Have you noticed how spending time with certain people can leave you feeling drained? 

Life throws you some curveballs sometimes.  An illness, a death of a dear friend or family member and you need a sympathetic ear.  A friend who will just listen.  But then there are people who just thrive on complaining about every negative thing in their lives….and it never seems to end.  Once in a while I can understand, but not an endless stream. I came across the following on another blog –http://thenursesshift.com/ (experience greater health, balance and abundance through holistic health choices, enhanced nutrition and a dash of Metaphysics.)

I am sure that most people can think of someone who they would rather avoid than bathe in their negativity. They may not even be very negative, but you just find that after being with them, you feel drained. What about those day’s where you are just feeling off or in a bad mood? You could have just created this mood yourself, or you could have picked it up from the person you just had coffee with. What many people aren’t aware of is that they are picking up energies from other people and these energies are not always the kind you would want. Eventually, these unwanted energies will cause diseases.

Some people are extremely sensitive to other people’s moods and energies. These people are called Empaths. Empaths feel other people’s anxiety, stress and tensions very deeply. By the way, DOGS are considered to be empaths which makes sense if you think about it – they are always watching your facial expressions and sensitive to everything. EVERYTHING is energy (even if you can’t see it) and just like a leech can attach to your leg in water (YUK), someone’s negative energy can attach to you, which is even nastier. As much as I would like to completely avoid negative energy, this is not always possible. In my work, I am in several different hospitals on a weekly basis, so I am often dealing with people who have illnesses and mental health issues, and because of this I have had to learn to protect myself.

I’ll give you an example of an experience that I had this week where someone came to me who had just been diagnosed with Cancer, and was scheduled for surgery and radiation. She was very emotional and needed someone to talk to. I discussed her situation with her and at the end of the conversation gave her a hug. Then I went about my day and almost immediately, I started to feel very drained and off. I recognized that I wasn’t feeling myself at all, but silly me, I didn’t make the connection.

That evening I was completely exhausted and went to bed really early. In fact, I actually thought I was coming down with something. I woke up at 2 am with extreme anxiety (which is something I never get). As I lay in bed tossing and turning, I started to put 2 and 2 together, and realized that this energy I was feeling WAS NOT MINE. I immediately got up, smudged (see Smudging below) myself with sage and felt better. This was a great lesson and reminder to me, not to let my guard down. I thought to myself – what did I do back when I had no idea about energy, and what do other people do who don’t realize that they need to protect themselves? The amazing news is that YOU can protect yourself from picking up the nasty energies that have no place in your life – read on…

Here are 8 simple, yet powerful ways for you to protect yourself:

1) Crystals and stones – there are many different crystals for protection. I like Black Tourmaline, Labradorite, and Hematite. I don’t leave home without mine. They should be worn on the left side of the body. Try holding different stones and see how they make you feel.

2) Smudging – originating from the Native American tradition, this is a powerful cleansing method. With an intention to remove negative energy from the body, cleanse the body with the smoke from the herbs. Sage is the most common herb used. Sweetgrass and cedar are used as well.

3) Salt bath – taking a bath in salt is very cleansing to your aura. Regular table salt or sea salts can be used. You can also add in essential oils, I like lavender, cedarwood, and neroli.

4) Affirmations – repeat to yourself 3 times: I am surrounded by protection, no negative energies can touch me, and I repel all unwanted energies. I do this at the start of my day and anytime I am in a situation with tension.

5) Surrounding yourself with a shield – I like to imagine a shield of gold light around me, other colours can be used as well. I do this several times a day. Be sure that you visualize the colour coming beneath your feet (up your soles) and sealing up.

6) Meditation – connect to your breath and get into the present moment.

7) Practice Yoga – yoga balances out the chakras and can move around stagnant energy.

8) Energy Healing – energy healers can remove all the unwanted energy, cleanse and balance the chakras, and aura. If you are dealing with very strong energies, I would recommend seeing an energy healer.

I hope you give these a try and see what works best for you. When I use these techniques I feel more in control, especially where my emotions are concerned. Protecting yourself will allow you to move through your day with more ease and energy. In the long term, keeping your energies balanced will greatly improve your health and prevent disease.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

― Nikola Tesla via http://thenursesshift.com/