school. The Internet, the presence of a mobile phone with instant messengers, not to mention intrusive colleagues - all this does not contribute to focused and efficient work. In modern psychology, there is such a thing as a "state of flow."
What is a stream state?
Stream status - This is a condition when a person is fully involved in his work. In this state, the person is as concentrated as possible, not distracted, and so enthusiastic about the activity that he does not notice how an hour or two can pass.
Mihai Chiksentmihayli - The American psychologist has become famous for his book and ideas about The Stream. The book is called Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Flow - This is a state of full involvement in current activities. According to the psychologist, the task that a person is working on should be difficult enough for him to have a person interested in working on with such high involvement. In a streaming state, the person’s attention is maximized, as well as a high motivation for action, and the environment is also well suited for the selected task.
Enemies of the flow state
Man is naturally distracted by nature. And the environment of the business world only contributes to this. Therefore, being in a state of flow is not always easy.
The state of the flow is the exact opposite of our natural chaos in the head when thoughts wander randomly and aimlessly.
Having studied the mass of business literature on applied psychology (Willpower, Charisma and others), I would single out the following enemies of the flow state:
- hunger, fatigue, lack of sleep (all that suppresses willpower);
- lack of a clear goal;
- too simple tasks (an easy task does not cause interest);
- distracting factors;
- physical or psychological discomfort;
8 stream status elements
- Feasibility of the task. Too complex a task can, on the contrary, demotivate a person. And on the contrary, a too simple task will not kindle a fire in a person. A flow arises somewhere between a boring task and a task that causes a certain (but not excessive!) Fear of failure.
- Focusing attention. Avoid all possible distractions. Turn off the sound on your mobile phone, ask your colleagues not to bother you at certain hours. Develop willpower through meditation and sports. Concentration is the key not only to the state of the flow, but in general.
- Clearly defined goals. It is difficult to focus on an indistinct task. Therefore, it is so important when ordering the programmer to paint everything to the smallest detail - this largely determines the quality and speed of obtaining the result.
- Fast feedback. When a person feels and sees the results of his work in the form of feedback here and now - this strengthens the motivation to work.
- Great dedication and interest. When a person is engaged in a really interesting task for him, then he forgets about everyday worries and some problems. If the task is not interesting, then such enthusiasm is not to be expected.
- A sense of control over their work. People experience the greatest stress when they do not feel the opportunity to influence the situation. And on the contrary - if a person feels control over his work - then he is inclined to work in full dedication. That is why it is useful to give employees some freedom of action and to refrain from tedious micromanagement.
- A person is so involved in workthat forgets about himself. In psychology, this is called "self-awareness." But after completion of work in a state of flow - a sense of self becomes stronger.
- The sense of time is changing. A few minutes can feel like a clock and at the same time, the clock flies as fast as a minute.
Correct goal setting
We already wrote that it affects badly both the feeling and the results of the work. And on the contrary, competent goal setting gives a person inspiration and motivation to work.
There are different criteria for setting goals. The following components are important according to the criteria of flow theory:
- Prioritization Highlight the top priority and all related related tasks.
- Develop metrics to measure results. It's about KPIs (key performance indicators).
- Maximum concentration at work, focusing attention;
- Make work harder as soon as she starts to get bored. This will help maintain a sufficient level of engagement.
These criteria are largely consistent with many other goal setting theories. For example, with goal setting criteria S. M. A. R. T.
- Alpha state of the brain
- How to enter the alpha level according to the Silva method
- 2 Exercises to achieve alpha state
- Scientific research on the benefits of staying at the alpha level
Do you know that during the day the human brain works in four completely different states or rhythms? They are called alpha, beta, delta and theta.
For example, now, reading these lines, you are at the beta frequency. This is the underlying condition of our brain. When you talk, eat, move, think - your brain is in this state. These are all your actions under the control of your consciousness. That is, controlled and conscious. In other words, beta goes through your daily life.
And only during sleep, our host computer switches to the other three positions - alpha, theta and delta. The last two belong to the phase of "deep sleep" and here we will not consider them.
How to get into it and is it subject to all, you ask? Every day we get into it when we go to bed. You know this feeling. This is the transition point between wakefulness and sleep when you are on the border of two worlds, between Yavu and Navuu.
This is a state when you have not yet fallen asleep, but you are no longer “here”, when you are just beginning to fall into sleep. The wonderful wave frequencies and vibrations of alpha are her magical power, conquering which and learning to control it, you will turn into a real wizard!
