Protecting Your Energy Field

The energy given off by human beings can be very powerful. I know because I am extremely sensitive to other people's energy. Have you ever noticed how your mood can suddenly change by the presence of another person? How you can go from feeling low to high or energetic to exhausted in the midst of a simple conversation or interaction? This is not happenstance. It is a phenomenon created by the transfer and absorption of energy between two people.

I only started to make sense of this a few years ago when I began taking classes in holistic health, working toward a certificate in massage therapy. I had never before considered why I reacted to certain people in certain ways and in most situations, developed coping mechanisms to help me get through it. When you are particularly sensitive to other people's energy (meaning their moods, feelings and projections), you tend to be empathetic, meaning that you not only sympathize with another person's situation, but you actually put yourself in their shoes in an attempt to experience what they might be feeling. It is a very deep way of connecting with and relating to people but if it is improperly managed, it can be draining. Eventually, you have to find a way to diffuse that other person's energy from your body.

I believe that I used two different strategies - running/exercising and drinking alcohol. Running, in a very literal sense, is a great way to diffuse energy. When I run (or do any form of exercise for that matter), I am able to mentally and physically let go of thoughts or feelings that are weighing me down. Somehow, at the end of a workout session, I am back to myself and my own energy field is stronger. I used drinking as a strategy when I was younger - in high school and college - because it too released any tension I had built up and for the time being, prevented any more tension from building.

What I discovered as I got older was that I was no longer interested in using alcohol as a tool to manage my emotions. I wanted to find a healthier, more interesting way to interact with people while keeping my energy field in tact. This has been a process of exploration for me. The idea of getting centered, going inside of yourself to that place where your energy reserves run deep, to your core, is what is helping me grow out of adolesence into adulthood. It is helping me learn how to strongly connect and identify with the heart of my beliefs and my values, two things that majorly influence our energy systems. I've found that the stronger my energy field is, the easier it is for me to still empathize with people but deflect rather than absorb their energy.

I've found a couple of great ways to center myself. One of them is by taking deep breaths. To some people, it sounds silly and in the face of stress, most people forget to do it but the truth is that it really works if you decide to practice it religiously. Taking a few long, slow, deep breaths cardiovascularly reduces your heart rate and encourages the parasympathetic nervous system to kick in and help you relax. Over time, utilizing breathing strategies can help lower your blood pressure, reduce headaches and curb anxiety. In the moment, deepening your breath will calm your body and your mind and give you access to the center of your thoughts and feelings. It is a great strategy to use anytime, anywhere.

BOSU exercise is another method of centering I use on a regular basis. Nothing brings you to your core faster than closing your eyes on an unstable surface. Closing your eyes in general can be intimidating because we are no longer distracted by anything we can visually see. In a sense, we are forced to look at and interact with ourself on the inside and the experience can be very revealing. If you aren't open to it, you will get frustrated and fall but if you open yourself to the possibility of learning a little more about who you are at your core (and aren't afraid of the brutal honesty that comes with it), you will find a whole new dimension of being, energy and light that you can begin to access and tap into when you need to.

Understanding energy and how it affects other people and in turn the world around us is a complex endeavor. At our essence, all we are is energy so it seems natural that we would be sensitive to it. Learning how to cope with and manage human energy is a fascinating way to fully experience life and our relationships. The trick is to find a way that works for you and to practice it religiously.