The NeuroOptimal document says, "If you find it a challenge to keep a child seated during a full session, quiet activities like reading, homework, or board games are fine. They can even watch a movie."
Maybe playing guitar is not a quiet activity?
NeuroFeedback, NeurOptimal and Electroencephalography
- Thread starter williamsj
- Start date
Maybe playing guitar is not a quiet activity?
I'd love to smoke during a session! I'm staying in a non smoking house at the moment though.
I've done 12 sessions so far. As others have pointed out, there seems to be a space created between stimulus and reaction that affords more flexibility in choices in some areas.
I've also noticed that my old dog has started asking for attention during the session. I usually do the sessions in the afternoon after I've fed her and ordinarily she rests after she's eaten. I've been massaging her while I do the sessions if she's standing, but often she comes and nudges me then lays at my feet on the tiles. On one occasion she got her nose tangled in one of the wires and pulled off one of the head sensors
.
There was one startling thing that happened during the last session. I heard the click/scratch sound through the ear buds, but at the same time it felt as though there was a mild charge travelling between the head sensors. Not uncomfortable, just startling. That has only happened once, and the rest of the session was normal.
I've done 12 sessions so far. As others have pointed out, there seems to be a space created between stimulus and reaction that affords more flexibility in choices in some areas.
I've also noticed that my old dog has started asking for attention during the session. I usually do the sessions in the afternoon after I've fed her and ordinarily she rests after she's eaten. I've been massaging her while I do the sessions if she's standing, but often she comes and nudges me then lays at my feet on the tiles. On one occasion she got her nose tangled in one of the wires and pulled off one of the head sensors
.There was one startling thing that happened during the last session. I heard the click/scratch sound through the ear buds, but at the same time it felt as though there was a mild charge travelling between the head sensors. Not uncomfortable, just startling. That has only happened once, and the rest of the session was normal.
Thanks for the heads up hlat, I actually quite like the visuals and music provided by the system, I just thought I might experiment a little. Having seen this I will adjust what I experiment with.
That should be interesting! I reckon it counts a bit like "doing homework" for you, since you already play the guitar.
And I've also wanted to smoke right after the session when we were going to a practitioner. Now that we can smoke here, sometimes I feel I need it, sometimes not.
Thanks Chu, I think I will give it a go, just a quiet acoustic play on the guitar, I have been imagining playing it in bits and pieces for the first few sessions, so may as well give a gentle real play :)
It's still early days for me, so far the craving to smoke is still there :) the only other thing I have noticed is an increase in appetite, which is unusual in and of itself, but given that the weather has changed here (into winter) maybe that has something to do with it too!?
mrtn
Dagobah Resident
I just want to mention that i had these flashes of light too, but i hesitated to mention it because i found it weird because i'm not doing any neurofeedback or NO. But i followed this thread and also could see some of the psychological effects taking place in my consciousness, like not being swept away so easily anymore by doubts or emotions or the ability to keep a straight route with what i'm doing desipte temporary fluctuations in my mental condition. That might well be simply because of increased awareness about these situations due to having read the experiences of other people here, but the flashes were certainly not just a suggestion from the session, because i had them 2 or 3 times before that session. It always happended after going to bed having my eyes closed and the first time i wasn't sure if it was some light from outside, but there was nothing outside, especially nothing that could cause this brightness in the eye and the light had like a point or spot which wouldn't happen if the eye lid was illuminated from outside the body or even outside the room i guess, so i already thought its probably some brain thing going on. After that session i had it again some times, one time even multiple times in a row, one of which was with my eyes open if i remember correctly. But from then on it didn't happen anymore as if it was just a temporary thing in the brain adjusting something.
Well I am an expert at playing the 'Air guitar', so maybe that would be a good quiet activity!
Well I have finished 21 sessions with NO, and I did not report anything as I did not experience anything different from what I have seen others reporting. What I can report that was contemporaneous with my NO sessions was my experience of the Float Tank (sensory deprivation, for which I'd purchased a special for 3 float sessions at 40$/session)
The Thursday before my first NO session I did a float, with my protection crystal on my belly button, and reciting the POTS throughout the float. I was very conscious of the tension in my neck/shoulders so much so that I could not lay flat in the water. My head felt held up by muscle tension. I focused on that sensation and willed relaxation, and about halfway through did some stretches. By the end of the float, I was very relaxed and lying flat and felt really good.
