Aura farming: Gen Z’s latest vibe obsession explained

It's a lazy gloomy afternoon and you are casually scrolling through your Instagram reels when you catch on a certain trend constantly popping in your feed. At first you are unable to grasp the content or understand the significance behind but slowly it sits onto you, and BAM you're hooked. If these reels showcase people standing silently with their shades on exuding effortless cool, you have just witnessed Aura Farming in action.

Unlike bold and loud self-promotion or fashion statement, this one is letting your energy do all the talking. Best way to describe this trend in three words: unbothered, elegant, and deeply intentional.

What is Aura Farming and where did this come from?

Aura Farming gained its first charm in anime circles where stoic characters with powerful presence were idolised. The characters didn't have to be loud or yell at someone to get noticed; they were simply the moment. Gen Z was fascinated by this charm of subtleness while exuding cool x 1000. Now, Aura Farming is basically walking into a room and instantly owning it without saying a word. You do not say a word, it's all your energy that does the talking (since Gen Z is heavily biased towards energy now).

Coming to the actual trend part which made it go full-blown commercial on social media. This may come as total shock, but an 11-year-old Indonesian boy made it go crazily viral on the gram. A boy named Rayyan Arkan Dikha, who stood still on a traditional longboat during the Pacu Jalur race dressed in black, sunglasses on, completely composed. The clip went viral, earning him instant internet fame and becoming the ultimate aura farming template.

Check out his video here:

Timothee Chalamet's portrayal of Paul Atreides in Dune is the perfect example for this trend- calm, cool, and captivating with minimal effort. Celebrities and influencers quickly caught onto the trend and began churning out content on Instagram. From Travis Kelce to F1’s Alex Albon and even the PSG football squad, the silent flex became a staple across feeds. Creators are even posting slow motion reels on their feed, POV reels, and aesthetic montages with captions like:

"POV: you're silently farming aura"

"Not showing off, just farming aura"

Is Aura Farming a fad or a feeling in 2025?

What sets this viral trend apart is its balancing act, it's both tongue-in-cheek and quietly profound. From the surface level it may look like just a regular another viral Instagram/TikTok trend but in a deeper level it taps into something crucial. It's the longing to feel grounded and composed amidst chaos and digital distraction surrounding us 24 x 7. If you catch on its significance, it’s curating your online persona in a way that feels both elevated and authentic.

In a world where people are chasing perfection and portraying all-dolled up life on the internet, it resonates because this offers something real. The trend leans onto minimalism, stillness, and understated energy. It silently whispers the most magnetic energy: I am enough, exactly as I am.

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