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Episode 197: Energy Vampires
1.1k Plays24 days ago
Welcome back, Witches! This week we’re diving into the topic of energy vampires—those people or situations that seem to drain your energy, mood, and spiritual bandwidth. We’re talking about how to recognize when your energy is being pulled, what that can look like in magical and everyday contexts, and simple ways to protect yourself within your practice. From energetic boundaries to practical protection techniques, we’re covering ways to keep your energy grounded and your magic intact. So get in, Loser, because this week we’re learning how to guard our energy.
You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below.
Patreon: patreon.com/GetinWitches
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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
Resources
- Milena “Mila” Stankovic (2022). Empaths- Easy Targets for “Energy Vampires” and How to Shield Yourself. CPTSD Foundation.org. https://cptsdfoundation.org/2022/11/23/empaths-easy-targets-for-energy-vampires-and-how-to-shield-yourself/
- Cerebral (2024). What is the Grey Rock Method and is it effective? Cerebral. https://www.resiliencelab.us/thought-lab/grey-rock-method
- Hackensack Meridian Health. (2024). How to Use Nervous System Regulation Exercises to Reclaim Your Calm. Hackensack Meridian Hack. https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/healthu/2024/08/06/how-to-use-nervous-system-regulation-exercises-to-reclaim-your-calm
- Patti Wigington (2019). Magical Grounding, Centering, and Shielding Techniques. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/grounding-centering-and-shielding-4122187
- Gupta, Sanjana. 5 Signs of an Energy Vampire and How to Cope. (2025). Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/energy-vampires-characteristics-types-and-coping-strategies-7373913
- Stankovic, Milena. Empaths- Easy Targets for “Energy Vampires’ and How to Shield Yourself. (2022). CPTSD Foundation. https://cptsdfoundation.org/2022/11/23/empaths-easy-targets-for-energy-vampires-and-how-to-shield-yourself/
- Brown, Kesha. How to Deal with Energy Vampires. Escape Normal. https://iescapenormal.com/how-to-deal-with-energy-vampires/
- https://www.meghantelpner.com/how-to-handle-energy-vampires/
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:11
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft. So get in witches because we're learning about energy vampires and how to protect yourself.
Exploring Horror Audiobooks
00:00:37
Speaker
I have listened to two horror books on audio, like Audible, not Audible, on Libby. Audiobooks, that's what I'm trying to say. um That were both really good in very different ways.
00:00:55
Speaker
huh The first one was called Such Sharp Teeth by, don't remember. I know you messaged me about it because yeah put it in the newsletter.
00:01:09
Speaker
One of them was by Nat Cassidy, and I can't i can't remember. Mary was by Nat Cassidy. I'm trying to remember who- Was it a Rachel? I think it was a Rachel, wasn't it? Something like that. Yeah.
00:01:20
Speaker
I don't remember. so if you guys look it up, the book is called Such Sharp Teeth and it's a werewolf horror. and it was done so well in the sense that the monsters were created from a child's imagination out of fear.
00:01:35
Speaker
Oh, I love that. It was so good. and the other one was called Mary. it gave me Carrie vibes, like Stephen King Carrie vibes. I love that. But like main character was – she was like this 50-year-old woman. And it's like women going through menopause during that time and the shit that they have to deal with. But then there was this whole other like – kind of possession, maybe reincarnation element to it that you still really aren't sure at the end of the book, like what really was going on But it's also like there's a cult in it. It was so well done and such a great story. And it's told from the point of view of this like really unreliable character.
00:02:24
Speaker
I love that. If you're looking for horror books, you should read those ones. Yeah. I'll have to add those to our list. I actually, and a book that you recommended to me a while ago finally came available on Libby for me. And it's the audio book of the prisoner that you were telling me about. Or poisoner, not prisoner. Poisoner. Poisoner. The Poisoner.
