I’ve been using Centerpointe Holosync for some years now and have reached their Purification level 2, which means I’m about half way through their program. Most people who know me say that I’ve improved for the better over the years I’ve been listening to it.
It’s a good system – I wouldn’t have been using it for so long if it wasn’t – but I’m always open to new ideas.
Recently, I came across the Meditation Program (look at that link but don’t buy it from there. I’ll explain why later). It makes some pretty bold claims. So let’s examine some of them:
They say that Centerpointe is mind-numbing, dis-engaging and outdated. Mind-numbing and dis-engaging I’d agree with. The first CD track is 30 minutes of rainfall with occasional chimes, the second CD track is 30 minutes of rainfall. But then you’re supposed to be dropping down to lower and lower levels of brain activity, so I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing. After all, the aim of Centerpointe is to drop you down to deeper brain levels. It’s not aimed at the top 30 charts. Besides, I’ve been listening to these CDs for years now and find them kind of relaxing. So I guess that’s a kind of “horses for courses” criticism.
Moving on to the outdated claim. As a layman, I’m not particularly qualified to decide on that. But Holosync is, by Centerpointe‘s own admission, a 20 year old technology. So when it was “born” the CD had only recently been invented, cell (or mobile) phones were just about “luggable”, the iPod wasn’t even a twinkle in Apple’s eye and your average PC came with a 5.25″ floppy disk and, if you were rich, a hard disk that might hold one low resolution picture taken by a modern digital camera. So the odds are that, yes, Meditation Program‘s claim that Holosync is outdated is quite likely. Of course, outdated doesn’t mean “doesn’t work”, just that there could be something newer and better available.
Certainly the Meditation Program is quicker than Centerpointe. The Purification level CD I’ve got says that it will take a year or more for me to complete just the current level I’m on. I’d agree and, from past experience, it would probably take me personally nearer to 18 months to get through the level.
Meditation Program only has 8 levels. Each one can be completed in around a week, maybe stretching to 10 days per level if you want to take it easy. I’m currently on my third week and listening to level 3, so I’d agree with that timescale.
The backing sounds are more varied. There’s music swirling around. And the music changes after levels 1 and 2 to something different on 3 and 4. So you won’t get bored.
The binaural beats are a lot more obvious on Meditation Program. A lot more obvious. With Centerpointe, they’re barely noticeable. With Meditation Program they’re very obvious. I don’t know whether this is good or bad. My guess is that it makes no difference – your brain will notice them whichever way they are presented.
Centerpointe allows subliminal messages to be encoded on the CDs once you get past the initial level. Meditation Program doesn’t offer this. Whether this matters to you depends on your view on subliminal messages. But it could be fairly irrelevant when you look at the next point.
The full Centerpointe program will take years to complete and at a shade under $200 for the first level and then a dozen more levels to go through over the years, it’s going to set you back quite a lot of cash.
The Meditation Program costs $125 on CD or $85 to download. The downloadable version is cheaper when you buy it through the discounted links later on in this review. It will take you around 8 weeks to complete if you fast track it, up to about 8 months if you want to be more relaxed in your progress. Either way, there will be plenty of cash left over to buy subliminal CDs to your heart’s content.
So, what’s my overall verdict?
Well, although I really like Centerpointe and have done for years, I’ve moved across to the Meditation Program for my daily listening routine. Partly because I’m impatient and want to reach the deepest level sooner than 2014, which is the absolute earliest I’d reach it with Centerpointe. Rather than some time late February or early March this year, which is when I’ll reach it with Meditation Program.
One other thing to mention. Centerpointe is CD only, so it arrives through the post. Meditation Program has the option of being sent on CD (you’ll get all 8 levels when you order) or you can download it. If you opt to download, make sure you’re on a fast connection. If you’re on dialup or slow broadband, it will be quicker to order by post. The files are b-i-g. About 800Mb.
But if you’re on a good internet connection, save yourself some extra cash by using one of these two discounted order links:
Meditation program, discounted download, credit card
Meditation program, discounted download, PayPal
Those links will take you straight through to a specially discounted price of $67 (a bit like some sites offer a place to put in a coupon code).
