Protect Your Energy and Peace Through Energetic Practices

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Tell me… What can you do to protect your energy when the world around you is unpredictable, and even chaotic?

We all know the feeling of being low on energy, but not tired in a physical sense. It’s an energy deficit that’s different from just needing a nap. This is where it helps to understand the different types of energy we all need, what fuels that energy, what drains it, and how you can protect it.

Whether it’s protecting your energy from others, protecting it from circumstances, or both, it’s not easy. Especially when so much of the world is out of your control. There are practical things you can do like prioritizing sleep, eating well, managing your time and so on, but… What if you do all that, and still find yourself low on energy? Where do you go from there?

The Four Types of Energy

The 4 energy types are: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Here’s what they can include (this is not a complete list, but meant to give you an idea):

Physical – The energy in your body, your sense of sleepiness and wakefulness, your physical health, etc.
Mental – Your ability to approach problem solving, read complex texts, recall what needs to be done, prioritize tasks, etc.
Emotional – Your feelings towards yourself and others, the health of your relationships, lingering emotional states, etc.
Spiritual – Your connection to something larger than yourself, whether that be a religion, the Universe, nature, science, etc.

Whenever your energy in one of these areas is drained, it impacts the others and can lead to:

Feelings of malaise or fatigue
Persistent feelings of restlessness, anxiety or irritation
An inability to make decisions
Lack of clarity on what will fuel you or what you want to work toward
Lack of motivation
Low sense of self-worth
Being easily distracted
Trouble connecting with others
Feelings of “stuckness”

It’s normal for your energy levels to ebb and flow as you use it and refuel it, but if you consistently feel drained and nothing you do seems to help (and you’ve ruled out medical issues), you are likely leaking energy in some area(s) of your life, and that leak needs to be addressed.

Energy is Finite

You have a finite amount of energy, so it’s critical to spend it with purpose.

Let’s say you’re given 100 watts of energy at the start of each day. It’s your responsibility to decide how it will be used. If you aren’t intentional about what or who gets to have your energy, that 100 watts can get depleted pretty quickly, and often on things that aren’t in line with your values or purpose.

You can even end up “borrowing” from tomorrow’s energy, so that you start the next day with even fewer watts, which can quickly snowball into burnout.

As someone who has been through more than one burnout, I know how devastating it is. To protect myself, mindfulness has become a way of life. I don’t want to experience burnout again and ingraining mindful habits into my daily life empowers me to develop a natural awareness of how I’m spending my daily energy watts.

Meditation is one of the most well-known mindfulness practices. From personal experience, I can tell you that the benefits are incredible. But any ritual that you practice with intention and repetition can be a form of mindfulness, keeping you in touch with your state of being, and regularly taking stock of where you’re at and what you need.

In many situations, however, mindfulness alone isn’t enough to protect our limited energy stores. This is where I’ve found energy work to be a lifesaver.

“Energy Work? Can’t I Just Rest?”

Persistent feelings of low energy, with no physical or medical cause, usually come down to an issue with one (or all) of the other energy types. Physical rest can help with symptoms, but it won’t address the root cause.

As a Master Practitioner of Energy Medicine, I’ve seen and experienced the impact energy healing can have in not only protecting energy, but also restoring it and removing energy blockages.

As a Master Certified Executive Coach who works in corporate environments, I also see a great deal of skepticism when it comes to alternative practices like energy work. In these situations, I tell clients two things:

If you want something different, you have to do something different, and…
What do you have to lose?

We cannot solve problems with the same mindset that created them. People in executive roles understand this very well, and framing it in this way opens them up to something really different. Even something as “out there” as energy work. As the icing on the cake, there’s nothing to lose in trying it, and so much to gain!

I’ve long believed in the power of energy work, but experienced its impact most strongly during the height of the Covid pandemic. Not only did I benefit, but sharing practices with clients empowered them to lead themselves and others through that chaotic, stressful time. Many of those clients have continued with energy work, as they found it created such positive, meaningful shifts for them.

Energetic Practices that Protect Energy

There are several practices in the realm of energy work that all serve different purposes in different circumstances.