00:02:45
Speaker
I actually saw the physical copy at Target and i was like, no, I'm not going to... Do the physical copy. I want to do the audio book because Tiffany said the audio book is really cool. And I am in like the first few – like I've been – I've passed the part where that sound has happened already. And I'm like, that is a creepy sound. I already love it. That sound took me out because – Because one of my favorite bands is a horror metal band. So all of their songs center around horror movies. And for some reason, i don't even remember which song it is. That sound is at the beginning of it. And I got in my car.
00:03:24
Speaker
i was coming home from somewhere. i don't even know It was dark outside. And that sound came on in the car. and I wasn't listening to the book. So I was like, what the actual fuck is I turned around and looked in my back seat like, is there a crazy vampire back here?
00:03:39
Speaker
Yeah. Nope. No. No, it was just so far I'm still at the very beat. like I mean, obviously I'm still at the beginning of the book, but yeah so far I am loving it. But I just love like any sort of gothic.
00:03:53
Speaker
Oh my God. Like this one to area. it does get a little um sexual in very weird ways. Yeah. But it's still a very good story.
00:04:05
Speaker
Okay. can't I'm excited for all of it. So I'm looking for it. There was some very weird sexual things. I talked to Ashley about it because she does not like horror at all. So I knew she wouldn't read it. And I was like, I have to tell somebody. And she's like, oh my God. And I told her, she's like, oh, my God.
00:04:21
Speaker
I can't wait to get to that because we're going talk all about it. Yeah. um I'll just say one thing. Barbs. Okay. That's all you need to know. Barbs. I can't wait until you get to it. Yeah. Because I need someone that has read it to talk to about this. That is not one of my husband's superiors who did read it on a recommendation. Yeah.
Main Topic: Energy Vampires
00:04:45
Speaker
okay yeah um i will be reporting back as soon as i get to that part can't wait yeah but once again this is not a book podcast no but maybe if you're really good you'll get a book episode soon maybe maybe if you're lucky yeah what are we talking about today who We are talking about energy vampires. So while not actual vampires like in The Prisoner, um we're talking about energy vampires. So think, what's his name in What We Do in the Shadows, TV show? I don't remember his name. It's something so fucking basic, isn't it? Is it like Colin or something? I wanted to say Carl. So it's something with a C, obviously. Yeah, something like
00:05:26
Speaker
But, I mean, obviously, i know it's a character characterization of what... energy vampires are, but it's honestly not that far off. It's really not.
00:05:39
Speaker
To kick us off, I'm going to go over some background and ah like just like a quick overview of energy of vampires and what they are and what they're not. Energy vampires are people or relational dynamics that consistently drain your emotional, mental, or nervous system energy, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It's not about mystical evil or supernatural intent, but it's about chronic emotional extraction that leaves one person depleted and dysregulated.
00:06:09
Speaker
Energy vampires are often discussed in spiritual spaces, but they also exist in psychological, relational, and trauma patterns as well. When we think about energy vampires, it's important to note that we aren't always talking about bad people, but rather patterns of interaction. We see this common in relationships where one person is consistently regulating the emotions of another person.
Misconceptions about Energy Vampires
00:06:33
Speaker
So what they aren't.
00:06:36
Speaker
Energy vampires are not people who occasionally need to support or anyone expressing emotions, having boundaries or asking for help. And they're not a spiritual excuse to avoid accountability or intimacy.
00:06:49
Speaker
Most people will play an energy draining role at some point in their life. I mean, that's just human nature, especially during times of stress, trauma or crisis. So if you are listening to this episode and you're like, oh, that sounds like me, just know that everybody will play that sort of a role. But it's one thing to understand when you're playing that role and take the steps to kind of get out of that. Or if you want to consistently do that, then that's obviously going to be a problem.
00:07:16
Speaker
There's a difference between chronically draining dynamics and temporary emotional need as well.