Whichever method you choose, I think you’ll notice a positive difference in yourself.
trev,
thanks for posting this. i’ve been using holosync for the last 3 months, and i love it. i’ve never meditated deeper, nor felt calmer. i stopped drinking cold-turkey, and never even have cravings. but of course, i could always be happier…
what specific changes have you seen in this program you didn’t find before? is it just easier to use and stick with?
thanks again, and be happy,
Sean
Hi Mark
I got the download version and burned them to CD without any problem.
I’ve mislaid the welcome email so can’t check precisely (the joys of changing pc’s!) but there are definitely instructions on how long to stay with each session, etc. Plus what to expect.
Meditation Program is nowhere near as detailed as Centerpointe but there’s enough information and they do offer a help desk ticket system as well.
Trev
Hi Sean
Both Centrepointe and Meditation Program work well. It’s probably me being impatient but I prefer to get to the really deep meditation levels in weeks rather than years
Trev
I guess I feel like you about Centerpointe because I think 5 years is way too much. Im one of the few people that spent the big bucks for the whole Inner Circle package and when I stopped I was at only Awakening Level 2 before I saw The Meditation Program and since im very familiar with Bradley Thomson product line I know they are all high quality backup up by a great guarantee.
For Inner Circle package I had the luck to ran into the previous year recession special during its Christmas times which totalled 2500$ CDN instead of probably 3750$ CDN probably the whole package I got plus got some stuff included like books, cds and Gamma Compassion and Floating addition thing in my own voice which is really great (could loop this in my headphones while sleeping)
I guess I wanted to spend weeks of personal growth too instead of years but too bad I ordered the Meditation program before I saw your discount site so as Centerpointe costed me that much I guess I could cheat a bit and use my refund right to the other site and order from your blog so I can save money that way
In the instructions they say we shouldnt use similar products while in the period of using The Meditation Program, so I guess using Holosync while being in the Meditation Program would be a no no and I wonder if any binaural beats tracks could still be used as I have a tons of that in my collection…
Found also earlier Quantum Confidence (had a big backup guarantee that I cant simply ignore) which bring me powerful tracks with a technology I never seen MP3 that can be played with or without headphones and they gives stunning feelings insides of you everytimes you hear them. Amazing stuff but since Quantum Confidence is a closed program now for some time people can only get their hands on Quantum Power which seem good.
Since some people may need to check back the instructions for the great Meditation Program I suggest this link:
http://www.meditationprogram.com/meditation/instructions/
Also what you said is so true, at least for people like me (I think im stuck with ADHD which is why I had hard time with my life so far) sometimes the small things can do help make the greater leaps (as what you said about centerpointe being well documented and meditation program not) all I need is very powerful tool to bring me to evolved states so I can turn my brain into a more useful thing! Reading books sure is entertaining but meditation is well better and the effects are hell way more pleasurables by my experience.
One last note that I just came across is nobody should use Audacity to just cut a chunk of sound in mp3 tracks as I read in the Wiki. When Audacity re-encode the tracks in mp3 it make the mp3 lose some of its quality so they suggest using mp3DirectCut http://mpesch3.de1.cc/mp3dc.html#dwn for simple tasks like cut, copy, etc on mp3 files.
What I don’t really get: Even on Holosync’s first Awakening Prologue there are already theta- and delta inducing binaural beats involved (e.g. in The Dive and Immersion).
If I understand it correctly, Holosync lowers the carrier frequencies for the binaural beats on the higher levels, because your brain gets used to them over time and needs a new stimulus. But there are always all types of brainwaves involved. I noticed this getting-used-to-it effect with the Awakening Prologue and now I’m wondering if I should buy Level 2 or safe some money and go for some cheaper product like The Meditation Program.
But I’m sceptical. If the Meditation Program just has theta and delta on the higher levels (and then leaves you alone with that), I wonder what to go for if your brain gets used to that.
What do you think?
This is literally a goldmine of information on the Centerpointe Holosync meditation program. I have not experienced anything dramatic occur from any one session but over the years I can feel the changes. The awareness to my thought process are no longer annoying as they once were and I have a much more optimistic and positive approach to life.
