Dangers of mind machines for ‘meditation’

Mind machines, which induce a meditative state, were all the rage during the 1990s. I am not sure if they are just as popular now, or even more so. But back in 1995, I carried a short report in The Good Life about some of the potential dangers of these relaxation / stress reduction machines.

Obviously the technology must have improved since then, so perhaps they are a lot safer than before. Plus, there's new technology, particularly neurofeedback training which also uses mind machines, that has proven to be highly beneficial, especially for the treatmenf of autism but also for "normal" children and adults to improve their performance in a broad range of areas – study, work, sports, confidence, etc.

Still, I think there is need for caution in seeking "instant meditation" with the help of these machines.

Dangers in “high-tech nirvana”

High-tech meditation using mind machines that alter brain waves to induce relaxation and feeling of peace can be dangerous, warns the US Food and Drugs Administration.

On June14, 1994, FDA officials conducted a surprise raid against Synetic System in Seattle, one of the largest manufacturers of light and sound machines in the US. The raid was said to have been held after a consumer complained that he experienced a seizure after using one of Synetic’s devices.

In November 1992, the now defunct Innerquest also had its products confiscated in an FDA raid.

The problem with these machines, says the FDA, is with lights that flash at between 5 and 60 cycles per second. Such lights can cause seizures in a small percentage of the population, estimated at one in 2,000. But these same people may also be affected by strobe light, video games and even television.

Users may also experience dizziness, nausea, vertigo and migraine headaches. Some feel that they are losing control of their nervous system.

Makers of mind machines say their products offer no more than “harmless entertainment”.

They say that there have been only a handful of reported brain seizures, although more than a million machines have been sold.

Even some medical doctors are defending these devices, saying they have made people more focused, clearer and feel a deeper sense of well being.

But the long term effects of using mind machines are unknown. Any attempt to alter your consciousness through artificial means – through drugs or technology – is potentially dangerous.

Danger aside, the bigger issue to consider is: Is this meditation?

“No, says Swami Chetananda in a Yoga Journal article that asked Would the Buddha use a Mind Machine?

One problem is dependency. Instead of being dependent on consumerism or drugs, people now depend on a machine.

Says Swami Chetananda: “Plugging into a machine is not automatically going to make you a deeper or finer person… Shortcuts are basically going to undermine a person’s process of development, ensure their failure, and produce cynicism, which is a permanent spiritual obstacle.”