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Theta waves have been associated with access to the subconscious mind, emotional and physical healing, enhanced creativity, and intuition. The use of meditation techniques to entrain Theta brain waves has become a cottage industry in the form of the “Theta Healing” program. But in this article we shall focus on an aspect of Theta waves that is clearly supported by decades of scientific research – the connection between Theta brain waves, learning, and memory. We will end by recommending further resources for those who wish to apply the power of Theta waves to their own lives.
What Science Tells Us About Theta Waves
In the scientific literature, a distinction is made between the Theta waves recorded in the hippocampus of animal brains and those emanating from the cerebral cortex of human brains. For reasons of bioethics, studies of human brain waves are generally confined to the relatively superficial observations made possible by EEG electrodes attached to the scalp. But experimentation on animals – whether we like it or not – has penetrated much deeper within the brain, including such harsh measures as removing portions of the brain “just to see what happens.”
It is fairly clear that both regions of the brain demonstrate Theta activity in the region of 4 – 7 Hertz, but researchers have been a little reluctant to connect them and have hedged their bets by speculating that the two processes may be independent of one another. Though our knowledge remains incomplete, hippocampal Theta waves are associated with REM sleep and cortical Theta rhythms are similarly associated with the borderline between sleep and waking. (This is why this particular frequency is often targeted by those wishing to have lucid dreams.)
Theta Brain Waves, Learning, and Memory
Theta frequencies are displayed during the performance of short-term memory tasks and seem to be involved in the processing of sensory information and preparation for appropriate body movements in response to that information. Theta brain waves apparently help separate the creation of new memories on a cellular level (long-term potentiation) from the recollection of existing memories cued by sensory stimuli – a precondition for effective learning. This is most clearly demonstrated in spatial learning and navigation.
The Exciting Promise of Theta Waves
The biofeedback research of Thomas Budzynski led him to conclude that Theta waves allow us to absorb new information in an uncritical manner by disarming the ever-vigilant filter of the analytical left hemisphere. This greatly facilitates “re-programming” of belief systems such as concepts of self-worth, and “unlearning” of destructive mental habits. A tremendous amount of new information can be absorbed quickly in the Theta state – and also recalled with great clarity.
When the brain is in this uncritical twilight zone, we have an ideal opportunity to rid ourselves of the negative attitudes that have been holding us back in all phases of our lives. Positive affirmations and creative visualizations will be vastly more effective when our brain’s dominant frequency is the Theta wave.
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