We Are Light: Exploring the Biophotonic Nature of the Human Body

Written By Michelle Kellar

Human beings have long been described in spiritual traditions as “beings of light.” Modern science is now finding surprising truths behind this poetic notion. Our bodies quite literally emit light in subtle ways, a phenomenon known as biophoton emission. Understanding that the human body is biophotonic – emitting and possibly using light – opens up fascinating insights on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our existence. Below, we explore these aspects in depth, balancing alternative viewpoints with mainstream scientific perspectives.

The Physical Aspect: The Body as a Biophotonic Emitter

Biophotons are ultra-weak photons of visible and ultraviolet light emitted by living cells cafenamaste.com. They are incredibly faint – about 1,000 times too weak for our naked eyes to see cafenamaste.com. Yet with sensitive modern instruments, scientists have detected this ghostly glow from all living organisms, including the human body. These emissions are essentially a very low level form of bioluminescence, but unlike a firefly’s glow, our light is spontaneous and non-thermal en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org.

Some key scientific findings about our bodies’ light include:

  • Ultra-weak but real: The human body emits between only a few to a few hundred photons per second per square centimeter in the ~200–800 nm range (UV to visible)cafenamaste.com. This is an extremely low intensity (around 10^−17 to 10^−19 watts/cm²), but it is detectable above thermal noise with special cameras cafenamaste.com.

  • Metabolic origin: This faint light is thought to originate from normal cellular metabolism. As our cells create energy, reactive oxygen species (free radicals) form and can excite molecules; when these excited molecules relax, they release photons psuvanguard.comphys.org. In other words, the chemistry of life – such as the interaction of free radicals with lipids and proteins – produces tiny light particles as a byproduct of biochemical reactions psuvanguard.com. Researchers have confirmed that increasing oxidative stress (e.g. by adding reactive oxygen or removing antioxidants) makes cells emit more biophotons en.wikipedia.org.

  • Daily cycles: Intriguingly, our biophoton emission appears to follow a circadian rhythm. Using ultra-sensitive CCD cameras, scientists found the human body’s glow rises and falls over the day psuvanguard.compsuvanguard.com. In one study, the face emitted the lowest light in the morning and peaked in late afternoon psuvanguard.com. This rhythm even inversely correlated with levels of the stress hormone cortisol – when cortisol was high (morning), the light was dimmer, and when cortisol dipped later, the body’s light grew brighter psuvanguard.com. Such findings hint that our inner light is linked to metabolic and hormonal cycles in the body’s clock.

Physically, detecting these biophotons requires complete darkness and sensitive photomultipliers or cameras, often with long exposures en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. Researchers have imaged faint photon emissions from human hands, faces, and bodies, revealing that certain areas (like the head and upper body) can glow slightly more and that overall emission can vary by time of day cafenamaste.comcafenamaste.com. In mainstream science, these ultra-weak photon emissions (UPE) are an accepted phenomenon, but they were once greeted with skepticism. The idea was first proposed in the 1920s by Russian biologist Alexander Gurwitsch as “mitogenetic radiation” (he even won a Stalin Prize for it) en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. Later, in the 1970s, German biophysicist Fritz-Albert Popp reinvigorated biophoton research, suggesting the emissions might be coherent (laser-like) and play roles in biology. This pushed the concept that the body’s light isn’t just waste, but potentially information.

Today, mainstream perspective acknowledges that living tissues do emit faint light tied to metabolic processes, but it remains cautious about its significance. Many scientists consider biophotons largely a byproduct of cellular chemistry and oxidative stress, not necessarily a communication medium. In fact, hypotheses that cells use biophotons functionally (for signaling or regulating biology) are still being investigated and debated en.wikipedia.org. A major criticism has been: how could cells even detect such weak signals amid normal daylight? Any biophotonic signal is millions of times weaker than ambient light, so skeptics argue it’s unlikely to carry biologically meaningful information over distances en.wikipedia.org. Nonetheless, evidence is slowly accumulating that these subtle light emissions do correlate with the state of our cells and might influence neighboring cells.

