Hello John,
I really appreciate what you have written here, thank you for taking the time to do so.

I conceptualise hypnosis primarily in non-state terms; in my books, research and training courses, I tend to support the more evidence based sociocognitive perspective and conceptualisation of hypnosis. SO hypnosis is not really something I describe as a state but more of a cognitive skill requiring active participation of the individual, and them not just being a passive recipient of hypnosis.

With that in mind, whilst I agree with most of what you have written, I do not really see how it has a great deal to do with hypnosis.

Best wishes, Adam.

Thanks for the anecdotal evidence Chad.

Thank you for taking the time to say so Adam, best wishes to you, A.

Very interesting article. I am in the process of making up some CD’s and MP3’s for clients and have been doing quite a lot of reading into the entire subject. Its a very interesting one. Thanks for your post.

What research is supporting and substantiating your claims of “a more accurate appraisal” then Jamie? – please support your argument with more than just seemingly opinionated claims and stories of how you found out “I appear to be wrong” through surfing the internet. What research exactly?

Also, offering up subjective anecdotal claims is hardly proper empirical evidence, is it?

Finally, as per my article ending… When given a particular title to listen to without knowing what it is for and without it being framed as anything in particular, do you honestly think a binaural beats track is going to deliver the specific change it promises? If so, please explain how that happens.

I am not disputing that they work for some people – and if anyone does find them to work, please carry on, I am delighted for you. However, I dispute how and why they work. I am disputing the pseudoscientific claims made to support them in how they are marketed. They are incorrect and not supported by robust evidence.

All that said, I thank you very much for your contribution and interest here.

With my very best wishes, Adam.

Awesome article on a subject that fascinates me, not least of all because I have been using binaural beats (and associated entrainment technologies) with myself and others to great effect.

However, I have some criticism of your article. Whilst it is certainly true that certain frequencies do not necessarily = a particular state, it IS true that certain frequencies are associated with certain states, and, under the right conditions, using entrainment to reach such frequencies may lead one into the desired state. But frequency aside, one of the things that entrainment does (and which scientific research seems to agree on) is that, whatever the frequencies, the act of entrainment does cause a synchronisation between the hemispheres. Now whilst this is not necessarily a hypnotic or meditative state, it is (according to research) one of the phenomena measured in meditative states.

So, my point is, it may be inaccurate for companies such as Holosync to advertise their products with the slogan “meditate deeper than a zen monk”, if a beginning meditator were to practise a meditative pracise WHILST LISTENING to entrainment (binaural or isochronic) they would indeed increase the chances of one of the phenomena found in meditative states; hemispheric synchonisation, thus leading to deeper and more profound states of meditation. Full brain synchrony and also certain brain patterns can takes years of practise for a meditator to reach. However, with entrainment, these can be reached in minutes.

Now I know your article appears to attack the legendary Binaural beats, so I did some research on your claims and found you appear to be vindicated. The research IS contradictory for binaural beats. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t work. Science usually looks for a repeatable or robust effect and sometimes it finds it. However, human-beings sometimes respond to some things whilst others do not. So I’d say don’t give up on binaural beats people; for some people, like me, they really, really work.

Also, i found during my researches that another form of entrainment using sound (called Isochronic beats) got different results than binaural beats, and in double blind studies was found to produce a stronger and more reliable effect than binaural beats, one that researchers seem to be able to accept as NOT a placebo. So, you weren’t exactly correct. Entrainment IS possible using sound. Also, I use a Procyon Mind machine, and photic stimulation is known to evoke cortical stimulation much faster than sound. I think you need to clarify your position maybe on the phenomenon of brain entrainment, because your article gave me the impression that your saying that NONE of this stuff is real and is all merely placebo. If so, you appear to be wrong. 😉

Btw I know a few people (one being a client of mine) who tried clinical hypnotherapy and other modalities with limited success, but claim they were cured using brainwave entrainment CDs.

Thank you for this interesting article which motivated me to research my legendary friend Binaural Beat, which for a moment had me in a strange kind of shock, until I discovered you were only half right, and also led me to a more accurate appraisal of entrainment technologies in general.

Cheers,
Jamie

Either way, great Article.

Antonio

Marty, thank you for your valued contribution once again. Really appreciated.