You may be interested in the topic.
- How to enter the alpha level according to the Silva method
Jose Silva offers the following exercises (you can choose one):
1) Sit comfortably, calm your breathing. Then, on each exhale, say “Relaxation” until you reach a state of relaxation.
2) In a convenient position, count from 10 to 1, while visualizing the number on the mental screen. Counting to 1, you will enter a relaxed state.
Do not hurry! Only after you master these exercises (train for at least 1 week), move on to a more complex one that provides deep immersion in the alpha state:
3) Sit comfortably. Keep your eyes open. Pay attention to the right foot. Is there tension there? If so, then let it go. Raise a beam of attention along the entire left side (foot - shin-thigh ...), then go to the right side and do the same.
Now look at some imaginary point, which should be located 45 degrees higher than your view. Look at it until your eyelids get heavier, and then count from 50 to 1.
So you reach the alpha level. (as you train, decrease the score, for example according to the following pattern:
1-10 day: from 50 to 1.
11-20 days - from 10 to 1.
20-30 day - from 5 to 1.
- 2 Exercises to achieve alpha state
1 exercise.
1) In a comfortable position and with your eyes closed, mentally see the sun, which is located above your head. Visualize the number 3 in the center of the sun. Feel how the sun relaxes you, passing through your entire body. See how it reaches your toes and leaves you.
2) Repeat the procedure with the sun, in the center of which is the number 2, then 3. So you will reach the alpha state.
3) Say: "In order to achieve the alpha state in the future, it is enough for me to close my eyes and mentally carry out the count from three to one." Then you can open your eyes.
2 exercise.
1) Sit comfortably, breathe calmly, achieve easy relaxation and visualize a thought screen 30 cm from your eyebrows.
2) See the number seven on this screen. It should be red. Hold the image of the seven for a few seconds, then erase it and see the orange six. Then the yellow five, the green four, the blue three, the blue-violet two and the light purple unit.
3) Then count from 1 to 7 and say: “Now I entered the alpha level. Everything I'm doing right now is good for me. ”
4) To get out of an altered state of consciousness, count from 1 to 3, open your eyes.
- Scientific research on the benefits of staying at the alpha level
Recent discoveries in the study of human functioning at the alpha level suggest that meditation can stimulate alpha waves in the brain, which help regulate the transmission of information from the outside world through the senses.
Harvard scientists selected 12 adults and randomly divided them into two groups who took an 8-week stress reduction course: one used meditation-based techniques, the second a control group whose participants did not meditate.
At regular intervals, the researchers used a technique called a magnetoencephalogram to measure electrical impulses in the area of \u200b\u200bthe brain that processes signals from the left hand. During the tests, each participant was asked to focus on his left arm or leg.
Eight weeks later, brain scans showed that alpha rhythms changed faster and more pronounced in participants who meditated.
“If you are reading something in a noisy environment and you want to be“ isolated like a bubble, ”you can use your alpha rhythms as a volume button to mute the volume of neurons that represent sounds from the outside world,” says Katerina E. Kerr is a neurologist at Harvard Medical School and one of the authors of a report published on April 21 in Brain Research Bulletin. “To some extent, we do all this, but it turns out that those who meditate know how to do it much better.”
"! Today we will learn to enter an altered state of consciousness, or alpha state, and learn how to do it in 10 seconds. My record of entering the alpha state is 7 seconds, and into a deep state (2-3 seconds to relax, the same amount to enter ordinary alpha and then a couple of seconds into a deep state of altered consciousness).
Then we move on to the practice of the theta state, although it is possible that you will fall into this state already in the first technique.
Alpha state of the brain allows you to quickly relax the body, enter into deep meditation, receive answers from the subconscious, effectively reprogram destructive programs. In this state, it is recommended to work with visualizations, affirmations, and other techniques.
To get started, you just need to learn how to enter an altered state of consciousness, and then reduce this time to a minimum (10-15 seconds or less). I entered this state in 7 seconds when I was in a calm state.
I will tell briefly about the frequencies of the brain for those who do not know what it is about. The frequency of the brain is waves with a frequency of about 0.5 to 40 cycles per second or from 1.5 to 40 Hz. Depends on this frequency in what state we are, awake, sleepy or deep sleep.
The lower the frequency or less, the person’s state becomes closer to sleep. The higher the frequency, the faster and more actively our brain works.
No need to confuse brain frequency with human frequency. These are completely different systems.
Conventionally, brain frequencies were divided into 5 parts. The brain emits gamma, betta, alpha, tetta and delta waves. Now we will get to know each wave in more detail.
