While most of us are aware that all energy vibrates, we don't often realize the subtle effects these vibrations have on our entire being. Everything vibrates whether it be animate or inanimate. We are affected by these vibrations whether we realize it or not. Our own bodies vibrate right down to the cellular level. Not only does everything vibrate but these vibrations take place at different frequencies.

You've probably encountered individuals that you just don't care to be around although they've never given you any particular reason to feel that way. In fact, they may seem quite pleasant yet there is something about them that makes you feel uncomfortable. Perhaps you or others have tried to explain your feelings by saying maybe you knew the person in a past life or that your senses are picking up bad vibes about the person in question. While these are all plausible possibilities, your feelings could be telling you that the person is vibrating at a frequency quite different from your own. Then there are those individuals that you meet and instantly hit it off with. Surely at one time or another, someone has said to you, "We must be on the same wavelength." It appears that there may be more to those words than we would have imagined.

Vibratory influences affect us on many levels including our physical health. They can help to heal us as well as causing ill health. For example, noise pollution can be detrimental to our health. Noise is everywhere so it is virtually impossible to avoid being affected. Noise can affect one's hearing; it can cause anxiety and tension. Noise can interfere with learning ability and interrupt concentration. It can cause irritability especially in those who are particularly sensitive to sound and noise. Not all sounds have negative effects. Certain sounds can be quite uplifting and even aid the healing process. In recent years we have seen an upsurge in the use of sounds such as whale songs, the sound of a heart beat and rushing water used to calm, lower blood pressure and speed recovery.

Music has been known for its effects since mothers first began to croon the lullaby to calm and soothe their infants into sweet slumber. Various sounds are said to affect specific organs in the body. Music is also thought to affect behavior which is why many parents are concerned about the type of music their teenagers listen to. Such concerns may turn out to be more valid than what parents themselves had first thought. Even in some ancient cultures certain types of music were prohibited due to the suspected influence on behavior. Today's music does affect our children but can music actually affect intelligence levels on either a negative or positive scale? Studies using mice may indeed indicate that various types of music can affect learning patterns as well as behavior. Aggressive behavior has also been associated with certain types of music and sounds. Studies involving plants have also shown increased growth or debilitation in response to different music and sounds. It certainly appears that various sounds can create balance or imbalance. These subtle imbalances take place not only in our bodies but also on a global level.

Once again, all matter vibrates at different frequencies. These frequencies are affected by sound, color, the food we eat and more. We are affected by the environment, the weather and the energies of others. We all know the feeling of walking into a room where the tension is so thick it could be cut with a knife. We're familiar with the feeling that overtakes us when we walk into a room and suddenly all eyes are on us; it makes us feel self-conscious. What we're actually feeling is the energy vibrations of the other people in the room. Many people tend to become depressed in the winter and then feel rejuvenated once spring arrives. More than likely, you've heard someone mention their biological clock. Although they might not know the dynamics of which they're speaking this is usually a reference to biorhythms, the natural cycles of the body.

Did you ever notice how you feel better when you're outside in the midst of nature? Many people make it a practice to take a walk when they feel anger building. Others go to the beach or mountains when recuperating from an illness. A picnic in the country can be a great pick me up for someone needing a momentary escape from the hectic pressures of city life. We are more sensitive to vibration than we realize. Color is a factor that influences our lives as well. Some people don't feel comfortable wearing bright colors while others are right at home in them. One person might prefer to wear a dark muted color because they want to blend in while the next person prefers red or bright yellow. It's not surprising to find that the woman wearing the red suit is an extrovert with a vibrant outgoing personality. Pastel colors are thought to produce a sense of calm serenity while colors such as grey or brown may incite depression. Red is thought to be a color of seduction, producing passion and also perhaps anger. Colors as well as sound produce their own type of effects.

Most of us are not as perceptive as we should or could be, not fully utilizing our normal five senses, let alone those beyond the physical but we are more sensitive than we realize. How often do we really slow down enough to truly taste our food or fully enjoy the wonders that our eyes and ears perceive? We are in such a rush through our daily lives that we don't fully hear or see. It is most often when something disturbs us that it gets our full attention. Most of us have experienced the irritating sound of fingernails on a chalkboard but some people actually find the sound of another's voice disturbing. Why? Listen closely and try to determine why. As already mentioned, noise is everywhere and certainly can't be avoided entirely but we can make an effort to surround ourselves with sounds that soothe and heal. We can carefully choose the music we listen to and we can also learn the value of silence, which is all too rare in our daily lives.

We can sit back and listen to the sounds of nature. We can experiment with color by adding different hues to the home and the wardrobe. We can also become more aware of the words that we use in our speech because they too affect us as well as others in both positive and negative ways. Not only do our words have a profound impact but the tone of voice in which those words are spoken can either soothe or upset. Try to become more consciously aware of the words you use and the manner in which you speak. Make a concentrated effort to speak pleasantly to others rather than using a harsh tone. Too often when we are preoccupied, feeling rushed or tired do we tend to snap at others simply for intruding on our space or asking us a question. A harsh reply or angry tone of voice does affect the person you are speaking to and it affects you as well even though you may not realize it at that moment. Remember the old adage: Think before you speak. There is wisdom in that phrase. Listen carefully to yourself, to the sounds of nature and seek to align with the vibrations of love, peace and harmony.

Darlene Zagata is a freelance writer and author of two books, "Aftertaste: A Collection of Poems" and "The Choosing." She is also a monthly columnist and editor for the print publication Moon Shadows Magazine. Visit Darlene's website at http://darlenezagata.tripod.com or contact Darlene at darzagata@yahoo.com