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Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

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Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#31

Post by stef25 »

Having not yet read the article I hope this is still relevant - for people who like music you can really lose yourself in ("trance inducing" is a bit cringey ...), check out Nusrath Fateh Ali Kahn. One of his most famous songs linked below but obviously his repertoire is huge and easy to find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfELfpumEE

From Wikipedia: a Pakistani vocalist, musician and music director primarily a singer of Qawwali, a form of Sufi Islamic devotional music. Widely considered one of the greatest voices ever recorded, he possessed an extraordinary range of vocal abilities and could perform at a high level of intensity for several hours.

These performances, in tents with everyone sitting on the floor and sometimes smoking copious amounts of hash in chillums is something I wish I could have attended.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#32

Post by wombatmobile »

09bjb wrote: post #26

> Before the advent of the pharmacological revolution, it was widely understood that brain activity depends on both chemical and electrical signals. The subsequent dominance of pharmacology almost obliterated interest in the electrophysiology of the brain for several decates. From The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., in a section about "Applied Neuroscience" as it pertains to resolving trauma. It se…

It depends on what milieu you mix in. Some neuroscientists study electrophysiology of the brain in primary terms.

Evolutionary biologists see both systems as inextricably linked. The Schwann cells that encase axons to provide myelinated insulation are separated by gaps in which ion channels gate the charged fluid flow which propagates electrical activity like a mexican wave in a football crowd.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#33

Post by fenomas »

saeranv wrote: post #4

This reminds me of the neuro-linguistic virus in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. 'Snow Crash' in the novel refers to a version of the virus encoded in a bitmap image which can cause hackers (who are used to processing information in binary form) to suffer brain damage.

To say nothing of the "Drummers" from Diamond Age (loosely, a cult of people who spend years at a time entranced and drumming in unison).

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#34

Post by zamalek »

> The research appears to explain how mammal brains are able to temporarily decouple mind and body – though it's still not clear why they have this ability.

Ancient mammals had access to natural drugs and, with drugs being drugs, used them. What may have started as a small upper eventually became a dissociation, as we sought more and more of the stuff. Fixing your life purpose in the process, to benefit the species, is certainly something that evolution may have selected.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#35

Post by Herodotus38 »

pmoriarty wrote: post #14
bialpio wrote: post #6

Immediately made me think of: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/bring... Too long; didn't listen: same thing but related to Alzheimer's disease research where scientists would induce some frequency in the brain of mice and humans to help clean up some "gunk" in the brain that's associated with the disease.

I got interested in this and related research back in 2016 when I heard that Radiolab episode, and then went on to seek out 40 Hz tones on youtube, of which there are a great variety (other useful search terms are "Gamma", "Rife" and "Delta" tones), some "pure" and others with music underlying them or mixed with some other tones. I just sought out the "pure" ones, and sampled them for a while... None of them seemed t…

That was interesting. I felt like my face and head were ‘buzzing’/throbbing and I didn’t particularly enjoy it. It does seem to have some kind of effect outside of what I normally associate with an emotional response to sound/music. It’s kind of like a cat purring, as other commentators on YT said.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#37

Post by malux85 »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #8

This would be a workable explanation for being able to "soul travel" while meditating. When I did the whole Trancendental Meditation thing back in the late 70's it was all about clearing your mind of everything except a repeating mantra. EEG's of people meditating show rhythmic brain activity typical of sleeping. If that is the case (and I'm not saying it is, just noting the potential path here) then it would suggest…

I’m curious why you stopped doing Transcendental Meditation? And do you do any other alternative / mind altering processes now?

As someone very interested in Transcendental Meditation but unsure where to begin, any pointers?

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#38

Post by thewarrior »

blkhp19 wrote: post #9
FlyingSideKick wrote: post #7

I’ve studied Afro-Cuban percussion for 28 years now and I can tell you from experience there are some bata rhythms that definitely make the listener enter into a heavy trance state. Haitian vodun drumming is especially designed for generating trance and out of body experiences in its entirety. If you can find an old recording of Haitian voodoo drums give it a listen using good headphones with your eyes closed, and af…

It would be great if you could link to a recording that you think could induce this state, given that you’re an expert in this field! If I’m left to search on my own I’m not sure I’ll find the correct recording.

I’ve been experimenting with this myself and this video https://youtu.be/BwqH7l9xSgo along with some breathwork does seem to work.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#39

Post by taneq »

dbtc wrote: post #29
loosetypes wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bit of an aside but various states consciousness has always been front of mind in certain regards with Haitian culture. Zombie-mania has been in the US for a while now, but in Haiti it, at least in part, originally referred to when you zone out going through rote day-to-day actions without thinking. Can’t remember where you parked your car? You were a zombie when you did it. Etymologically it’s interesting as well, t…

Fascinating. It sounds like the exact opposite of "mindfulness".

And interestingly, sounds pretty similar to the 'state of flow' that we also find so valuable.

Re: Scientists say a mind-bending rhythm in the brain can act like ketamine

#40

Post by 0x008 »

dylan604 wrote: post #19

From an old documentary I watched early '00s (no idea what it was called), there was a musician that claimed music with a BPM between 135-140BPM and a 16th note bass line was in a frequency range that made it very easy for the human brain to sync up to it. Something about being very close to the Theta wave (or which ever brain wave, it's been a long time since I've seen it). This would result in a dance floor full of…

I've heard this story repeated a million times on Goa/Psytrance events. So I guess he - or his statement - is kind of a legend now.
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