Due to the overwhelming success of the Holosync Solution program, a number of cheap "knock-off" products have come and gone over the years.

LifeFlow is one of these and you'll find below a report about their claims regarding "Isochronic Entrainment". In addition, here are some other points to consider:

1) They only have a 30 day money-back guarantee vs the 365 day money-back guarantee for Awakening Prologue.

2) They have no customisation of deeper levels with your own affirmations embedded subliminally.

3) Their "About Us" link contains no information about the company, not even where it is located.  Why the secrecy?

4) Their "Contact Us" link is just a contact form, you can only email them so again, you have no way of knowing who these people are or where they are located. 

5) If you join their program, the only support they offer is by email.  You can't call someone on the phone for support.

6) Their website uses a .org domain even though they are clearly a commercial enterprise.

7) More often than not, the people who have been tempted to try products like this find that they don't get results, don't get their money back (they usually don't have or don't honour money-back guarantees) and end up getting Holosync anyway so they end up spending more money (and time!) than they otherwise would have.

A Centerpointe Special Report:

Is Isochronic Entrainment Really Newer and

 Better than Holosync?

Recently, there has been a small resurgence of interest in the use of so-called "isochronic tones" for the purposes of brain wave entrainment. While the field of neuroaudio technology has always had its share of misinformation and confusion regarding it’s methods and efficacy, it's rare that so much confusing and misleading information finds its way through the industry as it has of late with regard to this and other brain wave entrainment methods.

This article is intended to provide some objective information about the issue of isochronic vs. binaural beat entrainment methods. While not comprehensive in every aspect, we have aimed to provide our perspective, at least, regarding some of the more common misconceptions, for the sake of clarity. We frequently receive requests from the public to provide feedback on this or that method or product. We’ve found that much of what we’re asked to do amounts to clarifying some of the more unusual (and sometimes bizarre) claims made. While we cannot pretend to speak on behalf of other companies or individuals that produce meditation soundtracks, we are very aware that, as consumers of such products, it’s a challenge to properly sort out some of the hyperbole and double-speak from the simple facts. We hope this information helps do just that.

Do be aware that this information is compiled and presented by Centerpointe Research Institute, a leading producer and seller of low carrier frequency/binaural beat CDs for nearly 20 years. Centerpointe has worked with other leading experts in the area of personal development for many years, and we routinely endorse other products that we feel 1) work as advertised, and 2) are produced and supported by individuals with the same kind of commitment to the success of their clients that Centerpointe has for our own clients. So when information about neuro-audio technologies that is patently incorrect or misleading is presented, we feel a certain obligation to our clients, partners, and those who are sincerely interested in personal development using such technologies to share our views based on our experience and expertise.

In today’s personal growth market, it’s not enough to be aware of what’s out there; it’s also important to be educated and to make wise choices, since such programs do require an investment of some time and money. That’s why we encourage you to do some research for yourself, be willing to experiment, and determine for yourself what is the best overall method for your personal growth goals and needs.

Centerpointe clients tend to be very enthusiastic about personal development, and are not interested in wasting time and money on methods that simply don't produce results. Many of them tell us that they have, already, tried their fair share of products that just don’t deliver. It’s easy to spend time and money on something that is presented as “new,” “cheap,” “better,” etc. In the end, most fall short of producing long-term, significant, and lasting change. There is a broad range of products available today that are terrific at producing momentary effects for the user. Holosync, a form of binaural beat entrainment, isn't one of them. Instead, our clients use Holosync to affect long-term, significant changes to mental and emotional health and functioning, not short-term quick fixes that fail to produce lasting change. For this reason, Holosync isn't intended to be used by the casual neuro-tech experimenter or “brain tech hobbyist.” It’s intended for those prepared for both the work and rewards of an incredible and lasting personal growth experience.

With that said, let’s take a closer look at some of the claims and propaganda we think is generating some confusion about brain wave entrainment today.

There are, in fact, several ways in which brain wave patterns can be altered. One of them, binaural beat entrainment, is a highly effective method of doing that. It’s arguably the most widely used, tested, and versatile method of entrainment ever developed. It’s been used by hundreds of thousands of people, in a wide range of applications, research studies, and relaxation/meditation programs, for nearly 40 years. While it’s true that some applications of binaural beat entrainment have proven more effective than others, the efficacy and mechanism of the method is proven, effective, and reliable. Centerpointe’s version of binaural beat entrainment technology – Holosync – is a refined and highly potent version of binaural beat entrainment technology.

