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Feeling negative energy


4 Signs to Look For

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on November 24, 2020

In this Article

  • What is Negative Energy?
  • Types of Negative Energy
  • Signs of Negative Energy
  • Dealing With Negative Energy

What is Negative Energy?

We may not have the technology to measure it, but you probably know what negative energy feels like. It can come from negative people, from your surroundings, or from your own psyche. It can leave you exhausted both mentally and physically. Negative energy perpetuates itself, therefore, breeding more negativity. Learning to deal with negative energy is important for your health and happiness. 

Types of Negative Energy

You can't really deal with negative energy until you learn its sources. These three sources may be influencing your feelings of negativity:

Negative People

You have probably had the experience of feeling positive or negative energy from a person. Some researchers believe that such energy is real and measurable. Others believe humans pick up on anger, sadness, and other negative emotions that others project. We are good at reading those through verbal and nonverbal cues even when they aren't openly expressed. 

Negative Environments

You may have experienced feeling very comfortable in some environments and uncomfortable in others. Sometimes this is because of the experience that you associate with the place. You're unlikely to be as comfortable in the dentist's office as in a friend's home. But there is also evidence that the physical details of your surroundings can impact your mood. Clutter, for example, can create stress and even interfere with your sleep. Environments that make you uncomfortable may be described as having negative energy. 

Negative Self-Talk

Self-talk is the flow of mostly unspoken thoughts that run through your head. Negative thoughts can harm your health and well-being. Positive thinkers are less susceptible to colds and have better cardiovascular health. They are less likely to be depressed and likely to live longer. Being a positive thinker doesn't mean that you ignore problems. Instead, being one can better your ability to deal with them. 

Signs of Negative Energy

If you have been experiencing negative energy in the form of people or places, or if you have been engaging in negative self-talk, you may experience these signs and symptoms:

You're Critical

Being critical of others is a way to blame your discomfort on someone or something else. Although criticizing others may make you feel better at first, it seldom feels good later, especially if you have been critical in front of an audience. 

You Complain a Lot

Complaining occurs when we express the negative talk in our heads out loud. Complaining can become such an ingrained habit that you don't realize when you are doing it. When you complain, you are putting your negative energy out where it can affect others.

Your Health Is Suffering

Negative emotions can cause stress, which in turn impacts your health. Stress can destroy your body's hormone balance, impair the immune system, and drain your positive brain chemicals. Negative energy in the form of poorly expressed anger can cause dysfunction of the heart and digestive system.  

You Can't Sleep

Repeated negative thoughts are associated with poor sleep quality. It's unclear whether the lack of sleep triggers negative thinking or whether the negative thoughts keep you awake. Maybe the combination of negative thoughts and poor sleep creates a vicious cycle in which each element makes the other worse.

Dealing With Negative Energy

Whether your negative energy comes from other people, your environment, or yourself, you can take these four steps to reduce it:

Deal With Negative People

You'll be happier if you associate with positive people, which may mean rethinking your social circle. It may not be possible or desirable to remove all the negative people from your life. However, you can find ways to maintain positive energy in their presence. One is to imagine an aura of positivity surrounding you like a shield.  Another is to use humor to create positive energy.

Create a Positive Environment

Decluttering your home and workspace can get rid of negative energy. Hold on to useful things and the items you love, and get rid of the rest. When you are tempted to buy more stuff, remind yourself that things don't bring happiness. 

Work on Yourself

Experts have a long list of practices that can get rid of negative energy. Some of their suggestions include:

  • Get regular exercise
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Spend time in nature

You might find value in meditation or a mindfulness practice. One study found that being mindful can make mundane tasks like dishwashing into positive experiences. Whether or not you meditate, repeating a calming mantra can keep your positive energy flowing.

24 Ways to Clear Negative Energy From Your Body and Home • Yoga Basics

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Negative energy is something that everyone experiences at some point or another. Whether it’s a bad day at work, a stressful situation at home, or even just being around someone who has a bad attitude, negative energy can affect us in ways we don’t always realize. Negative energies are harmful to our health—it can cause us stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc. If you want to cultivate more positivity and good vibes in your life, consider using one or more ways to clear negative energy out of your body or home.

