If you attend classes at The College of Psychic Studies, chances are you are more sensitive than most. You are probably aware of energy, and how subtle changes in energy can affect how you feel. For example, those who visit the College building in London, UK, often remark on the wonderful energy here - the accumulation of years of healing and meditation - and leave feeling uplifted and light. Conversely, those same visitors may encounter challenging energies when navigating London's busy public transport, and may feel tense or anxious. Such is the effect of energy upon us. While we love basking in the dewy glow of positive energy, it can be almost painful when we come across negative energy. So let's look at how we can cultivate more positive energy and get rid of negative energy...
What does negative energy feel like?
The more sensitive we are, the more acutely we will feel the uplifting effects of positive energy or the dense, unsupportive qualities of negative energy. We will know that we're encountering positive energy, as we are immersed in uplifting feelings such as happiness, gratitude, love, laughter and connection. It's the feeling you get when you are surrounded by your loving friends or family, or when you are soaking up a particularly beautiful view of nature. Conversely, when we come across unhelpful energy aka negative energy, we'll feel edgy, ill at ease, anxious, tense, perhaps even angry. It can feel as if we're on the receiving end of a psychic attack. Different negative energies have different signatures, but the presiding characteristic is that it feels uncomfortable. A sure-fire way to know that you have encountered negative energy is that you want to get rid of that negative energy fast!
1 Practice self-awareness
The key to clearing negative energy is to notice it as soon as it is present. This means that we must be mindful, always. The influence of negative energy can be felt in so many ways, and different kinds of negative energy have different responses in the body and mind, which you will discover in our online course to Recognise & Clear Negative Energy. One way to notice the presence of negative energy is through our thoughts. Observe when you are stuck in a negative, unsupportive thought pattern. This is when you turn over critical commentaries in your mind, or when you judge others or yourself harshly. Monitor the quality of these thoughts. Acknowledge and be aware of these unhelpful dialogues. Self-awareness is the first step in becoming aware of negative energy. Once you have become aware of it, you can seek the source.
2 Seek the negative energy source
Once you have recognised negative energy, address the cause of it. That is, if you have noticed less-than-helpful thought patterns running through your mind, figure out the cause of them. Is the seed of this unhelpful dialogue within you? In which case, find out what that seed is. Could it be a result of past trauma, a limiting self-belief, not enough sleep, too much sugar etc? If you can find no cause for the negative thought patterns within you, look outside yourself. Are you in a situation or place or with a person - right now or recently - that may be bringing negative energy? If so, remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible so you can get to work on getting rid of that negativity.
3 Grounding and protection
One of the core topics we teach in our beginners' psychic development courses is grounding and protection. When we are properly grounded and protected, nothing can shake us! Grounding and protection is our go-to method to get rid of negative energy. There are numerous effective techniques we can use - for example we can visualise ourself in a bubble of protective silver violet light. Once we have learnt how to properly ground and protect ourselves, and we know how that feels in our body and mind, we are more able to repel negative energy. We can discern what does not belong to us - and if it does not belong to us, we can give it back or offer it to the earth to be neutralised.
4 Get out in nature
If you are still new to the practice of grounding and protection, and haven't mastered the art of keeping yourself grounded and protected in your daily life, go outside for a long walk. There's little better than a walk in nature - whether the woods, the park or the beach - to clear negativity. Better still, walk without shoes. Of course, it's not always possible to go barefoot, but there's real benefit in kicking off your shoes and getting the soles of your feet on the earth. It helps to ground us, neutralise negative energy and return us to our natural state of balance. This is especially important for those who live in cities.
5 Smudge yourself
Smudging with fragrant smoke helps to clear away negative energy. Burn sage, frankincense or palo santo and waft the smoke through your auric field. Burning incense - whether a loose blend or stick - is great for clearing negativity and uplifting a space, including the auric field. These smudging techniques are borrowed from various traditions and have been used for aeons to get rid of negative energies. See how you feel before you smudge your aura, and how you feel afterwards.
6 Have a shower
If you don't have any smudging materials to hand, have a shower. Showers are not just great for cleansing us physically, they can clear us energetically too. They are a great reset. Stand under the water and as it washes over you, imagine it carrying away denser energies into the earth where it's neutralised. As it cleanses you, give thanks to the water for assisting you in getting rid of any negativity. Gratitude is a high-vibration frequency that can counter the heavier negative energies. You'll step out of that shower as clear as a crystal! Not all of us have access to a bathtub, but a good soak in an Epsom-salted bath can also work wonders in getting rid of negative energy.
7 Clear your living space
Now that you have properly cleared yourself of negative energy, turn your attention to your living spaces. There are a myriad of ways to cleanse and remove negative energies from our home. We can smudge ourselves and our space with sage or other cleansing, purifying herbs. We can also burn frankincense - another very effective ingredient for purification. Or you can use cleansing crystals such as selenite or clear quartz. Sound is also great - singing bowls, shamanic drums and Tibetan cymbals all help in clearing negativity. Using any of these tools is a particularly good practice if there has been an upset or trauma in the home, or if there has been an unwanted visitor.
8 Get rid of negative energy at work
Unless you work at a place like The College of Psychic Studies, your office may not take too kindly to the burning of sage and incense! If you are looking for a subtle way to get rid of negative energy at work, try placing a peace lily on your desk. Nature has an extraordinary power to transmute negative energy. Alternatively, choose a clearing crystal such as selenite or clear quartz that you can keep at your work station. Just remember to cleanse it regularly - it will be working hard on soaking up the negativity, and will need regular cleansing to remain effective. Everyone has their own space-cleansing favourites. Experiment to find yours.
9 Surround yourself with likehearted people
As you work on getting rid of negative energy from your life, do a friend audit. Those we spend most of our time with have the greatest effect on our state of mind and wellbeing. Happily, we can choose our friends - so choose them wisely. If someone doesn't make you feel good, then limit the amount of time you spend with them. Find a tribe that uplifts you and brings positive energy to your life.
10 Do what you love
The best way to get rid of negative energy is to keep your own energy positive and uplifted. This means doing what you love. Follow your heart, find your passions and dedicate yourself to all your favourite things. Do more of what you love, whether that's drawing, tarot, writing, yoga, running, jigsaw puzzling, playing with kittens, travelling, cooking or taking classes at The College of Psychic Studies! Celebrate yourself and your hobbies and interests. The more we can uplift our own energy, the less likely we will get pulled down by negative energy.
What does 'get rid of negative energy' really mean?
Rather than thinking of energy as 'negative', it's helpful to think of it as 'challenging' or 'unsupportive' or 'unhelpful'. This kind of energy offers us opportunities for healing and growth. When negative energy shows up in your life, consider what it is showing you. Perhaps you need stronger boundaries around some situations or people. Or maybe you need to release a situation or behavioural pattern from your life. Similarly, it's helpful to think of 'getting rid of' as a process of 'transmuting' or 'releasing' or even allowing something to leave by removing the things that hold it there. Ultimately, negative energy offers us a way to heal if we allow ourselves to learn from it, rather than reject it outright.
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