The Mental Aspect: Mind and Intention Influencing Light

One of the most fascinating intersections of science and mind is the discovery that our thoughts and intentions can affect the biophotons our bodies emit. The brain itself emits ultra-weak light, and some researchers theorize this might not be mere waste but could relate to neural functioning cafenamaste.com. For instance, it’s been hypothesized that when we form visual images in our mind (imagination), neurons may actually release photons to create “biophysical pictures” internally cafenamaste.com. In line with this, a recent experiment had people sit in a pitch dark room and actively imagine a bright light. Amazingly, this mental exercise led to a significant increase in photon emission from their heads, measured by sensitive equipment cafenamaste.com. In short, mental intention produced a measurable change in the body’s light output.

Other studies similarly suggest that mental and emotional states alter our biophoton emissions. Researchers noted that when a person changes their state of consciousness or mindset, “the quantity and quality of their biophoton emissions change as well” researchgate.net. This implies that a stressed, agitated mind might radiate a different light signature than a calm, focused mind. In fact, there is evidence that meditation can modulate biophotons. In one study, long-term meditators had markedly lower ultra-weak photon emissions from their bodies compared to non-meditators cafenamaste.com. The likely reason is that meditation reduces oxidative stress and free-radical activity in the body, thereby cutting down one source of random photon release cafenamaste.com. Less inner “noise” and stress means a dimmer overall glow – potentially a sign of more efficient, orderly metabolism. Conversely, stress and mental fatigue often go hand-in-hand with increased oxidative processes, which could make the body leak more light.

These findings lend some scientific backing to the age-old idea that a focused mind and positive intentions can influence the body. It’s as if the mind can harness the body’s light, or at least optimize it. The brain’s neurons might even use photons in a communicative way: Some neuroscientists have speculated that bundles of neurons could form light-guiding structures. For example, microtubules (tiny filaments within neurons) and even the water in our cells might act as waveguides for biophotons, channeling light signals through the brainr esearchgate.net. This is highly theoretical, but pioneers in consciousness research (including some alternative scientists) propose that the brain is a quantum biophotonic system – essentially an “optical computer” where light plays a role in thought and awarenessr esearchgate.net. If true, the saying “enlightened mind” takes on a new, literal flavor!

The Emotional Aspect: Emotions, Healing, and the Human “Aura”

Emotion and physiology are deeply linked – and the biophoton phenomenon sits at that intersection. Emotions like joy or stress manifest as biochemical changes (hormones, heart rate, etc.), so it’s reasonable they might also influence our ultra-weak light emissions. Although research in this area is nascent, what we do know is suggestive:

  • Stress vs. Calm: High stress levels flood the body with cortisol and free radicals, which can increase chaotic metabolic byproducts (hence potentially more biophoton emission). States of relaxation do the opposite. The earlier-mentioned circadian study hints at this: when volunteers were more relaxed (afternoon/evening, with lower cortisol), their bodies glowed a bit more psuvanguard.com. Yet, long-term chronic stress might diminish the order or coherence of the body’s light. Alternative research by Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp noted that healthy cells emit a stable, coherent light, whereas stressed or diseased cells emit an unstable, excessive light researchgate.netresearchgate.net. In diseases like cancer, cells seem to “lose their light control” – cancerous cells release more biophotons but in a chaotic manner, as if their internal communication has broken down researchgate.net. Healthy tissue, by contrast, holds its light more tightly, emitting photons in a more regulated, coherent way researchgate.net. This has led to a provocative idea that illness is a state of disturbed light, and healing is a process of restoring the proper light balance and coherence in our cells.

