This is the body’s natural, normal response to change, chaos, overwhelm, and uncertainty. Its job is to keep an eye out for danger and let us know what’s potentially dangerous. This helps us to act and react accordingly.

The only problem is this: When your nervous system is constantly on alert, it takes a big toll on your stress levels, your energy, your well-being, and your mental state. 

It’s very hard to think creatively when your nervous system is activated. Instead, you might find yourself feeling like things are urgent, hard to accomplish, and extremely stressful. Any problem or obstacle feels huge and impossible.

Of course, right now, many of us ARE facing really large and horribly difficult changes, obstacles, and problems. The reality is that our nervous systems might be correct at certain times throughout the day when we are feeling fight/flight/freeze engage in our bodies.

So, what to do? 

The good news is, the mind and body can work together. Listening to the nervous system, acknowledging its response, and feeling the emotions present will often help your body relax a bit and drop out of fight/flight/freeze.

If you can flow in and out of that fight/flight/freeze response, you will not store stress and tension in the body. You’ll also be able to think creatively and problem-solve through the toughest of situations. When times are hard, creative thinking is your best solution. And, it’s normal to flow in and out of different nervous system states. The goal is to not stay stuck in the fight/flight/freeze response.

Here’s a pro mind-body tip:

If you feel completely overwhelmed, terrified, panicked, and unable to see past a large obstacle or problem, it means your nervous system is activated.

This is NOT the time to problem-solve. 

First, take care of your mind-body system. Feel the emotions. Allow the panic to exist for 5-10 minutes. (The time limit is important here.) Journal or express to a friend. Let yourself acknowledge all the fears.

When your 5-10 minutes are up, do a little something to help your nervous system release the fight/flight/freeze. This can be simple; think of something really comforting (or even do something comforting, like curl up with a blanket around you for a few minutes). Or, you can do this breathing exercise.

Wait to start in on problem-solving until you feel more open and relaxed in your body. Then, the ideas will be able to flow. You’ll be more agile and flexible. You’ll start to see past the extreme difficulty and into potential solutions or ideas.

Just remember: When life seems impossible, it’s just your nervous system on high alert. It’s correct; action is not possible right this minute. You’ve just gotten bad news or are facing something incredibly intense. It just isn’t the time for action. Process the emotions first, let your system move through the shock, and then you’ll start to see new ideas appear.

During times like these, you will need creativity to see new ideas, because new ideas are vital when doors appear to be closing and change is happening so rapidly. Your best trick for navigating times like these is to flow in and out of creativity so that you can shift into flexible action steps that move you forward in the face of sudden change and obstacles.

Also, if you need help right now with processing emotions and settling your nervous system, you are welcome to join one of my upcoming free virtual Sacred Spirit Circles. Join in if you need mind-body coaching, a place to feel emotions with kind, safe, support, and a sense of community during this chaotic time.

Here is the schedule and conference dial-in information! 

My being and my business are feeling the call to serve at this time.

The mind-body tools I use with my clients are made for crises, and I am here to help you wade through the emotions, the fears, and the stress so that you can find bits of respite in the chaos.

Join me on Friday, March 20 for a free online videoconference event I’m calling The Sacred Spirit Circle.

During The Sacred Spirit Circle event, I’ll share mind-body tools for tough times, take you into a healing and relaxing guided meditation, and also coach and support as many people as possible.

This is a safe, sacred space to feel emotions, be heard, allow things to flow, and connect with others in a kind, warm atmosphere. 

Bring your fears, stresses, and concerns and we’ll tackle them with the big guns; mind-body tools that really help your body release tension and energy healing tools that completely shift your state of being and help release fear.

I know it can all feel big, overwhelming, and scary right now. Everyone has their own unique situations to deal with and at the same time, we are all sharing this experience, too.

If we can come together in a sacred space to create a shift from stress to kindness (for ourselves and others) we will generate a powerful, connected, community of support for each other.

I coach clients who are struggling with all sorts of things, through the worst of times. This is exactly what my work is for and I support others daily through tough situations. Now, I’m offering this to you and your friends to be of service in the best way that I can as we all face the changes happening that are out of our control. 

