How to Protect Your Energy, According to Reiki Practitioners

How to Protect Your Energy, According to Reiki Practitioners

As spring approaches, you may be emerging from a sort of social hibernation. Whether you're energized by other people or prefer friendly gatherings in small doses, you may be wondering how to protect your energy as you fill your calendar with lunches, coffee dates, and nights on the town. “Being around other people can take a lot of energy,” explains Natalie Bernstein Psy.D., a licensed psychologist and Reiki practitioner. “If you notice that you feel drained, empty or [like you have] a pit in your stomach, that is a sign that your energy needs to be restored.”

Understanding your energy

Every time you come into contact with others – be they your friends, co-workers, family members, or strangers at the grocery store – you experience an exchange of energy. Everything on Earth has an energetic frequency, including humans. Sometimes these exchanges are subtle and can even go unnoticed, and sometimes they can feel overwhelming. For example, if a family member is having a bad day and tells you about it, you may leave the conversation feeling overwhelmed, uncomfortable, or just exhausted - even if they just told you about their day without venting anything to you. Or perhaps a friend is feeling stressed about an upcoming project at work and is projecting their stress onto you under the guise of venting. This projection can leave you feeling just as stressed as you are right now.

"While there is no visible spark when energy is exchanged between others, a noticeable physical reaction can occur," explains Dr. Bernstein notes that people who consider themselves empaths or highly sensitive people may experience this physical reaction more deeply, making them feel "anxious, drained, or even happy, depending on the emotion conveyed." An energy exchange takes place on a subconscious level, which according to Dr. Amber can be confusing if you find it difficult to separate yourself from the energies of others. While everyone experiences subconscious energy exchange on some level, research has particularly focused on those who consider themselves empaths or are extremely sensitive to the energies of others, says Dr. Amber.

Why you should protect your energy

Energy protection is not just about avoiding “bad” energy at all costs and only seeking “good” energy. It's about protecting yourself from energetic exhaustion. It helps to think of your energy like a bank account: you need money to spend money. Energy works the same way - you need the mental, physical and spiritual energy to expend or share your energy, otherwise you will certainly overdraw your energy account, leading to burnout.

Whether you consider yourself an empath or not, learning how to protect your energy can help you put a barrier between you and burnout, allowing you to experience this ongoing energetic exchange without the risk of feeling completely fried. And the best part is that most of the best ways to protect your energy moonlight as self-care practices. Ahead, find the best tips and practices from energy healers to protect your energy from others.

How to protect your energy

Use the energy of others as a guide.

Sometimes energy protection is not just about preserving your own energy, but also being mindful of how other people's energies might trigger something in you. If you find yourself feeling ignited in a negative way by someone else's mood - be it anger, frustration, or stress - use whatever comes up for you as a "humble, loving guide" and ask yourself where this appropriate energy lives within you. suggests Reiki master Jamie Wozny. “Because life is a mirror, you can use the evidence of how others appear to you to find out where you need to treat yourself with love and without judgment,” explains Wozny. When you do this, you give this energy space to move and heal within yourself so that you no longer experience similar energy. (Wozny calls this an “energetic match”). “The mirror of your life can be a gift if you choose to see it that way,” she says.

This is a great tool for anyone who may be afraid of coming into contact with the energies of others. Not every experience will feel unpleasant – or phase you at all – but when an interaction affects you, it helps to take a moment and become aware of your experience and what it is trying to tell you.

Set boundaries – and keep them.

“One of the best ways to protect your energy from others is to make sure your boundaries are clear, both to yourself and to other people,” says Dipal Shah, a certified Reiki practitioner and alternative medicine practitioner. Shah recommends becoming more attuned to your own limitations in every aspect of your life, with particular awareness of "how far you can go before you start feeling overwhelmed and triggered" to gain a better understanding of your limitations. “By having and expressing your boundaries, you can help avoid uncomfortable situations,” she adds. This practice can look different for everyone depending on what boundaries they need. It might look like not spending as much (or any) time with people you don't feel comfortable around, or limiting certain social activities that make you feel exhausted. It might also look like engaging with someone only when necessary (e.g. at work), or muting someone else's messages and replying to them when you feel more grounded.