When it comes to protecting your energy, there are the 7 practices I recommend most often, many of which can be practiced on your own, or with a certified practitioner.

These practices have indigenous origins that span the globe. A huge part of energy work is about connecting with the natural world, and many ancient cultures share that element. If you choose to try these techniques, I encourage you to learn about their indigenous roots and to be respectful in your practice, intentional about not appropriating what belongs to someone else, and aware that we have knowledge of these practices today because of generations of people who fiercely protected their culture.

Fire ceremony

One way you can “leak” energy is when you have strong emotions that you can’t get past.

Emotions like grief, shame, anger, resentment, jealousy, sadness, worry and so on all serve a purpose; usually to teach something. However, it’s common to get stuck on them, long after their message has been delivered. These emotions place a huge demand on our energy, and can leave you feeling emotionally, spiritually and mentally exhausted.

A fire ceremony is a healing ritual that empowers you to take that emotional experience outside yourself and actively release it. For especially strong emotions, you may need to perform the ceremony more than once, and that’s ok. Each time you practice the ceremony should feel like a weight has been lifted, and your energy will begin to refuel, bit by bit.

How do you actually shift your emotions and energy in this way? You don’t. The fire does it for you. That’s why it’s so powerful. It’s not you doing it in your mind; you are opening to something much greater.

Here’s how to perform a fire ceremony on your own, or with someone you trust.

Smudging

Smudging is a practice of shifting the energy within a space. Environment has a big impact on energy, so practices that optimize your environment are powerful tools.

With smudging, take the time to think about the positive energy you want to invite in, as well as the negative energy you want to clear out. For example, you may want to bring in protective, loving, peaceful, joyful, or even creative energy. Think about what you want the space to be for you and how you want to feel within it.

By clearing out draining, negative energy and inviting in something good, you’re actively protecting your personal energy. Especially if your concern is how to protect your energy as an empath, introvert, or highly sensitive person, you know how impactful external energies can be, and this will go a long way to protecting your inner peace.

Here’s how to practice a smudging ritual in your home or workspace.

“Return to sender”

This is a practice I often recommend when it comes to how to protect your energy from a narcissist or toxic personality, or from someone who isn’t toxic, but who is passionate about a point of view that really doesn’t align with your values.

We have no control over other people’s energy and it can be so draining to our own well-being. While you can’t control other people, you do get a say over how you respond to them, and how much of your energy you give them.

When someone says or does something negative, notice the behavior for what it is: a reflection of their issues. Say to yourself, “Please return to sender” and visualize the negativity being pushed away like a little cloud of darkness. You don’t have to accept everything people try to give you; you can send it back.

There’s a short video here from Access Consciousness that talks more about this practice.

When it comes to toxic people, you can also try keeping a piece of rose quartz with you, which is a healing crystal that promotes calm and inner peace.
Sand painting

Sand “painting” isn’t really painting, but creating a temporary image using items from nature, or items that are meaningful to you. It demands connecting with your inner leader and letting it guide you in choosing and placing your items.

A key element of sand painting is that it is temporary. In many ways, this practice is symbolic of change. You will have it for a time – and it may shift during that time – and then it will be disassembled; each element returned to its home. That physical change will mirror an energetic change within you, as you explore where you are at today, and intentionally move yourself closer to where you want to be.

Here’s how to practice sand painting to actively protect your energy.

Bands of Power

The Bands of Power are a concept I learned through training with The Four Winds Society. This is the one technique in this list that can only be practiced with a certified energy practitioner, as it involves “installing” these invisible bands.

In this practice, there are 5 invisible bands, which are layered over the body’s chakras during a session with an energy practitioner. These bands are black (connected to the earth element), red (connected to water), gold (connected to fire), silver (connected to air), and a final band called Spirit Band, which is connected to pure light.

The bands strengthen your connection to these natural elements, and also act as filters against toxic and negative energies, allowing you to move through the world with greater ease and confidence.

As a certified practitioner, I am trained in performing the Bands of Power, and invite you to connect with me if you’re interested in the practice.

