The Journey to Wild Divine Biofeedback Software & Hardware for PC & Mac: The Passage Review

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(More customer reviews)(UPDATED 25 August 2008, via a Comment - please click "Comments" below for more.)
I'm noticing wildly divergent reviews of this product. In my opinion, this is due to two factors: 1) expectations going in and 2) sincerity in one's goal to accomplish what the Wild Divine (WD) is trying to help one accomplish.
I hesitate in calling WD a "game," because that word brings to mind other words, like "score," "plot," "goal," and "winning." WD does NOT meet the definition of a conventional video game. Rather, it is a biofeedback tool designed to aid in the learning of relaxation and meditation.
I see WD as the perfect mix of Eastern teachings and the Western desire for instant gratification - when sitting alone silently in meditation, one cannot see the changes happening in one's body as they are happening; it is only weeks later that a culmination of small changes might be noticed. WD provides that instant feedback so many of us desire to stay motivated in pursuing this important journey; it also provides external proof that the way one breathes can affect the rest of the body. And from there, we can expand into other methods of exploring the journey.
Yes, a lot of the activities seem the same and can be "won" by using the same three breathing exercises (the peaceful breath, high energy, and the heart breath) over and over. I am not an experienced meditator (indeed, I'm just barely beginning), but as I understand it at this point in time, this is because those three breaths or states of energy are the primary building blocks. The "point" is to learn to control your energy, so that YOU - and not your environment or external stress - are the force controlling your energy. (I will never forget one day when I was trying to calm myself and relax, to make the falcon feather float to the bottom of the screen. I'd made it a few inches when my cell phone went off with my sister's ringtone. Opening my eyes to take the call, I saw the feather, pointed straight up, swinging wildly from side to side at the top of the screen. I knew my sister could affect my state of mind, but I didn't expect that! LOL)
The secondary point is to open your heart and mind to compassion, to see all of us as members of what WD calls The Blue Tribe, despite our perceived differences. These kinds of changes do not happen overnight or by practicing a certain breath once - one must practice the breath frequently, and incorporate it into daily life, away from the computer; perhaps it was my imagination, but each "identical" exercise as the program progressed seemed to expect a bit more of me - to hold the peaceful state of mind a bit longer or deepen my heart breath... I bought WD almost a month ago and worked my way through it slowly, often reverting to a previous save when I came back the next day so that I retraced some of my steps, to reinforce what I was learning. I just finished the program last week (working with it almost daily), and yet we are not finished with each other.
I imagine the point of different visuals for what may be seen as essentially the same goal is to prevent boredom - can you imagine what the program would be like if ALL there was to see was birds flying in circles? Also, different visuals speak to different people - some people may go back to those birds day after day, others may rather see the ball levitating. I personally find the visual aspect very helpful; out in the real world, I've been practicing adjusting my breath to cope when I start feeling stressed - more often than not, my mind's eye will conjure one of the visuals from WD (like the bellows from the Lady of the Woods's fireplace) to guide the timing and flow of my breath.
Regarding navigation, I had no troubles. The icon on the bottom left of the screen has stars at its top that point in the directions of all possible movements and activities for the current screen - just move your mouse until one of those stars is indicated on the icon, and click!
If you haven't read the companion guide, do so. WD has a very loose structure, leaving the individual to explore and learn in his/her own way; but if you absolutely must know "what comes next," the companion guide can provide a storyline to follow, as well as a bit of insight into what the creator, Corwin Bell, was imagining as he created WD; his "message," if you will.
To reap the most rewards from the program, WD needs to be experienced slowly, bit by bit, as the mind needs to be allowed time to absorb what it is learning. This is not an instantaneous process, and those who race through the 10 hours of "gameplay" in 10 hours or less are probably not getting all the benefit they could if they took the time to take this seriously.
So if you are looking for a "game" you can play with your thoughts, try "Inner Tube" - a new game designed to work with WD's hardware. I haven't tried it, but it may be more what you're looking for.
But if you are looking for a modern, useful tool to use as a way to begin or deepen your mediation practice - or just want to learn how to relax (at the computer and away from it, in Real Life) - give WD a try.
At the risk of using a cliche, WD is one of those things where you get back what you put into it.
I am eagerly awaiting "The Journey to Wild Divine: Wisdom Quest," to see what it will hold in terms of deepening and building on the skills I'm learning from "The Passage."

