5. Practical Boundaries: energy vampires and energetic protection
The topic of boundaries is very important to all empaths, who tend to face challenges in developing healthy relationship structures. For the Witch Empath, you tend to let people into your life that want your energy. People always seem to want more of you than you have the capacity to give.
Some of these people who may be a part of your life could be described as having energy vampire-like behaviors. They end up taking your energy but are unable to give in return, or the relationship is energetically non-mutual.
This can leave you vulnerable to being taken advantage of as people are starved for affection, love, and care, which are emotional needs you like to fulfill for others. This doesn’t mean though that it is your responsibility to fulfill the needs of those around you or individuals who are toxic, harmful, or abusive towards you—or just individuals who you choose not to be that person for.
Boundaries are a good way to ensure that you are also getting what you need out of a relationship or connection, job situation, and the like. Setting boundaries provides you with more self-empowerment and can help you overcome feelings of fear, guilt, and shame as a part of your empathic journey.
Protecting yourself from toxic energies is important in order for you to maintain your personal power, sovereignty, and sense of self. It is recommended to have systems in place that can help you manage your boundaries and energetic self-protection.
Here are some suggestions for managing boundaries:
1. Release trapped resentment
Over the course of your life, you will inevitably have times where you have to keep things pent up. You might have had to be silent when you wanted to be angry, or you have made yourself small in order to survive a particular situation. This can leave a lasting impression on your subtle energy body as your unexpressed emotions are trapped inside of you.
In the case of resentment, you may have been holding things that are actually frustrating for you. You might have a partner that you feel you cannot be fully open with, and you just go along with what they want, while inside you have a different desire for how things should be. Your unspoken frustration eventually builds into resentment.
This can especially happen with people in your life that are controlling, energy vampires, or dominant personalities that don’t allow space for you to express yourself without you having to expend an exorbitant amount of energy asserting your wants and needs.
Getting these emotions out can help remove this energy that is blocking you from expressing your desires. When you open the way for emotions to flow your life tends to follow suit and help you move forward as well.
Here are some methods to release resentment:
- Practice speaking up at the moment. Catch yourself as it is happening. If you feel yourself saying “sure” to someone, when you really have a different unspoken desire, then pause, take a breath, and state your actual desire. You have access to a great amount of confidence. The more you practice asserting your needs, the less resentment will build, even if it is intimidating at first to do so.
- Keep a personal journal. It can be helpful to keep track of things that are frustrating you. A record can help you understand yourself better in regards to when you were able to stand up for yourself and when you weren’t. It can show you what situations you feel more comfortable speaking up in and which ones you felt best it was to stay silent on. The more information you have, the better you are able to adjust your own behaviors and make life better for you.
- Write a letter to the person you are feeling resentful towards each time they do something that crosses a boundary you have already set. Because you might keep things inside, the people in your life could be wholly unaware that they are causing you frustration. Writing a note can be a less confrontational way to share your feelings. And if you write a letter each time, you will get the point across how important this is to you—especially if you feel your words are not being heard verbally when you have spoken up.
2. Reduce your exposure
If you have several energy vampires in your life, then it might be time to back out of those relationships. This can be done slowly and deliberately. If you have friends or family members that expect too much of you, but you don’t have the energy to try to manage the relationship, it is okay to take a break from them for a while.
You are allowed to spend less time with people who you find more difficult to be around. If you find it hard to set a boundary, then start by planning get-togethers for a time when you have another obligation immediately following. This way, you will have an “excuse” to leave.
Consider the categories that your various relationships fall into. Some are work or family-related, and it might be hard to adjust your time in the way you want to. Brainstorm ways you can spend less time interacting with people that you cannot avoid. Maybe you can get your work schedule changed to a different shift, or bring a friend or partner as a buffer to a family gathering when you know a difficult family member is also going to be there. Get creative in how you navigate relationships.
Remember if a relationship isn’t bringing you joy, and it is one that is optional, you can always choose to bow out of that connection. Reach out to your friends and objective practitioners for advice if you are unsure of how to do this.
3. Discernment
Finally, being discerning of who you share your intuitive and empathic insights with can support you in protecting yourself. You easily and openly often tell people things they need to know based on the psychic impressions you receive. Your emotional assessment of what is going on often gives the person on the receiving end a sense of nurturing and being seen. They may then seek you out for ongoing support and advice.
This is a beautiful gift you can give to people, however, at times it is necessary not to be so forthright with what you know. Practice being more discerning when you should and should not offer advice to others. By doing this, you are in better control of your own energy and can more easily count on the emotional stores you have inside of you. You will also avoid feeling depleted from people who cross your boundaries more readily or take a lot of your energy, even if you were willing to share it originally.
6. Practical Ideas for grounding and anxiety
Your daily emotional experience might be accompanied by frayed nerves or a sensation that you are being submerged in nervous excitement. Grounding exercises can help you get through patches of anxiety and stress. The concept of grounding involves bringing your awareness back into the present moment, moving through emotions, and centering yourself in your physical body.
For the Witch Empath, it is helpful to see yourself connecting with the Earth itself. You are plugging in your roots into the layers and crusts of the planet as a way to merge yourself with these steadying energies. This process can re-orient you to what is right in front of you and help combat overwhelm when anxiety is starting to dominate your thought process. Anxiety can be channeled through activities that redirect the energy. Grounding is one coping mechanism for stress and anxiety.
Here are some grounding methods to be aware of for your specific archetype:
1. Be with the trees
Being around the twisted roots of trees can be grounding for you. It is a reminder of your own energetic roots. Trees are like friends to you. Choose a tree you can come to regularly. Sit up against its trunk and get to know its spirit. You can leave offerings at the tree, such as a cup of water, to show your reverence for the wisdom that trees impart on you. When you feel your emotions are frenetic and you need to find peace, head to your chosen tree. If this is not possible, that is okay, try to find a park or other place where you can be amongst plants that are firmly rooted in the soil. The Witch Empath is deeply connected to the ancient network of roots that reach deep into the Earth.
2. Daily rituals
Creating a set of daily or consistent rituals can have an impact on how grounded you feel day-to-day. By incorporating one or a few small acts into your routine, you have a much better chance of managing fragile and fluctuating emotions. These rituals can be anywhere from a daily prayer or repeating an affirmation to lighting a candle and then doing a few minutes of meditation. Contemplate what is manageable for you to merge into your schedule. Make sure it is something that is doable so you don’t end up adding in more stress. Giving yourself the space to have regular habits laced into your daily life that are sacred or spiritual brings a sense of meaning that inspires you to be present and grounded.
3. Weighted blankets and ocean sounds
Using sensory tools can also help you maintain a sense of groundedness. You can try a weighted blanket so when you lay it over top of you, it feels like you are being hugged. The feeling of being held in this way can be very protective and calming. You can also use a noise machine that has sounds of different places in nature. The ocean sounds might be a good one to try as the sound of water is very soothing for intense emotions.
4. Time with pets
Being around animals is very grounding for you. If you have a pet, spending time with them can help you reset and relax. There is wisdom around how you understand the language of animals and you deeply feel in touch with their energetic signatures.