Have you ever noticed your energy “drained”? Perhaps it comes from some adverse situation currently happening in your life. Or, it happens whenever you are in a particular place, or with certain people who seem to suck energy right out of you.  

Shamanism is an ancient form of spiritual practice and healing, and I work as a shamanic healer and teacher. One of the most basic parts of the practice is to understand the energy or spirit body, and how to keep it healthy. Think of it as strengthening one’s “energetic immune system.” Just as your physical body has an immune system that protects you from bacteria, viruses, and toxins, it is important to have protection in place on a spiritual level.  

Thinking of energetic protection, the first thing that may come to mind are such meditational techniques as imagining a protective shield around oneself. But I find that the first step is actually to examine one’s core beliefs: 

• Do you believe that the Universe is user-friendly, that whatever you might call God/Goddess, Spirit, or Higher Power wants you to be happy?
• Do you believe that you deserve to be happy?
• Do you believe that you deserve to be protected?
• Do you believe you deserve to have energy?
• Do you trust yourself to use your personal power in a positive way, to help yourself, fellow humans, and the whole Cosmic Web of Life?
• Do you believe you were born with talents to express and share with others, and a mission in this lifetime that only you can fulfill?

After dealing with these core beliefs, there are many visionary practices that can help you with energetic protection. Here is a whole sequence that I use, which combines several practices in a powerful way.

Energetic Protection Exercise

1. Energy Body. Become aware of each part of the physical body by moving it gently: head, shoulders, elbows, hands, spine, hips, knees, and feet. Notice the energy (“chi” or “prana”) within the body as well as the electromagnetic field (“aura”) around each part of the body.
2. Sphere. Get in touch with your own energy field. Feel that you’re enclosed in a bubble, a sphere that surrounds you 360 degrees. It’s above you, below you, to your right and left, in front of you and behind you, and every point in between.  This is your own sphere of energy. No one else is here, only you.  You can do any kind of movement that you want. You can be as strong and powerful as you want. You can feel any feeling. You will not hurt anyone, because only you are in your sphere.  You can also be as soft and relaxed as you want because no one else is in this sphere, and you don’t have to worry about anyone else because you are the only one in this sphere.
3. Column of Light. Now imagine you are standing in a column of light that extends infinitely upward to Upperworld and infinitely downward to the Lowerworld. This light encompasses you here in the Middleworld as well. These are the three areas in the spiritual world in shamanism. This is the light of goodness, protection, and empowerment. Inhale this power. You are protected in every level of being throughout all planes of existence. Stand in this Light and become more and more present and empowered by repeating the simple words, “I am.”
4. Inner Sun. Imagine a sun radiating outwards from within the center of your body. It is a perfect sphere: it radiates above you, below you, to both sides of you, in front of you, behind you, and every point in between. This is your own powerful radiant energy. It warms everyone around you, but if anything negative would try to harm you, it would just burn up, without you having to do any more than radiate your own wonderful Light. This inner sun protects you. Now walk around the room feeling this radiant sphere of your own light from within. Notice if any part of the sphere seems less energized than any other part, and send more energy to that part so it’s completely protected. Notice the spheres of the other people in the room.