The only criticism I have right now for the program (and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars) is that my installation took hours and was fraught with problems; judging from posts I saw on the WD message board, I'm not the only one - apparently, one issue occurred repeatedly with those of us who have DVD-ROM drives. I kept thinking, "I bought this to help learn to relax, and the installation is stressing me out!" ;-) Word to the wise: DEFRAG your hard drive! I was having problems with a few of the videos that make up the program, and when I analyzed my drive, one of them was fragmented into over 400 pieces. Now that they're reassembled, the program runs much smoother.

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The Journey to Wild Divine is the first "inner-active" computer adventure that combines ancient breathing and meditation with modern biofeedback technology for total mind-body wellness. Progress through the realm using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness. Not just a game, it's a tool for physical and mental health. Wearing three finger sensors that track your body's heart rate variability and skin conductance, you move through enchanting and mystical landscapes using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness. Wise mentors guide you throughout the realm, empowering you with yoga, breathing and meditation skills needed to complete over 40 biofeedback 'energy' events. Build stairways with your breath, open doors with meditation, juggle balls with your laughter, and so much more. The Journey makes biofeedback, a popular method of alternative healthcare, easily accessible and empowers you to take mind-body wellness, literally, into your own hands. "The Journey to Wild Divine is a very practical program that allows people to get in intimate touch with the inner-most core of their being." - Deepak Chopra, M.D.

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Organic Top 6 100% Pure Essential Oil Gift Set- 6/10 ml (Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemongrass, Orange, Peppermint, Tea Tree) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this item and it far exceeded my expectations. It was beautifully presented in a gift box. The oils are excellent quality. I would order this to give as a gift!

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All Edens Garden products are 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade. Includes Organic Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Sweet Orange & Tea Tree- 6/ 10 ml bottles. Product comes wrapped perfect to give as gift or enjoy yourself.

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Ting Ting Motorized Head Tuner Therapeutic Head Scalp Massager Massage (Colors May Vary) Review

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(More customer reviews)A girlfriend of mine had raved about this TING TING scalp massager, that her and her boyfriend bought,unfortunately she got the non-vibrating one. But I got this one today and it's amazing. I suffer from headaches and sinus pressure, and this feels so good, it relieves so much head/stress tension immediately. A few initial uses and you get chills, but now it's just absolutely relaxing and rejuvenating. And it's great fun for couples, offer to massager your honeys scalp, you'll be each other's best friend. It's great on pressure points and stiff joints as well as your back and shoulders and neck!!!

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If you want something that gives you goose-bumps and exhilarating, toe-curling pleasure that you can still do in public, this is it! This really IS the best thing since sliced bread! When we first got it in we didn't take it off our heads for a month! The Ting Ting massages millions of nerve endings in your scalp and produces stress relieving, brain awakening endorphins. Believe me, she'll never say "I have a headache" again! This item can not be returned. If it needs to be serviced or replaced, we recommend that you contact the manufacturer. We will credit or exchange unused, defective items only.

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Motorized Head Massager Review

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(More customer reviews)My friend loves this thing so I decided to buy one for myself.
The Packaging: Hard to open plastic packaging. But after a few minutes with some scissors it was smooth sailing.
Set up: Surprisingly easy. The massager comes packaged flat, but the prongs are easily to move into position. I did it in a few seconds. Next you attach the blue top piece which has two AA batteries already inside. One battery is purposely inserted the wrong way so that the thing doesn't buzz before you open it. So just switch that around and you're ready to go.
Using it: Fabulous! Feeling a little silly, I put the massager on my head (prongs on my scalp) and pressed the yellow button. It started buzzing and the effect was amazing. Who would have thought the scalp was such a sensitive area of the body? The sensation is extremely pleasurable and relaxing. Try this. You won't be disappointed.

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The Head Massager gently stimulates millions of nerve endings on the scalp as well as pressure points that create a pleasant sensation. It is also great for other joints in the body to stimulate blood flow and ease pain.

