The Two Types of Meditation: Passive and Active ( Dynamic )
When we meditate several important things happen physically and mentally. First, we are "focusing internally" and letting go of the outside world (similar to going to sleep, but without losing consciousness).
This allows our brains to shift into more stable, stronger brain frequencies (called alpha and theta by scientists) normally reached during sleep.
When we can reduce our brain frequencies to these levels while staying awake we are able to bring the unconscious mind to the conscious level. This allows us to control and harness the power of the unconscious mind.
There are two types of meditation.
Passive Meditation
All meditation systems, such as Yoga, Zen, Transcendental Meditation (TM), Silva UltraMind and others have similar benefits. By "passively" letting go and going within, we "deactivate" our survival mechanisms and allow our body’s natural health and rejuvenation abilities to be activated. Each method has its own way of reaching the inner state of mind, and each has its own goals.
Active Meditation
Jose Silva's techniques allow you to use the relaxed, healthy state of mind that occurs during meditation to solve your day-to-day problems. Silva found that by "actively" utilizing brain languages (kinesthetic, visual, and auditory thought processes), we can use this higher energy state to improve memory and learning skills, change unwanted habits, enhance health and healing. He also developed techniques to achieve what many people call "tapping the super-conscious" to solve problems, reach goals, come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. Some students use the Silva UltraMind System to enhance their spiritual growth. Using such techniques within a meditative state is called "active" meditation.
But what exactly happens when you meditate? Your brain functions on a small amount of electricity, much like a computer. This electrical current vibrates, pulses, at various speeds. When you are wide awake, with your eyes focused, your brain vibrates 20 times per second - what scientists call 20 cycles per second or the Beta frequency.
You are probably at this beta level of mind right now as you read this.
When you go to sleep, your brain frequency slows down, all the way to about half a cycle per second in the deepest levels of natural sleep. This is known as the Delta level.
In between Beta, the waking state, and Delta the deep sleep state, there are two other levels of mental activity.
When you are in a light level of sleep or in meditation you are in the Alpha range, which is 7 to 14 cycles per second. This is the center range and this is what we mean by saying "going to your center". Going to the alpha level or centering is essentially the same thing as meditating. When someone meditates, scientifically, they are simply reducing their brain wave frequency to alpha. The Alpha level is the level we use to activate our minds.
Theta is a level of deeper relaxation or sleep, when your brain waves are at 4 to 7 cycles per second.
The table below summarizes the 4 states of brain frequency.
State
Brain Wave Frequency Associated With
Brain Wave Frequency Associated With Beta14 - 21 cycles per second (cps) and higherWaking State, the five senses. Perception of Time and Space
14 - 21 cycles per second (cps) and higherWaking State, the five senses. Perception of Time and Space Alpha7 - 14 cps Light sleep, meditation, intuition. No Time & Space limitation.
7 - 14 cps Light sleep, meditation, intuition. No Time & Space limitation. Theta4 - 7 cps Deeper Sleep, Meditation.
4 - 7 cps Deeper Sleep, Meditation. Delta0 - 4 cps Deep Sleep. You are unconscious
0 - 4 cps Deep Sleep. You are unconscious There are many benefits of "going to the alpha level" or meditating.
Jose Silva found that people who can remain in the alpha level while analyzing information have access to more information than those who remain in beta to do their thinking. Feelings of intuition, creative ideas, inspirational thoughts and ideas come to people while at this alpha level. Going to Alpha is also good for programming your mind. At the alpha level you can learn to overcome all kinds of problems, such as insomnia, tension and migraine headaches, bad habits, and much more. You can also program your mind to help you achieve your goals and make your dreams come true. There are formulas for all this and more in the Silva home study program and seminars.
During the 25 minutes you remain at alpha while using the Silva Centering Exercise, you can practice relaxing physically and mentally, and you can imagine yourself succeeding in your projects and achieving your goals. For more techniques check out:
