When the word meditation is mentioned, it is easy to think of monks sitting in a mountain somewhere or maybe under a tree – whiling away hour after hour in a perfectly still pose. Whilst that is a perfectly valid form of meditation, we are lucky that it isn’t the only option available to us. That’s neat as we don’t all have large mountains in the backyard.

Sometimes meditation comes easy, and other times it doesn’t. In either case there are many techniques that can give us a bit of assistance, as well as some methods that give a few gentle nudges.

Binaural beats is a form of audio usage discovered in 1839. Using headphones two audio streams are sent to a listener, one stream to the left ear the other to the right. There is a very small difference in frequency between the two audio streams, and as the brain is unable to perceive this difference it in essence merges the sound into a single tone.

The nice little thing is that the brain will attune itself to these frequencies if it can. As the brain operates at various frequencies; Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta – these are commonly the frequencies used by binaural beat audio. Each of the mentioned frequencies relates to a state of consciousness / awareness, as illustrated below:

Beta – the common brain frequency when awake and active.
Alpha – as you relax you switch to this frequency.
Theta – you enter the theta state when dreaming; theta state can also give visions during meditation.
Delta - deep sleep.

When you listen to a binaural beat whilst meditating it will help move you to the frequency of the tone you have chosen. For example if you listen to a Theta beat whilst meditating you will quite quickly move into a theta state. If you are attentive, and continue to allow your mind and body to relax, you will notice the transition happen pretty quickly, though fairly subtly. In this state you can experience deep meditation as well as the occasional visions when you become more adapt.

Of course using binaural beats isn’t a magic solution, it still requires work on your part. Well lack of work would be a more apt description, you must be able to dissociate from your mind and inner voice or else you will not get very far. However the binaural beat should help you to do this.

I have included a binaural tone at the top of this page…this particular tone is designed to carry you from an attentive state (Beta) through relaxation and eventually into theta. The tones work best if you use headphones rather than earphones – but earphones are still ok. Normal speakers will not work as the sound needs to be directed to each ear separately. The volume needn’t be loud, simply adjust it to whatever you are comfortable with.

Find yourself a relaxing location and position, or do whatever you normally do to meditate – and begin to play back this audio. Some people will notice their mind slowing down almost straight away – but do not worry if you feel nothing. The idea of meditation isn’t necessarily to “go somewhere”, but rather to fully experience where you already are.

As the sound progresses, try not to pay attention to your thoughts – don’t fight them but also try not to associate with them, simply let them come and go of their own accord. Also try not to label your reactions. Simply experience what is occurring within you.

In time you will find you can attain deeper and deeper states. Eventually without even the need for the audio.