Biofeedback pages - Alpha synchrony

Fehmi Alpha Synchrony neurofeedback

In the past I've done a bit of work with Les Fehmi's Open Focus™ (book) synchrony training technology (synchrony paper). This is doing the synchrony in conjunction with the OpenBCI hardware. This is a five channel alpha synchrony protocol that is used with Fehmi's nondual oriented guided meditations. Les first developed Open Focus meditations and neurofeedback in the late 1970's. And I believe his approach may be under-appreciated relative to later nondual 'schools' and attention training approaches.

The idea in this iteration of the BrainBay protocol was for the neurofeedback practitioner to very gently (but not obsessively) monitor the realtime spectrograms of all 5 channels (Fpz Cz Oz T3 T4), and adjust the weighting factors so that synchrony comes up evenly in all quadrants. That is, to use the reward thresholds to ask the weak quadrants to proportionately raise their synchronous alpha amplitude, so they "join the conversation".

If you're curious how this relates to the neuroscience of holistic or integrative perspectives, see this paper from 2012: Alpha-Band Phase Synchrony Is Related to Activity in the Fronto-Parietal Adaptive Control Network. Synchronized alpha appears to increase communications pathways between frontals and attention / sensory networks in the parietals. In other words, new forms of "attention" and perspective. Exactly what Fehmi has been getting at for 30+ years.

(Above photo.) Les and his company in the past has sold beautifully crafted, hand built synchrony trainers that he manufactures with a technician. But this breakthrough device does not use a computer at all. It is a small standalone box with knobs and switches. So in some respects, may miss out on some of the trend monitoring and adjustments that are possible with spectrograms and fine tuning of channel weights. His device does have switches to enable / disable each of the 5 channels. My impression is that in his workshop instructor equipment training, he has a sequencing of channel activations that encourages weak areas to light up.

In my personal work, (in conjunction with the other protocols I have used), I've see synchrony protocols expose and release buried emotional armoring / holding patterns. Increasing the potential for full embodiment, chi flow.

As you might know, Fehmi had substantial success with healing / dissolving even serious physical pain and emotional pain (e.g. anxiety) with this form of whole brain synergy. I believe it also holds potential for increasing access to the nondual states / new modes of perception.