Invite your friends, come join me, and experience calm, healing energy as I coach, guide you through a meditation, and share throughout the call. Your body and your being will have the opportunity to rest into peace while we’re gathered together. 

Watch for the continued upcoming Sacred Spirit Circle schedule and get your event join-in details here. 

No registration is necessary! Join in and invite your friends to do so as well!

Get the event details here. 

I’ve had a few (as in a LOT) of those in my life. That’s exactly why I created Slacker Magic. 

When shit hits the fan, Slacker Magic will carry you forward. It will be the ground under your feet in groundless times. It will help you navigate both the best and the worst of times. 

Recently, an acquaintance was asking me what I do. I told him about Slacker Magic. 

He said, “Oh yes! I’ve had to learn how to live like that because of serious illness.” Yep.

When hard times hit, you can’t afford to add self-pressure, pushing, and over-efforting into the mix. Everything that adds extra stress has to be stripped away so that you can survive. 

You need your inner wisdom guidance there, waiting, ready to show you the next step forward. And the next. And the next. 

During major upheavals, there’s no map. There’s no clarity. It’s a lonely, confusing swirl of who-knows. That’s when our minds start to go into over-drive; trying, pushing, efforting, and pressuring. We judge ourselves. We blame ourselves. 

Slacker Magic takes all that away and shows you how to rest into the flow. It helps you find bits of peace in the messiest of times. 

The phrase Slacker Magic can sound light and playful, but it is rooted in and was born from the hardest moments of my life. It’s magical and practical. It’s light and it’s solid. It’s there for you when you need a way forward. 

Want to learn how to use Slacker Magic to create practical and magical flow in your life? Come join me in the Slacker Magic Course! Learn more and register here.

The new phone I’d just purchased arrived broken. My daughter needed something urgently for her school function the next day. Technology taunted me mercilessly all day. 

Also, I felt super tired. Overwhelmed. Grumpy. 

In my line of work, Mondays are often really exciting. I love coaching. I love exploring where my business would like to go next. I love working from home. 

So, I was annoyed that this Monday was being such a…Monday. 

I went into action mode, engaging my habitual self-pressure thinking machine in order to override my emotions and get stuff done. This caused an instant heart-racing, choked feeling in my chest. 

Screeeeeeeech! I hit the brakes. 

I have a long-standing history of engaging the self-pressure override mode. It always, one-hundred percent of the time, consistently, definitely, for sure gets me in trouble. My body suffers. My spirit wanes. My heart resists. 

I end up getting less done when I use self-pressure to spring into action. 

I realized I couldn’t fall back into self-pressure mode. 

Instead, I used this simple Slacker Magic formula, which I highly recommend for those times when everything is overwhelming and you don’t know where to start:

1. Stop and tune into your body. Notice any emotions. Allow them to exist. Be with your body, emotions, and spirit for a few moments just like you would a sick child or pet. Sit with them and be present. 
2. Take stock. What is essential and what can go? Get picky. When overwhelm strikes, strip down the to-do list and trust that you’ll find a way to do the things that can wait. You don’t have the energy right now for them anyway. 
3. Find the nearest rest stop. In other words, when is the soonest you can take a ten, twenty, or thirty-minute break to rest, restore your spirit in some way, or do something fun? Put this into your schedule. 
4. Take one small action step toward the necessary goal. Without the self-pressure in the way, you’ll find it so much easier to do. Let inspiration show you where to start. 

In the end, I got everything done that needed to get done, without the Monday overwhelm. Slacker Magic made it doable. I had time left over for some rest before I needed to go pick up my daughter from school. Slacker Magic for the win!

For whatever reason, it’s my least favorite chore. I dread sorting the clothes into piles. I loathe moving things from the washer to the dryer over and over again. 

Folding? Forget it. 

I end up leaving baskets of clean laundry sitting around until I’ve worn everything in them and the clothes are right back in the washer. 

My kid has told me on many occasions that she’s out of underwear.

You could say I’m a laundry delinquent. 

