Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If someone asked me what single thing would improve most people’s lives I would say it is meditation. Then why isn’t meditation used more widely? Sure, there is a lot of current talk about the benefits of “mindfullness” -- a word that strikes me as bland and trendy. Still, meditation remains unused by most people for three reasons: Many people incorrectly perceive it as a form of prayer and treat it as a religious practice. Its effects, while ultimately powerful, are subtle. Meditation requires discipline, patience and constancy. This is why I bought and recommend the Muse. But before you take my word for it, here's a brief summary of my history with meditation. I have been meditating off and on since I first read several books on the subject while in my 30s. For one six month period, I would meditate 20 minutes every night, sitting on a cushion in the attic of our house. I once had a significant spiritual experience while meditating which I’ll describe later. Since then, I’ve meditated sporadically using different techniques and devices. I’ve used smartphone apps and recorded guided meditations. For some time I used a Stress Eraser which measured my heartbeat and coordinated my breathing with my heartrate -- a form of meditation bordering on biofeedback. It was very effective for calming me and I noticed it really helped my golf game. Since last March I’ve been using the Muse Meditation headband which I’ll describe in more detail later. What are the benefits of meditation? Studies point to many benefits from regular meditation including reduced stress, lowered blood pressure, increased focus and energy and improved performance in many areas. For me, one benefit arises above all else. Throughout my life I’ve had a tendency to react quickly and emotionally to things people say. In some cases, a slight or accusation can tip my mood toward negativity for hours or even a day. While in this state I know I need to forgive and move on, but emotionally I’m incapable of doing so. However, if I’ve meditated, my reactivity is dampened and I’m able to let these comments roll off. I first noticed this about 10 years ago when I was managing a difficult woman who worked in my department. She phrased even little remarks in a way that constantly put people on the defensive. The temptation was just to snap back, confront her, or begin an exchange which felt satisfying in the short run but would be counter-productive. At that time I used to go into the men’s room, sit in a stall and use a device no longer sold called the Stress Eraser for about 10 minutes. The little device, which took my pulse from my index finger, would give me points for good breaths to sync my breathing with my heart rate until it produced a measurable neurological change. If I used the stresseraser, and this woman made one of her little remarks, I could feel the irritation rising, but it was at a distance. Her remarks became almost amusing as if I could notice them but was insulated from being drawn into the emotional quicksand. How I found the Muse headband Last summer I had a brain scan taken by wearing a helmet with electric sensors. The result was a map of my brain showing what areas were generating higher or lower signals than a database of 5,000 “normal” people. This was physical evidence of the way my brain was dealing with everyday life. It was a bit like seeing the change as I used the stresseraser. During my neurofeedback program I was able to improve my sleep and raise my performance in certain areas such as the speed of processing information, memory and verbal fluency. My golf and tennis games improved. I became interested in seeing what my brain was actually doing based on science rather than just asking myself what my current mood was. I wondered if I could find a brain sensor I could use myself. How the Muse system works On the internet I found the Muse headband which read brainwaves, converts them to the sound of weather, and helps you meditate. I bought it and began using it. The headband fits across the front of your forehead and wraps around your ears. A metal strip is able to detect electrical brainwaves. When certain brainwaves are very active the weather noise increases. As you calm your mind, the weather noise grows fainter and -- here is the genius of the device -- if you are very calm for several seconds, you can hear birds chirping. At the end you get a graph of your performance and a score. Many people would react by saying, “Why do you need to turn meditation into a video game?” Here are several ways the Muse helps me: Quantification builds belief. If I finish a session and have a good score, it reinforces the benefits of the session. Yes, there could be a placebo effect but if it helps, I’ll take it. The headband keeps me still. When I’m wearing the headband I know it’s a meditation session. When I take if off, I’m done. The headband formalizes and ritualizes meditation. Teaches you to identify a calm mind. Finally, and maybe more importantly, the weather sounds let you identify a calm mind. How I use Muse If I sit down and set a meditation timer for 20 minutes, it feels like I’m facing an eternity. Instead, I use Muse for two 7-minute sessions first thing in the morning. This allows the device to re-calibrate to my state of mind. I meditate for 7 minutes then start another 7 minute session. In some cases, I do a third session. My spiritual experience Once, while meditating, I had the feeling there was another person or entity in the room with me. I continued meditating, hoping to learn who this was. Finally, I realized the entity was actually me -- as if I had split in two -- but this other me was wise and calm. I continued meditating, wondering what this other me had come to say. After some time, I came to know this answer. This other self wanted me to know one thing: “Everything is going to be all right.” Final thoughts I hope my experiences will provide some guidance for anyone looking for a way to get more out of life. I also want to encourage people to find their own method of getting to the calm inner source of intelligence within themselves. As someone once said, our mind is like a lake. On the surface, from day to day, there is turbulence. But below the water is deep and still. This is where we can find insight into our true selves.