Gamma: Gamma brain waves are the fastest brain waves and mainly occur when we’re highly alert and conscious. They are associated with high levels of thought, focus and result in heightened perception, learning, problem-solving tasks and are equated with heightened perception, peak mental state where there is simultaneous processing of information from different parts of the brain. Gamma brainwaves can produce higher states of awareness, receptivity, mindfulness and intelligence, and tend to be more developed in long-term meditators or Buddhist Monks.. One study demonstrated that the more advanced the monk, the more their brain would produce the electrical patterns associated with alpha or gamma states, as a result of the monk’s spiritual advancement, feelings of inner peace and heart-brain coherence. If your brain produces lower levels of gamma waves, you might struggle with learning and memory problems. You may experience lower concentration, ADHD type symptoms, scattered focus, overwhelm, and you may be predisposed to certain learning disabilities or mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. A regular meditation practice, deep breathing, mindfulness, yoga and aerobic exercise all play a vital role in helping the brain produce gamma waves.

Beta: We spend most of our waking life in an ‘Beta’ frequency state which is activated when we are working on everyday tasks, achieving goals, brain-storming, socialising, problem solving, and busy thinking or making decisions, but beta brain waves are also easily detected during moments of heightened anxiety, intensity or disturbance. Beta waves are activated when we are strongly engaged with something at hand, whether it be a project or a conversation. Having the right amount of beta waves allows us to focus. Excessive beta activity causes anxiety, high arousal, an inability to relax and chronic stress, whereas too little can lead to attention span problems such as ADHD, daydreaming, depression, low mood, and poor cognition. Beta brain waves are considered to be the ‘normal’ state of brain waves and are linked to the conscious mind, so most of us spend more time in Beta than any other frequency. They enhance motivation and can benefit learning, but remaining in a beta frequency for a long period of time can lead to excessive cortisol, a decrease in general health, and the inability to turn off the mind and get a good night’s sleep. The majority of us need to focus on increasing the activity of our Alpha and Theta wave, and spend less time in Beta mode in order to experience greater mental and emotional balance.

Alpha: When in alpha, we are in a state of wakeful rest. Our brain produces these waves when we’re not focusing too hard on anything in particular and feeling relatively calm or relaxed. We might be engaged in something creative which doesn't require too much focused thought, and is allowing the brain space to zone out. Alpha brain waves can also often be detected when we’re engaged in something such as yoga, a creative act, or falling asleep. When we take time out to just stare into space and give the mind a break, we’re often activating alpha brainwaves. When in Alpha, creativity increases, a sense of peace and well-being increases, our ability to learn and retain information strengthens, and our tolerance to pain and resilience increases, decreasing symptoms of depression and alleviating stress. It’s important to produce alpha brain waves in order for us to be able to tap into a state that enables us to get some rest and relaxation.

Theta: When we meditate, our brain waves enter into what is known as ‘Theta’. Theta helps us relax into a deep state, activating the body’s healing capabilities, resulting in increased creativity, sudden insights, and dreams. Theta waves provide the gateway to learning, memory, and intuition. Here, the brain enters into a highly creative zone in which we can experience wild visualisations, enhanced imagination and receive profound insights. Theta waves provide a positive mental and emotional state which result in heightened creativity, increased memory, reduced stress, heightened psychological well-being and a more focused, calm and balanced outlook. Theta brain waves might also lead to us accessing higher states of consciousness which might result in transcendental, spiritual experiences or heightened feelings of peace and unity. Theta brain waves allow us to get into what is commonly known as ‘flow state’, inviting us to experience vivid visualisations, and an increased sense of connectedness with all things. The more we get ‘lost’ in a creative activity such as painting, playing an instrument, writing or singing, the more likely we are to enter into ‘flow’, which generates a field of positive energy around and within us. The longer we stay here, the more effortlessly we connect to the infinite field of potentiality through which all of our greatest creations and innovations originate from.

