---
title: "Gateway Tapes for Beginners: Where to Start"
description: "Gateway tapes for beginners: start with Wave I, Discovery, and its 6 exercises, read the manual first, and expect deep relaxation before anything else."
url: https://shimmr.app/learn/gateway-tapes-for-beginners/
---

- [Learn](https://shimmr.app/learn/)

- [Meditation](https://shimmr.app/learn/meditation/)

# Gateway tapes for beginners: where to start, what Focus 10 is and what to expect

Gateway tapes for beginners: start with Wave I, Discovery, and its 6 exercises, read the manual first, and expect deep relaxation before anything else.

The Shimmr team

Published Nov 3, 2026

5 min read

- **Where to start:** the Gateway Experience begins with Wave I, “Discovery”, and its first exercise, Orientation; the Monroe Institute says the 8 Waves must be used in order.
- **The manual:** every Wave comes with a Guidance Manual, which the Monroe Institute says prepares you for the exercises, so read it before you press play.
- **Focus 10:** the first goal of the course, described as “mind awake, body asleep”; the Intro Focus 10 exercise is 37 minutes long.
- **What to expect:** most beginners feel heavy, relaxed and often sleepy; there is no scientific evidence for the course’s bigger claims, and binaural beat research is mixed.
- **Pace:** no study has tested a schedule, so repeat each exercise until it feels familiar before you move on.

Hear it

## Where should a beginner start with the Gateway tapes?

The Gateway tapes for beginners start in one place: Wave I, called “Discovery”, and its first exercise, Orientation. The Gateway Experience is a home audio course from the Monroe Institute, sold as 8 albums called Waves, and the institute says the albums [must be used sequentially](https://hemi-sync.com/product/gateway-experience-wave-i-discovery-dr-album/), because each builds on the tools of the one before. If you are not sure what the course is, read [what the Gateway tapes are](https://shimmr.app/learn/gateway-tapes/) first.

Wave I has 6 exercises. The Monroe Institute describes them like this:

| Exercise | What it is for, in the course’s words |
| --- | --- |
| 1. Orientation | Introduction and Focus 3 |
| 2. Intro Focus 10 | Establish the state of mind awake, body asleep |
| 3. Advanced Focus 10 | Expand perception and learn greater control of personal energy |
| 4. Release and Recharge | Detach from old fears and negative emotions |
| 5. Exploration, Sleep | Techniques for exploring while asleep |
| 6. Focus 10 Free Flow | Experiment with all the tools learned in Wave I |

The practical side, such as headphones, volume, lying down and when to listen, is covered in our guide on [how to listen to the Gateway tapes](https://shimmr.app/learn/how-to-listen-gateway-tapes/). This article is about the step before: knowing what you are starting and what is normal.

## Is there a manual for the Gateway tapes?

Yes, every Wave comes with a Guidance Manual. The Monroe Institute says the manuals “prepare you for these exercises” and guide you through the process. If you bought the course, the manual is part of it; you do not need to look for a separate one.

A simple way to use it as a beginner:

- **Read before you listen.** Read the section for one exercise, then play that exercise.
- **One exercise at a time.** Stay with it for a few sessions before moving on.
- **Keep a few notes.** A line or two after each session helps you see change over weeks.

The manual and the voice teach a handful of mental tools in Wave I. You learn them by repeating them, which is why the course asks you to go slowly.

## What is Focus 10, and how long does it take to reach it?

Focus 10 is the course’s name for a state where your body is deeply relaxed while your mind stays awake, which the Monroe Institute sums up as “mind awake, body asleep”. It is the first real goal of the Gateway tapes, and Wave I spends two exercises on it.

The [Intro Focus 10](https://hemi-sync.com/product/introduction-focus-10-mp3/) exercise lasts 37 minutes. In it, the voice asks you to focus on each part of your body and then let it go completely. There is no measured timeline for how long Focus 10 takes to “arrive”, because it is a label from the course, not a state that science can detect. Many people need several sessions before the feeling is familiar. Our article on [Focus 10](https://shimmr.app/learn/focus-10/) explains what the state is and how it relates to the edge of sleep.

A [1983 assessment](https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5) of the course, written by one US Army officer and now in the CIA reading room, describes this first step as progressive physical relaxation that brings the body close to sleep. It is one person’s analysis of the method, not a test of whether it works.