You would think since I’m already a laundry loser, that slacking off more around laundry would be a bad idea. You would think that I’m already so slothlike that introducing Slacker Magic at this point would result in a total laundry meltdown. (Slacker Magic is the art of strategic slacking guided by inner wisdom.)

However, the more I slack off in general and allow myself the space to rest, play, and restore my spirit, the more my laundry gets done. 

Not even kidding!

Because I’m rested and in the flow with my creative, magical spirit, I am drawn to doing my laundry throughout the week. I never do it when it feels hard. I only do it when I have the bizarre urge to fold clothes. 

With no pressure. No force. No pushing. 

I don’t even mind laundry in those random moments when I’m called to fold. 

The rest of the time? I can’t even. I can’t make myself do laundry at all. 

This is the cool part of Slacker Magic. The more you explore it, the more you end up finding joy in the strangest places and things get easier. 

Are you ready to make things easier? Are you excited to get this magic going in your life? 

Join me for 7 Days of Slacker Magic, my upcoming mini-course. 

Click here for details and to register!

7 Days of Slacker Magic doesn’t cost a thing!

While the pursuit of wellness seems harmless, there’s one catch: 

Self-pressure. 

If your pursuit of wellness is built on a foundation of subtle pressure to change, improve, or be better, you might be adding unnecessary stress to your mind-body system.

This is counter-productive to your pursuit of wellness. 

Are you pressuring yourself to be fitter than you are?

Are you pressuring yourself to eat healthily all the time? 

Are you pressuring yourself to do stress-reducing activities like meditation?

That pressure creates stress. It forces you to think about failures. It makes you focus on what you need to do to instead of celebrating what you have already done. 

Culture teaches us to push ourselves toward success and judge ourselves into better versions of ourselves. 

It just doesn’t work. True wellness is an intrinsic motivation to enjoy a positive relationship with your body. It’s the freedom to trust yourself and how you need to take care of you. It’s letting go of the “shoulds” that don’t feel right and the idea that you have to be perfectly healthy to be a better person. 

True wellness leaves room for play, laughter, joy, and fun. 

Drop the pressure and watch your wellness improve naturally. What motivates you more; taking a walk by a beautiful river because it’s gorgeous and fun, or pressuring yourself to get a certain number of steps so you can be fit and healthy?

When you stop pressuring yourself, your natural desires have room to emerge and take you on an entirely different wellness adventure. This adventure takes your spirit into account, not just the latest measurements of good health.

Start with a fun experiment:

1. For one week, ask your body what it wants to do, what it wants to eat, and how much it wants to rest. You don’t have to act on all of this immediately. Just start gathering intel.
3. When you’re ready, you can try living this way for a few days and see if you experience more fun, freedom, and wellness. 

Before you know it, your stress levels will be going down, not up…and that’s a very positive shift when it comes to your wellness.  

Hugs,
Abigail

P.S. Want support with more mind-body tools? Join my Mind-Body Magic Facebook Group!

I can feel my whole body tense up as I grip the handle and try to firmly (but kindly) encourage my child to sit down in the cart. My mind is racing, accumulating self-critical thoughts faster than I can mentally bat them away. I am one-hundred percent freaking out inside and trying not to show it.

Before I know it, I’ve become angry mommy and I’m no longer able to handle the situation with the calm, loving energy I’d prefer to use.

Though we know, cognitively, that self-criticism and panic don’t help moments like these, it can feel quite impossible to navigate the lightning-quick response from our bodies and minds.

It’s no fun to feel that heart-racing, sweat-inducing, mind-spinning feeling that can happen in stressful or nerve-wracking situations (or those delightful moments when you wake up at 3 am and remember that super embarrassing thing you said yesterday).

How to find calm, however, is not always something that we learn in school or even at home as children. Sure, someone may tell you to calm down, relax, or “let it go.” That is much easier said than done, though, and many techniques we try in an effort to calm ourselves down actually create more stress in our mind-body systems.

Creating calm in our bodies and minds requires a kind, compassionate approach.

It can really help to understand what is happening in your body so that you and your body can work together.