2 weeks later (about halfway through my NO sessions) I went for a 2nd float and had a much different experience. First off I was rushing to get to the Float Tank as I was slightly late, so I was under some tension. The Float Tank experience this time was distracted, I felt uncomfortable, sometimes angry, sometimes fearful, dissatisfied. I had my protection crystal, and I did POTS sporadically throughout, as my mind was wandering a lot, and bringing up uncomfortable feelings. There was little noticeable tension in my neck this float. As I was tying my shoes afterwards the attendant asked me a question and I was rather short with him, which I immediately regretted but he'd left to do maintenance and so I wasn't able to apologize.. I was just generally pissed off! It did not feel particular, that is pissed at myself, or the world, or anything, it felt like being in a cloud of dissatisfaction.
Almost 2 weeks later (just before my last NO sessions) I went for my 3rd Float Tank session. I was slightly late again, but not to fussed about it, just accepting that I hadn't left enough time (I call it TTC time, Toronto Transit Commission. If the TTC says it will take 45 minutes to get somewhere, add 50%!), and that the public transit to the Float Tank had been rather sporadic. I noticed some anxiety when starting the float. I did some POTS with my crystal, but some times I would just be silent, and float, waiting to see if anything came up for me. Very little did, and it kind of reminded me of my general experience of the world, in that I often feel not quite connected to the world. Almost as if I experience the world behind a glass wall where I am not touched or touchable, protected, but numb. (with thanks to my friend Paula who was able to articulate her experience in ways that were a revelation to me) The float experience this time was more 'normal' in the way some others have described it because I was a little 'spacey' and relaxed (again like float #2 not much noticeable neck tension) after this float. so much so that I forgot my crystal in the water, but was able to recover it! Much nicer to the attendant this time!
That is my experience of the Float Tank during my NO sessions. My next post will be about my experiences/perceptions in the little over a month since my NO sessions.
The Thursday before my first NO session I did a float, with my protection crystal on my belly button, and reciting the POTS throughout the float. I was very conscious of the tension in my neck/shoulders so much so that I could not lay flat in the water. My head felt held up by muscle tension. I focused on that sensation and willed relaxation, and about halfway through did some stretches. By the end of the float, I was very relaxed and lying flat and felt really good.
2 weeks later (about halfway through my NO sessions) I went for a 2nd float and had a much different experience. First off I was rushing to get to the Float Tank as I was slightly late, so I was under some tension. The Float Tank experience this time was distracted, I felt uncomfortable, sometimes angry, sometimes fearful, dissatisfied. I had my protection crystal, and I did POTS sporadically throughout, as my mind was wandering a lot, and bringing up uncomfortable feelings. There was little noticeable tension in my neck this float. As I was tying my shoes afterwards the attendant asked me a question and I was rather short with him, which I immediately regretted but he'd left to do maintenance and so I wasn't able to apologize.. I was just generally pissed off! It did not feel particular, that is pissed at myself, or the world, or anything, it felt like being in a cloud of dissatisfaction.
Almost 2 weeks later (just before my last NO sessions) I went for my 3rd Float Tank session. I was slightly late again, but not to fussed about it, just accepting that I hadn't left enough time (I call it TTC time, Toronto Transit Commission. If the TTC says it will take 45 minutes to get somewhere, add 50%!), and that the public transit to the Float Tank had been rather sporadic. I noticed some anxiety when starting the float. I did some POTS with my crystal, but some times I would just be silent, and float, waiting to see if anything came up for me. Very little did, and it kind of reminded me of my general experience of the world, in that I often feel not quite connected to the world. Almost as if I experience the world behind a glass wall where I am not touched or touchable, protected, but numb. (with thanks to my friend Paula who was able to articulate her experience in ways that were a revelation to me) The float experience this time was more 'normal' in the way some others have described it because I was a little 'spacey' and relaxed (again like float #2 not much noticeable neck tension) after this float. so much so that I forgot my crystal in the water, but was able to recover it! Much nicer to the attendant this time!