Types of Energy Vampires
00:07:21
Speaker
Temporary emotional need includes things like grief, illness, burnout, or crisis. But chronically draining dynamics are where imbalances never resolve. In healthy relationships, support flows both ways over time. But in energy vampiric dynamics, the flow is consistently one directional and attempts to rebalance it are often met with guilt, deflection, or escalation.
00:07:46
Speaker
And it's important to understand that there's not just one type of energy vampire. so we're going to go over the different types now. The first is the victim. So this is a person that is always like they always have that fresh sob story ready to go Nothing's ever their fault. And somehow the whole world is just out to get them. And they love to talk loudly and often about how unfairly they've been treated.
00:08:16
Speaker
The next is the criticizer. This person will find something wrong with literally everything. They spend a ton of energy nitpicking people, situations, or ideas, and praise and satisfaction. Never heard of her. They'll criticize everyone and everything.
00:08:35
Speaker
The next is the dramatizer. So for the dramatizer, life is one nonstop emergency. Every inconvenience is a full-blown catastrophe, and they frequently need your emotional labor, support, or rescuing.
00:08:52
Speaker
Next is the manipulator. The manipulator is always working an angle, even when it doesn't look like they are. They rarely say what they actually mean, and there's usually a hidden motive lurking beneath the surface with them.
00:09:07
Speaker
Next is the negative thinker. This is the permanent glass half-empty mindset. They're the first to point out what could go wrong or why something won't work.
00:09:19
Speaker
And they leave zero room for optimism, excitement, or possibility. And last, we have the blamer. Accountability? Absolutely not. They're quick to point fingers and hand out guilt and somehow always innocent while everyone else is the problem.
00:09:38
Speaker
And so one of the biggest misconceptions about energy vampires is that they're all malicious, calculating people. In and reality, not all energy vampires are conscious manipulators and impact and intent are two different things, but both matter. So there's two different types. There's intentional versus unintentional, right?
00:09:57
Speaker
So unintentional energy vampires are usually not trying to drain others, but their unresolved internal patterns create a consistent emotional burden on the people around them. These patterns often come from trauma responses, especially CPTSD, attachment wounds, particularly anxious or disorganized attachments, neurodivergence combined with lack of regulation tools, chronic emotional dysregulation, or feelings spill outward instead of being processed internally, or learned helplessness. Common behaviors include constantly venting without asking for consent, repeatedly seeking reassurance but never feeling reassured, difficulty respecting boundaries, and relying on others to regulate their emotions.
00:10:40
Speaker
The important thing here is that unintentional does not mean harmless. Even without malicious intent, these dynamics can still leave others feeling exhausted, resentful, or emotionally flooded, especially if the pattern goes unaddressed. A trauma-informed lens reminds us that someone can be hurting and can cause harm at the same time.
00:11:02
Speaker
Intentional energy vampires are more likely to involve chronic manipulation or exploitation, where emotional extraction is part of maintaining control, power, or self-image. They may also exhibit narcissistic or exploitative traits. and There's an important clarification here.
00:11:19
Speaker
And that is that having narcissistic traits are not the same as having narcissistic personality disorder. Traits exist on a spectrum and many people display them without meeting any sort of clinical criteria. However, narcissistic traits can create draining energy dynamics.
00:11:36
Speaker
Common narcissistic traits linked to energy vampirism include things like entitlement, lack of empathy, grandiosity, or playing the victim, um and also boundary violations or gaslighting.
00:11:49
Speaker
A key difference between the two and a way to distinguish between intentional versus non-intentional energy vampires is what happens when boundaries are introduced. Unintentional energy vampires may feel hurt or confused when boundaries are introduced, but they can adjust over time, especially with support, insight, or tools. Intentional energy vampires, though, they often react to boundaries with punishment, guilt tripping, rage, withdrawal, or manipulation.
00:12:17
Speaker
Intent doesn't negate harm here, but it's important to recognize intent can help determine what level of access um someone should get to your energy.
Vulnerability to Energy Vampires
00:12:26
Speaker
So let's talk about what the signs of an energy vampire are.