Here’s a quick peek into the science of regulation, which is my favorite way to talk about “calming down.” The word regulation allows me to take a step back and recognize that I can’t force myself to feel calm. However, I can allow my nervous system to regulate.

This language really helps reduce self-judgment. When I notice I’m reactive or freaked out, it helps to use the words “activated” or “dysregulated” to describe the physical, emotional, and mental experience of fear-based reactions.

You can shift into a compassionate, kind way of working with yourself when you view yourself not just as a mind, but also a nervous system. Dr. Stephen Porges proposed the Polyvagal Theory in 1994 and has done much research into the way the nervous system functions. The Polyvagal Theory helps us to understand how the vagus nerve interacts with our environment and sends information to the body and brain.

Depending on what happens with this information is processed, you may end up feeling shut down (called a freeze state), very activated, defensive, or reactive (called a fight or flight state), or socially and emotionally open (called a social engagement state). (This is a quick overview and simplified explanation of the complex and elegant theory. If you’re curious, I recommend Porges’ book The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory.)

Porges’ work gives us a new, compassionate way to view ourselves. It’s so kind to be able to notice that you are activated, realize your nervous system has noticed something it thinks you need protection around, and understand that this is a physiological response. You aren’t consciously choosing this; your body is protecting you. There’s no shame, blame, or self-judgment in this observation.

When you are activated, you’ll probably notice your mind is quickly tossing out fear-based thoughts, angry criticisms, or a mix of the two. It may be hard to stop worrying about something or you might be consumed by fear.

Trying to deal with this mind-activity by focusing on the content of your worries is very tricky. This is because the content of your mind-activity is derived from your nervous system state. You are supposed to be thinking defensively when you need to protect yourself. This is a natural protective mechanism that is physiologically present to help keep you safe.

If you can help your nervous system regulate, you will shift your mental state as well. You’ll find yourself no longer attaching to fear-based or reactive thoughts and you’ll flow into the ability to create, connect, feel compassion, and be open. This is the “calm” that many of us are seeking when we can’t stop the mind from stressing over that embarrassing moment or other gripping concern.

Lots of self-help models have used the triune brain model (which you may have encountered if you’ve seen the terms reptilian brain or lizard brain), created by Dr. Paul D Maclean, to attempt to create a shift toward calm when we’re activated. This theory, however, has been disproven and doesn’t provide the necessary information to help the nervous system regulate.

The solution lies in seeing the body as whole system. The brain, vagus nerve, and entire nervous system need help to regulate, and the quickest way to do so is often to use a physical approach rather than trying to find calm through cognitive processes. (These cognitive processes will often feel difficult, if not impossible, when you are activated.)

You don’t need to memorize or digest all of the above science in order to accomplish regulation in the simple steps I’ll share below. However, I include it in case it helps you to see yourself in a much more compassionate light.

For the last several years, I’ve used the following technique in my personal life and coaching practice. I learned it from Ana DoValle and Heather Wright, two nervous system experts who live in my area and have worked with me and my daughter. I love it because it’s efficient, quick, and simple. I can use it with my daughter at home, modifying it as needed for her age. (For young kids, have them imagine breathing in a great smell they love and blowing out candles really slowly.)

Ready to regulate? Here’s how:

1. Lie down on your back on a firm surface with your knees up and your feet flat on the floor. Place a hand over your belly button. 
2. When you’re ready, inhale through your nose at a moderate pace until the inhalation feels complete. 
3. Exhale slowly, making the exhale last as long as possible. It should end up being double the inhale (or more) in duration. Exhaling through the nose is helpful, but you can use pursed lips instead if you find that helps. 
4. When the exhale is complete, wait a few seconds before you inhale. Pay attention to your palm below your belly button to help you center your awareness on the lower belly. 
5. When your body naturally wants to initiate an inhale, let it do so, and notice that it originates from the lower belly. (In other words, you’ll feel your belly rise slightly before your chest moves.) 
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for 2-10 minutes. (Or longer, if you choose.)

I find that I need at least 2-5 minutes for my body to show signs of regulation. These include a calm sensation, less mind-chatter, relaxation of tension, lessening of any strong emotional reactions, a settling feeling within my body, a slight tingle like someone is giving me a pleasant massage, or a sense of overall well-being.