Isochronic entrainment is another way of entraining brain waves. But as we’ll see later in this report, there is an amazing degree of confusion – some of it seemingly intentionally fostered by some groups – with regard to what isochronic and binaural beat entrainment methods are and what they actually do (and don’t do).

"Isochronic tones represent a new/recently created way to change brain patterns..."

Isochronic entrainment might be many things, but "new" isn't one of them. For entrainment to work properly, the brain has to achieve and maintain what's called "lockstep" with a given sound or light stimulus. While some people would like you to believe that isochronic entrainment is highly complex and sophisticated, it's actually the simplest method of entrainment there is. When light and sound entrainment devices first became available in the mid-1980s, many used isochronic entrainment methods (partly to accommodate certain limitations of the photic driving method L/S machines use). Simply put, they induced altered states by generating a pulse at the same frequency the brain was expected to entrain to. If you want to go to a 10Hz alpha state, you simply listen to a frequency pulsing at 10 cycles per second. Higher frequencies of the sole tone being used gives you shallower brain wave states and lower frequencies simply mean deeper states.

Besides the fact that this method of entrainment isn't new at all, it's also worth noting that this method was also used in an even more ancient context: as trance or drum entrainment. For many centuries, indigenous peoples relied on the use of drum beats to induce altered states of consciousness for initiation rites and ritual ceremony. The persistent beating of drums at certain frequencies can induce a wide range of states, given enough time and the proper conditions. Even today, you'll find that many dance clubs induce energetic states of trance for the dancers by employing various beats-per-minute (BPM) as the backbone of the music. There are plenty of other examples of this, but you get the idea. Isochronic entrainment isn't new in any sense and represents the most basic form of entrainment using sound there is.

In short, there’s nothing new or complicated about isochronic entrainment.

So when you read prosaically-written marketing copy like “Finally, Something That Works Better,” or “The Latest in Brain Wave Technology” followed by information about isochronic tapes or CDs, be aware that this is a little like selling bottles of water and saying, “We’ve Developed the Latest In Personal Hydration Treatment Programs!”

"Isochronic entrainment doesn't require the use of headphones to work.”

This is partially true. Because pulse entrainment depends solely on the brain matching lockstep with a single pulsing tone that can be increased or reduced in frequency, it is possible to entrain the brain without headphones. Binaural beat entrainment relies on headphones to produce a more rapid, precise, and - as with Holosync - more potent means of entrainment. Most forms of pulse entrainment do benefit from the use of headphones, however, simply because it's the easiest method to deliver a consistent signal to the brain, with little or no outside stimuli interfering. Entrainment to specific states is possible without headphones, but can take a significantly longer exposure time to achieve lockstep.

One website proclaims that the use of headphones is a “major shortcoming of binaural beat entrainment.” While the use of headphones might appear to be a “shortcoming” to some, the reality is that headphones are a necessity to experiencing the effects and benefits of headphones, just as the use of a brake pedal and steering wheel is generally necessary to efficiently drive a car. You can try driving without them, but you won’t get very far.

"Isochronic tones are more effective than binaural beat because of the distinct wave form patterns that are created."

This would be true except for one small problem: the human brain processes sound in a binaural manner. In each cerebral hemisphere there is a superior and inferior olivary nuclei responsible for creating what you could call a "stereo" image of perceived sound. When you hear a noise, each side of the brain works together to determine the location of the sound in relation to your position. If a dog barks to your left, sound waves from the bark are received at slightly different points in time, synthesized by each hemisphere of the brain, and then "placed" in space relative to your head. That's why an echo with a signal perceived as being stronger than the point of origin can cause us confusion because we sometimes perceive the echo as being the source of the sound. If the dog barks to your left, but the signal echoes off a wall to your right closer to your position, it might seem like the dog is actually to your right (typically, we compensate for that by determining that the actual bark originates a moment before the echo, letting us figure out that the dog is actually to our left).