00:12:31
Speaker
First, there's the external signs or what they do. So conversations are always going to redirect to them. Energy vampires don't like to be outdone and they definitely don't like to share the spotlight. They also struggle to feel happiness for others, but would rather pull energy or feed their emotional demands.
00:12:51
Speaker
No matter how the conversation starts, it somehow ends up being about their life, their problems, or their feelings. You can share something important and they'll either interrupt, one-up you, or immediately relate it back to themselves.
00:13:07
Speaker
It feels less like a conversation and more like an emotional monologue that you're stuck listening to. There's also this crisis cycling with constant emergencies, which There's always something going wrong, another disaster, another breakdown, another urgent situation. Just when one problem resolves, a new one magically appears.
00:13:29
Speaker
The intensity never drops, which keeps you in a constant state of concern, worry, or even emotional labor. Then we have boundary testing. They push past your limits in small but consistent ways, calling or texting at inappropriate times, oversharing, or expecting immediate responses.
00:13:49
Speaker
When you try to set a boundary, they ignore it, minimize it, or act confused about why that boundary even exists. And then last, there's this guilt or obligation framing. So they rely on guilt trips to get what they want, and they use shame as a weapon against people that they know are compassionate.
00:14:10
Speaker
Requests come wrapped in guilt. So they might say things like, I thought you cared. You're the only one that I can talk to. Or even, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really bad.
00:14:21
Speaker
They make you feel responsible for their emotions, outcomes, or well-being. Saying no doesn't feel like an option. It feels like you're being cruel, selfish, or abandoning them.
00:14:34
Speaker
Yeah, and as far as internal signs, so these are the things that you feel, and they're commonly noted in trauma-informed research, and they include things like, so sudden or disproportionate exhaustion. So if you're with somebody who is an energy vampire, you're leaving this situation and you are just exhausted. You need to recoup your energy. If you feel any sort of brain fog, irritability, or disassociation while talking to that person, like especially if you know it's it's happening all the time,
00:15:07
Speaker
So a sense of dread before interactions as well. And this could even be something as simple as if your phone going off, you see that it's them. And then you are absolutely dreading even opening up the message to read it because all you can see is the preview and you know it's going to be some bullshit.
00:15:24
Speaker
That could also be an internal sign as well. feeling smaller, confused, or emotionally heavy afterward because you are carrying the burden of all of their feelings or using you in a way that is crossing those boundaries. And a need of to recover after every interaction. So if you find yourself just like with the sudden or disproportionate exhaustion, needing to recover after every interaction with them That is an internal sign that you need to establish firmer boundaries. These are often nervous system responses, though, and I just want to point that out. This is not a personal weakness. This is your body telling you that something is off.
00:15:59
Speaker
So why are some more vulnerable to energy vampires? Let's look at this. High empathy or people in caregiving roles tend to naturally be more susceptible to energy vampires. So if you are naturally empathetic, nurturing, or used to taking care of others, you're basically just glowing in their eyes like a beacon. They can scent you immediately.
00:16:29
Speaker
Caregivers, healers, therapists, oldest siblings, and the quote-unquote strong one of a friend group often get pulled into this role without realizing it.
00:16:41
Speaker
You're good at listening, at holding space, and staying calm in chaos, which can unintentionally signal the I can handle more. Over time your capacity gets mistaken for availability and your kindness gets treated like unlimited resources.
00:16:59
Speaker
And then there's like trauma bonding and people pleasing. So trauma bonding can make intense or dysfunctional dynamics feel familiar and even normal. If you've learned that love equals caretaking, fixing, or staying through discomfort, these relationships can feel oddly magnetic.
00:17:21
Speaker
People-pleasing often shows up as prioritizing others' needs over your own to avoid conflict, rejection, or guilt. So you might notice yourself minimizing your own exhaustion, making excuses for their behavior, or feeling responsible for keeping the peace even when it costs you.
