The phrase ‘raise your vibration’ is so ubiquitous in the New Age/online self-help/spiritual communities that it can be difficult to know what exactly it means.
Our vibration is another word for our state of being – we all have a baseline we go back to consistently whether positive, negative or neutral. This is our vibration.
There are many ways to raise or lower our vibration, the ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ actions we take on a daily basis that forms our way of being and perception of the world.
In this article I hope to demystify ‘vibration’ and provide some practical methods for raising it. As well as discussing the not so positive side to being high vibe. Let’s get into it.
What does ‘raising your vibration’ mean?
Raising your vibration is to open up your awareness to wider range of possibilities. When we are in a ‘low vibration’ we close ourselves off the from the world and gravitate towards things that validate low self-worth. When we are in a high vibration we are open to solutions and new opportunities.
To raise our vibration we have to cultivate practices that open us up, uplift us, that allow us to see more of the opportunities and abundance that is already available to us.
Raising our vibration pertains to how much life-force energy, prana or chi (whatever name you use) we have access to. When we are disempowered we have a restricted flow of prana energy, our connection to the divine dims.
To raise the amount of energy we can access and hold within our bodies we have to get connected to the solar plexus chakra (amongst others), this is the center of our personal power and will.
The more of this energy we can access the more power we have, to make changes in our life. This isn’t power in the typical domineering sense, not a power over others but a power over ourselves.
We can do this by identifying and distancing ourselves from patterns, people, places and things that take our power.
Signs you have a ‘high vibe’
- You feel connected to your intuition
- You take responsibility and are self-reflective
- You brighten the room around you
- Animals and children are often calm in your presence
- You manage negative and positive emotions in a balanced way
The most important aspect of a high vibe is a strong connection with our intuition. Intuition or gut feeling is how we differentiate between a low or high vibe in the first place.
When we encounter someone and instantly feel an ‘off vibe’, or go to a concert and can intuitively feel the ‘good vibes’ flowing through the crowd.
Similarly, we have to practice consistently connecting with our intuition if we wish to raise our vibes. To know what people, places and things are for us and which are not.
High and low vibe is not necessarily the same as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person, and I think it is very important to make that distinction.
What I have found is that those with the ‘highest vibration’ aren’t necessarily those who have great lives from the outside looking in, but those who are incredibly discerning and self-reflective regardless of their circumstances.
Signs you have a ‘low vibe’
- You’re experiencing repetitive negative scenarios
- You’re incredibly reactive
- You’re self-centered
- You find it difficult hold empathy or self-reflect
- You’re easily pulled into distraction and negative habits
I think it’s important to notice where we might relate to items on the ‘high’ and ‘low’ spectrum. Acknowledging the ways we want to grow and traits we wish to change, while also seeing that we are not a sum of our habits. Not everyone stuck in a negative space is a negative person, in fact the opposite is often true.
Some of the most genuine, beautiful souls I know are stuck in a negative environment, and getting out isn’t always as easy a shifting our mindset or energy. The work involved can be a lot, and the right support is required.
High and low vibe is a very black-and-white way of looking at humans, although it is helpful to hold some awareness of these concepts. Some people are very negative and low-vibe, and it is better to stay away from them. As with most things in life, there is a large grey area.
As someone who has been in negative spaces for some time, particularly in my teens, being high vibe to me is not about the environment but the perspective.
I don’t think that everything is attracted to us based on our vibe, however I do think we can give ourselves positivity as an option.
To come from a negative space or have very traumatic experiences, and strive beyond them. Holding positivity as a possibility because we deserve to have better experiences!
I don’t like when these concepts become a way to downplay struggle or victim-blame.
The dark side to being ‘high vibe’
Moving on nicely from the last section, there are some caveats that I think we should explore.
There is a dark side to being high vibe all of the time. Where we are so focused on raising our vibration that we try to avoid or ignore the difficulties we are having altogether. This is sometimes referred to as spiritual bypassing or toxic positivity.
Often when the phrase ‘raise your vibration’ is used the focus is on being high vibe most/all of the time. I’ve talked about how this focus on maintaining a high vibe constantly can be unhelpful, but that doesn’t mean we can’t utilize these principles in a balanced way!
When we raise our vibe we shouldn’t be looking to escape or avoid our circumstances, but rather, to bring a new perspective to them. This is where we have have the power to practically transform things.
The definition I gave of raising your vibe is of course simplified, as most things in this area are. Just because we are holding a high vibe doesn’t mean the people we attract or the experiences we have will always be high vibe.
