Tim 's Public Library

wall-gazing, modern psychologists have found, is a great way to
induce alpha in both its upper and lower (and even upper theta) frequency
ranges; and this is the answer to Soto Zen's special virtue.

Anybody can repeat the experiment which proved their point. Simply take
a ping-pong ball, cut it in half along its seam and, using transparent tape, tape
each half over an eye. The eye should be able to see nothing but the inside of the
ball. Then, with opened eyes, turn to face a light source. In very short order, the
field of vision will begin to shimmer, undulate and form itself into gray or iridescent shapes which circle around and continuously retreat and advance. Concentrate upon these shapes. These are the evidence of alpha. Don't let your attention
divert itself to anything else. If an outside thought intrudes, dismiss it and
return to the shapes. Study them. Let them fascinate.

In this technique, called 'ganzfeld' - a German word which means complete field - alpha waves are generated by staring at a blank, preferably white,
bright visual field and holding the eyes steadily upon it. A white-wall fulfills this
condition. All that is necessary is that the wall occupy the complete field of vision
so that distractions are eliminated. (Training, however, can filter out distractions.) This technique is so powerful a generator of alpha that, contrary to
Suzuki's suspicions, it easily could have started a wall-gazing revolution.