Delta: These are the slowest of all brainwaves and are strongest when we are enjoying restorative sleep in a dreamless state. This is also the state where vital healing and rejuvenation takes place which is why it’s so crucial to get restful sleep. Delta takes us into the realm of the unconscious mind. As this happens, our conscious awareness begins to diminish, and instead, we generate delta waves entering into a deep sleep and a very deep transcendental meditation. When we enter in to delta, this is when our bodies work to repair and regenerate cells and tissues, balancing our hormones to help regulate and maintain the correct weight, eliminating accumulated stress and toxins from both the body and the brain, strengthening immunity and helping balance our brain chemistry to regulate our mood and nervous system. The delta state can also help activate and promote deeper feelings of compassion, heart opening, increased empathy, sensitivity and improved social and emotional intelligence. As we begin to fall asleep, the brain begins to produce the slow and deep waves associated with the delta state, and we begin to zone out of our environment and become less responsive. Often we’re in delta when we’re somewhere between lights and deep sleep.

VATA : I find it hard to stay in my body, I am prone to anxiety, nervousness, social anxiety, overwhelm, chaotic dreams, I sleep lightly and am easily disturbed, and I can suffer burn out easily when I am overly stressed. My mind is very active and I’m quite creative and find it hard to relax and settle down. I can become really invested in an idea, but quickly throw it aside the moment something shinier and more interesting presents itself, and I have to work quite hard to follow projects through to completion, rather than trying to tackle too many tasks at a time. I spend a lot of time in my imagination and I get bored easily by mundane day-to-day tasks, and small talk. I would rather be alone than entertain conversations that do not inspire, uplift, challenge or intrigue me. I’m usually drifting between the past and the future and find it difficult to stay in the present moment. I can be super sociable but I can tire quickly and need a lot of time on my own to rest and recover. I would say I am more of an introvert than anything else and can spend long hours, sometimes weeks or even months alone in my own company, and I rarely get bored. Silence presents me with the opportunity to get to know myself more deeply. When I am in balance, I am super creative, innovative, full of ideas, excited, curious, outspoken, calm, inspired and loving. When I am out of balance, I become anxious, overwhelmed, exhausted, scattered, unable to focus, suffer digestive issues, a poor memory, and become overly preoccupied with myself, withdrawing inward and retreating from the world. I consider myself to be quite sensitive, intuitive, highly empathetic, and quite emotional, and I can absorb other people’s emotions easily, so I need plenty of space to energetically cleanse myself when I feel drained from the external world. Sometimes I really struggle to communicate the enormity of my feelings, so I find it easier to express them through creative pursuits such as making art, playing an instrument, dance, songwriting, or anything else that allows me to give expression to the things i’m feeling.

About your type:

In Ayurveda, we would refer to your type as a Vata type. Vatas are dominated by the elements ‘Air’ & ’Space’. What does this mean? Well Air & Space represent expansion, movement, change, potentiality and aliveness that is the essence of the creative intelligence that expresses itself through all life. This means that Vata types have the tendency to be highly creative, imaginative, active, enthusiastic, excitable and possess a curious nature. But they also have the tendency to experience anxiety, overwhelm, chronic procrastination, exhaustion and panic. The force of their own creativity might overwhelm them to the extent that they can not access the space within them to receive the clarity and intuitive guidance required to help them make decisions, stay focused and consistent, and move forward. So when Vata types go out of balance, they become easily frazzled, fearful and fatigued and it can sometimes take days for their mind-body system to readjust and rebalance. They tend to spend a lot of time in their mind, drifting off into space and lost in a bombardment of ideas, and can struggle to get back into their body and remain present. Vata’s need to spend time grounding and soothing their nervous system so that they feel more connected to their own centre, and less scattered, overwhelmed and burdened by the demands of their mind. When they are fully centred in themselves, they are able to express, create and achieve anything they put their minds to, especially if it evolves utilising their creativity.