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emWave Personal Stress Reliever Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought a stress eraser last year and liked it a lot, so I gave it to my son who was stressed out in law school. Instead of replacing it I decided to give EM Wave a try. I think many people have trouble choosing between these two similar items. Maybe I can help. First, I can tell you that both are useful. You probably won't go wrong with either. However, they are quite different and you may prefer one.
Stress Eraser- strengths
Stress Eraser provides true biofeedback in the form of a continuous graph that you can influence by changing your breathing or even thinking. If you follow their instructions you can learn to control the graph and doing so you learn to relax. The unit is solid. It is scientifically valid and it seems like it due to the accurate feedback.
Stress Eraser- weaknesses
To use the stress eraser you must look at the graph that forms on the unit. I can't see it without my glasses. You must also have your finger in the correct position on the unit. That makes it hard to position the unit so that you can see the graph while lying down. Thus, if you want to use it to help go to sleep it is difficult. Another thing which may be a weakness or a strenght is that it is more or less a one trick pony. No bells and whistles. But it does what it does very well.
EM Wave- strengths
EM wave is more complicated, but not hard to use once you read the instructions. The unit is light weight and has colored lights, which you may like or feel is too much like a toy. I prefer the graph of Stress Eraser if I am using the unit during the day (it is more rapidly responsive and just seems more scientific), but at night trying to go to sleep the EM Wave is better because you don't need to see it very accurately...just follow the blinking lights. Another advantage of EM Wave is that you either put your finger on the unit (like Stress Eraser) or you can attach an ear monitor. The ear unit is great because you don't need to keep your hand on the unit. To use EM Wave thre are three different modes. In the basic mode the unit has a panel of lights that indicates a breathing pattern for you to follow. This pattern is not actual feedback, just a suggested breathing rate (you don't need to spend this much money for that). In the Heart Rate mode (HR)it follows your heart activity similarly to Stress Eraser- so this is actual feedback. In either mode there is another light that changes color depending on whether or not you are in "coherence". Essentially I take it to mean that you are relaxed, though they talk about it in New Age speak, so it is unclear to me what exactly it signifies. In the third mode you only see the "coherence" light, which saves batteries and removes all of the distractions. Actually the unit is even more complicated than this, but those are the essentials.
EM Wave Weaknesses
The unit seems flimsy compared to the Stress Eraser. It is unclear exactly what the "coherence" indictor actually indicates. The coherence coach CD is hardly worth watching. The website and other information is a bit non-scientific with all the talk about "heart breathing". All of that new age stuff will work, but depending on your personality you might find it a bit much.
Final comments
OK so it sounds like I like the Stress Eraser more...but actually I find the EM Wave more useful due to my intended use of falling asleep with it. If you use the HR mode on the EM Wave it is more similar to Stress Eraser..real feedback. If you don't wear glasses or don't expect to use the unit while lying down, Stress Eraser is probably better. EM Wave is more interesting, with colored and blinking lights and multiple modes, but it doesn't have the same degree of biofeedback. Nevertheless, EM Wave does give enough biofeedback and if you use it you will learn to relax. Again, both are good...just different.

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Use the emWave Personal Stress Reliever to increase coherence and recover from stressful episodes or events, accumulate energy and stay in the flow, increase your access to creativity, balance your emotions when your nerves feel frayed, create energy when you have deadlines and feel like you can't make it, prepare for daily events meetings, communications, tasks, appointments and commutes.
emWave trains you to achieve a higher level of coherence, a scientifically measurable state characterized by increased order and harmony in our psychological (mental and emotional) processes as well as physiological (bodily) processes. Research shows that when we activate this state, our physical systems function more efficiently, we experience greater emotional stability and we gain increased mental clarity and improved cognitive function. emWave's patented technology monitors the subtle beat-to-beat changes in your heart rhythms and determines the level of coherence found in these rhythms.
emWave Personal Stress Reliever provides a handheld, portable and convenient way to reduce stress, balance emotions and increase performance anytime, anywhere. It is especially useful when preparing for highly stressful meetings, for improving sleep, to improve athletic performance, to overcome the effects of stress associated with health issues, or to recover quickly from stressful situations.
How emWave WorksThe emWave is based on hard science and incorporates the same patented HRV measurement and coherence scoring process found in the Freeze-Framer Interactive Learning System, HeartMath's award winning PC based product that is being used by ten's of thousands of people in over 50 countries.
emWave shows the effects of stress on your body by measuring the subtle changes in your heart rhythms. This type of measurement is known as heart rate variability analysis or HRV. The analysis of HRV is recognized as a powerful, non-invasive measure that reflects heart-brain interactions and autonomic nervous system dynamics, which are particularly sensitive to changes in emotional state. However, emWave does a lot more than just show the effects of stress on your body. It reduces stress by training you to create more "coherence." Coherence is a term used by scientists to describe a highly efficient physiological state in which the nervous system, cardiovascular, hormonal and immune systems are working efficiently and harmoniously. Coherence is a state very similar to what athletes experience when they are in what is called "The Zone".
When you experience stressful emotions such as tension, anxiety, irritation, or anger, your heart rhythm pattern becomes irregular and incoherent, which negatively affects health, brain function, performance and your sense of well-being.
Ordered and harmonious heart rhythms are an indicator of your "coherence level". High coherence is a state associated with positive emotional attitudes which send signals to the brain that reduce stress, improve brain function, hormonal balance, immune response, coordination and reaction times.
Using emWaveemWave determines the degree of coherence found in your heart rhythm patterns and displays changes in real-time on a large tri-colored LED--the Coherence Level Indicator.

