Energy Protection Strategies for Empaths

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I’ve seen a lot of talk from empaths lately that revealed to me- we need to talk about self-protection and self-empowerment strategies for empaths.

If you are an empath, you know how it feels to be an emotional sponge. We can easily become bombarded and overwhelmed by the energy of others or our environment. Our sensitivity can be heavy sometimes. Without boundaries and protection strategies- being an empath can feel like a burden.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Let’s shift the stigma around empaths and empower ourselves to take charge of our empathic ability.

We do not have to be victim to the emotional world around us.

We can heal, process and protect ourselves so that we may become free to be an empowered empath. 

There are so many protection strategies for empaths to use. We can learn how to ground and how to clear our energy so that we don’t always feel drained or unintentionally absorb things.

We can do shadow work and dive deep into our own healing so that we do not get so easily triggered by the behavior of others- helping to lessen the emotional load. (Remember: triggers point to things we need to heal internally)

We can work with protection crystals and begin shielding ourselves from unwanted energy.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Before we dive in, I want to shout out all the empaths who have the natural inclination to understand and have compassion for other people’s problems and subtle energy. Being a sensitive and intuitive person is a gift and can be empowering when we know how to use it.

For starters, learning some of these energy protection strategies for empaths can help you to feel empowered by your gift instead of burnt out. Protecting your energy can help you take control of your emotional life in the best way possible.

Remember to be gentle with yourself as you learn how to incorporate these strategies and go from overwhelmed and drained to empowered.

I encourage you to prioritize practicing better self-love and better self-care anytime you feel ill, upset, overstimulated or drained.

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How can I know if these feelings are actually mine or someone else’s?

Before we dive into the specifics of how you can deal with the aftermath of picking up other people’s energy, the first thing you need to do is figure out if what you are feeling is caused by something internal or external.

This part was hard for me in the beginning of my empath journey.

Many empaths have the ability to actually feel, within themselves, the emotions of other people. That’s what an empath is, really. It can be a bit confusing at first.

Learning to reflect and separate other people’s emotions from your own is the key. 

You May Also Like: The Best Crystals for Empaths

Here’s a few questions you can ask yourself when trying to decipher what you’re feeling.

• Is there anything intense going on, collectively? (i.e. pandemics, natural disasters, political turmoil, ahem 2020 aftershock) Empaths can usually sense that stuff deeply.
• Were you around someone who was grieving, venting, angry, or upset?
• This one might sound ridiculous but, were you around other people? If you’re just beginning your empowered empath journey, this is an important one to ask! It can be as simple as that until you learn how to identify and protect your energy.
• Did you watch something disturbing on the news or tv?
• Did you witness something traumatic happen?
• Are you feeling “out of the blue” emotions?
• Did what you’re feeling now seem to surface suddenly without any personal explanation?
• Were you around someone in pain or ill?

Are you an empath too?

Answering these questions can help you to better understand the cause of what you’re feeling. Journaling it out with the above journal prompts is powerful too.

Sometimes it is not that easy to do, but with practice and intention- it can become second nature.

 

Starting with self-inquiry is the first step on your journey towards becoming an empowered empath.

 

Most Effective Energy Protection Strategies for Empaths

 

Learn How to Release

Learning how to release the energy we pick up is important to mention first and foremost. Although we CAN protect ourselves from picking up the energy of others or the collective, empaths can still be affected by external events or environments at times and need healthy ways to rid themselves of that energy.

That being said, be sure to develop a good releasing practice asap.

Here are some good ways to release energy and get back into alignment.

• Breathwork: This breathwork for beginners article is a great place to start.
• Move Your Body: dance, stretch, run, go for a walk, practice yoga- moving the body is a surefire way to release energy. Plus, we all know the many benefits of exercise!
• Rest: getting into a state of deep rest can also be a great way to release energy. When we are resting (really resting) we naturally begin to let go- mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Read my sleep care article if you need some inspiration.
• Salt Baths: soaking in crystal infused epsom salt, himalayan salt, sea salt is one of my favorite (and most powerful ways) to release energy and any tension.
• Showers: similar to baths, taking a shower under running water is a wonderful way to cleanse the aura and let go of any unwarranted energy. Just set your intention and allow yourself to release with the flow of water.
• Smoke Cleanse: burning herbs and using smoke to release energy is another powerful practice you can incorporate to help yourself let go of energy. Sage, Palo Santo, and Cedar are great options for purifying and cleansing.
• Full Moon Ceremonies: I have a full moon ceremony post here, be sure to read it if the idea of full moon release intrigues you.

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of release, let’s get into some tangible ways empaths can protect their energy. 

 

Develop a Good Self Care Practice

When you take good care of yourself and maintain good spiritual hygiene- you’re less likely to pick up on dense or foreign energy that does not belong to you. Or at least less likely to be negatively affected by it.

I have an in-depth self care guide here,  be sure to look it over and discover some ways you can take better care of yourself.

Being grounded and connected to your truth makes it a lot easier to utilize your spiritual consciousness and awareness. Cultivating that then makes it easier for you to navigate situations and be around people who may prone to drain or bombard your energy. Self care helps a ton with that. <3

Sacred Alone Time

If you’re an empath, it’s likely you already value alone time. Making sure to set aside time for you and only you daily makes it easier for us to cushion ourselves against unwanted energy entering our energetic space.

A daily 10-minute meditation in the morning or evening can be a great way to incorporate some alone time every day, even amongst a busy schedule.