The best meditation type for you:

You would probably benefit the most from stillness, grounding & deep rest meditations. Vata types already have the natural predisposition to access higher states of consciousness because they are quite ‘airy’, ‘dreamy’, sensitive, and ‘open’ constitutionally speaking and because their constitution is dominated by the elements air & space, they require more ‘earthing’ and grounding to keep them centred and composed. The beauty of the air & space element is that it opens you up to the infinite field of potential through which the highest creations and works of art are manifested and actualised. Vata types have the gift of being able to connect naturally to these higher realms, but can often end up being prone to disorientation and feeling out of body. When air & space are utilised well, it can help connect us to our inner genius and higher intelligence, as well as the intelligence and creative potential of the entire universe, without ungrounding us and throwing us off balance. It is important to learn how to settle into your body and develop a connection with your lower energy centres (your root chakra and sacral chakra), before you work your way up into the higher regions of the body and begin connecting to what is ‘out there’ rather than what is within you. The more we practise settling into the body and becoming still and present, the more we are able to regulate and control our emotional state, and become present to the here and now, which is how we create the future. Vata types are balanced and grounded by the Earth element, which helps reconnect them to their body and build a felt sense of safety in their nervous systems. Spend time connecting to the earth as this will also help to ground and centre you, preparing you for a stillness meditation.

PITTA: I have good stamina, I usually sleep well, I am driven and push myself hard to achieve my goals. I might forget to eat or take care of my health which can make me pretty moody. I consider myself ambitious, I thrive on intensity, and I consider myself to be organised, practical and pragmatic and quite stubborn - I am extremely headstrong, determined and purposeful, and once I decide to do something, nobody can persuade me otherwise. I would say I am more extroverted than anything else, but occasionally I like my alone time. I tend to get frustrated and impatient easily and I’d say I get more angry than anxious when things don’t go my way. I set high expectations for myself and I can become irritable when I feel others are not meeting those expectations or not operating at the same standard as me. When I’m balanced I feel full of energy, focused, able to achieve most of my goals and enthusiastic about my life. When I’m out of balance, I can become a workaholic, obsessive, overly competitive, achievement-obsessed, jealous, angry, moody, irritable, impatient and lack tolerance or forgiveness towards others and suffer frequent headaches migraines, certain digestive issues, inflammation in my joints or other parts of the body, and disturbed sleep. I tend to thrive in leadership roles, and when I am not challenging myself, I can get bored easily. I gravitate towards high intensity sports, intellectual topics, and anything that helps me let off steam. I have a fiery temperament and can sometimes offend people with my opinions, but I value honesty and bluntness, and I don’t have much time for people who aren’t upfront about who they are. When I become overwhelmed emotionally, I can communicate aggressively or get into arguments and disputes easily, so I need time to cool down and walk it off before I am able to communicate calmly and with a level-head.

About your type:

In Ayurveda, we would refer to your type as ‘Pitta’. Pitta types are dominated by the element ‘fire’. What does this mean? It means that the fire element strongly expresses itself through their physiology, and mental characteristics, manifesting as heat, drive, ambition, intellectual intelligence, and the tremendous appetite to achieve and excel. The pitta element is in charge of all processes related to transformation, so when in balance the positive qualities you will experience are this willingness to grow, transform and evolve, as well as having great emotional resilience, courage, tenacity, and enthusiasm towards life’s challenges. Because pittas thrive on intensity, they tend to drive themselves hard and experience burn-out, frustration, anger, and can become overly focused on achievement. Although pittas have good stamina, the pressure and expectations they place upon themselves might wear them out overtime, resulting in minor or more intense burn out, so honouring the time for rest and rejuvenation should be their priority. It is important that pittas types remain grounded and find practises that can help them cool down, otherwise too much fire in their constitution can manifest as fiery, aggressive or even violent emotions, eventually causing inflammation in the body and mind, greatly impacting their wellbeing.

The best meditation type for you:

You would probably benefit the most from stillness, transformation & deep rest meditations. Like Vata types, Pittas people also need to learn how to settle into stillness and appreciate the power of simply being rather than constantly doing and burning out. Because Pitta’s natural predisposition is to be highly active, constantly on the go, and moving at high speed, they can benefit from any meditation that encourages them to relax more deeply, and ‘cool down’, learning to harness and direct their energy towards worthwhile and positive pursuits. The beauty of the fire element is that when it is utilised and applied positively, it can be used to heal, to create, to manifest or to burn away anything that is not needed in our lives, and clear the path for true and lasting transformation to occur. Pitta’s can use their fire positively and productively once they practise the art of stillness, and give themselves permission to rest and simply be. Once you develop a regular stillness practice, I would recommend you pair your stillness meditation with something transformative and uplifting, but you are free to go with what resonates for you. Practising simply being and resting in stillness is vital in order for us to recharge and become more still and present. In doing so we are able to regulate and control our emotional state, and become present to the here and now, which is how we create the future. Pitta types are balanced by the water elements, which helps to cool and elevate extreme emotional states. Spend time connecting to the water element, and practising cooling, grounding activities such as tai chi, qi gong, long walks, swimming, and anything else that helps to balance your constitutional needs.