That is my experience of the Float Tank during my NO sessions. My next post will be about my experiences/perceptions in the little over a month since my NO sessions.
anartist,
I am curious about the "sensory deprivation" tank experiment. What made you want to try that?
I may just be overreacting but there was one mention about this where EM was also applied to try reproduce an abduction experience by a man named Persinger. I know you are only doing the sensory deprivation part but I wonder if that could make you more sensitive to outside EM that you didn't notice before.
Session 3 December 1994
Thanks for your query goyacobol
If you look back in this thread, I did mention it (including a reference to Persinger that was brought up), and there was some feedback. After consideration my view was:
1) sensory deprivation could also be referred to as "sensory muting". I still have all my senses, though somewhat muted. But heh! silence, sweet silence. how often do we experience that?
2) what is the difference between this and sleep? During sleep we are unconscious, although our subconscious is still active. In a Float Tank, we are still conscious, but hopefully less distracted by external stimuli if our goal is to tune in, relax, and get a great dose of Magnesium.
3) perhaps some people may feel unsafe and isolated in an environment like this, but I didn't think I would be, and I was not. I could be classified as an introvert, regardless, I am the type of person who seems to need alone time in order to recharge. Last April, for example, I spent 3 days alone camping. There were people around and I saw them, but I did not seek them out, and I felt good and peaceful being by myself, and swimming in cold lake Erie!
4) I had my protection crystal with me, and would meditate on POTS, and whatever came up.
5) After reading on the Persinger study, it seemed to me that the problem with that was the electrical EMF fields people were being subjected to. That was not to be my situation, although even in the Float Tank anyone would be subjected to the transient EMF in the area, just as we are every day and night, but that is different from directed high power EMF. Also I was wearing my 2 Q-links which apparently have some ability to block EMF. I had considered EMF exposure, but reasoned that if I felt anything I could always just leave the Float Tank, I am not locked in! In terms of EMF, I was more concerned vis-a-vis NeurOptimal than I was about the Float Tank.
My first experience was wonderful in terms of the Magnesium absorption, Peace and Quiet, muscle tension reduction, and meditation.
Thanks for your question goyacobol, and perhaps you may consider a Float Tank also!?
P.S. re: your name, do you paint impressions in cobol code?
You know, I didn't really want to mention it either. But I have not yet done NO, and I too noticed that when people would post some of the effects that I would think something like, "Yeah, I've felt or experienced a little of that too." I've also had some flashes, where they seem to move around like phosphenes like when you bend over too quickly or cough forcefully. And they seem to have gotten bigger and will sometimes move around more. But I've had these kinds of things for a few years now. I've been eating Vitamin A via liverwurst and grass fed butter, in case this is some physiological thing.
How are you getting on with the Healing Developmental Trauma book? It sounds somewhat similar to the Connection defence style. At the very least you may not be well grounded in your body.
Ditto that. Although extremely subjective, I caught up with this thread a few weeks after the experiments where started and found myself thinking 'I've had similar stuff coming up over the last few weeks'. Just made a note and put that to one side.
My third session the other night, I tried playing my guitar as previously mentioned. I'm not sure I can really articulate the experience, but it felt weird and I didn't feel relaxed as I usually do with the sessions I have done so far, so I stopped playing after about 5 minutes or so and just relaxed into the rest of it. I may try again at a later date once I have had a few more sessions, but my initial response is that maybe there is too much going on in the brain while playing an instrument?!
Just as a side note, I do feel like playing my guitar after a session and have been writing more songs as a result.
Just as a side note, I do feel like playing my guitar after a session and have been writing more songs as a result.
That is very interesting 987bas. Thanks for sharing that. Anything that helps with our creativity in a positive way sounds promising to me.
I have noticed more clarity when writing new material, it almost feels like an open focus type awareness, well, that's the best way I can describe it.
Now that my new studio is up and running I hope to put it to good use. Reading Frankl's work at the moment and I came across this quote which struck a chord with me. "When if not now"