Binaural beat takes advantage of the way the brain is actually designed to process sound, which allows for a broader range of entrainment target states with tighter lockstep. With binaural beat, both sides of the brain are being asked to synthesize two slightly off-set frequencies, which engages the synchronous neuro-electrical activity so important in seeing many of the benefits associated with entrainment (enhanced memory, relaxation, concentration, etc.)

“Isochronic tones are twice [or 3x, 4x, etc.] more effective than binaural beat.”

We’ve found this statement on several sites promoting isochronic entrainment. Normally this spurious statement is followed by a graph depicting the wave form entrainment patterns produced in the brain as seen by an EEG, compared to the pulse patterns seen with isochronic entrainment. Besides the fact that the brain wave patterns reflected using binaural beat do, indeed, correspond much more closely to natural brain activity, we have yet to find – anywhere – support of any kind for an assertion that any form of entrainment can be said to be two or three times more effective than any other. No criteria is mentioned, no theory, or even speculation is provided as to whether or why such a statement should be supportable. Anyone who can demonstrate how and why such a statement should be taken seriously with regard to these factors is strongly encouraged to do so. (Frankly, it’s these kinds of statements, that are neither scientifically sound nor experientially corroborative, that call into question so much of the “information” provided about this and other brain wave technologies).

"Isochronic entrainment doesn't waste time using a 'wind up' or 'wind down' period like binaural beat entrainment does.”

In brief, there are four main brain wave patterns: beta, alpha, theta, and delta descending. If you're entraining the brain to an alpha level, then generally there's no need for what's called an "incremental drop sequence" or "down ramp" since the brain has a relatively easy time attaining shallow states of consciousness out of a beta state (normal wakeful consciousness) without the need for a drop sequence or ramp (this, incidentally, can usually be done without any kind of entrainment stimulus at all). Given a few minutes of exposure, the brain will generally fall into lockstep with something around 9 Hz or higher. There are other variables, of course, but this is a very general rule of thumb.

If you want to target theta or delta, however, the brain simply doesn't create lockstep at those levels without a means of getting there. So, a ramp or "drop sequence" is used. What if you want to go into a very deep state? Unless you have the singular ability to roll out of a deep sleep and turn on your CD player while not altering your current neuro-electrical fluctuations, you're going to begin your entrainment in a wakeful state of some kind; usually beta or high alpha. Simply sitting there listening to a theta or delta target while your brain is busy making beta waves is significantly more counter-productive than using a ramp to 1) establish lockstep, and then 2) draw the brain into a deeper state. You can sit there and hope and wait for the brain to match lockstep with a, say, 3 Hz delta out of a 12 Hz beta if you really want to. Or, you can do what the experts do and use a ramp to drop the brain into that state within about 15 minutes or so. Think of merging onto or off of a highway where traffic is moving at high speeds. Normally you find a ramp to allow time to speed up when entering the highway, or slow down if exiting. There's a reason why the leading producers of effective entrainment soundtracks use down-ramps, just as there's a reason why you'd use an elevator to go from the 10th floor to the 1st floor as opposed to simply jumping down the elevator shaft. Arguments that the lack of ramping the brain to or through a given brain wave state are faster or more efficient are simply unsupportable.

A side note here: Listening to entrainment tracks without ramps can produce an “effect.” But creating a deep or trance-like state can take twice or three times longer without the proper incremental drop sequence, especially if the goal (as it is with Holosync) to saturate the brain with enough stimulus to cause changes in the way the system functions.

"The brain doesn't really entrain until it finds the target frequency."

This statement, used to support the argument that no ramps are necessary, is absolutely false, if only for pointing out the obvious - that if you could "hit and hold" a target frequency without entrainment at will, you wouldn't need to use entrainment in the first place. Entrainment isn't the result of attaining a target state, it's the means.

So the idea that a down ramp is a waste of time is a little like saying, "Why waste time putting the car in first gear, then second, then third, and so on? If you want to drive really fast, just throw it into 5th gear and go!" It's a good way of flooding the engine, stalling, and going nowhere fast. Which is basically what happens if you're looking for deep entrainment and don't use the technology to give the brain a way to get there; the brain stalls out and fails to attain lockstep.

