Practicing the Art of Loving Detachment

For many years, before I was aware of my empathic nature, I found myself on a bit of a roller coaster. My body and emotions would run the gamut—fluctuating at times when I wasn't sure of the cause. What I discovered later was that I was unconsciously "tuning in" to the various emotions or feelings of the people or situations around me. At times this was an uplifting experience, but just as often, it was an overall drain on my own body and emotional health. Once I discovered what was happening, I felt relieved to know that there was nothing really "wrong" with me. I just needed to learn how to "stay in my own skin" (as my teacher, Sonia often advises). It takes practice, but is a skill that can be easily incorporated into one's daily routine with a little bit of effort. As I have spoken of this dynamic with both my friends and clients, I have discovered just how common this energy exchange can occur in our daily interactions. Here are a few tips to keep you in your own energy and avoid picking up everyone else's "stuff".

Set the intention to stay grounded in your own energy. This is as simple as waking up in the morning acknowledging the gift of another day and breathing... Take a deep breath and say (either inwardly or outwardly) as a prayer, "Thank you God, for the gift of this day and the gift of myself. Help me to honor myself with love." This sets the tone for you to give yourself what you need without guilt during the course of your day ahead.

Shield yourself in white light. Visualize white light surrounding your body and aura as a protective and gentle barrier. Envision this light as the loving energy of God keeping out lower vibrations and only allowing in loving and supportive energies. Shield yourself as often as you need during the day—before difficult meetings or at any time you may feel "vulnerable".

Exercise. Any physical activity that really gets your body moving is super effective in getting you grounded into your body. Strength training is great, as is walking, jogging or anything that gets you to break a sweat. When you work out hard, you aren't managing anyone else but yourself. You're brought back into your own space.

Meditate. If at any point, you start to feel tapped out and suspect it may be due to factors other than poor diet, lack of sleep or illness, take a breath, center yourself and ask "Is this mine, or someone else's problem?" Get quiet, breathe, and pay attention to what ideas come through. Breathe mindfully until you feel your body revive.

Take a shower or bath. Water is a purifier and can be a quick way to restore your energy. Adding Epsom or Sea salt to a bath is both a physical and spiritual detoxification trick. Soak until you feel better.

Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Making healthy food choices is essential in keeping yourself in a grounded, well-balanced state. It's important to have enough protein and unprocessed foods in your overall diet in order to function in a way that won't leave you vulnerable to energy leaks. Drink lots of water in order to purify the body adequately as well.

Play! Do something that you love. Be creative; let your artist out. By moving into a place of fun and creative expression, you instantly shift out of lower energy emotions such as guilt, obligation, or duty. Often these are the emotions that keep us unnecessarily tied into people in an unhealthy way. Lessen the load by having fun.

Our lives are shared journeys...This is a gift! Yet, part of our soul's growth is to learn to connect to each other through our hearts and not be drawn into the drama of suffering, obligation, and guilt. By staying firmly in the integrity of our own personal space, we are able to love from an unrestricted place of respect and peace. Honoring yourself and your place in the world is necessary, holy and desired by God! I believe this is what Jesus himself taught when he said "Love your neighbor as you love yourself. We are all part of the same Divine Spirit that is God; we are all in constant connection. By seeing your own magnificence, you are able to see it more readily in everyone around you.