The Pathology Model

Eastern vs. Western The concept of pathology grows out of a specific world-view. Oriental views of the universe see the whole and seek to fit ourselves into it. Western approaches take it apart into pieces and learn how to make it fit what we want. East focuses on the whole—a shifting state of balances and […]

The Genetic Brain

It’s All in the Genes Nature vs. Nurture in the brain Nowhere is the age-old argument about whether we’re “born with it” or we “develop it” by living as important as in the burgeoning industry of genetics. The industry’s position is that there is “overwhelming evidence for the existence of substantial genetic influences on individual […]

Myths about Brain Training

Seven Assumptions about Brain Training Conventional Wisdom If you’ve been reading about or studying neurofeedback, you may think you know certain “facts” about the brain and brain-training. You see them stated in every research article, in magazine stories, on websites, from professionals. They’re obviously true. But we’re going to start by drilling down through the […]

How do I choose a good system?

If you’ve looked very long, you’ve probably noticed several things: 1. There are a number of one-size-fits-all systems (Infra-low frequency training, LENS and others). Each of these univariate approaches essentially trains one thing, often in one place, for all clients. It doesn’t really matter what the problems are. They are attractive to someone getting into […]

The Trainable Brain

Demonstrating the Trainable Brain Studying the brain’s ability to adapt itself While QEEG research has focused on defining the energy brain, a parallel branch of study has provided increasingly “real-time” feedback to demonstrate that brains are capable of changing their own patterns. This field, often called neurofeedback or EEG-biofeedback, we will call brain training. Today’s […]

Selling the Chemical Brain

Selling the chemical Brain History of chemical manipulation Chemicals have been used for their temporary psycho-active effects on brain function for centuries: psilocybin, mescaline, marijuana, cocaine and others have been used in many cultures, generally for peak experiences or expanded awareness—often by shamans and priests.  In others, the drones, the laborers, take drugs daily (khat, […]

Living by the Stream

Living by the Stream Two men lived separately on the bank of a broad stream that flowed through their forest. The first man went to sleep every night to the rippling or rushing sound of the water running over the rocks in its bed, and he awoke to the sound of the birds who went […]

Stable Activation Patterns

Stable Activation Patterns The “chaotic” brain (in a very small nutshell) The advent of digital computers was involved in the development of chaos theory, a mathematically-derived description of many complex systems in nature, including the human brain. Chaotic systems are a break from our older linear way of understanding. It represents a return to ancient […]