The Story Behind Binaural Dream

In the winter of 2017, I found myself in a doctor's office trying to figure out why I could barely muster the strength to get out of bed. I was working towards a big product launch, fueling anxiety filled days with cup after cup of coffee. The problem was the coffee had stopped working.

“You have seasonal affective disorder. Here’s a prescription for 20,000 IUs of vitamin D.”

The diagnosis wasn’t surprising. I was a California transplant still getting used to New York City winters.

“You also need to relax more. Maybe try meditation.”

Try meditation? I had been practicing mindfulness for years. However, deep down I knew what I really needed was medicine, but I was uncomfortable with the idea of taking drugs just to feel normal. 

Like so many wellness seekers, I turned to YouTube for tips on relaxation and better sleep which is where I encountered binaural beats for the first time. It was an 8 hour track and it had a whopping 12 million views. I slept to the track and for the first time in months I awoke feeling rejuvenated. I repeated the session day after day and over time my life transformed. Unlike the guided meditations of so many meditation apps, the wordlessness of binaural beats were entrancing. Instead of listening to someone explain how to observe and clear the mind, my mind effortlessly followed the tones as thinking dissolved into feeling. I started producing binaural beats myself, crafting tones for maximum effect, using friends and family as guinea pigs. Astonishingly, I couldn’t find any system that presented binaural beats as a daily meditation practice. Binaural Dream is my attempt at sharing the range of benefits I’ve experienced with this powerful listening practice.

Background:

I started my career producing media and supporting researchers at SETI. It was during my time working at radio astronomy laboratories and recording music that I began contemplating reality through the lens of waves. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Astrophysics, I worked as a Sound Designer and Composer for a San Francisco based neuroscience game company. Since then, I have provided engineering and product oversight for dozens of web, mobile, and tablet applications. In 2018, I left my job at a Fortune 250 company to start DreamThink LLC, a company focused on building experiences that support wellness and spiritual growth.

-Sanj

Founder of Binaural Dream