Extremely helpful article, thank you for this! 🙏 What are your thoughts on using technology to supplement yogic practices of abhyaas and vairagya? There’s a lot of research being done on things like neurofeedback and brain entrainment systems to stimulate neuroplasticity and create new channels within the brain. Would using this type of technology for bio hacking, without going to the extreme of integrating it directly into the human body, be considered left-handed or inferior in any way, and if so how? Thank you!
Hey Devanshi - as long as the method works to reduce your kleshas and create channels that you want, any tool is great! There is certainly some promising research around neurofeedback, and I definitely think there is room for it to help accelerate the process of Yoga.
However, there are two downsides I can think of:
1. Dependence on the tool: In this case, it becomes just as much of an addiction/raag as anything else (e.g. “I can’t meditate properly unless I have my Muse headband”).
2. Increased focus on externalities: One of the fundamental purposes of Yoga is tilting the mind away from its fascination with sense objects, and a big part of the method of Yoga is through encouraging observation of the mind. Using a tool to observe the mind is great, but since you are no longer using direct observation as your primary method of feedback (e.g. witnessing the kleshas or accompaniments rather than using a neurofeedback tool), the mind does not have as many opportunities to practice turning inward as it did previously.
As with everything, I’d suggest trying it for yourself but keeping an eye out for whether you feel it helps to accomplish your goals. I’d love to hear how you feel neurofeedback changes your practice if you’re willing to share! Hope this is helpful 🙏🏽
Thank you Kunal! I can see how a focus on externalities can be a downside to using these technology-based tools. Will definitely keep you posted if I decide to try any neurofeedback or brainwave entrainment systems.
Extremely helpful article, thank you for this! 🙏 What are your thoughts on using technology to supplement yogic practices of abhyaas and vairagya? There’s a lot of research being done on things like neurofeedback and brain entrainment systems to stimulate neuroplasticity and create new channels within the brain. Would using this type of technology for bio hacking, without going to the extreme of integrating it directly into the human body, be considered left-handed or inferior in any way, and if so how? Thank you!
Hey Devanshi - as long as the method works to reduce your kleshas and create channels that you want, any tool is great! There is certainly some promising research around neurofeedback, and I definitely think there is room for it to help accelerate the process of Yoga.
However, there are two downsides I can think of:
1. Dependence on the tool: In this case, it becomes just as much of an addiction/raag as anything else (e.g. “I can’t meditate properly unless I have my Muse headband”).
2. Increased focus on externalities: One of the fundamental purposes of Yoga is tilting the mind away from its fascination with sense objects, and a big part of the method of Yoga is through encouraging observation of the mind. Using a tool to observe the mind is great, but since you are no longer using direct observation as your primary method of feedback (e.g. witnessing the kleshas or accompaniments rather than using a neurofeedback tool), the mind does not have as many opportunities to practice turning inward as it did previously.
As with everything, I’d suggest trying it for yourself but keeping an eye out for whether you feel it helps to accomplish your goals. I’d love to hear how you feel neurofeedback changes your practice if you’re willing to share! Hope this is helpful 🙏🏽
Thank you Kunal! I can see how a focus on externalities can be a downside to using these technology-based tools. Will definitely keep you posted if I decide to try any neurofeedback or brainwave entrainment systems.