Brain Waves and RB's Trance levels

[Vega]

Hey all! I'm looking for some help at distinguishing between the different brain levels (alpha, beta, theta, and delta) and how they correlate to Robert Bruce's three trance states (light, full, and deep).

Is is full trance equivalent to theta? That's the one I'm particularly interested in right now.

It it appears light would be beta (or alpha, which ever is the one below active), full is theta, and deep is delta. Would that be correct?

Thanks for for your input!

[ButterflyWoman]

First of all, Beta is actually a highly alert state, and I wouldn't call it a trance at all.

Alpha is a light trance. Theta is the state you're in during REM sleep (dreaming), hypnosis, and that barely conscious state just before you fall asleep or just as you're waking up. I'd say that's a full trance. Delta is a very slow brainwave pattern that you experience when you're asleep but not dreaming. For most people, it's quite hard to maintain conscious awareness in that state, but it can be done with sufficient practice and training. I'd certainly call that a deep trance.

However, I think Robert's descriptions of trance states are much more subjective and based on the experience/feeling of the state, rather than on measured brainwaves.

[CFTraveler]

I agree. I prefer to compare Robert's descriptions to focus levels, since brainwave states don't usually measure up to what the binaural beats are calibrated to. Like focus 10 would be a light trance, and a focus 12 would be a deeper trance, in which there is some alteration of perception, so to speak. Both can be called theta, but one of them is slower than the other.

[Vega]

Thanks for the info guys. I really like RB's method of trance as I've found it works very well for me. It just so happens that I'll have need of spending some time in a theta level trance for something and was just hoping to see how it correlated to RB's methods as that's what I've been doing. Sounds like full trance is the one!

[-asalantu-]

Besides heaviness sensations, ¿there is another less subjective symptom of having reach a trance?

I say "less subjective" since my weight is always the same. My mass don't increase while I get trance state.

Curiously, I get a symptom that I can describe as follows:

"After getting heaviness sensation, laying at my back on bed, if I open my eyes I perceive (I see) something like a stroboscopic (with a frequency of about 3 hertz) and approximately eliptical stain of deep blue light wich rests near the center of my field of view about 2 seconds. This visual effect is stronger if I'm sad."

My best regards,
Ángel

[ButterflyWoman]

My mass don't increase while I get trance state.
I'm not sure if you're joking, but I'm going to just play it straight (in case someone else reads this and might wonder about it).

Nobody's mass increases when they go into a trance state. It's purely subjective, that you may feel like your limbs are "heavier", that is, they're harder to move, lift, etc. Many people experience this as they fall asleep. But, as I say, it's completely subjective. You don't actually change weight or mass. ;)

When I go into a trance I can feel a sort of shift in my awareness. I can't really describe it other than it's a bit like sliding down a step on your bottom, like you might have done as a small child. It's just a kind of .... maybe like changing gears in a car. That's not a bad metaphor.

I do experience the sensation of heaviness, but normally only when I'm going to sleep, which is a kind of trance situation, but the goal there is not to be in a trance but to sleep, obviously.

[CFTraveler]

I wait until I can see through my eyelids or see visions. Then I know for sure I'm in trance.

[ButterflyWoman]

I wait until I can see through my eyelids or see visions.
That happens within seconds of my closing my eyes. Well, not the visions always, but being able to "see" is definitely there. I might be somewhat weird, though. No, scratch that. I am definitely somewhat weird. ;)

[Vega]

Yea I definitely get different waves of heaviness when entering deeper trance levels, but I never seem to get to a "full trance" state where hypnogogic images start coming up. Not sure what to do to keep reaching a deeper state to trigger the vibrations aside from more practice!

[CFTraveler]

If you're highly disciplined, you can daydream on purpose keeping yourself 'under control', so to speak. At some point you then stop and observe.