 

Crystals for Empath Protection

Working with crystals is another powerful way to protect your energy as an empath.

Some crystals can put a shield around our aura- like black obsidian/ apache tear, for example.

Shungite can also help put an energetic shield around you to protect from unwanted negativity.

Black tourmaline, one of my favorite stones and essentials for energy protection- helps get rid of negativity and is an overall great protective stone too. I wear mine in a necklace almost every time I go to the grocery store.

 

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Ground Your Energy

Being grounded as an empath is essential to being able to protect your energy.

Essentially, grounding is the practice of gathering your (possibly fragmented) energy and rooting it back into the earth and present moment. This brings us back into our own power and allows us to discern more clearly.

There are so many ways to ground yourself and get back into your own body and your own power.

A few ways to ground yourself are:

• Earthing: putting your bare feet on the earth.
• Eat grounding foods: savory “heavier” meals can help ground the body as well. Eating vegetables that grow underground (beets, potatoes, carrots, etc) can also be extremely grounding for us. All about your intention!
• EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique): “tapping” or EFT is another great way to help ground your energy. Well and Good has a great article on it here.

For a complete guide on grounding, check out my How to Ground Yourself post here.

Shielding

Shielding is an energetic/spiritual practice you can use to protect your energy.  There’s many ways you can shield, I’ll list a few of them below.

• Light Bubble Visualization

Working with light is a not only a gift but a wonderful way to protect your energy. You can visualize a “light bubble,” it’s just as it sounds. Visualize a big bubble of light, I tend to use white light but you can do any color that resonates with your spirit. Picture yourself inside the light bubble, completely covered. Set the intention (you can do so through prayer or meditation) that the light will protect you from absorbing unwanted energy.

This is a quick visualizing practice that you can use at any time of the day to set up a shield of light that will serve as a barrier between you and any negative or overwhelming energy.

• Golden Egg Visualization

Similar to the light bubble visualization, the golden egg is another one you can use as an energy protection technique. For this one, instead of a light bubble, just envision a huge golden egg that you can step into and use as an energy shield.

Might sound a little odd but I’ve found it to be very helpful when I’m in situations that call for some energy protection.

• Mirror Visualization

This shielding practice doesn’t involve any actual mirrors- rather a visualization of some.

Similar to the light bubble and the golden egg, envision yourself surrounded by mirrors with the reflective part facing away from yourself.

When any energy is projected onto or toward you, set the intention for it to be reflected back to the sender.

 

BOUNDARIES

Sorry for yelling in all caps, but this one is important. I’ve noticed so many empaths and sensitive, intuitive people struggle with setting boundaries. Myself included!

It can be a challenging one. As the feelers and the healers of the world, we naturally want to help everyone and problem solve for any one and everyone… but what happens when we do that? We end up drained.

And as the saying goes, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” 

So practice setting boundaries in your personal life.

Try saying no and turning down commitments and opportunities that don’t resonate with your soul.

Stop feeling bad when you don’t want to help someone or do something.

I mean this in the most selfless way possible but- you have to start putting yourself first.

If you’re always running around fixing everyone else’s problems and giving your time and attention to everyone else’s needs- when will your needs and desires be fulfilled?

Tap into that energy of self-love and listen to what YOUR intuition is saying you need to do. How you need to spend your time. Where you need to invest your energy. You have to do this first before helping others.

And don’t get me wrong, helping others and sharing our love and energy with them is greatly important and impactful.

Just make sure you are taken care of first.

 

Prayer

Last but not least, prayer.

Now just to be clear- I am not a religious person. I don’t subscribe to the constraints of organized religion and for my own personal journey have found it much more fulfilling to be open to MANY religions and spiritual philosophies. I don’t believe in the chastising that often comes along when someone chooses to share that they believe in their own interpretation of god or pray to more than one deity / ascended master.

That being said- I respect the free will that every individual has to explore religion on their own terms and follow practices and beliefs that resonate with them.

It’d be boring if we were all the same and it’s deeply important to respect the freedom of others.

Anyways… now that I’ve prefaced with my perspective on religion- I want to emphasize the power of prayer.

Though prayer is often viewed as a religious activity- prayer really is how we talk to nature. God. Spirit. Source. Our higher self. Our guides. Our ancestors. Our angels. And so on.

It should come from our heart and include the same level of focus we apply to talking to a loved one.

We can pray for protection and know that our messages are heard and received.

You can try something like this,

“Dear _____, I pray for protection from all energies, thoughts, experiences and beings that do not have my best interest in mind. I pray that any energy sent my way to harm, distract or dilute me be blocked and transmuted into light, loving energy that benefits all. I thank you for protecting me, carrying me and blessing me. And so it is. Amen.” 

Working with a Coach or Spiritual Mentor

Putting yourself first and allowing yourself to be supported and guided makes a huge difference. It changed the trajectory of my life. It signals to your brain that it’s time for transformation and opens the door for true self alignment to occur.

A spiritual mentor who can help you to discover your gifts, learn to work with your energy, and become an empowered empath is priceless for someone who feels overwhelmed by their sensitivity and disconnected from their intuition.

My 1-on-1 program The Alchemy of Spiritual Awakening covers all of this and more. Reach out if you have questions or want to get started!

 

Hopefully some of these tips help you better protect your energy as an empath.

Let me know your favorite one and feel free to share any other techniques you have in the comments!

 

Looking for a place to connect with other empowered empaths? Join the Bloom and Manifest Facebook Community Here.