Often those who hold an extremely high vibe are prone to attract those with the opposite. We’re human, things are not black and white or high and low, we can’t always put things into neat little boxes.
This tendency to simplify things can also lead to feeling more guilt or victim-blaming. If something bad happens to us, we blame this on a lack of positive focus.
Maintaining a high vibe requires balance. Sometimes we have to explore the dark side of our psyche. Sometimes we have to accept that our energy or focus isn’t enough to change a circumstance.
However what maintaining a high vibe does allow us to do, is see opportunity. Sometimes we need to focus positively despite the circumstances, in order to gain some momentum and find ways forward.
In my experience, those who try to force a positive mindset or vibration all of the time, particularly in the New Age community, eventually experience what I call a coming to Earth moment. They lose their job, get sick, experience a traumatic event, and the positive vibes they were maintaining fall apart.
‘Real life’ gets in the way of surface-level positivity and we have to confront everything we’ve pushed aside. This is where cultivating a balanced perspective and moving out of black-and-white thinking becomes necessary.
Ways to raise your vibe
The key to raising your vibe is to get into the alpha or theta brainwave state. The alpha state is a wakeful but relaxed state, while the theta state is the point between sleep and wake.
These two states allow us to view our current circumstances in a more relaxed manner and see a wider range of options. We can reach these states in meditation and mindfulness – any activity that brings us into the moment.
Another key to raising your vibe is to do exercises that bring you into your body. We don’t raise our vibe through the mind alone, we have to go a little deeper to effect real change.
Meditation
Can’t make a list like this without including meditation! Meditation is a simple way to raise your vibration but not always easy.
Start with a simple focus on the breath. Get into a seated position and breathe deeply from the stomach area, when a stray thought arises, bring your attention back to the breath.
Meditation is not an isolated practice, while we might see the largest benefits when we are in the meditation itself, it fundamentally shifts how we view and interact with everything. With a regular practice of meditation we bring this heightened awareness into daily mundane tasks and transform them into something magical.
Sound
We have been using some combination of sound and movement to lift our spirits (raise our vibration) for millennia. Get some uplifting music on or listen to some binaural beats. Dance and move in the ways you feel called to.
- You can create playlists to encourage certain moods or align with a specific goal.
- You can use a singing bowl or tuning fork.
- Play an instrument.
- You can clap, dance, sing, allowing the vibrations to work through your body.
- One of the best ways to work with sound is to simply be in nature! Sit in one spot, visualize your ears growing in size and see how many different sounds you can tune into (sounds you might otherwise ignore altogether).
Movement
Movement is a great way to release stagnant energy from the body and get things flowing again. You can do exercize, dance, yoga, whatever activity aligns with and makes you feel good.
Eat enriching foods
Add more color to your diet. Add more healthy fats and oils. Eat mindfully. Make dinner times an uplifting experience. Along with eating enriching foods, making sure you are getting enough sleep. Generally, maintaining a healthy routine.
Spend time in nature
Declutter
I like to say ‘old dishes hold old energy’. As our physical space is so intertwined with our inner space, decluttering and cleaning up can be a great way to release heavy energy and feel uplifted. During or after you are done cleaning the space, play some light music, light a candle, sage, whatever helps the place feel light energetically too.
Create
Practice gratitude
There are so many different ways we can express gratitude; through prayer, affirmations, simply saying ‘thank you’.
There is always something to express gratitude for, even in our lowest moments. What’s great about practicing gratitude consciously is that the more we focus on what we have to be thankful for, the more we notice. Start with a list of three things you are thankful for each night, and watch how quickly that list can become expand in size.
Water
We can use water in so many different ways to raise our vibration. Spending time in or around natural bodies of water is the best option, but if you don’t have that available to you, run a bath and add a cup or two of Epsom or Himalayan salt. A quick way to release dense energy is to simply splash our face with water or wash our hands while reciting an affirmation.
Inner work
One of the most important aspects of raising your vibe is doing the deeper inner work. To become aware of your own patterns and blockages.
It’s great to have tools which uplift your mood and help you feel supported in the moment, but the deeper work isn’t always so pleasant.
Shadow work, inner child work, all of the practices that make us take a deep look within and ask uncomfortable questions.
In conclusion
I think the important thing to remember here is that even with these tools at our disposal we aren’t always going to be able to maintain an elevated vibration. However we do give ourselves an opportunity to be open to things changing, shifting and ultimately improving.