  • Healing and Intent: Emotional healing practices and positive emotion may also impact our biophoton field. There are reports (though still exploratory) that practices like energy healing, Reiki, or even compassionate intent can alter photon emissions. For example, some healers have been tested in dark rooms, and at the moment they claim to send healing energy, detectors have registered small surges of photon emission from their hands or bodies. It’s as if strong positive intention or love could induce an organized release of light – literally an aura of goodwill. Mental-emotional states that practitioners describe as “heart-centered” or “radiant” might not just be metaphors; the body could be radiating more synchronized light in those moments. Indeed, one study cited by GreenMedInfo noted that mental intention and visualization can modulate biophoton output, supporting the idea that what we feel and envision internally can translate into physical light signals externally cafenamaste.com.

  • The Aura and Biofield: The concept of a human biofield or aura is common in many healing traditions. This is described as an electromagnetic field or glow that surrounds the body and reflects a person’s physical and emotional state. Biophotons provide a plausible mechanism for a part of this aura – a literal glow emitted by the body. While an aura in spiritual terms may encompass more than just photons (possibly including infrared, heat, or even subtle energies not yet understood), the fact that we emit visible-range light that changes with our condition is striking. For example, Kirlian photography (a controversial technique that images coronal discharges from the body) has been interpreted by some as capturing the aura or biofield. It’s not exactly the same as biophoton emission, but the enthusiasm around it reflects a long-held belief that emotions and life-force glow around us. Mainstream science would caution that Kirlian effects are largely physical (moisture and electricity effects) and not proof of an aura. However, the biophoton research does validate that an electromagnetic halo exists around living beings – albeit a very faint one. Researchers have even mapped how photon emission varies by body part and time, effectively imaging a person’s energy profile cafenamaste.com. They’ve suggested these measurements could provide quantitative data on a person’s oxidative stress status in vivo cafenamaste.com. In the future, a doctor might conceivably gauge your health or stress levels by “reading” your light emissions – a high-tech aura reading of sorts.

In summary, our emotional and physiological balance seems to reflect in our biophotonic field. Practices that reduce stress (meditation, prayer, positive social connection) not only make us feel lighter emotionally, but they literally make our bodies emit light in a calmer, more coherent way cafenamaste.com. It’s a beautiful coherence between the emotional and the biophysical: when we “shine” with happiness or “burn out” from stress, our cells’ light may be following suit.

The Spiritual Aspect: Consciousness and the Light Within

Beyond the realm of cells and stress hormones, the idea that “we are light” carries profound spiritual meaning. Many ancient traditions and metaphysical teachings speak of an inner light or soul. For example, Indian yoga calls the life energy prana (often associated with luminosity), Chinese medicine speaks of Qi, Christian scripture mentions humans as “light of the world,” and mystics across cultures report experiences of divine light in meditation or near-death states. It’s compelling that science is increasingly echoing these notions. As one article aptly put it, “Increasingly science agrees with the poetry of direct human experience: we are more than the atoms and molecules… but beings of light as well.” cafenamaste.com. In other words, the new science of biophotons is validating ancient wisdom that saw living beings as luminous at the core cafenamaste.com.

From a spiritual perspective, light has always been a metaphor for consciousness, enlightenment, and life itself. Now, if we consider the scientific findings: our brains may use photons, our cells store and emit light, and perhaps there is a grand coherence of light when the body-mind is in harmony – it dovetails with the idea that consciousness and light are deeply intertwined. Some forward-thinking scientists have taken this to heart. Physicist Nassim Haramein, for instance, is known for bridging physics with consciousness studies. He suggests that on the most fundamental level, the universe is unified by a field of energy and information – essentially a field of light or vibration – and that each of us is connected to it. In his “holofractal” model of the universe, every proton and every cell in our body is like a tiny black hole linked to the cosmos, constantly exchanging information (or light) with the vacuum of space cafenamaste.com. Haramein and his colleagues have even theorized that structures in our cells (like the water inside microtubules of neurons) can support resonant electromagnetic waves – essentially light – which could be the basis of consciousness in the brain researchgate.net. This is a speculative but fascinating framework that unites the spiritual idea of a “light body” with a physics explanation. It posits that our consciousness might be literally a coherent light field interfacing with our biology. In Haramein’s view, what mystics called “the divine light within” might correspond to a real, physical phenomenon of energy resonating in our very atoms, powered by the universe’s vacuum energy.