Cord Cutting

When you are stuck on a person – an old relationship or negative connection with someone – energy medicine understands this as an energetic cord, keeping you connected to that person. These cords are like conduits of energy, constantly draining you.

Author Gabrielle Bernstein has developed a powerful visualization meditation for cutting these ties. It can be practiced on your own, or with a guide, and it will help you create an energetic shift that cuts off the conduit, even if you don’t cut off the person.

She has made the meditation available on her YouTube channel, and I encourage you to try it if you feel you have one of these connections. You may need to practice it more than once, or even after every interaction with this person. If that’s the case, know that by taking that time – the meditation is under 20 minutes – you’re protecting yourself from a massive energy drain.

Salt Baths

As an energetic practice, salt baths differ from regular baths mainly in the intention and ritual you bring to it.

I regularly recommend salt bath to clients as part of their follow up to energy sessions. When you release what no longer serves you, a salt bath helps deepen the energetic “detox” process.

For a salt bath, it’s important to use a natural salt such as Himalayan, sea or Epsom. This matters as much for the energetic benefits as it does for the physical benefits.

Add one cup of natural salt to your bath, one cup of baking soda (optional), and an optional few drops of lavender oil or other essential oil (choose a scent that feels soothing and peaceful to you). You can also include atmospheric elements such as scented candles, crystals, plants, and music. This article provides a few more tips for the practice.

Set your intention before getting into your bath. Think about the negative energies you want to wash away, and the healing energy you want to invite in. Soak in your warm bath for no more than 20 minutes. This is a great practice for after energy work, or as a weekly routine to restore and protect your energy.

The Hero’s Mindset

Mindset is a huge part of protecting your energy, as well as in determining the protective practices that are right for you.

A hero’s mindset is a mindset that centers you as the main character in your story. Like anyone else, a hero cannot control the world around them. What a hero does is take unconditional responsibility for how they show up in the world, and how they respond to what comes up.

Many of us get caught up in disempowering stories without even realizing it. We position ourselves as the victim, the persecutor, the rescuer, or some other role where we are at the mercy of circumstances. Mindsets like these often get reinforced by what we see around us, making us understand it as the truth. It becomes a massive drain on our energy.

What’s actually true is that you can fully control your experience of the world by adopting a hero’s mindset. In times of stress, overwhelm, fatigue and so on, ask yourself, “As the hero of my own story, how will I respond to this?”

A hero doesn’t settle for just letting life happen to them. They find ways to make it happen for them, keeping in mind that heroes also never hesitate to ask for help ;)

You deserve to protect your energy at all costs. Flight safety advises us to put our own oxygen masks on first in an emergency. Otherwise, we could lose consciousness and be unable to help ourselves or others. A true hero cares for their own energy first because they know it’s what they deserve and what’s best for the people they care about.

Affirmations to Protect Your Energy

Energy work can have a massive and immediate impact on your energy, and you’ll want to maintain the effect. Affirmations are a mindfulness practice that can help ingrain an experience more deeply.

Personally, I like to work with one affirmation at a time, allowing it to fully sink in through intentional repetition over at least 30 days. I write mine on a Post-It and put it beside my bed to start each day with a reminder of what I’m working on and why.

Here are a few affirmations that can help you develop the habit of protecting your energy:

“I’ve got this.”
“I know how to handle difficult situations.”
“I am worthy of my peace.”
“My energy is mine to use the way I want.”
“I am the CEO of my life. I call the shots.”

The Bottom Line in Protecting Your Energy

Two things are true:

There is so much out of our control, and people who make unfair demands on our energy.
We are the only ones who can take responsibility for our energy and we owe it to ourselves to do the work.

You might be asking which energy techniques to try. Start with the ones that resonate with you, and stay open to things you’ve never considered before. Remember, if you want something different, you need to do something different. As a daily practice, I do a fire ceremony every morning so that I can be fresh and energized with my clients, and not carry over anything that might drain me or any of my clients. See what works for you daily, weekly, or quarterly.

If you would like to learn more about energy work and its potential in empowering you to live the energized life you deserve, I invite you to connect with me.

Protect Your Energy and Peace Through Energetic Practices