Isochronic Tones: The Beginner's Guide
Isochronic Tones are the newest kids on the block in the world of brain wave entrainment. They can help you to deeply meditate, relax, feel awesome and expand your consciousness - quickly
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Binaural beats have been around for decades. Single toned isochronics are fresh off the street! I've been using them intensely for 4 months and the results are *very* promising. I'm experiencing stronger, faster and more enjoyable effects than with binaurals.
A year ago no one had heard of isochronic tones, and now everyone and their grandmother are calling them everything from the "strongest BWE technology ever" to (my favourite) "binaural beats on steroids".
This article will:
-introduce you to binaural beats' cooler cousin
-explain the differences between the two
-detail the benefits you will get from using isochronics
-help you make your mind up whether to try them out
-and point you in the right direction.
A Quick Recap
In case you're new here (welcome!), I'll do a 10 second roundup:
Isochronic tones are a form of brain wave entrainment. This means that you use isochronic tones as a way to entrain your brain waves (which means to have them all working in the same way, for example slowed down to the slow, low levels of alpha brain waves).
The benefits of this are varied – you can expect anything from a sense of deep relaxation and peace; to increased happiness and creativity; to vivid visualizations and *big* ideas.
They are lots of fun, totally rejuvenating and don't require much skill to use (i.e. lay down and put headphones in. If you can manage that, you're on your way.
Oh, if you're lucky (or practice) you'll also soon be reaching a state of hemispheric or brainwave synchronization. This is what Zen meditators struggle to achieve for years, and perhaps is best described as a sense of 'total connectedness with the universe'. It's pretty hard to describe, but it feels pretty awesome and kind of awe-inspiring at times.
(Read this article for *all* the juicy details on this "peak performance" state)
There has been lots of research and studies done which show that binaural beats and other forms of brain wave entrainment (BWE) increase the production of 'good' chemicals in the body, reduce the output of 'bad' chemicals, decrease anxiety, increase well-being and lots more. If you haven't had a look at this binaural beats research I'd highly recommend you check it out.
These are some of the main reasons that people like to use binaural beats and other forms of BWE. Now we'll look at what makes isochronics unique.
What's All The Fuss About Isochronic Tones?
There's a couple of reasons why isochronics have made such a splash in the world of brain wave entrainment.
Let's take a look at them to see if they are worth the hype:
(1) No headphones required. What seems at first to be moot is actually a pretty big plus point. With binaural beats, headphones are mandatory as a different sound is played into each ear. You need one headphone to play the left sound, and another to play the right, otherwise your brain won't "process" the binaural beat.
With isochronic tones, there is just one tone (i.e. iso / isolated) so there is no need to use headphones to get the results. You can just kick back, press play and listen.
Why is this a good thing? Well, it's fine to use headphones if you're on a train or a plane, but when you're in bed (a great time to use them) it can be a real pain in the arse to have ear-plugs in. Headphones almost necessitate laying on your back in one position. I like to roll when in bed! ;)
It's good to be able to listen to isochronic tones at any time, without worrying about having to plug plastic into your ears. This is a nice mark in the "for" column, however I have found that the results without headphones aren't quite as pronounced, so it's only half a point extra for this differentiator.
(2) More Effective. I've spent 4 months testing the claims that isochronic tones are more beneficial than binaural beats, and I'm beginning to believe that isochronic tones really are an evolution. Here's why:
- Binaural beats have been around in their current format for dozens of years. Isochronics are based on brand new technologies. It's like binaurals are cassettes, and isochronic tones are MP3s ;)
- Isochronics are gentler on the ears, and less distracting. Conversely, binaural beats are akin to a grumbling machine at times. Iso tones win easily.
- Isochronic tones use just one tone, manually spaced which turns on / off in a pattern, whereas binaural beats use two tones, with which the brain has to interpret and process the sound. This means it appears as if the brain works less to get results with isochronic tones.
(3) Strongest / Fastest This final benefit is a little more subjective, however I've seen similar feedback reported all around the binaural beats community so I'm happy to report it, and you can try for yourself.
Basically, the consensus is that isochronic tones provide the strongest effects in the shortest time out of all the available BWE tools.
While I recommend you try all the major technologies to find out what's best for you (which you can do for under $30), I also reckon iso tones are a safe place to start.
Additionally, the experience (or adventure) you go on is likely to be more intense - in a good way. This means more positive emotions, a deeper sense of serenity and peace, vivid colours and visuals, and more of an overall escape from reality.
When you "come to" after a session, you'll instantly know that you've been in a very beneficial place. You can read more on this site about what to expect with the Effects of Binaural Beats and Isochronic Entrainment.
What Next?
I hope you've got all the information about isochronic tones you need. I've found them to be truly mind-blowing tools, and I hope you have fun experimenting with them. Whether you want them for de-stressing, visualising, meditating or getting to sleep, I reckon you'll be quietly amazed at the power of these inexpensive tones.
In terms of cost, you're looking at a slight upgrade price to get isochronics over binaural beats.
Example – at Unexplainable Store a 30 minute MP3 would cost around $20 as a binaural beats download, and $25-$30 as an isochronic tones download. For me I'm happy to invest the extra few dollars, but I understand that this will depend on your own financial situation.
My Favourite Isochronic MP3s
Here's a few of my favourite isochronic tones, in case you're stuck for inspiration. They're all relatively inexpensive, have been extensively tested to get awesome results, and come with 100% money back guarantees if you change your mind.
Equally, if you get them and don't *LOVE* them - there's my picture so you can hunt me down ! (I think I'll be safe :)
Alpha Music Meditation Isochronic. This 20 minute MP3 never fails to drop me effortlessly into the hugely enjoyable level of alpha brain waves. Simple, quick, and powerful enough for noticable results. If you want to experience "meditation" or feel deeply relaxed and transported to another place, this should be good for you. Very good value at around $20. Simple and easy and basic and gentle and nice.
Lucid Dreaming Isochronic. This 45 minute MP3 is the most popular of all the isochronic tones (based on sales made through this and my other website). I don't know what it is with all you crazy people, but the idea of consciously exploring your dream world seems to have mass appeal! This recording will definitely help you get close to those elusive lucid dreams - and you'll have a great "trip" regardless of whether you become lucid straight away or not. It's $30.
SIX Isochronic Tones Multi Pack. This is another top seller, and includes a few of the best isochronic recordings I have come across - namely one for your chakras (!), four for meditating (from alpha to theta) and one for manifesting your dreams. This is my overall favourite as you get the best value (i.e. 6 downloads for the price of 3), loads of variety, and it costs $70 (which I deem as very good value). If you're serious about building an isochronic collection, get this as you'll never get bored and you'll get *awesome* results.
(Note - for this 6 MP3 pack be sure to scroll down to the very bottom of the linked page to see the special offer before it goes away)
I hope this article / recommendations helped. Good luck on your isochronic journey, and do keep coming back to Binaural Beats Geek. Boom!
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