When an adult is in a relaxed and comfortable state and at the same time, he remains conscious activity - a sufficient amount of alpha waves are generated. In fact, this is a condition before falling asleep.
At this frequency, a person can effectively cope with the tasks assigned to him. Alpha waves repeatedly enhance the ability to perceive a large amount of information, develop abstract thinking, help self-control. Also at this frequency it is good to remove stress, nervous tension and anxiety.
Alpha waves help connect consciousness with the subconscious (or soul). At this frequency, the so-called hormones of joy are produced that help reduce pain and are responsible for a positive outlook on life, happiness, joy and relaxation.
In a theta rhythm after heavy loads, the body can quickly recover. At this frequency, there is a feeling of bliss and peace. Tetta waves are generated by the right brain. They are the boundary between consciousness and the subconscious.
Theta wave contributes to the manifestation of paranormal abilities. They enhance emotions and feelings, also allow you to program and reprogram the subconscious, get rid of negative and limiting thinking. For people engaged in self-development, the development of this frequency can be of great benefit.
An altered state of consciousness (AES) begins with alpha frequency and at the border of alpha and theta waves.
It is at these frequencies that it is good to reprogram the body. It would be ideal to work at the tetta frequencies, but this is actually a dream and this requires lengthy training.
Now we will learn to enter a deep alpha state without a computer and special music. In this state, one can recover literally in 10-15 minutes, find a solution to problems, receive answers to exciting questions that cannot be answered in the usual state, retune the entire body, reprogram internal programs and beliefs, and tune in to events.
Preparation for practice
You can enter the alpha state while sitting or lying, as you wish. If you fall asleep quickly quickly in a relaxed state, this technique is best done while sitting. At the first trainings, before entering into altered states of consciousness, it is not necessary to set any goals. To begin with, you just need to master well in going to this state. Before class, we remove all annoying factors: turn off the phone, intercom, close the doors so that relatives do not bother. Clothing should be loose. If abnormal sounds are still present, wear headphones.
Good time for this technique before bedtime when everyone in the house calms down. The position should be comfortable, arms and legs should not be crossed.
How to enter alpha state - practice
We close our eyes and make the first countdown from 3 to 1 as follows. First, take a deep breath and exhale mentally pronounce the number 3 three times ( three three three) and present the image of a triple in front of the inner screen. Let this image be what it comes to you. Concentrate your attention on the number. At this time, you relax your body from head to toe.
If you do not know how to relax, first practice with relaxation to such an extent that you can do it in a few seconds. I am not writing about deep relaxation. Enough primary general relaxation.
After this, lie down for a few seconds. Then take a deep breath and as you exhale pronounce the number 2 three times ( two two two) All the same. With the number 2, you relax your face, cheeks, jaw, neck and eyelids. Pay attention to eyelid relaxation. Then lie down for a few seconds or a little longer as you like.
Then comes the unit. We also say the number 1 3 times, not forgetting the image of the unit. Now we are not relaxing anything, but just concentrating on one.
Then lie a few seconds and start the second countdown from 10 to 1. Now you do not need to take deep breaths and exhalations. We do everything easily and relaxed. We start with dozens. We also mentally pronounce the number 10 and present it. After 2-3 breaths on the exhale, mentally pronounce the word Deeper and mentally we’ll fall into the depths, into something pleasant, like into a pillow.
If on a certain number you start to go astray, forget what your score is, then you are already in alpha.
This can happen on any digit. Once this has happened, no more counting is necessary. Feel this condition. Active thoughts should not be. If thoughts appear, just watch them as if from the outside and they will leave. A large stream of thoughts leads out of a state of altered consciousness.
If you slipped alpha and fell asleep, that's okay. You just need to train. If the first time you do not get into this state, you are in the state in which you will be. It will still be alpha, just not deep.
The state of deep alpha is very pleasant, which is difficult to describe. This is a relaxed state with indescribable depth, it is good and pleasant in it. When you get into deep alpha, you will understand it.
Be in this state as much as you want. If time is limited, you can set an alarm with a pleasant melody.
There is a gap in regular alpha when love and happiness embrace you. Just watch this condition and go deeper. If you want, you can stay in this state, but it is easy to slip through, it is fleeting. I have this condition within a few seconds. Although this state of love may not exist, we are all different.
Sometimes 10-15 minutes in deep alpha can replace 1-2 hours of sleep.
In altered states of consciousness, various images may appear. Observe them and remain aware so as not to fall asleep. After a while, observing the images, it may dawn on you, you may understand something that you never understood, you may come up with an interesting thought or idea, the necessary information that you have long forgotten may surface in your memory.
Solving problems with alpha brain condition
In this trance state, you can tune in to the solution of the necessary problems and simply observe thoughts and images. After you learn how to enter the deep alpha state, you can master problem solving through this technique. Before practice, tune in to the solution of the problem you need, otherwise you can’t remember this in the alpha itself and immerse yourself in alpha. Found a solution to the problem, immediately get out of this state, otherwise you may not remember later.
With the help of an assistant, you can do great things, up to writing books. To solve simple solutions in one answer, just enter alpha and there to observe what is happening. Got an answer, got out of alpha.
If you need to get a large amount of information, then it is difficult to remember. In this case, an assistant would be ideal. You received a piece of information in alpha, pronounced it out loud, and immediately entered alpha again. The assistant recorded the information.
A new piece of information came, they said it out loud again, the assistant wrote down again, etc. Thus, you will practically not get out of this trance state and dictate information to the assistant. Of course, you can use a voice recorder for this.
It is very easy to exit the alpha state. A little effort of will and you are already in betta. When exiting alpha, try to endure this wonderful state that you will have.
Thus, you will become stronger and happier, stresses and problems will act less and less on you, you will become a more confident person. I prepared some fragments of texts on this blog using alpha state.
We ourselves generate optimal experience. The best moments of our life come to us not in a state of relaxation or passive contemplation. They usually happen when the body and mind are strained to the limit in an effort to achieve something difficult and valuable.
Mihai Chiksentmihayli (“Stream. Psychology of optimal experience”, 1990)
If you ski, you must have been challenged by some slope. And even if you were already descending along it, you still have not been able to dominate it, you felt that it was he who always emerged the winner in your confrontation.
But now you start to be amazed at another attempt, making a rapid movement down without any special efforts. Your actions seem completely automatic, as if everything happens by itself.
You do not notice the passage of time, and each subtle sound becomes more intense - from a crisp touch of the snow ski under your feet to your rhythmic breathing.
You flow down the slope, and later, perhaps describe that you have become one with the mountain. All these years of training and struggle, lessons in skiing and falling in the snow are completely justified. You have experienced a state of flow.
Chiksentmihayi argues that Hatha Yoga is one of the best models for describing what happens when psychic energy flows through one channel of consciousness. He's writing:
Stream and yoga have a lot in common. In a sense, yoga can be considered a carefully constructed streaming activity. Both flow and yoga are aimed at gaining a state of joy and complete self-determination based on concentration, which, in turn, becomes available through the discipline of the body.
Maybe now it will become clear to you why some people prefer to spend many hours on such strange bodily positions: they achieve a deep flow-like state, possessing a strong sense of internal control and harmony.
Using a flow model to describe spiritual practices such as yoga can help explain why people in these practices seem calm and happy.
It should be noted that the flow can be achieved by many other activities that do not require such serious obligations. The flow state can be achieved during skiing, fishing, playing the guitar, cooking, reading, socializing, and even eating.
And although the final state for Yoga is liberation from oneself, loss of one's “I”, the goal of the flow, according to Chiksentmihayi, is the development of his personality, the formation of a stronger “I”.
The psychologist claims that the development of personality is an opportunity to free a person from the power of nature.
Thus, the state of flow is a way of overcoming the “natural” state of mind, which is chaos or “mental entropy”.
One of the main forces adversely affecting the consciousness is the so-called mental disorder - information that conflicts with existing intentions and distracts us from their fulfillment. We call such situations different words depending on what we are experiencing: pain, fear, rage, anxiety or jealousy. All of these varieties of disorder make attention switch to unwanted objects, depriving us of the freedom to use it as we see fit. Mental energy loses mobility and becomes ineffective.
Mental entropy is clearly manifested in those moments when we are left alone with ourselves and are not busy with anything. Different, not the most pleasant thoughts begin to visit the head.
The state of flow and pleasure
Another consequence of the concept of flow is the confirmation of the view of the Greek philosopher Aristotle that happiness cannot be equated with pleasure.
While pleasant experiences are usually a passive state, such as watching TV, enjoying a massage, the flow is an active state that is completely under the control of a person.
The ease achieved in the flow state is the result of maximum concentration of attention and purposeful actions.
In fact, streaming experiences often consist of painful physical sensations, for example, when an athlete goes beyond his usual abilities to win.
