The emotional guidance scale is a ladder of 22 emotions, created by
Abraham-Hicks (Esther and Jerry Hicks), that ranks feelings from the
highest vibration (joy, empowerment, freedom) at the top down to the
lowest (fear, grief, depression) at the bottom. Its purpose is simple
and powerful: you locate where you honestly feel right now, then
deliberately reach for a thought that feels just a little better –
climbing one rung at a time. Below you’ll find all 22 emotions in order,
how to use the scale, and a full worked example of climbing it.
What is the emotional
guidance scale?
The emotional guidance scale (sometimes called the emotional scale or
vibrational scale) is a tool from the Abraham-Hicks teachings for
reading and improving your emotional state. The core idea is that
emotions aren’t random – they’re guidance. Each feeling tells
you, with total accuracy, whether you’re focused toward what you want or
away from it.
Feelings near the top of the scale, like joy and appreciation, mean
you’re in alignment – pointed toward your desires. Feelings near the
bottom, like fear and despair, mean your focus is on the absence of what
you want. Neither is “good” or “bad” in a moral sense. They’re simply
information, like a fuel gauge telling you where you stand.
The scale matters because, according to the law of attraction, you
attract more of whatever vibration you’re holding. So the higher up the
scale you can climb – genuinely, not by pretending – the more you line
up with the good things you’re wanting. Your emotions become a steering
wheel rather than something that just happens to you.
The 22 emotions
of the emotional guidance scale
Here is the full Abraham-Hicks emotional scale, from the highest
vibration down to the lowest:
- Joy / Knowledge / Empowerment / Freedom / Love / Appreciation
- Passion
- Enthusiasm / Eagerness / Happiness
- Positive Expectation / Belief
- Optimism
- Hopefulness
- Contentment
- Boredom
- Pessimism
- Frustration / Irritation / Impatience
- Overwhelment (Overwhelm)
- Disappointment
- Doubt
- Worry
- Blame
- Discouragement
- Anger
- Revenge
- Hatred / Rage
- Jealousy
- Insecurity / Guilt / Unworthiness
- Fear / Grief / Depression / Despair / Powerlessness
Read it from the top and you can feel the energy draining out with
each step down. That’s the point. When you know the order, you always
know which direction is “up” – and you never have to leap further than
the next rung.
How to climb the
emotional guidance scale
The single most important rule: you reach for the
next-better-feeling thought, not the best-feeling thought. You
cannot jump from despair (22) to joy (1) in one move – it isn’t
believable, and your feelings know it. But you can almost always find
the rung just above where you are, and that step gives you real
relief.
Here’s how to do it:
- Locate yourself honestly. Name the emotion you’re
actually feeling right now. Don’t judge it or try to skip past it –
awareness is the first step, and wherever you are is okay. - Look one rung up. Find the emotion just above yours
on the scale. That’s your only target. If you’re in worry (14), you’re
reaching for doubt (13), then disappointment (12) – not for
optimism. - Reach for a thought that matches that better
feeling. Find a thought – any thought – that genuinely gives
you the relief of that next rung. It should feel like exhaling, even
slightly. - Notice the relief, then rest there. Let the new
feeling settle. You don’t have to keep climbing immediately. Sometimes
moving up one rung is a full day’s work, and that’s a win. - Repeat when you’re ready. Once the new level feels
stable, reach for the next rung up. Little by little, you climb.
Why does moving up often mean moving toward anger from
despair? Because anger (17) is genuinely a higher vibration than
powerlessness (22) – it carries energy and a sense of “no, this isn’t
right,” which is relief compared to feeling completely helpless. On the
scale, anger is progress. This is why the scale is so freeing: it gives
you permission to feel your way up gradually instead of forcing false
positivity.
A worked example:
climbing from fear to hope
Let’s say your worked starting point is fear about
money (rung 22 – powerlessness/despair). Trying to jump straight to “I’m
abundant and joyful!” would feel like a lie and make you feel worse.
Instead, you climb.
Rung 22 – Powerlessness: “There’s no way I’ll
ever get out of this. I’m stuck.”
Reach for the next rung up…
Rung 17 – Anger: “It’s not fair. I work hard and
it still isn’t enough – I’m furious about this.” Notice the shift:
anger has energy. It feels better than helplessness. That’s genuine
progress.
