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The quality of the energy around you is often beyond your control. Whether the result of events past or present, an unconscious element of your own psyche, or someone else’s bad mood, bad vibes are a part of life. This makes understanding how to protect yourself from negative energy a useful—and downright essential—skill.
This isn’t about pretending that negativity doesn’t exist or isn’t a part of reality. (In this digital house, we say “no” to spiritual bypassing.) The point is protecting the peace you’ve worked so hard to cultivate from undue influence. Clearing your clutter, harnessing light, and other actions can help you protect yourself from negative energy—no matter where it may find you.
6 Ways to Protect Yourself From Negative Energy
Use the following steps to ditch, dilute, and dispel any bad vibes that don’t belong to you.
1. Clean Up
You’ve probably noticed the direct effect your external space has on your internal world. Regularly tidying and cleaning your home, office, and car allows energy to flow organically by preventing unnecessary blocks and buildups in your field. A simple decluttering may be all you need at most times although the occasional deep cleaning can also bring clarity of mind.
2. Clear the Space
If you desire an extra layer of purification post-cleanse, smudging with white sage, palo santo, or your preferred herb can used to clarify a space. (Rosemary is a favorite for clarity, protection, and its nostalgic scent.)
Should the icky stuff make its way in, as it is wont to do, clearing negative energy from yourself and your space after the fact is always an option, too.
3. Set Boundaries
Guarding yourself against the negative energies of others can be as easy as knowing your limits—and setting boundaries to match. Having set standards around the sort of interactions you’re available for, the behaviors you’re willing to tolerate, the demands placed on you, and more can help protect you from projection or emotional dumping from others.
We aren’t suggesting you avoid every difficult conversation or situation, as that would require opting out of relationships (and life) altogether. Rather, embrace the opportunity to check in with yourself. Tune into your intuition to identify which people, interactions, or situations consistently drain your energy or make you feel awful through no fault of your own. Then act accordingly.
4. Lighten Up (Literally)
There’s nothing wrong with darkness. It is, in fact, essential and beautiful. Yet light is a virtually universal spiritual symbol of pure, sacred energy.
In regard to your physical space, this means throw open the curtains, pull up the blinds, and fill your rooms with natural light. In terms of your inner landscape, try focusing on light during meditation. Choose the color and texture of your brightest, most protective light. With each inhalation, visualize a stream of that light filling you entirely. Now, choose the color and texture of the gunkiest of negative energy. With each exhalation, see that buildup leaving your being and body.
5. Leverage Your Crystals
That collection of decorative stones comes with some serious metaphysical benefits. Crystals such as tiger’s eye, black tourmaline, obsidian, and clear quartz are thought to offer psychic protection. Place these stones around your home or incorporate them into your daily wardrobe for an energetic assist. Jewelry helps here, but a stone placed in a purse or pocket works, too.
Crystals can also help to clear undesirable energy. Reach for selenite, amethyst, or citrine as aids to the aforementioned cleansing.
6. Try Shielding
Ultimately, the power to dispel and protect yourself from negative energies is at least partially contained in your own energetic field. A shielding meditation can help you to build an invisible fortress around the castle that is you.
Start by envisioning a physical bubble or veil around you. Give it a color, texture, and opacity that feels right for you. (Think opalescent, amorphic, and translucent, or gold, shimmering, and gossamer.) Sit in meditation for 5 to 10 minutes while focusing on your shield, bringing it into richer relief and asking that it protect you. You can imbue your shield with a preferred mantra, if that resonates.
As you move through the world, visualize your shield and trust that you are protected.
