Vibrational Frequency Chart: Meaning, Emotions, and How to Use It
A vibrational frequency chart is a spiritual framework that places emotions such as fear, courage, love, and peace at different levels. Often associated with David R. Hawkins, it can be used as a way to reflect on how you feel. But these numbers aren’t scientifically measured emotional frequencies. You can explore the chart without treating difficult emotions as something wrong with you.
| Emotion | Hawkins Level | Meaning in Hawkins’ Model |
|---|---|---|
| Shame | 20 | Feeling deeply inadequate or unworthy |
| Guilt | 30 | Feeling blame or regret |
| Apathy | 50 | Feeling powerless or without hope |
| Grief | 75 | Sadness associated with loss |
| Fear | 100 | Feeling threatened or worried |
| Desire | 125 | Strong wanting or attachment |
| Anger | 150 | Frustration or resentment |
| Pride | 175 | Seeking recognition or approval |
| Courage | 200 | Willingness to face difficulties |
| Neutrality | 250 | Less attachment to outcomes |
| Willingness | 310 | Readiness to participate or make an effort |
| Acceptance | 350 | Acknowledging what is happening |
| Reason | 400 | Using logic and understanding |
| Love | 500 | Care and compassion for others |
| Joy | 540 | Deep appreciation and happiness |
| Peace | 600 | A sense of inner stillness |
| Enlightenment | 700–1,000 | Spiritual awakening or unity |
Important: These numbers and descriptions represent David R. Hawkins’ spiritual model. They are not scientifically measured emotional frequencies, psychological assessments, or indicators of a person’s worth or healing progress.
What Is a Vibrational Frequency Chart?
David R. Hawkins’ vibrational frequency chart places emotions on a numbered scale. For example, fear is at 100, courage at 200, and love at 500. These numbers come from his spiritual teachings, not scientific measurements of emotions.
But your feelings don’t always fit into one category. You might feel nervous about speaking up and still find the courage to say what you need. Or you might love someone while feeling hurt by something they said.
Rather than using the chart to judge your feelings, you can use it to notice them. If you’d like to understand why certain feelings come up and how you respond to them, our guides on emotional awareness and emotional triggers explore this further
Is the Vibrational Frequency Chart Scientifically Proven?
No, Hawkins’ numbered scale hasn’t been scientifically proven as a way to measure emotions. There’s no reliable scientific test that can tell you whether your fear is at 100 or your love is at 500.
Think about a time when someone helped you through a difficult situation. You might have felt grateful for their support but still worried about what would happen next. Both feelings can exist at the same time. A number on a chart can’t tell the whole story.
You can find personal meaning in the chart without treating its numbers as facts. Practices such as mindfulness and self-compassion have been studied separately, but that research doesn’t prove Hawkins’ scale. If you want to understand your feelings more clearly, learning to recognize your emotions and notice how you respond when you’re upset may be more useful than trying to reach a higher number.
Why the Vibrational Frequency Chart Matters
Think about what happens when someone criticizes you. You might argue back, go quiet, or spend hours thinking about what they said. These reactions don’t always mean the same thing. You may feel hurt, embarrassed, angry, or several things at once.
The vibrational frequency chart can remind you to notice those feelings, but it can’t explain why you reacted that way. Looking at what happened before and after the conversation may tell you more than a number on the chart.
If you often find yourself reacting strongly to certain comments, understanding your emotional triggers may help. You can also explore emotional reasoning examples to see how feelings sometimes influence the meaning you give to a situation.
What Do the Levels on the Vibrational Frequency Chart Mean?
David R. Hawkins placed emotions and states of mind on a scale from 20 to 1,000 in his Map of Consciousness. Shame, guilt, and fear appear near the bottom, while love, peace, and enlightenment appear higher up. These numbers come from his spiritual teachings, not scientific measurements of emotions.1
Research by Kashdan, Barrett, and McKnight (2015) discusses why telling one emotion from another can matter when you’re upset. For example, you might think you’re angry after an argument, but when you think about what happened, you realize you also felt hurt or embarrassed.2
Shame, Guilt, Fear, and Apathy (20–100)
You might feel ashamed after making a mistake, guilty about hurting someone, or afraid of how another person will react. Sometimes these feelings show up in what you do. You may keep apologizing, avoid certain conversations, or stop asking for help because you’re worried about being judged.
