Please refer to your user guide for a more detailed explanation of some of the topics covered here.
You have your RX1 and you’re ready to go. Some basic questions will likely come to mind.
Your sales partner will have given you some training on how to use the light and they and us are available for further help and support.
Lets cover some of the basic’s here.
When and how much should you use brainwave entrainment
When you first start it is natural to want to try everything. And although there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it can be too much for you and may lead to mild discomfort. This is natural and will pass quickly if you do. Some people can use it more than others and this depends on a number of factors like how stimulated you already are, existing stressors like lots of computer time, how hydrated you are or what you start with as a goal. Always seek medical advice if you feel unwell for a long period of time.
With the visual style sessions there can be a desensitising effect over time if you use that type of session a lot. In the same way that using a drug too much leads to needing more of it to get the same effect. Again some people don’t have this and can go all day without any loss of visual impact. And again this is temporary and will correct itself with a break from those type of sessions.
Purpose made entrainment sessions however do not tend to diminish in effectiveness with overuse but you can still overdo it in other ways.
Most successful research with brainwave entrainment or audio visual entrainment uses a protocol of 3 or more times per week for about 4 weeks with the same session.
That doesn’t mean that less than that or even just one session cannot cause lasting benefit. It can and does happen that fast sometimes.
But you wouldn’t meditate once and declare yourself enlightened would you.
I suggest you choose a goal (for example motivation), and stick to that goal for a month choosing to use either the same or similar session.
A common practice of mine is to have one current favourite session that I use daily or 4-5 times a week and then if I choose to, I play with others randomly at different times of the day or different days.
Some goals like relaxation or meditation will be enhanced with almost every session you do regardless of the type of session.
My role with roXiva includes creating sessions, so for me it is actually more random than that often but I still have favourites.
What session first
Honestly, first of all I would just have a play with all sorts of sessions (be mindful of doing too many in a row though) and see what you really like. Then pick a goal or a session and use it as a base for a while. Do you get stressed or overactive sometimes and want to chill out? Start there with some relaxing sessions.
Or do you feel low and inactive? Then start with some inspiring upbeat type sessions.
There isn’t really any wrong answer. And you can of course ask the community for advice.
What’s the best power level and distance from your face
This is mostly personal preference although we recommend about 50 cm from your face and starting with a power level of about 40 for standard entrainment sessions and a little more 50 – 60 for visual and psychedelic style sessions. Personal use power levels are from 10 to about 100 and for group sessions the potential is to go higher up to level 200. If you intend to use the RX1 with other people then please talk to your sales partner for advice.
For groups under one light, you will need to raise this height to allow for all faces to be as close as possible to the centre of the lights focus and therefore you may want to adjust the level of intensity slightly to compensate.
Safety testing for compliance for any lighting source uses a light on full power at only 20cm with the eye’s open. This is to test lighting at it’s extreme and we do not recommend this.
You will tend to get a more intense effect if you use the light in a dark space but in some cases it is actually preferable to use it in a dimly lit space as most people will find this easier to adjust to.
How do you learn about sessions and brainwave frequencies
There is a wealth of information on this website in the form of articles and research plus a user community including myself that you have access to.
As an approximate guide, anything below about 12Hz would be considered a relaxing frequency and anything above 12Hz would be considered more stimulating and active brain producing. There are exceptions to this and in fact most people find even the sessions that use higher frequencies leave them feeling somewhat refreshed as if having meditated.
Can I use other practices with brainwave entrainment
Absolutely, there is no need to but it is a great way to enhance other practices and in fact I have written an article suggesting some of those ways.
There is a conditioning effect (called anchoring in NLP) where a mental or even physical state can be linked neurologically to a context or time by way of repetition.
For example.., if you adopt a specific breathing pattern or bodily gesture while in a relaxed state.., the two can with certain understandings become linked. You can then use that same breathing pattern or gesture at other times or in other contexts and help to generalise that state into your everyday life more easily. More on that in another article.
Should I listen to music while using a brainwave entrainment session
Some sessions have the music linked to it like ‘Return of the Squirrel’ for an enhanced experience. Other than that you can choose your own favourites. You can of course put your own music directly on the RX1’s internal library. Listening to your own music during a session can definitely enhance the experience and also act like a conditioned response like talked about above.
This is all your personal journey to explore with us as your support network. There is very little that you can get wrong.
Have fun with it, be safe and use the appropriate questionnaires if you choose to let anyone else use it.., and ask if you are unsure.