Signs you have bad energy in your home

If you feel sluggish, tired, or depressed after spending time at home, it could be because of negative energy building up in your space. Houses with positive energy feel fresh, relaxed, and vibrant. Negative energy makes people feel overwhelmed, smothered, and restless. People who live in houses with positive vibes feel good, happy and relaxed being there.

Clutter can cause energy to stagnate and negative energy to accumulate in your life. If you have a messy home, you’re probably attracting disorganized, messy, and chaotic energies to yourself. Notice how your feelings and energy changes after you arrive and leave your home. If you notice dramatic changes, then this is a sure sign there are some bad vibes in your home.

How to clear bad energy from your home

The first step is to cleanse your home by removing any objects that hold negative emotions, including old photographs, books, clothing, furniture, and anything else that might cause distress or depression. Next, use one of the below cleansing rituals to clear out bad energy from your home. Lastly, contemplate what you can add or change to welcome in more happy and healthy vibes into your home.

You can do cleansing rituals alone or with others. Some people prefer doing them alone because they don’t want to disturb anyone else. Others prefer doing them with friends or family members because it makes the experience more fun and relaxing. You can combine several of the below techniques for your cleansing ritual.

  1. Clear out clutter
    Clutter is one of the biggest sources of stagnant energy and stress in our homes. Clutter makes a room feel unwelcoming and uncomfortable. Remove all unnecessary clutter from your house to allow light and warmth to enter and to encourage a fresh and relaxed state of mind. If it’s not obvious what should stay and what should go, take some time to think through your belongings. What items do you really love and use? What items do you only use once in a blue moon? Do you actually need them? Can they be replaced by something else or stored away? You can experiment on how your belongings contribute to the energy of your home by temporarily putting things in storage or moving items around.
  2. Air everything out
    The easiest ways to clear negative energy from your home is by letting it all air out. Open your windows to let in fresh air, turn on fans to circulate the air, and crack open closet doors or drawers to release trapped energy. You may want to leave the house during this process and burn some incense or sage upon your return.
  3. Burn incense
    Incense is a great way to clear out negative energies. Burning a stick or cone will release any bad vibes and toxic energy to leave your space feeling refreshed. Palo santo is a type of fragrant wood that’s native to South America and can be burned as an incense. It is believed to be a vigorous energy cleanser; just burn one end of a stick, blow it out and let the smoke spread through your room.
  4. Do a simple smudging ritual
    The sage smudge ritual is a great way to clear out any negativity that might be lingering around your house. You can cleanse your room or entire home by burning a dried sage bundle. White Sage cleanses and purifies, and when burned properly, releases negative energies. Let the sage bundle burn for 10-20 seconds, and then blow it out. You place it on a fireproof surface like an abalone shell, a traditional vessel used among Native Americans.
  5. Ring a bell or gong
    A quick and easy way to clear out bad energy is by ringing a bell or gong in your room. The sound will vibrate through your entire house to release any negativity. Tibetan singing bowls are especially nice to use for clearing out bad vibes and welcoming in positive influences.
  6. Salt the corners of each room
    If you live in a house where the energy feels blocked, try sprinkling a small amount of salt in the corners of each room. This will draw out any bad vibes and cleanse the space. After a few days, sweep or wipe up the salt and throw it away, visualizing you tossing out the bad vibes. Alternatively, you can use one or more salt lamps to purify the air and space in your room.
  7. Add houseplants 
    Healthy houseplants create an environment of calmness and peace. House plants have been used throughout history to keep homes healthy and happy, and tending to them increases feelings of well-being. They also help purify the air and make your home atmosphere more energized and vibrant. Try growing some indoor plants if you’re looking to add some life and nurturing vibes into your space.
  8. Lighten up your space
    Living in a dark home can harbor feelings of depressed and anxious. Lighten up your living space by painting the walls a lighter color, and adding bright colors, art, and decorations. A brighter space helps bring happiness and joy back into your home.
  9. Add mirrors
    Mirrors are frequently used in Feng Shui to direct and shift the energy flow in your home. Placing one or more mirrors strategically around your house can increase light, bringing brightness into your space, make the room feel lighter and more spacious, and creating a warm and cozy ambiance. Just make sure the mirror reflects something positive in your home.
  10. Create a home altar
    Creating a home altar is a simple yet powerful way to bring positivity and devotion into your home. An altar should contain objects representative of prosperity, good luck, health, abundance, or protection. It is said that you should never put anything on your altar that you would not want to receive. Create a home altar with candles, crystals, incense, statues, pictures, books, flowers, and other items that represent what you desire in your life.
  11. Light candles
    Candles have long been associated with both healing and spirituality. Candles can be lit to enhance your meditation or other spiritual practices. They can placed about your home to improve the overall ambiance and to fill your home with good energy. Remember to use only high quality candles—many inexpensive candles are made from paraffin wax and artificial scents which can contain harmful chemicals.
  12. Place crystals
    Healing crystals are used by many people around the world to cleanse and protect their bodies, homes, and businesses. They are best used at the end of a purification practice. You can place a crystal anywhere in your home where you feel the need to remove negative energies or attract positive ones. Use protective gemstones such as Obsidian, Amethyst, Black Tourmaline, Tiger’s Eye, and Citrine to block harmful vibrations and clear negative energy.