You may not always be aware of who or what is subconsciously depleting your energy reserves, which is why checking in with yourself regularly is a must, says Liz Andolong, Reiki master at Before Noon, a holistic self-care brand and intuitive trainer. “One of the biggest tips I can give is to simply notice how you feel and map your energy,” says Andolong. "It's as simple as pausing to check in with yourself and scan your body," she adds, noting how you can take a moment to "get clear on what energizes you [and] what depletes you." Once you are aware of this, you can work toward setting boundaries to protect yourself from situations and people that might drain you and to create more space for the things that fill you up.

For some, setting boundaries can be challenging—especially if you find that you're the kind of person that strangers are attracted to (and usually vent to even though they don't know you). The key here is to be aware of this common occurrence and practice ways to politely apologize when it happens. It may feel strange at first, but the more you try it, the more you'll find tactics that work and still feel authentic to you.

Keep a tourmaline crystal nearby.

Those dedicated to crystal healing believe that crystals serve a variety of purposes and some can be used specifically to ward off bad vibrations. The theory is that crystals can attract and protect from certain energies thanks to their high vibrations, making them a great tool for energy protection. Shah recommends keeping a tourmaline crystal in your pocket as it is known to protect against negative energies. In general, black crystals are more popular for energy protection, but tourmaline is particularly useful because it is associated with the root chakra, which is all about keeping you grounded. In addition to protecting against the energies of others, tourmaline can even help you protect yourself from your own negative energy, especially "if you suffer from negative thought patterns or emotions in your life," says Shah. (Related: These Three Little Words Make You a Negative Person—And You Probably Say Them All the Time)

In addition to putting a tourmaline stone in your pocket, you can also ward off negative energy with this deeply colored stone in areas of your home - like. B. on your front door, where you come into most contact with other people's energies - for additional protection.

Give yourself space to recharge.

Give yourself time and space to recharge, however you like it best, advises Andolong. “Some people [typically, extroverts] recharge in the presence of other people, others [typically, introverts] do this alone,” she explains. Most of the time, many people use up energy without knowing it. But if you spend some time recharging yourself, you can experience a change. “When you are recharged, you are back at home with yourself and are less likely to make decisions that drain you,” says Andolong.

Try visualization techniques.

Visualization is a powerful technique often used in meditation to relax and unwind. But it can also be used as a tool for resetting after coming into contact with the energies of others. Consider this tip as good practice for maintaining your own energy on a daily basis. "When you shower, imagine how the water washes away all the energy you've accumulated throughout the day and sends it down the drain to be recycled," says Bernstein. “Then imagine the water flowing over you, replenishing your energy and leaving you whole and protected again.”

Calm your nervous system.

Thanks to today's busy culture, many people spend most of their day with their nervous system in a sympathetic state, also known as fight or flight mode. This condition can really take a toll on you, affecting your energy and how you are affected by the energy of others. With this in mind, stabilizing the nervous system by inviting more balance – and more time spent in the parasympathetic rest and digest state – is another fantastic way to keep negative energy at bay. The best way to do this is to "be as grounded and centered in yourself as possible," says Reiki master Maureen Black. Grounding practices like walking barefoot in the grass, spending time in the sun, meditating, breathwork, and even tending to your garden or houseplants help stabilize the nervous system and allow for a deeper connection to yourself. “The more grounded and secure you are, the less likely you are to be influenced by the negative energy of others, no matter how toxic,” says Black.

Practice gratitude.

If you come into contact with someone who has an aura of unpleasant energy, practicing gratitude can help defuse the situation. "It may feel counterintuitive to share gratitude with someone who has negative or unpleasant energies," says Serena Poon, a celebrity chef, certified nutritionist and Reiki master. "However, gratitude is a powerful, loving energy that can help your energy shift while protecting your energy," she adds, noting that everyone has the power to control the energy in any space "through signs of kindness, love and appreciation."

Ultimately, everyone is influenced by each other's energies in some way, shape or form. Whether it's an energy that makes you feel really good - like the energy of a loving and supportive friend - or an energy that hurts or drains you, it's impossible to avoid each other's vibrations. “We are all energy and our energy can be influenced by others,” says Bernstein. “You are responsible for your energy and it is up to you to protect it,” she adds. With this in mind, you have a choice between absorbing the more unpleasant energies or using energy protection practices to set boundaries between yourself and others.