00:17:41
Speaker
And additionally, there's something called spiritual bypassing. And this often happens when spiritual beliefs are used, usually unintentionally, to avoid necessary emotional work or healthy boundaries. So this can look like the quote, I need to be compassionate, or even they're wounded, they can't help it.
00:18:00
Speaker
Compassion without boundaries turns into self-abandonment. Many people who are spiritually inclined are taught that discomfort is a personal failing rather than a signal. So instead of listening to the discomfort and how it presents in your body, whether that be exhaustion, irritation, or resentment, they override those feelings in the name of being loving. This overlaps with people-pleasing and with religious conditioning, that belief that being good, kind, or forgiving at all costs, even when it's actually harmful, is a good thing.
Strategies to Protect Against Energy Vampires
00:18:32
Speaker
That's not a good fucking thing, okay? And I want to say too you in this, because you've talked about people-pleasing and then I just mentioned it a quote that like we've recently talked about
00:18:43
Speaker
And one that, because I've always been kind of a people pleaser my entire life, but I saw this quote, I think it was a year or two ago and I'm just like, it completely reframed things for me. And it was talking about how like, if you don't set clear boundaries, if you're a people pleaser who doesn't have strong boundaries, that is self-harm.
00:19:01
Speaker
And so that really like put things in a completely different perspective for me. So I hope if you're listening to this and you're a people pleaser and you've never heard that before, that you will rethink that shit. And then additionally, people who have had experienced burnout, grief, or major life transitions can be more susceptible to energy vampires as well. When someone is burned out or grieving a loss, recovering from trauma, or in the middle of a major life transition like hello, PCSing, divorce, illness, career changes, etc., they often don't have the energy needed to maintain strong boundaries. and During this time, the nervous system is already taxed, emotional regulation is harder, and the person may be needing connection, validation, and stability. Energy vampires are drawn to this, not even consciously, because someone in this situation may be less likely to say no.
00:19:54
Speaker
They may tolerate behavior that they normally wouldn't tolerate or confuse familiarity with support. When someone is grieving or in a major transition, their energy can feel raw or uncontained. And this openness can unintentionally signal availability to those who are habitual takers. And it's important to note here that what I just discussed and what Tiffany covered as well when we're talking about the type of people that are most at risk for energy vampires, this is not victim blaming. Being vulnerable is human. And if you fall into one of these categories, we're not saying that any of this is your fault because it's not. What we're saying is you need to be aware of these things so that you can establish firmer boundaries.
00:20:41
Speaker
And we wouldn't talk about this without giving you some tools to help yourself in these situations as well. So some non-magical ways of protecting yourself against an energy vampire can look like things like boundary scripts. And this is what to say when your boundaries are being tested.
00:21:01
Speaker
So having a few go-to phrases ready can be a game changer, especially if you tend to default to people-pleasing. Boundary scripts remove the pressure to explain, justify, or oversoften your no- Simple, neutral language is often the most effective. So you can say things like, I don't have the capacity for this right now.
00:21:24
Speaker
I can't support this conversation today. That's not something that I can take on or I'm not available for that. And saying these things doesn't make you like not compassionate. It sets that boundary in place saying today I can't do this, but maybe at a later time.
00:21:44
Speaker
So you don't need to convince them that your boundary is valid because stating it is enough full stop. Next is time limits or ways that you can contain the drain on your energy.
00:21:59
Speaker
Energy vampires thrive on open-ended access, so limiting time helps you stay regulated to set expectations up front. So here you could say something like, I have about 10 minutes to talk, or i can listen briefly, but I can't stay long. When the time is up, you don't need a dramatic exit. Just follow through. This keeps the interaction from spiraling into hours of emotional labor.
00:22:24
Speaker
Next, have an exit strategy. So plan your escape before you need it. That way you have it in your back pocket. Decide ahead of time how you'll leave a draining interaction. This might look like having a scheduled appointment that you need to get to. Whether you actually have one or not, that's okay.
