The Power of Vibration
The hidden frequency of human emotion
I’ve heard the word vibration used in many contexts throughout my life. It’s a word of science and physics but has also been associated with human thought and emotion. Even as I write this, I see the disparity in these definitions in the context of my mental dictionary; one being more “Webster” and the other “Urban”. The paradox of my subject matter, as always, is the attempt to convey that they are intertwined. Vibration in the sense I want to write about is the correlation of science to the frequency of human thought and emotion.
So what is vibration? Scientifically, by definition, vibration is ‘the periodic back-and-forth motion of particles commonly resulting when almost any physical system is displaced from its equilibrium condition and allowed to respond to the forces that tend to restore equilibrium’ (https://www.britannica.com/science/vibration). If you took Chemistry in your formative years, you know that fundamentally we are a miraculous formation of particles that are held together in universal complexity.
Jonathan Schooler of the University of California, Santa Barbara developed a “resonance theory of consciousness” that suggests resonance, or synchronized vibration is at the heart of not only human consciousness but physical reality more generally. Everything around us has an obvious characteristically unique vibration.
“Everything in life is vibration.” –Albert Einstein
We are constantly interacting with an environment full of entities with their own vibrational frequencies. Our equilibrium is affected by everything we come into contact with. Over time one’s core frequency and vibration can be altered depending on the consistency of the exposure to these vibrational frequencies.
Make note that the correlation of vibration and frequency are interlinked. Something with a lower vibration can be increased in the presence of a higher frequency, and the higher the vibration a body has, the higher the frequency it emits. Vibration seeks synchronicity. This is known as the law of entrainment.
What does this mean in human terms? We have a certain level of control over the environments and entities we expose ourselves to. If we practice observance and personal awareness, we have the ability to exert control in the environments, interactions, relationships, and in connections, we allow to affect our own vibration.
Studies have shown a correlation between human mood and physical health to sound and vibrational frequencies. One conducted by the National Library of Medicine showed chronic exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields resulted in poor quality sleep, depression, and reported feelings of stress and anxiety. Physical effects of ELF fields at 60Hz, such as those created by low-tension power lines, correlate with a higher risk of cancer. These are examples of the negative effects on the body and mind.
Solfeffio frequencies in music are reported to have profound effects on the body and mind. Specific vibrational frequencies such as 174Hz, also known as the healing frequency, are associated with reducing pain and stress. Higher frequencies move from the removal of negative impacts on the body and mind to the promotion of higher levels of consciousness and elevated states of being.
As I said, we are a complex group of vibrating particles, groupings of cells in our bodies vibrate at different frequencies creating a conglomerate vibrational compilation that is uniquely us. Brian Rose of KIYA Longevity stated in a recent study that people in good physical and emotional health have a higher vibrational frequency than those with altered health, and stress, who are experiencing more negative emotional states.
Having stated my case with scientific correlation, I would like to focus on the more spiritual aspect of this phenomenon. When we talk about being high-vibrational, we are talking about making choices that make us happy, and bring success, good health, and peace. Interacting with low vibrational people places and things has the opposite effects. Low-vibrational behaviors can be viewed in terms of addiction, negativity, and emotional and physical abuse. There are many less extreme yet impactful choices that result in poor physical and emotional/mental health. Most of us are a mixture of the highs and the lows.
In practical terms, we can improve our health and mental state beyond the obvious need for enough rest, a healthy diet, and medical treatments/interventions when necessary. As a person seeking continued and increased happiness, hope for the future, and motivation in my 50s, I strive to always have a growth mindset. I make a practice of adopting strategies that are less linear in nature that allow me to continue to experience personal growth and expansion in a positive way. Here is a list of things I find to help raise vibration.
- Meditation. You’ve heard this one a million times and I’ve heard many say they can’t do it. Meditation isn’t about sitting with your eyes closed, devoid of thought. Most of us struggle to slow our minds down, we have endless mental lists, and segways of ideas, while simultaneously fighting “click” addiction to our phones and social media. This is precisely the point of meditation. Our minds are made to think, it’s unrealistic to expect it to stop doing what it’s meant to do. Meditation is a tool used to clear the clutter and to connect with your inner world. It helps soothe anxiety and stress, calm the mind, and give a better insight into our personal thoughts and feelings.
- Listen to uplifting and soul-soothing music. This resonates with most people because the power of music is widely experienced and understood. As mentioned above, be very intentional about what you view and listen to. Not all music or even television programming is created equal. There is an entire industry devoted to lyrical expressions of sadness, lost love, depression, and violence that allow you to expand upon whatever emotion you’d like to contemplate. The same can be said regarding themes on television. Likewise, there are many influences in our world today that create addictive loops of mindless stimulation that have no real quality and leave one feeling drained, unproductive, and without any elevation in thought. Be selective in your entertainment.
- Practice gratitude. Higher vibration is associated with happiness. When we focus on the things lacking in our lives, negativity rules. Consciously counting our blessings and being grateful for what already exists in our lives will improve our mood and overall happiness.
- Surround yourself with positive people. This seems simple enough but it bears repeating and the cautionary reminder that ‘like attracts like’. When we are happy we attract others who have a similar mindset. The same can be said in the other direction… misery loves company. Be mindful of the energy of the people you choose to spend your time with.
- Forgive, Forget, and move on. When you hold onto the offenses of others, no matter how real they are, we are the ones that bear the negativity of whatever occurred, it is always much more about us than it is about them. The vibration of pain and anger can have lasting negative effects on our physical and mental well-being. It can halt time and keep us from moving forward in happiness and peace.
- Refrain from the judgment of others. Judgment is a reflection of inter dialogues of inadequacy in some way. The opposite of this activity would be unconditional love. When we focus on our own path and allow others to walk theirs. We avoid fixating on negative qualities and are less likely to subscribe to imposing constructs on others.
- Spend time in nature. Nature has its own rhythm that we are inherently a part of. When we return to nature and remove the distractions of the technological and societal complexities, much like meditation, our minds become less cluttered and able to appreciate the simplicity of being a small part of a very big world.
- Set boundaries and practice self-love. Making yourself a priority and acknowledging the value of your personal well-being is crucial to becoming high-vibrational.
- Clear the clutter. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners conducted one of many studies regarding the effects of clutter on one's mental health. Cluttered environments are associated with higher rates of anxiety and have been linked to depression. Individuals who live in cluttered homes have been shown to have weaker “working memory”. Clutter results in less efficient thinking and visual processing. The bottom line would be, to dispose of unhealthy thoughts and practices that no longer serve you. On the physical plane, do the same thing.
- Your home environment matters. We just discussed the clutter aspect of this. Your environment is multidimensional. These are the colors and textures that you find soothing, the furniture that allows you to rest comfortably or help you to be productive. This is music or ambient noise that affects your psyche. It is the people and places in your life. Be mindful, take mental notes, and make adjustments.
My final thoughts on vibration are these, you are in control. Even the idea that you don’t have any control is your own decision. Things that are comfortable are not always what is in our best interest. Being willing to look at poor emotional and physical health takes a lot of courage. Sometimes we don’t like the answers we find because it means making changes that can be difficult for ourselves and in many cases for others. I often remind myself: you attract what you are. If you are unhappy and consumed with negativity, you will attract others who would love to commiserate. Positivity attracts more of the same. It is much easier to deflect those things that we find unhealthy and unhelpful when surrounding one’s self with high-vibrational environments, behaviors, habits, and people.
“Your vibe attracts your tribe.”
References and additional reading