Psychologist Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as treating yourself with understanding when you’re hurting or have made a mistake, rather than being harshly critical of yourself. That might mean admitting you handled something poorly without deciding you’re a bad person.3
If you often blame yourself long after something has happened, our guide to breaking the cycle of shame explores this in more detail.
Anger and Pride (150–175)
Anger may come up when someone dismisses your opinion, ignores your boundaries, or treats you unfairly. You might speak sharply, walk away, or keep thinking about what you wish you’d said.
Pride can show up differently. Sometimes you might struggle to admit a mistake because you’re worried about losing someone’s respect. At other times, pride simply means feeling pleased about something you’ve worked hard to achieve.
Psychologist James Gross explains that people can manage emotions at different points, including how they respond and express what they feel. You might be angry and reply immediately, take a break, or return to the discussion later. Feeling angry and acting on that anger aren’t the same thing.4
You can also explore emotional triggers and everyday examples to understand why certain situations may be particularly upsetting.
Courage, Willingness, and Acceptance (200–350)
Courage doesn’t always look like confidence. You might feel nervous about telling someone they’ve hurt you and still decide to speak up.
Willingness might mean listening when someone offers feedback, even if your first reaction is to defend yourself.
Acceptance may look like acknowledging that a relationship hasn’t turned out the way you hoped. You might still feel disappointed while recognizing that you can’t make someone behave differently.
You don’t have to stop feeling afraid or sad before making a decision that matters to you.
Love, Joy, and Peace (500–600)
Love might look like checking on a friend who’s having a difficult week or listening when your partner needs to talk.
Joy may come from sharing a laugh, spending time with someone you enjoy, or finally finishing something you’ve been working on.
Peace doesn’t have to mean feeling calm all day. You might still have worries but decide to leave an argument until you’re both ready to talk.
Hawkins placed these emotions higher on his chart. But feeling peaceful doesn’t make someone more worthy than a person who’s frightened, grieving, or struggling.
Enlightenment (700–1,000)
Hawkins placed enlightenment at the top of his scale, describing it as a state beyond ordinary everyday experience (Hawkins, 1995).[1]
This belongs to his spiritual teachings rather than an established scientific measure. You don’t need to reach this level to care for yourself, improve a relationship, or make meaningful choices.
How to Use the Vibrational Frequency Chart in Your Daily Life
Say someone makes a comment that stays on your mind all afternoon. You might replay the conversation, avoid that person, or feel irritated when someone else talks to you. Instead of deciding you’re at a low vibration, think about what bothered you. Did the comment feel unfair, embarrassing, or hurtful?
You can use the chart to put a name to a feeling, but you don’t need to give yourself a number or force yourself to feel differently.
Notice What Happened Before You Felt Upset
Before trying to change how you feel, think about what happened.
Did someone dismiss something important to you? Were you already tired when the conversation started? Did you feel unable to say what you wanted?
You may notice that certain situations bring up similar reactions. If you often find yourself replaying past conversations, think about whether there’s something you still want to say, understand, or leave behind.
Decide How You Want to Respond
Feeling angry doesn’t mean you have to argue. Feeling afraid doesn’t mean you can’t speak up.
For example, if someone makes a hurtful joke, you might explain that it upset you, ask them not to repeat it, or take some time before discussing it.
Psychologist James Gross describes different ways people manage their emotions, including changing a situation, shifting their attention, and choosing how to respond.[4]
The point isn’t to hide what you feel. It’s to consider what you want to do with that feeling.
Try Gratitude Without Ignoring What’s Difficult
You might appreciate a friend checking on you while still feeling upset about something that happened earlier. Both feelings can be there.
If gratitude feels natural, you could write down one thing that helped you get through the day. Maybe someone listened without interrupting, or you managed to finish a task despite feeling tired.
You don’t have to turn every difficult experience into something positive. Our gratitude journal prompts offer ideas if writing helps you sort through your thoughts.
Take a Break When You Need One
Sometimes you may be too upset to decide what to say. You could put your phone down, step outside, stretch, or sit somewhere quiet for a few minutes.