Even outside such theories, the spiritual aspect of our biophotonic nature can be appreciated in simpler terms. Knowing that we emit light that stops at death (as a 2025 study dramatically confirmed – a mouse’s light goes out moments after life ends) phys.orgphys.org, one is reminded of the age-old descriptions of the soul as a flame or spark. It’s as if each living being has a tiny inner flame that extinguishes when life departs phys.orgphys.org. Is this mere coincidence, or is the “light of life” more than a metaphor? Science hasn’t answered that definitively, but it is striking to consider.

Furthermore, concepts like illumination or aura in spiritual parlance could have a biophysical component. When people do intensive spiritual practices, they often describe experiences of inner light or seeing light around others. We now know our bodies are continually broadcasting light – so one could imagine that perhaps heightened consciousness might increase the coherence or perception of that light. Some experiments claim that advanced meditators or healers can deliberately send out more coherent biophotons, almost as if consciousness is operating through light. Mainstream science might not fully endorse those claims yet, but the door is open for research. The convergence of quantum physics and consciousness studies is giving rise to new ideas: for example, the Orch-OR theory by Penrose and Hameroff posits quantum processes in microtubules (potentially involving photons) give rise to consciousness. Haramein’s work similarly ties awareness to electromagnetic oscillations in the vacuum structure. All these efforts reflect a broader trend – the lines between physics and metaphysics are blurring. As one writer said, biophoton research is “further confirmation that we are beings of light, and informed by light.” cafenamaste.com From the spiritual aspect, this is a satisfying affirmation: our physical light and our inner light might be one continuous reality.

Harnessing Biophotonic Healing – From Science to the EESystem

If the body indeed uses light as a fundamental mode of communication and regulation, then a thrilling implication is that we might heal and enhance health by working with that light. This idea spans both mainstream medicine and alternative “energy medicine.” On the mainstream side, light-based therapies have already proven their worth. For example, photobiomodulation therapy (also known as low-level laser therapy) uses red and infrared light to stimulate tissue repair and reduce inflammation. Studies have shown it can accelerate wound healing, improve circulation, and relieve pain in conditions ranging from skin injuries to arthritis en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org. Similarly, photodynamic therapy uses light-activated compounds to target cancer cells, and bright-light therapy treats seasonal depression by adjusting circadian rhythms. These treatments demonstrate that external light can beneficially influence the body, which makes sense if our cells are responsive to certain wavelengths.

Alternative and integrative medicine goes a step further, suggesting we can influence the body’s inner light field for healing. The concept of the biofield is often mentioned – an endogenous field of energy and light that surrounds and permeates the body. Therapies like Reiki, therapeutic touch, acupuncture, and Qi Gong are thought to balance this field. While measuring the biofield directly is challenging, biophoton measurements offer one window into it. Some practitioners believe that techniques which induce relaxation and coherence (sound therapy, meditation, etc.) may increase the order (coherence) of biophotons in the body, supporting self-healing processes. In other words, aligning our “light body” could improve our physical body’s functioning.

One cutting-edge wellness technology that explicitly builds on biophotonic principles is the Energy Enhancement System (EESystem). The EESystem is an alternative therapy setup that combines scalar wave fields with biophotonic light to create an environment conducive to healing eesystem.com. Developed by Dr. Sandra Rose Michael over decades of research in integrative biophysics, the system uses custom computer screens and generators to emit specific energy fields. These include “scalar waves” (a kind of purported longitudinal energy wave) and bio-active photonic light frequencies eesystem.comeesystem.com. Together, these energies are said to “stimulate cellular repair, improve immune function, reduce stress, relieve pain, support detoxification, and promote deep states of relaxation and mental clarity.” eesystem.com In essence, EESystem is designed to bathe the individual in a cocoon of coherent light and scalar energy, giving the body’s cells an opportunity to recharge and realign. The idea is that cells can absorb these bio-active photons and use them to restore their optimal electrical charge and communicative ability eesystems.techeesystem.com. Interestingly, the human body’s crystalline structures (like DNA, collagen, water matrices) might act as receivers for scalar/photonic energy eesystem.com. When immersed in a charged field, our cells literally light up with renewed voltage and coherence, according to the theory.

