Alpha Brain Waves

Vedic Philosophy from India 500 to 1500 year B. C. Passed down to Yogananda and “Rediscovered” in the 20th Century A.D.

Connecting the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda with the Schumann Resonance bridges ancient Vedic science and modern geophysics. While Yogananda lived and taught decades before the term “Schumann Resonance” became popular in mainstream wellness circles, his teachings on Om (Aum), the Cosmic Vibration, and brainwave states align perfectly with the concept.
Here is how his spiritual philosophy intersects with the Earth’s natural frequency:
1. The Cosmic Vibration (Aum) and the Earth’s Hum
Yogananda taught that the entire universe is created from and sustained by a primordial, intelligent vibration, which he identified as Aum or Om (the Cosmic Sound).
The Spiritual Side: In his book Cosmic Chants, Yogananda explained that by chanting and meditating, a person tunes the “radio of their heart” to this underlying cosmic rhythm.
The Scientific Parallel: The Schumann Resonance (7.83 Hz) is a literal electromagnetic “hum” or heartbeat generated between the Earth’s surface and the ionosphere, triggered by lightning strikes. It is the baseline vibrational background of our planet. Mystics and meditators often view the Schumann Resonance as the physical, planetary manifestation of that cosmic Aum vibration.
2. Brainwave Entrainment and Kriya Yoga
The fundamental Schumann frequency of 7.83 Hz sits right at the border of Alpha (8-12Hz) and Theta (4-8 Hz) brainwaves.
Alpha/Theta States: These frequencies are scientifically associated with deep relaxation, high creativity,superlearning, and profound meditative states.
Yogananda’s Techniques: The advanced meditation techniques Yogananda taught (like Kriya Yoga and the Hong-Sau technique) are designed to calm the nervous system, slow the breath, and switch the brain out of high-stress Beta waves. When a yogi enters a state of deep, breathless stillness (Samadhi), their brainwaves naturally drop into the Alpha and Theta zones—effectively synchronizing, or “entraining,” with the Earth’s 7.83 Hz heartbeat.
3. “Tuning the Instrument”
Yogananda often used the analogy of a radio. If your mind is full of restless, chaotic thoughts, your “receiver” is full of static, making it impossible to hear the divine melody.
”Gradually the subconscious repetition [of the mantras] will change into superconscious realization, bringing the actual perception of God.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

“Meditation” by esw

Modern proponents of the Schumann Resonance say something very similar: in our world of concrete, Wi-Fi, and artificial EMFs, we get “de-tuned” from the Earth. Practicing Yogananda’s meditation techniques is a way of clearing that bio-electrical static so your body and mind can return to their natural, grounded state of harmony.

( A Gemini summary of my research on Altered States of Consciousness and alpha brain rhythms 50 years ago and “finding” Yogananda 20 years ago and my following his practice now.)

June 21, 2026 | Categories: Abstract Paintings, Animal & Landscape Photographs, Hinduism, India, Kriya Yoga, Meditation, Music of Nature, Mysticisms of Science, Paramahansa Yogananda, Reflections, Schumann Resonance, Spirituality, Spirituality in India, Vedic science | Tags: Abstract painting, Alpha Brain Waves, Aum method of Paramahansa Yogananda, Brain waves, Earth's heartbeat, Hinduism, Hong Sau method of Paramahansa Yogananda, India, Kriya Yoga, Kriya yoga meditation, Landscape Photography, Meditation, Paramahansa Yogananda, Schumann Resonance, Skyscapes, Vedic science | 10 Comments

Energy of Spirit, Life of the Mind and a Sense of the Ineffable

What does the magnetic energy of the earth have to do with the mind and spirit? Well, as it turns out… EVERYTHING!

Hypnosis, creative inspiration, meditation, mysticism– all of these states have something in common. They are all related to states of mind with the same pattern that have been measured by scientists to be found in the alpha pattern of brain waves. The alpha state.

There are 4 states of consciousness. First there is the beta state or normal waking consciousness which is measured by scientists at 13-30 herz or cycles per second. Herz is the measurement for 1 cycle per second. 13-30 herz is associated with the everyday state of awareness. There is the theta state of dreaming which is measured at 4-8 herz or cycles per second and the delta state of sleep at 1-4 cycles per second. This is associated with sleep and dreaming along with the delta state. Then there is the gamma state which weighs in at 25-80 herz. This state is associated with when the brain is hard at work in the waking state. And finally there is the alpha state of consciousness at 8-13 herz or cycles per second, peaking at 10. This is the state that we will focus on here. It is the state present during hypnosis, creative inspiration, meditation, mysticism and religious states of awareness.

The alpha brain wave pattern resonates with the magnetic rhthyms of the earth which also are most concentrated at 10 cyles per second. Here’s the thing– states of mind in the alpha state are vibrating with the same rhythm as the magnetic rhythms of the earth. These alpha states have long been associated with meditation, spiritual states, mysticism and A FEELING OF ONENESS WITH ALL!! Scientists differ as to whether or not humans are affected by the magnetic rhthyms of the earth. It seems to me that the feeling of oneness, the feeling of the ineffable and unity, is experienced in alpha states due to its synchronicity with the peak magnetic rhythms of the earth. Think of how synchronous feelings of oneness occur when the mind listens to music or pulses to the beat, witness a beautiful sunset or engages in religious ceremony.

We are talking of a feeling of oneness with all, unity with the earth. Eastern religions, in particular Hinduism, talk about oneness with all, unity. As my Indian friend, Anjali, has told me, Indian temples have long been built purposely on places on earth where the magnetic energy is strongest so the temple visitors may feel the energy. And Indians are instructed to wear silk to temple because it is a strong conductor of energy. In addition, the YouTube video, “101 Amazing Facts about India, the Indian population and Indian Culture” put out by FactsNet, says that Indian temples have copper plates to absorb the energy of the earth. The spirituality of India is the energy that is in synch with the rhythms of the earth. These bring about a feeling of oneness, closeness to God and all nature. The Hindus plug into the feeling of oneness with nature and the earth because their brains are sychronized to the rhythms of the earth. I have talked about nature as it relates to religion very often with my private guru, Sachin. For Hindus energy is all important. Because our minds cannot really easily fathom praying to energy, there are many Hindu gods and also no “head” god as Christians believe in a personal God. It is hard to think of praying to energy. I connect through nature and think of God as a personal God just to pray to “Him” but I believe Energy is our God. That is just my thing. Things that bring on the alpha state connect to the earth, connect to the Energy of the earth, connect us to our apprehension of the holy.

It seems ironic that in this day and age, with the scientific developments and advances that have been made, we know so little on the nature of man’s waking state of consciousness… so little on the potential of the human mind in altered states of consciousness. ASC’s include some of the highest states of mind known– creativity, higher consciousness, cosmic consciousness, religious and mystical states, peak experiences. Out of such states of mind come some of our greatest achievements. We all can share in this greatness, taste the sublime, through alterations in the waking state of consciousness. People feel their lives profoundly changed for the better by what Maslow has termed “peak experiences.” And people best able to accept death are those who have experienced transcendence. And for well over millions of years, people have spent centuries passing on written and oral traditions down through the ancients, ideas on consciousness and the need to develop higher consciousness, isn’t it time for the rest of us to pay heed ?