Hi Trev
I have been using the meditation program for a couple of months. I am going slower than the one week per level suggested program for various reasons. The main reason is that I find my mind to be in a bit of turmoil. I think it is because maybe my unconscious is reluctant to change. Have you experienced something like this or heard of anyone that has? I also, like you mention, am remembering almost all my dreams, sometimes up to four different ones per night (I also do silva ultramind, and program to remember dreams to solve problems). Also, when I listen to the program last thing at night I wake up feeling restless, not exactly anxious, but with something i guess I could call a weird gut feeling… Oh, I am currently listening to levels 3 & 4 (for one hour total time)…. Any imput from you (or anyone else reading this) would be much appreciated!
Hi Trev
great post, I was using centerpointe for a year but stopped, i never did get the true benefits, I found that the overwhelm was to agonising the daily awareness of my thoughts and feelings drove me nuts and couldn’t push through it, i felt i was the only one that couldn’t get it. it was weird i was always mad at my thoughts and very snappy, did you find this with either and did it pass?
Hi and thanks for the info on meditation program, hadn’t heard of it before. I’m using Holosync, just started on my 10th week. I’ve had so many beneficial enlightenments that i’m hooked on the program. Seriously folks it has brought up from my psyche or subconscious many happenings from my past which have carried with them an awareness/understanding of myself and the ability to move on away from the past. So for me i’m staying with Holosync, if i’m still improving in 5yrs time, i’ll have reached sainthood!! Love to all, Michael
Have listened to the meditation program on 2 consecutive days and so far I like it. Have the first level of Holosync which I was 2-3 weeks into, and having bought it would like to continue listening to it alongside the meditation program. Any idea why they recommend NOT using both at the same time?
I have been on holosync awakening program for years. I get lost in time and take forever to go through a level
I have just reached Purification Level 1. When I bought I got a great special of the entire program for $2,500 AUD thought that was a steal. At the time I asked the consultant on the phone why do I not just get each level (entire package) at the one time. Now this answer goes back to the original post of Centrypoint technology being 20 years old and out of date….. This is not the case… Why you have to order each level as you need it is because they are constantly updating their technology on how the files/track etc are created/encoded etc and if you buy all at once and by year 5 you are then using outdated technology. They want you to have the newest technology every time you go to a new level. I hope this answer helps.
Fastest is not always best as some people may have problems with this. It would be like going on a crash diet and losing 20kg in 1 week. You get my point.
Lastly, I like to use my ipod to listen to my holosync so I have it with me no matter where I am in the world. Centrepoint state that unless you use the cd you lose quality (lower binoral beats) if you rip the CD in any way.
This is not the case. My husband is a computer scientist and understands encoding and I have asked audio friends the same question. You can rip the cd’s into digital. In the past, up to last level, we used a mac program called Max to do this as it allowed for better encoding.
Hubby found out last night that the latest itunes allowed me to insert the cd into my laptop, and rip it into digital with the very high quality encoding Loosless format so no quality is lost, I then just added the id tagging right within itunes and then dumped it on my ipod.
Hope the above information added value to this discussion.
Hi Serenity
The reason Centerpointe say not to rip the CDs is that most people are likely to use the MP3 format. MP3 is a “lossy” compression (in much the same way as jpg’s are for images). The subliminal messages that are recorded over the CDs are likely to be regarded by the MP3 compression software as inaudible to the human ear and therefore fair game to be missed out. If you’re using a lossless format to transfer, I’m definitely in agreement that would be OK.
On the fast vs slow debate, again losing a large amount of weight almost overnight would generally be bad (or liposuction!). With regard to learning, in my NLP training I learned how the human mind prefers to learn fast rather than slow, hence my preference for speed in this case.
Trev
It’s been a few months since this thread ended, so I am curious where people are. Trev, you are probably long done with your Meditation program!
I am currently at about the same point that you were, at 2 Years of Centerpointe Holosync, Level 4. The Holosync program from Level 4 to level 12 actually one year per level (as opposed to six months for per the first three). So your claim that you/we are “in the middle” or “midway” is quite incorrect. To be exact, time-wise, you did only 1/5 of the program – 2 years out of 10.