Despite the pain, people often remember these moments as some of the best in their lives.
Stream Status: Just About Complex
Streaming state is an interesting phenomenon, which is certainly worth taking into service in your arsenal.
Surely you experienced a state of flow when you took part in sports. Even if on the eve your head was filled with unpleasant thoughts, after the start of the competition you forgot about all that was superfluous and completely immersed in the action.
And if it is not difficult to experience optimal experience with active physical exertion, how can one “get into" the state of flow in other situations that do not involve physical activity?
Rather, the flow should be studied not by acquiring new knowledge, but by removing existing filters that block direct access to reality (surrounding reality).
These filters are various patterns and stereotypes of thinking, labels, the usual way of behavior, dictated by culture and society.
In addition, you should not just drop the settings, such as “What will people think”, “But it’s not so,” “What if I don’t succeed”.
You need to stay here now. You must directly experience reality, be in life, and not in your thoughts. You should be as conscious and focused as possible.
Let's take an example.
How to meet girls in a state of flow
So, suppose that outside the window is summer and today is Saturday. Finally you got a day off and you decided. To be more precise, with the girls.
You slept well, waited for the evening, but before you leave the house you remember what conditions of the flow state are necessary and you should start by setting clear goals for your actions.
→ Clear goals at every stage of the process
We set strategic goals: and position them towards ourselves (arouse a sense of trust and comfort in them). These are those exceptional and sufficient goals that must be in your head to enjoy the process, but not to become dependent on the result.
If communication with a girl develops mutually pleasantly, you should transfer the acquaintance to a different plane, namely, or subsequently exchange phone numbers. Everything is simple. Well, so you should go outside.
And here it is, the street, the field of your hostilities. The goals are extremely clear and transparent, so we shift our focus from them and focus on the process.
→ Full immersion
You should get to some park, for example, by public transport, so you follow the bus stop.
Along the way, you don’t think about dating, how you will do it, what you will tell the girl. You just walk in measured steps, straightening your back, smiling and enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
You don’t think at all, but instead contemplate nature, breathe in the warm evening air, look ahead and around, observing the surrounding reality called life.
A cool car drove, but you do not give this event a value judgment. You simply switch your attention first to the car, and then to another object.
→ Distractions are excluded from consciousness
You arrived at the place. There are trees in front of your eyes, you observe a fountain and a sufficient number of people who are mostly in a relaxed state.
You are approaching the maelstrom of events and becoming part of the evening Saturday, the beginning of which will be laid here.
You walk and try to see the girl that you like. Here she sat on the bench, and here she’s not the only one so pretty, excellent.
But the next goal has already been set, and you exclude all people in this park from your reality, they are not there, only your potential acquaintance exists. You don’t care what people think of you, because there are only trees, a fountain and a girl.
→ Action and consciousness merge into a single whole
The choice of the target takes place automatically, you don’t start an internal dialogue with you: “She, not her”, “Come up or not”, I saw and go. Yes, man, you go to her to make a throw.
→ Self-awareness fades
You absolutely do not care what a girl thinks about you, how she will react to your approach, because you are not. There is only the action by which you are absorbed.
→ Activity becomes an end in itself
And here you are, telling her “Hello-eh!”, Entered into communication. You do not care about the ultimate goal, but enjoy the process. Conducting a dialogue with a beautiful girl is always damn nice, so you already won, you're done.
Even if something didn’t work out, spit it out. In any case, you improve your skills, learn new things and become better. From this you are only delighted.
→ Immediate feedback on actions taken
Thanks to the unity of action and consciousness, you are easily with a girl. Each new phrase becomes a continuation of the previous one, you are like a speech machine that shoots word by word as if without your participation.
But if an unusual situation arises, it does not seem to you like that, because your actions are automatically adjusted, and you are constantly “in the subject”.
→ A sense of total control over the process.
You feel like you're a superman, or at least a batman. You completely control the process of communication, you are like a conductor, you are a process. You feel sincere joy, and the state of the flow is transmitted to your interlocutor.
This feeling cannot be described in words. Realizing the smile on your face, you feel that you are part of the universe, you are the universe.
→ Tell yourself stop
There may come a moment when you should stop taking pleasure in the process, or rather direct it in a different direction, because this can miss the final goal.
Perhaps the girl already wants to hide from all the people around you. Maybe she was eager to take a walk along the promenade or visit a quiet courtyard, located on another street, where you can be alone and exchange not only phone numbers.
Yes. It was a good day.
