By Garret Yount, PhD, IONS Scientist
Understanding vibes involves delving into scientific areas like quantum mechanics, neuroscience, and psychophysiology. These fields help us grasp how energy influences our thoughts, emotions, and actions through neurotransmitters, brainwave frequencies, and the electromagnetic field of our human bodies. Understanding the scientific principles behind vibes empowers us to take conscious control of our energetic experiences. When picking up on vibes, pay attention to non-verbal indicators such as body language, tone of voice, and emotions while also following your gut feelings about how certain situations or individuals make you feel. Such observations will provide important insights into the energy of others around you.
If you ever feel as if you’re “on the same wavelength” with someone, it means that you share similar outlooks on life or work, resulting in a connection between you and the other person. Brain scans have provided evidence showing there may be a biophysical basis for the feeling that you’re “on the same wavelength” as someone. This occurrence is referred to as “neural coupling” when recounting stories connects storytellers and listeners, as the listener’s brain activity will mimic that of the person telling the story. Remember that our bodies are made up mostly of empty space filled with vibrating energy – a clear basis for the idea of being on the same frequency or wavelength as other people.
Several hormones are linked to close physical contact with those we care about. For example, human growth hormone plays a part in sexual arousal, and oxytocin is a hormone that bonds a caregiver to a baby, invoking vibes that protect and support the baby during its infancy. Similarly, simply looking at a picture of a beloved partner unleashes numerous chemicals, including testosterone, oxytocin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
Real-Life Stories and Promising Research
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as “tapping,” is a popular form of biofield therapy that combines acupressure to stimulate the body’s subtle energies with elements of established psychotherapy methods like cognitive behavioural therapy, which is an evidence-based talk therapy that challenges negative patterns of thought about the self and the world in order to alter unwanted behaviour patterns. One of the leading theories for how EFT works is based on the idea that the subtle vibrations stimulated by tapping on the body’s acupressure points rewire the connections to the part of the brain that is in charge of detecting threats. EFT rewires your brain so that stress loops get ironed out.
How I Harnessed EFT for Peace of Mind
EFT is easy to learn and is something that anyone can practice almost anywhere. I used EFT when I found myself fretting about my daughter’s safety for no good reason. She was on her first road trip with her friends. They were driving to Lake Tahoe, and a winter storm was in the forecast. Before she headed out, we had already done everything I could think of to ensure they would be safe. Off they went, and up went my anxiety. I realized that the best thing for me to do was to let go of the fear that wasn’t doing anybody any good. I accomplished this by spending about ten minutes practicing the EFT method.
IONS EFT Study Reveals Promising Results
Our team at IONS conducted the first randomized controlled trial of EFT, measuring a physiological biomarker of stress before and after treatment. In collaboration with Dawson Church, a luminary in the field, we measured cortisol levels in healthy volunteers before and after a single session of EFT and found positive effects. In our study, 83 participants were randomly assigned to a one-time hour-long session of three different experimental conditions: EFT, talk therapy in the form of a supportive interview, and rest. Cortisol, a hormone associated with high-stress levels, was measured before and after the treatments. The results showed a significantly lower cortisol level in the EFT group (24%) compared to the two other therapy groups, which showed a decline of an average of 14%. This primary stress hormone reduction was also positively associated with decreased psychological symptoms, including anxiety and depression.
Practical Techniques for Elevating Your Vibrations and Enhancing Well-Being
In addition to EFT, there are tools and techniques you can use to help interact with vibes positively. Some methods are about influencing and altering the vibes around you, such as smudging your house with herbs, while others are designed to help you to tune in to your subconscious vibes and tap into your body’s subtle energy more clearly, such as meditative practices. Whatever stage of spiritual evolution or exploration you are at, this is powerful. These practices affect your body, so your health provider should know what you’re up to, especially if you are trying a method as part of a self-healing journey.
One of my favourite meditation practices for “raising your vibrations” is slow breathing. Cool science has been done around breath control, and you won’t be surprised to hear that there is plenty of evidence that breathing exercises benefit health and well-being. To start the slow-breathing exercise, get comfortable in a relaxed position, either lying down, sitting, or standing. Focus on your breath and try to even out the timing of your inhalations and exhalations. Count how many beats it takes to breathe in and out, and then gradually slow down the breath by adding one second to your starting rate. For many people, reaching a count of four in and four out is the sweet spot.
Another method for achieving higher vibrations is to include expressions of gratitude as part of your morning ritual. To cultivate gratitude, start with a simple mental exercise in the morning, reflecting on things you are thankful for and saying thank you inwardly. You can integrate this practice into your morning routine or keep a gratitude journal. Additionally, take spontaneous moments during the day to focus on what you are grateful for, or go for a gratitude stroll to appreciate the positive things around you.
The final technique I’ll share here for helping achieve balance in your life is to immerse yourself in nature. There is a study showing evidence that a 90-minute walk in nature can reduce the activity of the part of the brain that is associated with rumination, a term defined as negative repetitive thoughts. Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, is a structured approach to immersing oneself in nature, originating from Japan; it involves mindfully experiencing the present moment while surrounded by nature. Go to a forest and wander around aimlessly, paying attention with all your senses. Forest bathing is an accessible method to engage with nature and dissolve away the illusion of separateness from nature. Research shows that forest bathing can also have beneficial effects on the body’s physiology, bolstering the body’s immune system.
About the author:
Garret Yount, Ph.D, has been researching the science of vibes for over 20 years, and in his book,
Why Vibes Matter, he explains what physical processes can lead us to experience a ‘vibe’ or shift in energy and how we can use certain techniques to harness their power to help us to heal and grow.
The book uses years of research to delve into the fascinating realm of human experiences and the profound influence that vibes hold over our lives. In
Why Vibes Matter readers will discover:
- The science behind vibes,
- Real-life stories and engaging anecdotes,
- Practical techniques and applications for readers to harness the power of vibes for personal growth, healing and achieving balance in their lives.
Why Vibes Matter: Understand Your Energy and Learn How to Use it Wisely ($14.19, Welbeck Balance)