Over time, you’ll be able to do this quite effectively when seated, too, but I’ve found it’s easier to learn when you’re lying down.

This technique shifts the oxygen levels in your body, which directly affects the nervous system and how it perceives this moment. It also sends signals from your lungs to the rest of your nervous system that let your body know you’re not in danger. The ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide is very important in regulating the nervous system, and strangely, exhaling carbon dioxide is the fastest way to help your body find its ideal ratio. (The temptation is to suck in oxygen when we’re feeling off, but this does not actually work, as you may have noticed when you’re exercising. However, when we’re not moving strenuously, we tend to try to suck in air when stress arises, effectively causing more dysregulation.)

This breathing pattern is one I share with my clients when I’m teaching them my mind-body-spirit tools. It augments the other body-based techniques I use to help myself and my clients regulate and is great for grocery-store moments, should you ever be in a public predicament like me and wish to settle yourself quickly before angry mommy takes over.

Also, it’s a whole lot easier to access your intuitive inner wisdom when your mind isn’t spinning and adrenaline isn’t coursing through your system. When I am activated and need to access my inner wisdom to create a little magic in my life, this breathing technique helps every time.

Mind-body science is always evolving, (here’s an article that includes recent studies on breathing using this pattern, but doesn’t incorporate Polyvagal Theory) but long exhalation breathing techniques have been around for centuries. The proof is in the regulation you’ll feel and the joyful return of your sanity. Happy regulating!

P.S. For more mind-body-spirit tools and resources, join my mailing list here. (Get Your 5 Minute Inner Wisdom Shortcut as well!)

In an attempt to tame the cough, I slather on some Vicks and get her snuggled in bed. Of course, not tooooo much Vicks, because I’ve recently read yet another terrifying parenting article on the internet, this time about how Vicks can be deadly if swallowed.

The next morning, somehow, the Vicks has migrated to her hair. I decide not to worry about it, because she can definitely rock the greasy Vicks ‘do for one school day. It’ll be fine. (Though I secretly cannot wait to get her in the tub and pour at least a gallon of shampoo on her head.) The question is, how did a little Vicks turn into this amazingly thorough coating for every hair on her head?

Tuesday night arrives, and bathtime inches closer. My hands are itching to scrub that cute little head.

Then, it hits. A kid-meltdown of epic proportions.

My daughter is really good at these, and this is one of her finer performances. I have had the audacity to consider making blueberry scones; apparently the most offensive food on the planet.

There is no way I’m going to get her in the tub. I’ll be lucky to get teeth brushed before I get this tired kid in bed.

As I tuck her in, I have a little chat with my inner perfectionist. We discuss how we’re going to have to lower our standards today. We’re going to have to let go of the thoughts about what people will think when my daughter shows up at school with Day 2 Vicks Hair, looking pretty much like this:

My inner perfectionist can be incredibly helpful. She has high standards and holds a vision of what’s possible. (She’s also responsible for forcing me to read terrifying parenting articles about Vicks, however.)

Ironically, she often gets in the way of the very vision she holds.

She starts putting pressure on me, and the more pressure I feel, the harder it is to create the vision of excellence.

So, I’ve learned that quite often, I have to lower my standards, tune in to my inner wisdom, and cut myself some slack. Surprisingly, this often helps me create the very excellence I couldn’t achieve under all that pressure. That’s why I call this Slacker Magic.

In this case, my vision of being a good mom who’s on top of everything and sends her kid to school with clean hair was admirable. However, to be a really great mom, I had to release the pressure on me and on my daughter. I had to let us be in the mess of life, connecting as humans and letting go of things that don’t matter so much.

Sometimes, you’re going to have to lower your standards, and they won’t meet your inner perfectionist’s approval. You’ll know it’s one of those moments when you feel super stressed out and overwhelmed.