Users of EESystem often report subjective benefits: better sleep, pain relief, mood elevation, faster healing of injuries, etc., which they attribute to this energetic rejuvenation. The EESystem’s makers point to third-party studies suggesting that these bio-scalar fields can indeed influence biology – for example, raising cell membrane voltage to healthy levels (70-90 millivolts), boosting neurotransmitter and immune activity, and accelerating cellular regeneration eesystem.com. In one summary, the result of exposure to the EESystem field was “noticeable improvements in energy, mental clarity, pain reduction, detoxification, emotional balance, and overall well-being.” eesystem.com These claims align with the notion that a harmonized biophotonic environment helps bring the body to homeostasis. Essentially, EESystem is attempting to amplify our innate light for healing purposes. It’s like providing the body’s light-communication network a supportive boost, much as a nutrient supplement might support biochemical pathways.

While mainstream science might view some of these specific claims with caution (scalar waves are not widely recognized in conventional physics, for example), the underlying principle isn’t far-fetched. We know electromagnetic fields and light can affect cellular behavior – our entire visual system runs on photonic signals, and even non-visual light can set off biological reactions (e.g. UV light generating vitamin D, red light spurring ATP production in mitochondria). Thus, creating a controlled light-field environment for therapy is a logical extension. Research in biophotonics is indeed heading in this direction: scientists are investigating ultra-weak light emissions as diagnostic tools (imagine detecting illness by the slight glow of tissues) researchgate.net and even as treatment (for instance, using induced biophoton signals to trigger healing cascades). The EESystem and similar technologies from the “alternative” realm are essentially pioneers, exploring what happens if we surround the body with intentional light frequencies and scalar energies. It’s an experimental approach to see if the body’s self-repair can be accelerated by feeding it the right kind of energy.

In conclusion, the emerging picture of the human body as biophotonic is revolutionary. Physically, we now appreciate that our cells literally sparkle with tiny photons as they go about their business. Mentally and emotionally, our state of consciousness can influence and perhaps be influenced by this inner light – stress can dysregulate it, while focused intention and peace can harness it. Spiritually, the age-old intuition that “we are beings of light” finds resonance in biophoton science, suggesting that life’s essence might be intimately linked with light and electromagnetic vibration. And practically, both scientists and alternative healers are looking at ways to apply this knowledge – from light therapies to scalar-energy rooms – to improve health and consciousness. As research progresses, we may find that many phenomena (from telepathic-like cell communication to the power of prayer) have a biophotonic component. We are just beginning to understand the human light field. One day, educating people about their biophotonic nature might be as commonplace as teaching them about vitamins or brainwaves.

Ultimately, recognizing that “we are light” is both a scientific fact and a profound metaphor. It reminds us that at our core, we are radiant, interconnected with the world around us through photons and fields of energy. Whether one is an EESystem client seeking cutting-edge wellness or a scientist in a lab, the message is inspiring: light is within us and around us, guiding our cells, and perhaps even our souls, toward healing and higher awareness cafenamaste.comcafenamaste.com.

Ready to Recharge Your Light?

At Vibrational Resonance Collective, we believe healing happens when your body is immersed in the right environment—and your light knows exactly what to do from there. The Energy Enhancement System (EESystem) creates a highly coherent photonic and scalar field that supports your body’s natural intelligence to repair, regenerate, and realign.

🔹 For first-time visitors, we offer a complimentary 1-hour session so you can experience the technology for yourself.
🔹 Returning clients—explore our packages and monthly memberships designed to make regular sessions accessible and supportive for your wellness goals.

Because just like going to the gym strengthens the body… regular sessions in the EESystem strengthen your light.

Sources:

Michelle Kellar https://vibrationalresonancehealthandvitality.com/
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