KAPHA: I have excellent stamina, I consider myself to be consistent, calm, level-headed, friendly, kind and good natured. Relationships and community are important to me and I prioritise spending time with my friends and supporting them in any way I can. I am quite productive, emotionally balanced, grounded, easy going, stable, reliable, a good listener, and I like consistency and tend to stick to a routine. I feel most at home when surrounded by familiar comforts, and I enjoy being in my own company as much as I enjoy being with my loved ones. I would say I’m more introverted but I enjoy socialising occasionally. I am very rarely ruffled or shaken by turbulence happening around me, and I tend to manage challenges, sudden change and unpredictable decisions quite well. When I am under stress, I tend to become withdrawn, moody, keep my feelings to myself, lack motivation or suffer inertia and bouts of depression, and become permissitic and disheartened. I am not good at asking for help and try to rely on myself and avoid burdening others with the things I am going through. I feel at my best when I feel I am able to be of service to others, or making their life better in some way. I go at my own pace, and I won’t let anyone rush me or convince me to move faster. I like to take my time when I am doing tasks, getting back to people’s messages, and I prioritise rest and allow myself the time and space to recharge. Sometimes I can lack motivation or drive, and can feel unenthusiastic about life, and I can become hurt easily when people do not appreciate the time and effort I spend investing in my friendships/relationships. I consider myself to be emotional and quite sensitive, but I tend to hide this side of myself in order to protect myself from getting hurt and having people take advantage of my kindness whilst giving nothing back in return.

About your type:

In Ayurveda, we would refer to your type as ‘Kapha’. Kapha types are dominated by the elements Earth & Water. What does this mean? It means that the Earth & Water elements strongly express themselves through their physiology, mental characteristics and tendencies, manifesting as stability, consistency, strength, resilience and an abundance of energy (Think of how Mother Earth is always producing in abundance : This represents the essence of a Kapha person well). The Kapha dosha is in charge of structure and cohesiveness, grounding and stability, and represents nourishment, growth and our ability to be self-sufficient and content. It is the most motherly and giving type of the three doshas, and when in balance Kaphas tend to specialise in care-giving, building community, and bringing people together in celebration. However when Kaphas go out of balance they can begin to accumulate too much earth in their system which can manifest as slowness, dullness, heaviness, inertia, difficulty moving or shifting emotional state, depression, lack of motivation and too much attachment to unhealthy habits or people that do not serve their wellbeing. They also have the tendency to retreat inwards and become closed off from the dynamism of life. So what kaphas need the most at this time are things that will stimulate, enliven and help them to shift negative states of being.

The best meditation type for you:

You would probably benefit the most from healing & transformation, or uplifting & inspiring meditations. Kaphas require gentle uplifting, elevating and stimulating in order to feel refreshed and motivated to engage fully with life. Unlike the other two dosha types, Kaphas have a much easier time grounding themselves and staying in their body, but they are more predisposed to stagnating and repetition when out of balance which can lead to feeling uninspired, de-motivated and disconnected from life’s vibrance and depth. The beauty of the earth and water element is that it allows us to move through life’s challenges with grace and resilience, maintaining connection to the source of our own power and rooted in our autonomy, ever aware of our strength to meet life’s adversities and come out the otherside transformed, blessed with increased wisdom, self-trust and self-belief. When the earth element is utilised positively, it can be used to build and establish creations which not only uphold and support our own existence, but also uphold and support the existence of many many others. Kapha’s greatest gift is their ability to create in abundance, with the stamina to expand on what they have created, and give back to others. Spend time connecting to the fire, air and space element, and practising forms of movement which uplift, stimulate and get your energy moving. The most beneficial thing for Kapha people is to get their energy moving, so that vitality can begin flowing through their system again, clearing out whatever is stagnant and blocking vital prana (life-force) from flooding through their system and initiating powerful change, healing, vitality and renewal.