Healing Rhythms: Biofeedback Program

What Is It?
Healing Rhythms is a biofeedback, interactive computer program designed to relieve stress and enhance a deep state of relaxation. The package includes installation disks for PC and Mac, a 90-page training guide and user manual, 40 guided meditation and breathing practices, and biofeedback hardware and finger sensors. Created by The Wild Divine Project, the CD-ROM features Deepak Chopra M.D., Dean Ornish M.D., Andrew Weil M.D., and other leading wellness experts as they guide you through a computer program to help restore your body's natural rhythms.

What Do They Say It Does?
This mind/body wellness product helps you uncover your natural ability to counter the effects of stress, relieve anxiety, and experience total self-transformation. They say it will give you valuable insights, build awareness to identify and change negative thought patterns, and learn to cultivate positive emotions, all with just a few minutes practice each day. It will improve mood, energy level, and your ability to connect with the world around you so that you experience your life in new and profound ways by simply tuning in to the body and its rhythms.

What the Endorsers Say
"One of the most important tools you can incorporate into your life, to effect not only the longevity of your life but the quality of your life, is a deeper, slower breathing practice. The exercises in Healing Rhythms help you do just that." - Andrew Weil, M.D.
"Healing Rhythms uses biofeedback to access your innate healing abilities to restore your physical, mental and spiritual health." - Deepak Chopra, M.D.
"Meditation along with biofeedback is a perfect tool to help train you to return to your natural state of balance and wholeness." - Dean Ornish, M.D.

What We Like
The packaging is beautiful and the directions are easy to follow. The installation of the computer program was simple and fast, and a wizard walked me through the set up process. I put the biofeedback finger sensors on and once I launched the program, I found myself looking at a very pleasing screen with a calming voice guiding me through the steps. I was able to navigate through 15 different workshops, and each one contained an inspiring message plus two practice techniques about meditation and breathing. It was very enjoyable! And it worked. I could tell my mind was calming down and my breath becoming slower and deeper. I was able to click on a biofeedback icon that would show my heart rate and skin temperature graph which indicated I was relaxing. Overall it was an excellent, albeit long, experience. The colorful training manual was a great accompaniment and had several extra "Try This" tips and visualization exercises. There's also a handy virtual journal to record your insights.

What We Don’t Like
As a person who practices mediation regularly (and one who spends more than 10 hours a day on the computer), I prefer a practice where I close my eyes and listen to a guided session or chant along with the OM sound as is done with Japa, therefore I didn't necessarily enjoy the inclusion of the computer with my meditation. However having said that, I think it's an excellent program for new meditators and it's also an excellent program for advanced meditators who will appreciate the biofeedback mechanism. The belief is that if you can cultivate a meditation practice for only minutes a day it will help, and I know this to be true, but firing up the computer and turning on the program alone takes many minutes (plus causes me a small amount of stress because I work all day on a computer), so that's one downside for me. Many people won't mind this, and in fact will appreciate the "personal trainer" angle this program provides. The only other comment I have is that it would've been nice for them to include a velvet sack to store all of the components once the box has been opened.

In Conclusion
There are step-by-step techniques to help you manage stress and increase wellness, there are tips to help you integrate these exercises into your daily life, and there are tools to help you customize your own personal practice. What's not to like? But as with all forms of mediation, it is up to you to do. Like they say, mediation isn't so much about doing it right, but about doing it regularly. Overall we think Healing Rhythms is an amazing product, and we give it a 5 rating. To learn more about it, visit their website below.

IH Product Rating: Healing Rhythms   

  Ease of Use - easy to follow instructions
  Longevity - able to reuse many times
  Components - breadth of information
  Packaging - look and feel of the product
  Guarantee - is there a return policy
  Security - does it explain security or privacy issues
   Value - reasonably priced