Here’s what to do when you need to let go of self-pressure so you can have less stress:

1. Listen to the voice of the inner perfectionist. Notice how her plan feels to you, in your body. Does it create more tension? Do you feel a tightening or heaviness in your body?
2. Take a moment to step back. Check in with your heart. What matters most to you in this situation? What’s a less pressure-filled approach you could take?
3. Wait to take action until you find a plan that creates relief instead of tension. This is a sign you’re now aligned with your inner wisdom.

Want support with this and other Slacker Magic techniques? Come join me in the Mind-Body Magic Facebook Group!

I want to introduce you to all the incredible mind-body coaches you can access for your healing journey, be it pelvic or otherwise.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list. They can help with pelvic pain, TMS, mind-body syndrome, and general well-being.

As a coach, teacher, and creative entrepreneur, my heart is calling me to shift away from the physical healing work I’ve done for so many years. Behind each healing story is the life transformation that helped it happen. When our lives aren’t aligned with our true wants, needs, and loves, our bodies begin to reflect that. I’m deeply passionate about helping people re-align mind, body, and spirit to live in a way that feels delicious and delightful.

From here on out, my work will focus on this bigger picture; how to transform how you live to create more energy and magic in your life. I want to help others release self-pressure and perfectionism and embrace magic and deliciousness in their lives.

For many years, I’ve had a somewhat odd approach to my own life. It was born from dealing with my own health struggles because I really had to learn how to hear my inner wisdom, trust it, and follow it. I had to learn how to stop pressuring myself to death and start magicking myself to health and spiritual well-being. This is what lights me up the most because while physical healing is fabulous, whole-being transformation and freedom are spectacular.

My approach to life is something I call Slacker Magic.

It’s about absolutely trusting the guidance my inner wisdom shares, knowing how to listen to it, and only doing what is aligned and feels inspired by that wisdom. When life feels overwhelming or hard, there’s always a way to slackerize it. Taking the pressure off, creating with delight, and following inner wisdom is something I cannot wait to teach in everything I do from here on out!

I plan to train mind-body magic coaches in the Mind-Body Magic Coach Training, teach courses, and create a whole lot of great resources for you around Slacker Magic, hearing and trusting inner wisdom, and so much more.

Since I’ll no longer be offering any kind of pain relief coaching or support, I wanted to give you a comprehensive list of compassionate, kind, and effective coaches I’ve trained who specialize in that arena. They offer 1-1 coaching, groups, and courses. Here you go!

Find a health or pain relief coach below!

Jeana Bird

www.mendingself.com

Corrie Michelle

www.corriemichelle.com

Elena Tione

https://www.aidablanchett.com/

Rebecca Hampton

www.beckoningbalancecoach.com

Laura Bozarth

Do you tend to absorb other people’s feelings and pain?

Does it feel like there’s no membrane separating you from the world?

Do you ever feel depleted or sick from taking on other people’s energy?

If you answered “yes”, then you’re probably an empath.

In The Empath’s Survival Guide, Dr. Judith Orloff, M.D. says:

“Empaths don’t have the same filters that other people do to block out stimulation. As a consequence, we absorb into our own bodies both the positive and stressful energies around us. We are so sensitive that it’s like holding something in a hand that has fifty fingers instead of five. We are truly super responders.”

I resonate deeply with this visual of having ten times as many feelers as a “normal” person! If you do too, know that you’re not alone. Research shows that about 20% of the population displays this trait of being energetically sensitive.

After decades of absorbing the emotions and pain of my family – and friends and colleagues and strangers and everything everywhere all the time – I am SO relieved to finally have practical and uplifting tools in my toolkit to protect my energy!

Being energetically sensitive is a huge asset when you learn how to manage it. Shielding is a basic skill that empaths can use to prevent empathic overload.

Here are 4 steps to shielding your energy:

1. Mantra: Stay on your own journey.

When you notice yourself getting caught up with someone else’s emotions, use this mantra: stay on your own journey. It’s a reminder to stay on your own mental, emotional and spiritual journey, without crossing a boundary and wandering into someone else’s journey.

You can also say it “out loud” in your mind, to the other person. On an energetic level, you’re reminding others to stay on their own path, and not to give you their burdens.

