Biocircuits Research site

BioCircuits—Research 4

 

See http://www.issseem.org/V2N2Abs.html

From The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine

 

 

A Double Blind Study of the "Biocircuit," a Putative Subtle-Energy-Based Relaxation Device

Julian Isaacs, Ph.D. and Terry Patten

Biocircuits are passive devices which are reported to cause relaxation in users, supposedly by facilitation of bodily subtle energy flow. A repeated-measures, within-subjects control, double-blind study was performed to test whether a "relaxation" biocircuit would produce more relaxation than a placebo-control biocircuit. The study design controlled for expectation, order effects, first time effects and ultradian rhythms. Dependent measures included four physiological variables relating to arousal and relaxation (frontalis muscle tension, one monopolar channel of EEG monitored for theta episodes, finger temperature, finger skin conductance) and a ten-item comparative questionnaire used to rank subjective experiences relating to relaxation in session.

Twelve subjects completed four sessions each. The first session for all subjects was used only for familiarization and its data were not analyzed. Subjects then completed three more sessions each, treatment order being counterbalanced and randomly assigned across subjects. The three sessions exposed subjects to a "relaxation" biocircuit, a placebo-control "dummy" biocircuit and a "tension" biocircuit.

The EEG theta measure showed significantly more theta episodes associated with the relaxation device than with the placebo-control (Wilcoxon signed ranks test: p £ .025 one-tailed). The frontalis muscle tension measure showed significantly lower tension levels associated with the relaxation device than with the placebo-control (Wilcoxon signed ranks test: p £.01 one tailed). The skin conductivity and temperature measures did not reach significance in any direction across any pair of treatments. Five of the ten questionnaire items comparing the relaxation device with the placebo-control significantly favored the relaxation device (all by Sign test with a priori probability of .5); subjective estimate of relaxation (p £ .0002); sensations of warmth (p £ .03); non-ordinariness of experience (p £ .02); perceived effectiveness (p £ 0.02); perceived benefit (p £ 0.02). No questionnaire items at the 0.05 significance level favored the placebo control over the relaxation device.

The findings of the study demonstrate the superiority of the relaxation biocircuit over a placebo-control for producing relaxation under fully controlled double blind conditions.

 

Who is Terry Patten?

from www.integralnaked.org:

Terry Patten serves as Co-Director of the Integral Practice Center at Integral University.

For fifteen years (1973-1988) Terry was a student and editor for Adi Da during which time he co-authored (with Adi Da and Saniel Bonder) the book Garbage and the Goddess and served as founding editor of The Dawn Horse, Vision Mound, and The Laughing Man magazines. During that time, his work and service ranged from presenting public events and courses to community relations and sales to producing large musical performances and recordings.

Terry is best known as the founder and guiding spirit behind the Tools For Exploration catalog, which first gathered in one place the many emerging brain-mind machines, subtle energy tools, and other cutting-edge technologies for expanding awareness. During this time (1988-1998) he co-authored (with Dr. Julian Isaacs) A Double-Blind Study of the Biocircuit, a Putative Subtle Energy Device, co-designed various biofeedback tools and psycho-acoustic recordings, and managed the development of Heartmath's Freeze-Framer Heart Rate Variability Monitor.

Terry is an entrepreneur, investor, and consultant. He's also a writer, teacher and coach and a grassroots conservationist. Since selling Tools For Exploration in 1998, he has co-directed two grassroots environmental organizations, one of which, Old-Growth Again, demonstrates a new economic model for sustainable Redwood forestry. He currently lives in San Rafael, California with his wife and son where he is working on a book about integral practice.

 

 

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A Double Blind Study of the "Biocircuit"