I am personally very suspicious of any magic bullet for meditation. Real gains in meditation are to be gotten gradually, even with the aid of some kind of technology. Just sticking some headphones with some noises for an hour a day does not change us. There are many others things we have to do to change. At best, any such CD is an aid.
Subjective blissful feelings and fireworks are not the judge of whether an entrainment CD “works.” I see a lot of immaturity on these forums/blogs around these issues. If you want a rush or a boom like drugs, well, you are probably going to bound to be searching for the “newest bestest greatest” CD that can give you a little high, just like any drug addict. Meditation without these CD’s can easily give you that – for free. And that is why meditation teachers have always been against this kind of thrill-seeking or attachment to experiences in meditation. To Centerpointe’s credit, in the support materials and in the free coaching (which I rarely hear about on these forums, I begin to think that most are burning the MP3s for free off the internet, already karmically a bad move to try to steal your enlightenment), they tell you to be unattached to your subjective experience.
One cannot judge whether one is going “deeper” purely through subjective experience. The only way that one could really tell how your brain is reacting is through neural-biofeedback. No reviewers that I have read have done this, that is, seen what is actually happening to their brainwaves. They just say, “I’m impatient” and go to another program, they get a different buzz experience, and say that’s “better.” Never mind that they have been using one or more other programs, and they have no idea what the effect of the previous has had on the experience on the current. It is not like they are going in “cold” to the new program, so on that count alone, they are a bad judge. But they also have no sense through objective scientific knowledge of what is happening in their brain. I read somewhere that some people use a program to make their own entrainment CD’s. They are not scientists, and they are not sound engineers. Who the hell knows what all of those stimuli are actually doing to their heads??? They could be really screwing themselves up.
What is see lacking from all of these companies is solid research that entrainment works long-term. Testimonials from users alone do not count. But I would suspect, in line with the great spiritual traditions, that if this binaural entrainment really does anything, it works with a longer-term program. There is no 8 week “zap-zap” and your life is transformed. The changes in your brain patterns take a long time to mix and work in with all the other parts of us. We need other conscious practices for the shifts to work through ourselves, to become less ego-centric, more wise and compassionate, and more “effective” in other ways.
I do not like Centerpointe Holosync’s over-marketing, and I am no big fan of Bill Harris. But, overall, it’s approach makes more sense to me than many of these others that make the same exorbinant claims in a few weeks. If you do the math, the expense is all on the front end. One you get to Level 4, with the promotional discounts, you are actually paying about $200 for a full year or meditation. Compare that to $85-$125 for 8 weeks, and then you are “done,” whatever that means. No doubt, thrill seekers will have spent hundreds more afterward trying other programs.
Thanks to Holosync, I am far more consistent with my meditation, and it has enhance the other practices I do that help me change. I put my own paraliminal track with mantras that are appropriate for me. Others report that I am certainly more even-keeled and compassionate, but I attribute that to the work I am doing overall. But it is only the beginning of a long-term process.
Hi Dr Charles
Thanks for your long & considered reply. Sorry mine will be shorter!
No – I’m not “long done” with the Meditation Program, I still listen to it on a near enough daily basis as I find that it helps me relax. Subjectively, I still think I’m getting worthwhile results from it although I admit I haven’t hooked up to a machine to measure my brain patterns.
The thing about fast working stuff is that we’re trained to expect that from modern day life. Fast food, instant TV playback, etc, etc. Some people won’t even last the eight weeks before moving on to something else. Others, like me, will stay on the meditation program longer. Others will move onto different methods. It’s horses for courses.
Glad you’re getting on well with Holosync!
Trev
Hi Trev,
Along with the holosync program, there were other brain enhancing items for sale and one of them being Brainboost (If I remember correctly) medication for enhancing the brain power. Have you tried it and if so seen any improvement over time? The cost os substancial and i am not sure if we can get something similar for a bargain price elsewhere.
Best Regards,
Manish
Hi Manish,
Not heard of Brainboost (sorry). Brain Evolution System comes with tablets (called Acuity) but not tried them personally so can’t say for sure.
Trev
How come The Medication Program site says you can only purchase it from their site?
Will
It’s only available from their site as they are the people who created it.
Trev