This mindset will naturally start to shift your perspective on relationships. Using your voice (even the voice in your head) is empowering and has the effect of creating a healthy boundary.

2. Grounding: anchor your spiritual energy in your physical body.

Grounding is the most important step to self-protection.

If you’ve ever tried to visualize a protective bubble around you in the middle of a stressful situation and it didn’t work – it’s likely that you missed this crucial step.

Before we build a shield around our body, we need to be INSIDE our body. A house is only useful for protection, if we’re living inside of it.

When our spiritual energy is rooted in the physical body, that’s called grounding.

The problem is that sometimes we will ourselves right out of our body – consciously or unconsciously – to escape feeling our own pain, emotions, vulnerability and humanness.

Empaths are particularly challenged to stay grounded, as we are sensitive to harsh physical world energy and much prefer to hang out in the lighter, gentler energies of the mental plane and the spiritual plane.

But we are at our most powerful, healthy and safest when we are grounded in our body. Living “in” the body means that we have present-moment awareness of our internal sensations. There are the denser sensations in the body such as pain and there are subtler sensations in the body like tingling, buzzing, coolness, warmth, expansiveness, heaviness, lightness. When you become aware of this field of vibrations in your body, you’re in touch with your own life force energy.

The best grounding technique is the one that works for you. Simple ways to ground your energy include bringing your attention into your feet, noticing your breath, and doing a body scan. I love walking barefoot on the earth (or simply imagining that I’m walking barefoot) and letting the soles of my feet open to receive the delicious texture of the ground.

3. Shielding: Visualize an energetic boundary around you.

Once you’re grounded, make sure you stay connected to your body as you build your shield.

There are many ways to build a shield around you. One of my favorites comes from Karla McClaren’s book, The Language of Emotions:

“Reach your arms straight out to either side of you. Imagine that your fingertips are touching the edges of a lighted bubble that encompasses your personal space. Reach your arms out in front of you, and then raise them above your head. Feel how far your personal boundary is from your body. It should be an arms length away from you at all points – in front of you, behind you, on either side of you, above you, and even underneath you. When you can imagine this area all the way around you, drop your arms and let them relax.

Imagine that this oval bubble, which is around and above you and even underneath the floor, is now lit up in a bright neon color, such as lime green or electric magenta. Make your boundary quite obvious in whatever way you can.”

I love her suggestion to breathe with your boundary; imagining the boundary expanding a few inches in diameter in all directions as you inhale (just as your torso does when it inhales). On your exhale, the boundary returns to the arm’s-length distance from your body.

Another way to create a shield is to build a ball of brilliant white light in your belly, and then let it expand outwards so that it completely surrounds you.

Once you have a boundary, get a visceral sense of safety inside your boundary. You can bring to mind a place or memory where you feel safe, and fill up your bubble with a tangible feeling of coziness and comfort.

4. Practice shielding when you don’t need to.

Get used to the sensation of the shield protecting your body. It’s crucial that you practice it when you don’t need it. That way, whenever you suspect that you’re absorbing someone else’s emotions, creating a shield will be easy.

When you DO take on someone else’s negativity or pain inadvertently, remember to have self-compassion. You’re learning a new skill and if you’re not “failing” regularly then you’re doing it wrong J It’s going to happen sometimes, and that is absolutely OK!

Be loving with yourself as you play with these techniques (emphasis on play). Love is the highest of vibrations. And anything that raises your vibration will organically shield you from lower frequency energy. Self-love is grounding, shielding and healing. It’s the perfect medicine for all humans, not just empaths.

Do you have a favorite shielding technique?

Would you like to learn how to be more grounded?

Join me for Shield Your Energy – a free 5-Day challenge for women.

Uma

Uma Sanghvi is an Anxiety-Relief Coach who helps women heal from anxiety, stress and worry using trauma-informed techniques that calm the nervous system. She helps empaths to thrive so they can share their magic with the world. A life-long traveler on the spiritual path, Uma began Buddhist inquiry and meditation at the age of 16 and is currently a Unity prayer chaplain in Austin, Texas. Uma is a Fulbright Scholar, proud Hufflepuff and has a degree in biology from Stanford University.