## Can beginners skip ahead to later Waves?

No, the Monroe Institute says beginners should not skip ahead. The 8 Waves form one path, and each assumes you know the tools from the ones before.

| Wave | Name | What it introduces, per the Monroe Institute |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I | Discovery | Focus 10 and basic mental tools |
| II | Threshold | Builds on Focus 10 and leads toward Focus 12 |
| III | Freedom | Perceiving and controlling your own energy |
| IV | Adventure | Self-directed exploration |
| V | Exploring | Focus 15, called “no time” |
| VI | Odyssey | Focus 21 |
| VII | Voyager | Focus 23 to Focus 27 |
| VIII | Union | Focus 27 |

The [Monroe Institute’s overview](https://hemi-sync.com/gateway-experience/) lists these in order. Jumping to Wave V because Focus 15 sounds exciting means hearing instructions for steps you have not practised. The later Waves describe states that no study has measured, so going faster does not get you anywhere sooner.

## What should you expect in the first weeks?

Expect relaxation first. Most beginners describe heavy arms and legs, slower breathing, drifting thoughts, and falling asleep, especially in the first sessions. Falling asleep is common and harmless; it means your body let go.

Be realistic about the evidence. The course talks about states far beyond relaxation, including leaving the body, and there is no scientific evidence that the tapes produce them. The binaural beats underneath have a modest research record: a [2018 meta-analysis](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1066-8) of 22 studies found a medium effect on memory, attention, anxiety and pain, and said the effect depended on the beat’s frequency and how long and when people listened. In the first weeks, use your notes to look for small changes, such as settling faster or staying awake a little longer.

Keep the volume low, never listen while driving, and stop if you feel dizzy or anxious. If you have epilepsy or a mental health condition, talk to your doctor before you start. If weeks go by and the exercises still do not seem to do anything, see [why the Gateway tapes might not be working for you](https://shimmr.app/learn/gateway-tapes-not-working/).

## Is there an easier way to start?

Yes, a shorter guided session can teach the same basics without the 37 minute commitment. Shimmr began with the Gateway tapes: its Journeys are a modern take on that kind of guided session, made by an independent developer who has used the tapes. Shimmr is not affiliated with the Monroe Institute, does not contain the tapes and does not reproduce Hemi-Sync or Focus levels.

The first Journeys series is Foundation. Its first session, Arrival, takes about 14 minutes and is free for everyone. It introduces the method used in every Journey: notice your weight, your breath and the sounds around you, then hear a tone in your left ear, your right ear and both together. Stillness, Expanse, Anchor and Far Shore follow. They build on each other, though you can play them in any order. If you want to compare the two in more detail, see our page on [an alternative to the Gateway tapes](https://shimmr.app/gateway-tapes-alternative/).

- [Gateway tapes alternative A modern take on the Gateway tapes. Made by someone who has used them.](https://shimmr.app/gateway-tapes-alternative/)

In the app

Arrival · Weight, breath, sound · 14 min

The first of Shimmr’s Journeys, free for everyone: a quiet voice introduces weight, breath and sound and the tone in each ear.

## Common questions

**Where should a beginner start with the Gateway tapes?**

Start with Wave I, “Discovery”, and its first exercise, Orientation. The Monroe Institute says each Wave builds on the one before, so the albums are meant to be used in order.

**Is there a manual for the Gateway tapes?**

Yes. The Monroe Institute includes a Guidance Manual with each Wave, which it says prepares you for the exercises. Read the section for an exercise before you listen to it.

**How long does it take to reach Focus 10?**

There is no measured timeline, because Focus 10 is a label from the course, not a state science can detect. The Intro Focus 10 exercise lasts 37 minutes, and many people need several sessions before the state feels familiar.

**Can beginners skip ahead to later Waves?**

The Monroe Institute says no: the albums must be used in sequence, because later exercises rely on tools taught earlier. Skipping ahead means hearing instructions for steps you have not learned yet.

**Is there an easier way to start?**

If the tapes feel long or dated, a shorter guided session can teach the same basics of relaxing the body and listening to a tone in each ear. Shimmr’s Journeys start with Arrival, a 14 minute session that is free for everyone.

Keep reading

- [Guides How to listen to the Gateway tapes: headphones, timing, order and what to expect](https://shimmr.app/learn/how-to-listen-gateway-tapes/)

- [Meditation Focus 10: what “mind awake, body asleep” means and how to reach it](https://shimmr.app/learn/focus-10/)

- [Meditation The Gateway tapes: what they are, what the CIA report says and the binaural beats inside](https://shimmr.app/learn/gateway-tapes/)

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Binaural beats are not a treatment for insomnia or any other condition.