    13. Signs you have bad energy in your body

    Negative energy can manifest from internal sources like stress, fear, anger, guilt, resentment, jealousy, and hatred. If you are experiencing negative emotions or you feel tired, sluggish, depressed, anxious, or generally out of sorts, these symptoms could be because your energy is blocked. Try some of these tips to clear the blockages and start feeling better again!

    How to clear unhealthy energy from your body and mind

    Clearing negative energy from your body, mind and aura is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing. There are several easy methods to clear negative energies from your body and aura can allow you to restore balance, eliminate excess toxins, and clear out negative feelings.

    1. Take a bath
      A warm bath can be used to release tension, stress, and negativity. The heat will relax muscles and ease pain. The water will make you feel physically clean and refreshed. If you feel especially stressed and overwhelmed, try adding Epsom salts or essential oils to the water.
    2. Use essential oils
      Essential oils are extremely powerful tools to promote meditative states as well as health and wellness. There are a number of essential oils that can be used to promote positive energy. Lavender oil has been studied extensively for its ability to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. Peppermint oil promotes mental clarity and creates a sense of wellbeing. Lemon oil works to uplift the spirits and promote motivation. Orange essential oil is known to boost energy and improve mood. Rosemary oil promotes happiness and helps to purify, energize, and protect. You could also choose cedarwood, clary sage, juniper berry, cypress, chamomile, or any other oil that helps to lift your mood and clear out negativity. Try mixing one drop of each oil in equal parts of carrier oil (coconut, olive, jojoba) and apply over pulse points or chakra centers to help bring positivity and good vibes to the body and mind.
    3. Spend time in nature
      Spending time in nature helps us feel grounded and calm, which in turn makes it easier to relax and let go of stress. If you live near a park or forest, take a walk every day to soak up the positive energies of nature. Alternatively, you can find some place in your yard or nearby where you can sit outside and enjoy the scenery.
    4. Cleanse your aura using visualization
      The aura is energetic field around our physical bodies and represents how we perceive ourselves to the universe. It may be affected by past relationships, habits, or lifestyles. Aura cleansing is a great way to clear negative energy from your body, mind, and spirit. While cleansing your aura doesn’t guarantee that you won’t experience future problems, it can provide a boost to your self-esteem. To cleanse your aura, sit quietly and focus on your breath. As you breathe in, visualize white light filling every part of your entire body. Visualize this light as pure, peaceful energy that fills every inch of space surrounding you. As you exhale, imagine black smoke leaving your body and energy field. Visualize the smoke flowing and dissolving into the earth or into the sky. Visualize this white light flowing through every cell until you feel completely cleansed. Repeat this exercise until you feel lighter inside.
    5. Meditation
      Meditating helps us connect to our inner wisdom and intuition. It can also help us release stress and anxiety, which in turn can improve our mood and outlook. A regular practice allows us to detach ourselves from our external stressors and negativity. When you meditate, you learn to become still and open your heart to new opportunities and insights. Mantra meditation is a powerful tool to help cleanse and revitalize energy and clear out energetic blocks in the chakras.
    6. Abhaya Mudra
