It’s important to learn how to sense the spirits around you, so you can establish boundaries and retain control of your environment. Even without believing in these energies they may invade our space, affect our mood, health or sense of well-being.

Photo courtesy of the New York Library.

Photo courtesy of the New York Public Library.

While it’s taken me some time, usually I can recognize when emotions or physical sensations aren’t mine and whether they belong to another person or an ethereal being.

Understand your personality

Are you empathetic, always wanting to help the underdog? Spirits needing assistance seek out those who want to help others.

Do you get so curious that you let down your guard? Your eagerness to experience may open you to encountering entities you don’t want to meet. Be discerning. It’s better to have a positive interaction than one that will leave you frightened and closed.

Are you going through a tough time emotionally? You attract what you put out. So a negative entity may be drawn to your sadness, anger, cynicism or hatred. If mentally you’re not in a positive place, it’s best to put off paranormal investigating until you’ve resolved the issues that cause you misery.

Conversely, when you’re filled with happiness and love, lower entities seeking light may come to you for relief.

Steps to protecting your personal space

  • Practice sensing how energy changes around you. When you experience an emotion that doesn’t fit with your state of mind, it’s coming from another source.
  • Evoke your unique brand of spirituality. The Universal Power is always available to assist you.
  • Protect yourself by asking for God’s light to encompass you.
  • When you meditate, request that only the highest and best energy come through.

Set boundaries to enable positive spirit interactions

In almost every instance, energies will respect and heed our need for boundaries. Decide on your comfort level and then make your expectations clear.

These are the general boundaries I set:

  • Spirits are not allowed to startle me. (See my post, “Stopping the startle.”)
  • Spirits only may touch me in a respectful manner. No freshness. No roughness.
  • Spirits are not allowed to follow me home.

What to do if you suspect an energy is in your space

Think twice about banishing an energy just because you’re frightened. It may be visiting to give you a message or it may be a crossed-over loved one. Should you decide it must go, politely tell it to leave. (See my post “Assisting spirits in need” and my video, “You have control over spirits.”) This works in the vast majority of the cases.

If it doesn’t, take these actions:

  • Ground yourself. Sit with your legs uncrossed, your feet planted solidly on the floor. Imagine a rose growing up through your body and sending its roots into the middle of the earth.
  • Ask the Most Divine to saturate you with heavenly love and light. Picture divine white light cocooning you and request protection against all lower, negative energies. Recite your favorite prayer to enhance your divine connection.
  • Depending on your spiritual practice, ask the Supreme Being to send down angels or guides to help you discern what the energy needs assistance with. If you feel a spirit is invading your space, ask for divine intervention to separate it from you.

If you still sense a presence, it’s time to seek a qualified clergy member, psychic/medium or Native American shaman to intercede on your behalf.

See also, “Ignoring spirits won’t protect you.”