This Is Not My Sadness: Techniques for Clearing and Shielding Personal Energy

There is a truth, scary and all the while inspiring, to be found among the healing community: it is overrun with empaths. Healers are tuning in, taking on, and sucking up feelings left and right. Good feelings, bad feelings. Energy that is confused, clear, excited, draining. It doesn’t matter what it is to an ungrounded, unaware empathic healer...if there is someone looking to get rid of it, it’s coming in!

Day after day empaths open up to take on the sorrows of others. It is absolutely wonderful to see such caring people who are more than willing to lend a helping hand to community members in need. Yet, as many empaths will readily admit, holding so much muddled energy can quickly become exhausting and lead to emotional, physical, or even financial burnout. The energetic connection can even become so intense that the empath may begin to experience sad, angry, or frightened feelings that do not seem to belong to him or her.

Luckily, there are simple and powerful energetic techniques that can save the integrity of a healer’s personal power, keeping them safe from what does not serve their highest good. If drain from uncontrolled empathy is an issue, give some thought to working with any or all of the following:

Feng Shui: Having work and living spaces that nurture the Soul can prove to be one of the most helpful supports for empaths. Our physical, mental, and energetic selves are profoundly influenced by the objects placed around our environment. Make sure that each object is loved and/or useful. Tune in to see that the energy in the room flows easily and effortlessly. If not, clear physical clutter and rearrange the furniture until the room “feels right.”

Visualization: For those who are highly visual in their intuition and learning this is a great way to clear the energy of a person or space. Simply imagine low-vibrating, stuck energy making its way out and being recycled into the Earth. Once clear be sure to visually fill the space and body with beneficial energy (picking a favorite color to use here can be very inspiring). Create a detailed image of disconnecting from each client after their session. Understand that this will do no harm - it simply releases the connection of that one particular session allowing for an organic healing process to occur independent of a constant stream of an outside healer’s energy. Some may find it helpful to imagine themselves standing under a shower of rainbow light after each healing as this can have a fantastic clearing and rejuvenating effect on the systems of the body.

Space Clearing: Energetic “gunk” can linger in the air after an emotional release. Be sure to clear the room between each treatment. Prayer, affirmation, chanting, and visualization are all very effective for this type of clearing. Some healers burn incense or herbs to clear the room with smoke (sage being most traditional in North America). Spraying the room with a mixture of water and essential oils is also a beautiful way to keep the space clear and vibrating with pristine healing energies. Choose oils that evoke a sense of serenity. A mixture of peppermint and pine needle works well, as does rosemary and lavender, or any combination thereof.

Crystals and Pendants: The human psyche responds with unparalleled understanding to ritual acts. Simply purchasing or making a pendant for the specific purpose of shielding one’s energy then wearing the pendant throughout the day can make all the difference. Every time the pendant is seen, felt, or put back on it becomes a physical symbol that reinforces the fact that personal energy is guarded from unwelcome experiences.

Affirmations: Affirmations are absolutely wonderful. Positive, present tense phrases encourage the mind and body to work as if the desired effect had already been achieved. Stating “I am clear and energized” can jump-start the clearing process of the body and aura. Say it after each healing session and as often as needed throughout the day.

Practicality: The very best piece of advice for avoiding energy drain is to be practical! Give ample amounts of time before starting the work day. Be sure the schedule does not feel rushed. Block out alone time. Say “no.” Stay grounded by being assertive and respecting personal boundaries.

Being a strong empath may prove difficult for some time but remember that there is a reason many of the world’s most successful healers are empaths: their natural ability to truly feel what others are feeling makes them brilliant at what they do! For the person who can refine this beautiful skill there is no limit to what can happen in their lives or work.

Professional healers are not the only ones who walk this lifetime with extraordinary empathic abilities either. Certainly we all possess the capability to tune in and experience the feelings of another. However, we must remember that holding or absorbing another person’s worries, doubts, fears, and low-vibrating energies does neither them nor us any good. The power of true empathy comes from being able to understand where someone is, listening to what they have to say, and empowering them to take courageous steps forward by using their own inherent power and good-will.

With the changes that are now beginning to manifest in this world more and more empaths are stepping to the front of the line. It is pivotal to the continued well-being of our communities that we begin to embrace, understand, and empower empathic gifts (both our own and those of others) in healthy ways. All positive global changes start on an individual basis, so trying asking “What can I do right now to help keep me clear and shielded while still connecting deeply to those I am with?” Your own intuition will show you exactly how to work and live as a beautiful, empowered empath and our changing world will thank you for it!

Daniel Sharp is a Certified Soul Coach and Shamanic Practitioner working and teaching in the Boston area. For more information call 781-763-7685 or visit www.BostonSoulCoaching.com .