      Mudras are hand gestures that can change the energy flow of the body and create spiritual awareness. The Abhaya Mudra is one of the most powerful tools in yoga to make you feel protected and safe. You should practice this mudra whenever you need to feel strong and confident. This mudra is used to protect yourself from harm and bad luck. It also helps to calm the nervous system to reduce stress and anxiety. To do this mudra, simply bring your right hand up to shoulder height with palm open and facing forwards.
    7. Move your body
      Exercise releases endorphins into your system, which makes you feel happier and calmer. It also helps release stress hormones out of your body, leaving you feeling relaxed and energized. Walking is a wonderful low impact exercise that helps people clear negative thoughts and emotions. Yoga is a great workout to release stress, tension, and negativity. It also increases flexibility, strengthens your core muscles, and promotes health and overall wellness.
    8. Smile often
      Smiling releases endorphins into your system, which makes you feel happier and dispels negative thoughts and feelings. Smiling is a quick and easy way to improve our mood and reduces stress. A quick and easy way to practice is by looking at yourself in the mirror and saying, “I love you” out loud.
    9. Take deep breaths
      Take deep breaths throughout the day. Breathing deeply helps you relax, calm down, concentrate and focus. When you breathe deeply, oxygen enters your bloodstream and helps clear negative energy from your body. Mindful breathing exercises, as used in yoga and meditation, can also help clear negative thoughts and boost your energy and mood. Kapalabhati Pranayama is a powerful cleansing technique that builds heat or agni in the body, eliminates congestion, and stimulates digestion and circulation.
    10. Eat well
      Eating right keeps your body energized and your mind focused. Eating foods that are good for you, especially dark green leafy vegetables, can help clear and purify negative energy from the body. Avoid excessive animal protein, processed food, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and fried foods. Instead, focus on eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans.
    11. Practice gratitude
      Gratitude is an attitude that allows you to surround yourself with a shield of positivity. Practicing gratitude can help you stay grounded and peaceful when encountering negativity or experiencing challenges in life. When you are grateful for what you have, you will attract more positive energy into your life.
    12. Practice kindness
      Doing kind things for yourself or others can shift your negative feelings into positive ones. Helping others brings about happiness within ourselves; we naturally feel better when you do kind actions. Do small acts of kindness like give compliments, hold doors open, smile at strangers, write notes for friends, give hugs, and treat yourself to a massage or manicure!

    Find what works for you

    It’s important to take the time to reflect after each session. Many people recommend to cleanse and purify both their homes and bodies at the same time. If you’re new to cleansing, start slowly, experiment, and build up your routine over time. Remember to keep track of how you feel before and after each session. Try to ask yourself questions such as “How do I feel after the cleansing?” or “What part of the purification process did I enjoy the best?” By doing this, you’ll be able to see if there are certain aspects of the process that you prefer to remove unwanted energy from your body and home.

About Timothy Burgin

Timothy Burgin is a Kripalu & Pranakriya trained yoga instructor living and teaching in Asheville, NC. Timothy has studied and taught many styles of yoga and has completed a 500-hour Advanced Pranakriya Yoga training. Timothy has been serving as the Executive Director of YogaBasics.com since 2000. He has authored two yoga books and has written over 500 articles on the practice and philosophy of yoga. Timothy is also the creator of Japa Mala Beads and has been designing and importing mala beads since 2004.

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