Returning to Older Levels and finding them ineffective

[xkyh]

Quick question here:

I'm at level 8 right now, four months deep into Lifeflow.

The past few days I've reverted back to level 10, just to see what it's like. What I've found is that after meditating for some time with level 8, I don't get the same effect from level 10 anymore...as in, I'd be trying to meditate with level 10, and feel nothing after 20 minutes, switch to level 8, and then I'll get into the groove. I used to be able to alternate between 9 and 10, and feel effects for both, but not for this case.

Is there any reason for this or should I just stick with this longer before jumping to any conclusions?

[GilesC]

I would say that to 'notice an effect' you would have to be comparing one thing against another, so you're looking for a 'change' when you go back to lifeflow 10. However, if the entrainment has done it's job, then essentially lifeflow 10 wil l have less of a change on the way your brain is working. Think of it like driving a car... when you first learn to drive it takes a lot of effort and concentration to get the clutch, gears, braking and accelerating all coordinated, but then after time you don't even have to think about it because it comes naturally. If you went back for driving lessons, you wouldn't have to put all the focus into what you are doing again.

Hugs

Giles

[xkyh]

Thanks Giles,

I heard somewhere that all levels are equally valuable, though. So I was wondering why I felt 'less' of a change.

Does this mean if you're finished with the series, you'd use Level 1 all the time?

[pollyanna]

Originally Posted by xkyh

Thanks Giles,

I heard somewhere that all levels are equally valuable, though. So I was wondering why I felt 'less' of a change.

Does this mean if you're finished with the series, you'd use Level 1 all the time?

Hi xkyh,

I have been meditating to LifeFlow for around 5 years now and I use different levels because each of them are valuable. You definately don't have to stick to level 1 when you have completed all levels. Maybe you will pick your favourite ones - then again, you may surprise yourself, as I did, and find some that were not your favourites become so. Here's a link which explains the benefits of each level:-

Brainwave States

It sounds like you are meditating correctly because of the benefits you described in your first post. If you have not read the following principles of meditation and entrainment, here is the list that it covers followed by the link which comprises of 2 pages:-

The Principles
________________________________________
Here are all the principles grouped together into one place:

Principle #1: “Meditation is a noun, not a verb.
Principle #2: “Meditation is a state of consciousness, not the technique used to get to that state.”
Principle #3: “Once meditation is achieved, drop your technique and leave it behind.”
Principle #4: “Just listening to an entrainment track does NOT mean you are in meditation.”
Principle #5: “Just having certain brainwaves does NOT mean you are in meditation.”
Principle #6: “Meditation requires the intent to be in meditation followed by taking appropriate actions.”
Principle #7: “Meditative intention plus entrainment increases chances of achieving the meditation state.”
Principle #8: “Achieving targeted brainwaves during meditation practice denotes likely state of meditation.”
Principle #9: “Entrainment primes the meditative pump, making the process quicker and more consistent.”
Principle #10 “Micro-defining the role of brainwave frequencies is pure, unsubstantiated fantasy.”
Principle #11 “Subscribing to such fantasies guarantees false expectations and disappointment.”
Principle #12 “General expectations, not entrainment, lead to association with specific phenomena.”
Principle #13 “Specific phenomena become conditioned responses linked to entrainment.”
Principle #14 “Conditioned phenomena may be either pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable.”
Principle #15: “Entrainment produces no brainwave state that is not produced naturally by the brain.”
Principle #16: “Each of us experiences the full range of brainwaves naturally many times every day.”
Principle #17: “Entrainment enables the conscious experience of normally unconscious brainwave states.”
Principle #18: “Mental/physical noise blocks perception of feelings and sensations that were always there.”
Principle #19: “Relaxation and quiet allow us to perceive these buried phenomena.”
Principle #20: “Buried phenomena may turn into conditioned experiences if we fixate attention on them.”
Principle #21: “Indicators that entrainment/meditation is having an effect are long term and often subtle.”
Principle #22: “The intensity of one’s initial experiences is largely relative to their beginning state.”
Principle #23: “Most everyone should feel at least a small effect from using entrainment with meditation.”
Principle #24: “Anyone feeling no effect is experiencing one or more of the 4 problems listed above.”
Principle #25: “The successfully enter meditation all of the 4 guidelines above must be met.
Principle #26: “We’re all unique, and no single meditation technique works equally well for everyone.”
Principle #27: “Pick one technique and stick with it for at least several months; don’t technique surf.”
Principle #28: “Assess your progress based on long term changes, not short term, oddball phenomena.”
Principle #29: “Use appropriate techniques to break any existing conditioned associations.”

Principles of Meditation & Entrainment

I hope you find this as helpful as so many others have and I wish you much peace and joy

[GilesC]

Originally Posted by xkyh

Thanks Giles,

I heard somewhere that all levels are equally valuable, though. So I was wondering why I felt 'less' of a change.

Does this mean if you're finished with the series, you'd use Level 1 all the time?

Not at all. If we use our health as an example, just because our body has fought off a cold and is running ok, so we no longer need to take the vitamin C and other stuff we were using to fight it, doesn't mean that we won't get another cold again in the future. Likewise with entrainment, just because you've entrained your brain at a certain level doesn't mean that it won't start to rewire itself differently in the future and need a top-up of each of the levels.



Hugs

Giles

[xkyh]

Thanks, both of you, for the answers so far.

Is it necessary for me to work down the Levels until Level 1 before switching around with different levels?

Or can I switch around the levels I've entrained before?

Will the entrainment 'rewiring' of older levels disappear if I don't regularly entrain at that Level?

Also, if you have finished the series, how do you decide which levels to use, and for what period of time? Is it entirely up to your whims, or is there some guidelines or system?

I'd imagine I'll be getting Enlightened Q or something after I'm done with the series, though it'd be nice to know what to expect during the process of the series and after.

Sorry to trouble you guys with these ongoing questions : (

[GilesC]

No trouble.
Personally, I'd recommend you just focus on your 'current' level and work down until you've done level 1 and then use whatever level you feel is right at whatever time, otherwise it would be a bit like taking a mixture of medications for a health issue, not letting one medication take hold and do it's job (not that I like medications, but just as an analogy).

As for which levels and how long after you've done them all, that's entirely up to you. The way I see it is that after you've entrained with them, just using them again will help to reinforce that level of entrainment, and not forgetting that some levels also incorporate similar frequencies to other levels, so it's not like you'd have to ensure you keep getting around to doing all the levels at some point. Really, there's no need to be concerned, and rather just go with what feels right.



Hugs

Giles