Some people find breathing exercises or mindfulness helpful. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health explains that mindfulness has been studied for stress and other concerns, although results differ and some people report unwanted experiences.
You don’t have to meditate if sitting quietly makes you uncomfortable. A short walk or a familiar activity may feel easier.
Speak to Yourself Without Adding More Blame
After making a mistake, you might catch yourself thinking, “I always ruin everything.”
Try being more specific: “I interrupted someone earlier. I can apologize and listen when we talk again.”
You’re still taking responsibility, but you’re not turning one action into a judgment about who you are.
In her research review, Kristin Neff discusses self-compassion, including how people can treat themselves with kindness when facing mistakes or difficult experiences.[3]
Pay Attention to How People Treat You
Notice how you feel and act around different people.
Do you feel comfortable disagreeing with someone, or do you often stay quiet because you’re worried about their reaction? When you explain that something hurt you, does the person listen, dismiss you, or change the subject?
One conversation may not tell you everything about a relationship. But repeated interactions can give you reasons to think about what you’re comfortable with and what you want to address.
You can learn more about emotional boundaries and relationships if you find it difficult to talk openly about your feelings.
You don’t have to feel happy or peaceful every day to use the chart. If it helps you notice a feeling, that’s enough. What matters next is how you choose to care for yourself and respond to the situation.
Final Thoughts
The vibrational frequency chart offers a spiritual way of looking at emotions, but its numbers don’t define who you are or how well you’re doing.
You can feel afraid and still speak up, feel angry and still treat someone with care, or feel sad while enjoying time with a friend.
You don’t need to turn every difficult feeling into a positive one. Sometimes it helps to notice what upset you, give yourself time, or talk to someone you trust. What matters isn’t reaching a higher number, but understanding what you feel and deciding what to do next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Raise My Vibrational Frequency?
There’s no scientifically proven way to raise an emotional frequency. But if you’re using the chart as a spiritual guide, you might focus on habits that help you feel more settled. For example, you could take a walk after a stressful conversation, spend time with someone you trust, or write down what’s bothering you. You don’t have to force yourself to feel happy when you’re having a hard day.
What Emotions Are Considered Low Vibrational Frequencies?
In Hawkins’ chart, shame (20), guilt (30), fear (100), and anger (150) appear at lower levels. These are numbers from his spiritual model, not measured frequencies. Feeling afraid before a difficult conversation or guilty after hurting someone doesn’t mean your energy is bad. If guilt turns into constant self-blame, our guide on breaking the cycle of shame explores that experience further.
Can Your Vibrational Frequency Change Over Time?
Your feelings can change throughout the day, but that doesn’t mean your body is moving between Hawkins’ numbered levels. You might feel irritated after an argument, relieved when you sort things out, and worried about something else later. Those changes are part of everyday emotional life. You don’t need to track them as scores.
Can You Measure Your Emotional Vibrational Frequency?
No scientifically accepted test measures emotions using Hawkins’ frequency scale. Online vibration quizzes may ask how often you feel fearful, confident, or peaceful, but their results aren’t measurements of your energy. They may give you questions to think about, but they can’t tell you how emotionally healthy you are.
What Does It Mean to Be a High-Vibration Person?
In spiritual conversations, people sometimes use “high vibration” to describe someone who seems peaceful, kind, or hopeful. But you can’t know someone’s inner feelings just by watching how they act. A person who smiles often may still be having a difficult time, while someone who seems quiet or upset may care deeply about others. It’s better to notice how someone treats people than to give them an emotional label.
- Hawkins, D. R. (1995). Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior. Hay House. ↩︎
- Kashdan, T. B., Barrett, L. F., & McKnight, P. E. (2015). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 10–16. ↩︎
- Neff, K. D. (2010). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101. ↩︎
- Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299. ↩︎
Written By Mehwish Qurayshi
Mehwish Qurayshi is a Trauma-Informed Emotional Wellness Counsellor trained through NICABM’s Treating Trauma Master Series, which includes NBCC-approved education in Trauma Treatment and Emotional Wellness & Emotional Intelligence – Sourcecode Academia. She has over five years of experience providing emotional wellness counselling, helping individuals heal from trauma, regulate emotions, and build healthy relationships.