As for the need for a ramp back up, it's a little more gray. Depending on what you're trying to achieve with your entrainment session, an up ramp at the end might be helpful (for example, if you were combating jet lag). In our case (with Dive and Immersion) it's not helpful so we don't use one; we use the time to maintain exposure to low carrier frequencies at those deep states without artificially drawing the brain back out of that deep state. We find that it's simply easier to allow the listener to come out of a deep state of consciousness on their own rather than drive them back up at the end.

"You can't demonstrate entrainment with an EEG machine when using binaural beat."

Most individuals who have been exploring this kind of technology for any length of time will immediately recognize this as an incorrect statement. There are numerous examples of binaural effect documented by EEG, including our own work, some of which is available here: http://www.centerpointe.com/pop_ups/eeg_pop.php  Others in the industry, such as the Monroe Institute, have repeatedly used EEG successfully when conducting various studies involving binaural beat entrainment, and a simple Google search will yield plenty of other such examples.

One possible reason for this very loosely defined assertion by those promoting isochronic entrainment is due to the fact that during most deep entrainment sessions, EEGs will register “spikes” in cortical activity originating in the brain stem that represent momentary lapses in lockstep. In other words, the brain sometimes falls out of lockstep with the entrainment stimulus and a spike is seen on the EEG data. Not only is this a natural phenomenon associated with all forms of entrainment, it’s often an indicator that unresolved mental material is being released. Those of you using Holosync recognize this event as helpful in terms of the release of such material.

“Binaural beat entrainment produces too much inner distraction and fails to produce deep states.”

Anyone familiar with Holosync knows that, when working with Holosync, a busy mind (“inner distraction”) indicates the release of unresolved mental and emotional material. It’s very true that some listening sessions with Holosync are not relaxing. Most sessions are, but occasionally, the effects of stimulating the nervous system with Holosync will produce a decidedly unrelaxing experience. This is a form of overwhelm, and is a natural result of the neural driving properties of Holosync. Again, because we are less concerned with manufacturing a given momentary experience while listening (and more experienced in long-term changes to the way the system functions), this is not viewed as a problem, and is, in fact, one of the very reasons Holosync is particularly effective at healing and releasing old issues that can arise to be noticed and released.

“Making CDs with isochronic tones requires complex and sophisticated recording equipment used by people specially trained in audio engineering.”

It’s true that there are plenty of entrainment CDs available today made by individuals without adequate knowledge of how to properly produce them. The results are often spectacularly disappointing. But the notion that using pulse entrainment involves some sort of highly sophisticated recording equipment or is otherwise complex is simply “smoke and mirrors” in our view. As described above, isochronic entrainment CDs might sound mysterious, but are never-the-less little more than the use of intermittent pulses that can (but do not always succeed to) entrain brain wave patterns.

Hopefully, this information has provided some clarity regarding this issue. We know that the personal growth industry is one that sometimes plays into the propensity for “quick fix, one-shot, cheap and easy” solutions. While such an approach might be fine for some individuals, personal growth is an area that – for most of us – benefits from a more thorough, potent, proven, and fulfilling approach. Or as one of our clients said:

“It seems like I was buying this CD and that CD because they said they were better or cheaper than Holosync. What finally dawned on me was that these guys were the ‘fast-food’ people of the food service industry. Fast-food is food, I guess, but you wouldn’t want survive long living on it. Once I did my research it was a pretty easy decision to go with Holosync. Almost a year later now, and I’m sure glad I did.”

Centerpointe, the company, is made up of life coaches, customer service representatives, administrators, audio engineers, and experts in the areas of personal development, meditation, and neuro-audio technology – all of whom share a common view of our clients as people who are serious about personal development and who expect and deserve real, lasting, significant life changes. And for nearly 20 years, that’s what we’ve provided and will continue to provide. We test new refinements and ideas routinely, and when we find something that works, we offer it as another tool for our clients. We’ve consistently upgraded and modified our program whenever we’ve found a proven way to do it. We know that each and every client is counting on us to provide effective transformational tools, as well as the personalized support and expert coaching we’re known for, to ensure they get the absolute best possible benefits from this amazingly powerful program. Everything we do is done with this in mind.

We hope this report has been helpful, and we welcome your feedback.