Muse 2 (the brain sensing headband)
My Muse EEG arrived today! I've been extremely excited to incorporate this technology into my Sound Therapy practice as part of the biodata for case studies. I'm not proposing any hypothesis yet, though I certainly have my hunches, but I see huge implications for tracking brain waves in addition to pulse, temperature, and oxygen levels throughout sound therapy sessions with instruments like the Himalayan Singing Bowls.
My immediate impressions about the Muse 2–which I opted for because I'm not conducting sleep research, and that seems to be a large factor in the the intended use of Muse 2 vs Muse S:
sleek
comfy rubber on the ears
easy to fit (it rides higher on the forehead than you'd expect)
I have no idea when it's actually charged vs charging. The guide indicates a series of 5 lights will come on but they all look on so...
As far as my session went, I had a skillful time. I haven't formally practiced in about a week as I've been finishing up other projects. I also didn't do any of my normal pre-meditation rituals (puja, aura cleansing, etc). I sat down and dove right in.
The app came preloaded with rainforest sounds. As you meditate, you can wear earbuds and get "realtime" feedback as to your state of mind through the nature of the rainforest. Active brainwaves result in more tumultuous weather whereas calm brainwaves are reflected through birds that stop by and nestle near you in your enlightened glow. The immediate downside to this system is that I'm in a desert that's beyond overdue for a good thunderstorm so when I hear rain I want more! Give me that rain! So there's some innate attachments there I had to be aware of.
Another distraction for me was I was tempted to test the parameters of the EEG. If birds come when I'm calm, how active can I push my mind and what does that sound like? But that defeats the purpose so I quickly let that idea go. I'll admit here too that I had a bit of imposter syndrome over the EEG. I've been practicing meditation for 10 years, and actively teaching others for 3 years. What if the data reflected my complete incompetence?! Placebo brain. McMindfulness. [shudders]
The main interplay I worked with was the awareness that more active brainwave function is a result of tension, either mental or physical. They play on each other. To that end, whenever I heard static through my earbuds it was a quick process to check-in physically and release any tension that may have popped up. The birds dissipated, rain starts up, and I follow-through with a quick check on my posture and surrendering to gravity. One aspect of that which remains a mystery is if the sound was reflecting tension as a result of increased pressure with each inhalation, or activity from the exhalation. I'm not clear on how Muse (or my brain, perhaps) makes that determination. It'll have to come with more play.
So, how did I do? Of my 20-minute introductory session with the rainforest soundtrack:
Active brain wave activity: 19 seconds (there's a joke in there somewhere)
Neutral activity: 8 min 51 sec
Calm mind: 10 min 36 sec
I earned 2,439 muse points (3 points for each second of "calm" and 1 point for each second of "neutral")
6 recoveries (transitions from active to neutral, as a result of catching the distraction)
57 birds
I also earned two awards, which I didn't even know would be a thing. One hand, bully for me! On the other, this further entrenches a system of "good" or "bad" meditations, which only encourages the ego-mind and the potential for negative self-talk. I prefer to frame my sessions as varying degrees of "skillful."
Bird of Eden Award, for at least 2 birds per minute
Serenity Award, for more than 10 minutes in a calm state...which Muse equates to about 150 natural breaths.
What I liked about the app is seeing the data immediately. Very cool. I was also pleasantly surprised to find they add a journal feature following your session. Journaling is a great tool for helping to identify trends so you can quickly move in on tension in the mind and the body as it appears. The app is very user-friendly. They set-up challenges for building a habit. These are all skillfully incorporated.
I'm not crazy about a punitive system of teaching meditation. Granted, I opted to not use their instruction (which I assume meant guided meditation prompts). There are some foundational misconceptions that seem to constantly be used to market mindfulness but in actuality only further cement those misconceptions which can lead to frustration from new practitioners. For example, the Muse box is simple and clean with the trenchant motto: "Meditation Made Easy." Except meditation isn't easy. It's simple, but it's not easy. Though now that I write this I realize they can't write, "Buckle up, it's going to suck big time for the next few years but then it'll be worth it." That's way too long for a motto! But teeing up "easy" might not be the way to proceed either. I'm very curious how someone new to the practice feels about birds to rain ratio. I could (and did) listen to either and welcome all sounds to the observation deck. My hunch is at what point does rainfall become a storm that a new practitioner can't escape from? This is all rhetorical, of course. Just like any other session, you simply work with what's there and what tries to peek its head out.
All-in-all, I'm beyond thrilled to add this technology into the sound therapy case studies. Having real-time data from each session is going to be fascinating. I've had the device for 2 hours and I can't wait to see what insights it might provide access to.
Have you worked with Muse?? What was your experience?