A red light indicates low coherence which would be normal.
A blue light indicates medium coherence which shows good improvement.
A green light indicates high coherence the optimal high performance, stress-free state.
The goal in using emWave is to reduce stress by achieving and sustaining High Coherence (green). The Coherence Coach CD (included) provides instruction on how to do the Quick Coherence Technique to improve your coherence scores with emWave.
emWave is easy to use. Simply place your thumb on the sensor or attach the Ear Sensor. After your pulse is detected a breathing pacer which synchronizes to your heart rhythms begins. As you practice the Quick Coherence Technique, breathing with the pacer while at the same time activating a positive feeling like the care you have for someone or the appreciation you have for the good things in your life, your coherence level (indicated in a large colorful LED) will begin to change from red to blue to green.
emWave offers four challenge levels to help you sharpen your coherence building skills. You can change the brightness of the LED displays and the audio feedback level. Additionally, it incorporates an accumulated coherence scoring display so you can track your progress during a session and an advanced user mode.
For most people in today's high-stress world, it is rare for sustained periods of coherence to occur. Now with emWave Personal Stress Reliever you have a convenient, practical way to help you reduce stress and shift into a higher state of coherence anytime, anywhere. Your stress will diminish and your feelings of well-being, balance and enhanced energy will increase.
Testimonials"I have been amazed at the difference between using emWave compared to other forms of focusing your energy or relaxation techniques. This is an easy tool to keep with you and use whenever you want the benefit of improved performance, whether it's dealing with a stressful situation or problem solving. I have also found it helpful before you go to sleep. Thanks for helping connect our mind and heart!"
-- Cathleen Nelson, President, United Healthcare Partners
"emWave Personal Stress Reliever is the greatest tool that HeartMath has ever put out. The Coherence Coach CD is wonderful and the device easy to use. The ear piece is also a helpful addition and the packaging is interesting and well done. Good job!"
-- Michelle Cameron, RN, BSN, Manager, Nursing World Class Service, Cleveland, OH
"The emWave Personal Stress Reliever is great. I have used it before every speech I have done since I got it. Some days are better than others but for the most part it has brought my anxiety level down and made me focus more on the subject than my feelings about the crowd. I gave one of them to my son who has difficulties with tests at school and he gets green before his tests. It has helped him to do better with the tests and from his teachers perspective he seems calmer when he takes them."
-- Scott Rankin, CEO, Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
"Using the emWave Personal Stress Reliever has enabled me to recognize the effects of stress on my body at any given time, which then allows me to use the HeartMath techniques to immediately help relieve this stress position. My recent tournament performances in Germany and Holland were helped by the use of HeartMath emWave can recognize stress levels not otherwise detectable."
-- Ian Woosnam, 2006 European Ryder Cup Captain and 1991 Masters winner

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Motorized Head Massager Review

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(More customer reviews)I like the product and the shipping and overall transaction was excellent, but the arms of the product are not very sturdy as they don't stay in place very well after a couple of uses.

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This handheld device gently stimulates millions of nerve endings on the scalp, as well as acupressure points that create a pleasant giggle goose-bumpy sensation. It's also great for other joints in your body where it will stimulate blood flow to ease pain and create relaxation.

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Scalp Massager (Colors May Vary) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am something of a connoisseur of scalp scratchers. I've bought the solid copper ones (happy company, head trip) and the vibrating ones. Those don't really do the trick for me. I light that light, tingly feeling like something is crawling all over my head. The other scratchers I have tried have wires or 'fingers' that are just too thick and/or too rigid. With most, the wires are designed in such a way that I'd have to bend them in just the right way or could come close to hurting myself.
This one has thin, flexible, stainless wires with small plastic nibs at the tips. The wires are not adjustable, but it doesn't matter. I haven't wanted to adjust them. I think this item is simply wonderful; I purchased one at Bed Bath And Beyond and gave it away as a gift (stupid!), then I couldn't find another until I came here to Amazon (yay!).
Note: Unlike the picture, the stem or handle is a textured silver metal, not copper. Doesn't matter to me, though. Feels the same. Awesome.

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The Scalp Massager will send tingling sensations from scalp to toes and transport you to a more relaxing place. The custom fit fingers will bend to fit your head. Gently raise and lower the Scalp Massager for a relaxing massage. The smooth tips glide across the surface of your scalp. Use it on your knee joints, elbows, ankles and scalp.

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