A few months back, I had an incredible experience in class that has stayed with me.
Since then, I've kept a weekly note, turning it into my little experiment. As everyone began to hum together, I could feel the synchronicity permeate the room, and this extraordinary thing happened.
As we continued I began to report, in my own body, a deep sense of connection, a greater sense of inner harmony and a swaying resonance. In some classes, this manifested through movement, other times through breathwork, and most often through meditation.
Anyone who’s spent enough time in meditation knows that sensation that transpires sometimes.
The swaying?!
It’s a common experience that’s attributed to several factors:
- Muscle tension releases as your body finds its balance point. Especially if you're sitting upright without rigid support.
- The mind-body connection becomes more fluid, and the usual cues you rely on for balance are perceived differently, causing a gentle sway.
- Sensing into the subtlety of your prana or qi your body responds to the shifting energy in a sway.
- Your awareness of the 3 natural rhythms (heartbeat, breath, and craniosacral) heightens, and your body unconsciously aligns with these internal patterns.
- Without the usual mental constraints, the tension in the fascia unwinds.
In a room full of meditating students, I perceived a subtle, collective shift as the group settled into a shared state of deep relaxation.
For those of you more inclined towards science, I liken it to the Schumann resonance.
For those of you with finer sensibilities, explanation below:
The meditation deepened. It felt as though time had suspended itself. A resonant symphony unfolded both within and around me.
Electrical impulses, likely fired from neurons, aligned into a steady rhythm. I saw and felt my heart, pulsing singularly, suspended in this time capsule yet somehow connected to time and space itself.
It was as if my bones and skin had melted away, leaving only a subtle pulse emanating from the blood flowing through my nervous system, coursing through every cell. I hung in space, swaying in slow motion like a universal pendulum.
This internal cadence seemed to extend beyond me. My nervous system became a conduit, merging with a larger electromagnetic field. The boundaries between my body and the collective essence of my students dissolved.
My students' brainwaves began to synchronize with each other and with the Earth's field. I understood that our community’s collective nervous system was aligning, creating a serene energy in the room.
It manifested like a gentle, rhythmic sway within my stillness. I’ve felt this before in my meditations and when receiving craniosacral therapy. Intellectually, I understand the concept of collective healing.
But I never imagined it could be felt quite like this; so strongly unified. So many bodies and minds and energies syncing. Signalling a wise connection among us, as we entered a unified state of tranquillity.
The Earth’s Resonance
A scientific explanation for this sensation could lie in the Schumann resonance.
This is a set of low-frequency electromagnetic waves that resonate in the Earth's atmosphere. They’re primarily excited by lightning strikes, and their fundamental frequency is around 7.83 Hz, which some researchers believe aligns with brainwave frequencies associated with deep relaxation, meditation, and altered states of consciousness.
When meditating - especially during deep relaxation, your brainwaves may slow down to match these low-frequency resonances.
This synchronization can create a feeling of connection to the Earth's natural electromagnetic field, and some people might perceive this connection as a slow, gentle swaying or flowing sensation within their body.
Spatial Orientation
Another scientific measure or consideration could be related to the vestibular system in the inner ear, which controls balance and spatial orientation.
During meditation or deep relaxation, your brain's perception of balance might shift, causing you to feel as though you're gently swaying even when you're physically still.
This could be a mild form of what is known as postural sway, which is the natural movement your body makes to maintain balance.
Both the Schumann resonance and the vestibular system's response offer scientific explanations for the swaying or flowing sensations I felt during that particular class, and almost every class since then.
The Power Of The Collective On
Individual Well-being
This shared experience is a personal revelation but also a reminder of the power of collective mindfulness. It offers a compelling case for integrating collective mindfulness practices into our routines.
We can tap into the collective power of our nervous systems, promote individual well-being and at the same time gain a greater sense of communal harmony.
As we face mounting stress and disconnection, practices that promote this type of group coherence offer solace to those suffering from their mental health and are a pathway to collective resilience.
Photo by Priscila Dupreez on Unsplash
Highlight
Emerging research highlights the profound effects of collective immersive experiences on mental, emotional, and physical health.
Social support, connection, and belonging have been shown to reduce stress and lower biomarkers like cortisol.
Studies have documented that these effects can occur in group therapy, mindfulness groups, and communal wellness practices due to the combination of emotional support and shared experiences.
So, in other words, collective energy allows participants to access healthier states in the mind-body complex where healing unfolds naturally, creating an experience far more powerful than solitary wellness practices could achieve.
This experience has transformed my understanding of the power of collective mindfulness. What began as a simple class has blossomed into a weekly exploration of the fascinating connection between individuals when they come together in meditation.
Whether explained by scientific phenomena or the body’s natural balance systems, the effects are undeniable. Group practices offer a unique pathway to both individual and communal well-being, reinforcing the idea that we heal best when we heal together.