6 Ways to Protect Yourself

Is your energy under assault? A rainbow Reiki healer shares the signs of energy drain—and what to do to prevent it

words: Meredith Sloane for Bodhi Tree

Ever feel drained after being with a friend, colleague or even your mate? “Energy vampire” is a term that’s used to describe a person who figuratively and literally sucks the energy out of you. They deplete it with their neediness and often they’re not even aware of it. We can all be guilty of this at one time or another. I witness a lot of this drain in my practice as a Reiki Master and in my Protecting Your Energy workshops I help my clients deal with it.

We live in a sea of moving energy. Throughout each day, we bump up against different energies that are not our own. Because energy flows in the direction of strength, we can be pulled into other “energy orbits.” Some of them make us feel lighter and lift our spirits, like those from nature, babies, laughter or a loved one. Energy vampires do the opposite.

Beware of Energy Vampires

The first step to protect against these so-called vampires is to recognize them. Who do you feel constantly drained by? Do you leave them feeling depleted while they become more energized? Do you feel sleepy around them?

Once identified, here’s how I suggest dealing with the energy vampires in your life:

Follow These 6 Steps

  1. Decide how much time you actually want to spend with this person, and stay true to this.
  2. Reset your boundaries. We teach people how to treat us. If we are open to hearing a person complaining, they will come to us to complain. Try switching the conversation to something more positive instead.
  3. Conversely, limit time spent on negative conversation. Don’t engage in it—change the conversation. Can you hold space for someone without being attached to what they’re saying?
  4. Don’t take things personally. Recognize that whatever is being said isn’t about you—it’s the other person’s story.
  5. Set an intention to keep your vibration high and take responsibility for your energy.
  6. Imagine a golden dome surrounding your body before you leave the house. Ask the universe for protection and ask that the only energy that can penetrate the dome be loving and high vibrational. Energy follows intention. The more you believe, the stronger the protection will be.