LOUISE ANDROLIA
I understand holistic living as respecting the divine trio that is our mind, body and spirit. We can learn to change our thought patterns and we can care for our physical bodies, but without working on the spirit—which is the energetic self—it is hard for us to feel overall balance.
Your unique energy field extends about six feet around you. All of your thoughts, feelings, dreams and fears are there with you. It is your space.
When you feel heavy after a stressful day at work or spending time with someone who projects negativity, it’s because you have picked up energy that is not your own. We are connecting to energy when we feel uplifted upon walking into a love-filled room and when we cry for someone else's pain.
While we want to share our space and personalities with others, we do not want to be too tied to each other. With our energies protected, we step into our strongest personal power and health and are able to be the best healers for other too.
There are many ways to work with your energy, including meditations and mantras, but I would like to share some visualisation techniques for protecting, clearing and grounding:
To Protect Energy
For the spirit, the most powerful ability we have is to visualise. Even if it sounds strange, just give it a go. I first became aware that the exercises worked because I noticed that I felt different when I didn’t do them. These exercises are not just good for you; they help others avoid feeling effected by all of your experiences too! For day to day energy protection, here’s one way to feel safe in your space and strong in your surroundings. At the start of your day visualize (or see, imagine) something protective around yourself. There are no wrongs or rights, whatever feels good for you:
1. A bubble.
2. A bright white, gold or violet light. (If you are interested in color therapy, you can try various colors for different situations).
3. A shell.
4. A suit of armour.
5. A floor-length hooded cloak or even an invisibility cloak.
You don't need to think about this all day, but you may reinforce if you are in a crowded space where you know the energy might be quite strong like a hospital or church. Here’s a strategy for when you’re around people who are negative, angry or upset:
1. Visualise a mirror between you and them to keep your energies separate. You can even visualise this mirror over the phone.
2. Visualise the bubble, light or any of the above around your friend or colleague.
3. Visualise them physically moving further away and out of your energy space.
To Clear Energy
When you notice that you have picked up energy from people or places, you may feel tired, dizzy, anxious or just a sense of being drained:
1. Visualize yourself in a shower of light, removing all of the dust and energy that is not your own.
2. Visualize yourself under a powerful waterfall, the water clearing your space.
3. Visualize a pair of scissors snipping little cords that tie you to other people or situations.
To Ground Energy
When we are present in the moment, we are energetically grounded. When we flee from the present to the past or the future, we become ungrounded. We can also unground from travelling, spiritual work, stress, anxiety and even a change in the weather. Being ungrounded can make us feel tired, disconnected or dizzy. Here’s how to quickly connect back to the earth element:
1. Visualize roots coming out of the soles of your feet and into the ground, digging deep to tie you to the earth’s core.
2. Visualize your spine extending from your body and rooting you into the ground.
In general, we must nurture this magical sphere around us. Through understanding our holistic selves, we release our fears of feeling off-balance because we know we can realign ourselves, step by step.