Rung 15 – Blame: “The whole system makes this so
much harder than it should be.” Still not “high,” but there’s more
power in it than despair. Keep reaching.
Rung 14 – Worry: “I’m worried, but at least I’m
thinking about it and looking for a way through.”
Rung 12 – Disappointment: “This isn’t where I
hoped I’d be by now, but I’ve handled hard things before.”
Rung 10 – Frustration: “I don’t have the full
answer yet, but I know one is out there.”
Rung 6 – Hopefulness: “Things can turn around.
I’ve seen money show up in unexpected ways before, and it can
again.”
Look at the distance travelled – from “I’m stuck forever” to “things
can turn around.” You didn’t fake it, and you didn’t skip steps. You
reached for each next-better-feeling thought and arrived somewhere
completely different. From hope, optimism and positive expectation come
easily on another day. That’s how the emotional guidance scale
works.
How to do it
in the Law of Attraction Toolbox app
The tricky part of using the emotional scale from memory is two-fold:
remembering the 22 emotions in order, and finding a believable
next-better thought in the moment you most need one. The Law of
Attraction Toolbox has a dedicated, free Emotional
Scale tool that does both for you.
- Open the app and tap the Tools tab, then open the
Emotional Scale (it’s one of the free features, so you
can use it right away). - Tap the emotion you’re feeling right now to locate
yourself honestly on the scale – no need to memorize the order. - See the rung just above and use it as your target,
so you always know which better-feeling thought to reach for next. - Reach for a thought that matches that next rung,
then notice the relief before you climb again. The visual ladder keeps
you moving one realistic step at a time. - Pair it with the Appreciation Game in the
Games tab when you want a fast boost upward, and set a
nudge in My Journey → Set Reminders to check in with
your emotional state daily.
Instead of trying to hold 22 emotions in your head during a hard
moment, you just open the tool and climb. Want the scale in your
pocket? Download
the Law of Attraction Toolbox and open the free Emotional
Scale.
Already have the app? Open the
Emotional Scale tool to do this in a couple of taps.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to leap to the top. Reaching from despair
straight for joy backfires. Aim only for the next rung up. - Judging your emotions. There’s no “bad” place to be
on the scale – it’s just information. Shame keeps you stuck; acceptance
lets you climb. - Skipping anger on the way up. From the bottom,
anger is genuinely an improvement. Don’t resist a step that offers real
relief. - Forcing thoughts you don’t believe. If a thought
doesn’t give you relief, it’s too high – drop to a smaller step that
actually feels better. - Expecting to stay at the top. Everyone moves up and
down the scale daily. The skill is noticing where you are and gently
reaching up again.
FAQ
What is the emotional guidance scale? It’s a ladder
of 22 emotions from Abraham-Hicks, ranked from the highest vibration
(joy, appreciation) down to the lowest (fear, despair). You use it to
locate your current feeling and deliberately reach for the
next-better-feeling thought.
What are the 22 emotions on the Abraham-Hicks scale?
From top to bottom they run: joy/appreciation, passion, enthusiasm,
positive expectation, optimism, hopefulness, contentment, boredom,
pessimism, frustration, overwhelm, disappointment, doubt, worry, blame,
discouragement, anger, revenge, hatred/rage, jealousy, insecurity/guilt,
and fear/grief/depression.
How do I use the emotional scale to feel better?
Locate the emotion you’re feeling, then reach for a thought that gives
you the relief of the rung just above it. Never try to jump to the top –
climb one realistic step at a time and let each level settle before
reaching higher.
Why does anger feel better than depression on the
scale? Because anger carries energy and a sense of
self-assertion, while depression and powerlessness feel completely
stuck. On the way up from the bottom, anger is genuine progress and
offers real relief.
Start climbing the scale
today
The emotional guidance scale hands you something most people never
realize they have: a steering wheel for how you feel. You’re never
trapped at the bottom, because there’s always a next rung within reach.
The whole art is gentle – locate yourself, reach up one honest step,
feel the relief, and repeat. Do that consistently and your emotional set
point rises, which means your point of attraction rises too. Start where
you are, reach for a slightly better thought, and let the climb
begin.
Download
for iPhone & iPad · Get
it on Google Play
Related reading: Law of
Attraction for Beginners · 10
Fast Ways to Raise Your Vibration · Why Your Manifestation Isn’t
Working · Emotional
Scale (in the app)