The Mind Mirror™ was invented in 1976 by Dr. C. Maxwell Cade and electronics engineer, Geoffrey Blundell. The initial purpose of the The Mind Mirror™ was to give direct biofeedback as to the brainwave patterns in meditation. Unlike medical EEGs, which measure individual brainwave frequencies, this device displays the frequencies in a bar graph. The pattern is the relative balance between each of the frequency clusters (bars) shown. The brainwave frequencies are dynamic and move in and out, based on the changing strength (amplitude) of the frequency.
In 1976, medical EEGs did not capture the Delta frequencies in real time. Blundell created a specific filter to capture the Delta brainwaves (the slowest), in real time.
The awakening of awareness is like gradually awakening from sleep
and becoming more and more vividly aware of everyday reality,
only it's everyday reality from which we are awakening!
C.Maxwell Cade
C. Maxwell Cade was a British biophysicist, psychobioligist, and zen master. He taught meditation in a university setting. To get direct biofeedback from the brain in the meditative state, he invented the Mind Mirror™. Cade calibrated the Mind Mirror™ by measuring the brainwave patterns of zen masters, yogis, and other masters of meditation to discover the optimum brainwave pattern. He described this pattern as the "Awakened Mind." He then used the Mind Mirror™ for EEG led Awakened Mind training.
With the Mind Mirror™, Cade mapped the brainwave patterns of more than four thousand people. He studied the brainwaves of meditation and higher states of awareness. His methods and findings are documented in his book co-authored by Nona Coxhead, "THE AWAKENED MIND, Biofeedback and the Development of Higher States of Awareness."
I define mastery as being in the state you want to be in, when you want to be there,
knowing what to do with that state, and being able to accomplish it.
Ann Wise
Anna Wise studied with Cade for 8 years. In 1981, she brought a Mind Mirror™ to the United States. For the next 30 years she conducted her own research, wrote books, recorded meditations, led brainwave trainings at the Esalen Institute, and implemented the Awakened Mind Practitioner Training Program.
Steven and Helen studied with Anna at Esalen. June 2, 2002, Helen completed Anna's first Awakened Mind Practitioner Training Program.
Wise measured the brainwaves of a wide range of people, including artists, musicians, executives, scientists, mathematicians, inventors, and "ordinary people." At the peak of their creative output, all produced the same Awakened Mind pattern of mastery. She found that the Awakened Mind was the optimum state of consciousness regardless of the direction of the individual's path in life.
In addition to the Awakened Mind pattern, Wise also described the patterns of other states of consciousness. These other patterns include the patterns of meditation, out of body, evolved mind, blocked content, and the stress pattern. She developed a protocol for developing each of the frequencies (Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta). This protocol allows one to improve access to all states of consciousness.
"What is the best pattern to have?" Wise's response was, "...it is best to have the brainwaves that you want to have, when you want to have them." (pg 63, "The High Performance Mind")
Wise's protocol for brainwave development and access is embedded within the Dynamic Mastery Class. Helen has had many people come to see her for individual Mind Mirror™ sessions to assist with their meditation practice with the goal of spiritual development. Helen has also used the Mind Mirror™ for people who feel "blocked" in their attempts for change.