How can neurofeedback effect the level of meditation?

[medwyn]

Neurofeedback offers its user the same benefits as biofeedback does for athletes and physical therapy patients: concrete, objective measurements of one's mental state at any given time. For you, these measurements will include not only the wavelength of your brain activity (Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta, ranging from sharp alertness to deep sleep/trance state, respectively), but also your signal strength, and your unique profiles at each of your own "archetypal" states.

Why bother, you may ask? Self-mastery is the answer. Consider this extreme-case controlled experiment with felons in the mid 1970s:

"From 1974 until his retirement in 1995 Quirk trained 2700 felons incarcerated at the Ontario Correctional Institute near Toronto using temperature at the left ring finger, skin conductance (palm to palm), and EEG detected at Ten-20 sites C-3 and C-4.[citation needed] The three year recidivism rate for these felons was 15%, which compares well to the range of 40-70% widely reported in the correction literature."

One apparently experienced yoga and meditation practitioner had this--and a good deal more--to say in favor of neurofeedback assistance in his mediation practice (see sources for complete essay):

"Since I have been practicing meditation using neurofeedback equipment, I have a much better sense of how to let myself reach deeply meditative states of consciousness. I have found these states to be intrinsically healing. I can also bring healing imagery with me into these states, where I am more receptive. These healing states also facilitate access to my own spontaneous inner healing imagery. I sometimes experience intuitive leaps and I often have a better perspective on my life, my relationships, and my work when I have regular access to these states."

I hope this helped answer your question, my friend. : )