00:22:42
Speaker
A phrase that you've always used when you're wrapping things up. Physically changing environments like standing up, grabbing your things, or simply ending a call if the exchange is over the phone.
00:22:55
Speaker
Some examples of how to approach this can be, i need to hop off now, but I hope things settle for you if you're on the phone, or I'm going to step away and take care of myself.
00:23:06
Speaker
You're allowed to leave conversations that are harming your nervous system. Reduce their access to you. You don't owe anyone unlimited availability. And this is something that I definitely struggled with as younger me was becoming an adult because boundaries weren't necessarily things that were honored when I was growing up. So learning that I could put them in place and not give people access to me took me a long time to understand. So if you resonate with this, just know that you are not alone in that.
00:23:37
Speaker
You can respond less frequently, you can shorten replies, or just stop engaging with certain topics that are off-limits for your personal reasons. Not every message requires an immediate response, or any response at all. And distance isn't punishment, it's self-preservation.
00:23:56
Speaker
And then lastly, I'm just going to note that sometimes you might need to reality check your role. So if you get into a situation where you can just really feel that this is draining on you, ask yourself, is this actually my responsibility?
00:24:14
Speaker
Supporting someone doesn't mean fixing them or saving them or sacrificing yourself. You can care without carrying. And another technique that you can use is something that's called the gray rock technique. And this is a communication strategy used to deal with manipulative, toxic, or narcissistic individuals and can be very useful in combating energy vampires. The key to this technique is to become intentionally unresponsive, boring, and uninteresting to avoid providing the emotional reactions they seek. So trying to like become that gray rock, right? This is staying neutral and disengaged, minimizing body language and providing flat responses.
00:24:57
Speaker
Another technique is nervous system regulation, which includes grounding, breath work and movement. And this can help anchor you to the present moment and can be very effective in regulating your nervous system after an interaction. Examples of this include things like deep diaphragmatic breathing, and then also a breathing technique called the 4-7-8 breathing. And with this, you'll place your tongue behind your front teeth, start with an exhale, then inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of seven, and exhale forcefully through your pursed lips for an eight count breathing. And you would repeat this four times.
00:25:36
Speaker
And then additionally, moving your body. So after an interaction, and when you feel drained or say like you have unintentionally let an energy vampire take your energy, go for a walk, do some yoga, dance, do bilateral movement, move both of your feet to help you become more regulated.
Magical Shielding Techniques
00:25:57
Speaker
and then also also mindfulness meditation. So doing something kind of like a body scan would be a great way to combat this. And then lastly, choosing distance without guilt. So Tiffany's mentioned this and i'veva I've mentioned this as well with talking about you know setting boundaries is a form of self-care.
00:26:15
Speaker
If you are consistently trying to establish these boundaries and they are not getting the picture, cut them off, block them, do not answer their phone call, choose choose distance without guilt because at the end of the day, you establish these boundaries. They did not respect those boundaries. So that means they do not care for you.
00:26:35
Speaker
You can also shield your energy magically. So passive protection is the type of for protection that works in the background and there's no constant effort required. So think of this as setting energetic boundaries once and then letting them run.
00:26:53
Speaker
This might look like intentionally visualizing a protective barrier around yourself before social settings, work, or even running errands. The key is consistency, not intensity. So quiet, steady protection tends to hold better than reactive panic-based shielding.
00:27:13
Speaker
You're not blocking everyone out. You're filtering what gets access to you. You can put up daily wards. So daily wards don't have to be elaborate rituals. They can be quick, intentional acts. And this could be a morning affirmation, a brief visualization, or a protective gesture that you repeat each day.
00:27:36
Speaker
Some examples of this could be visualizing mirror-like shield that reflects unwanted energy or setting the intention by saying something like, only what is aligned with my well-being is welcome today.
00:27:51
Speaker
Refreshing wards daily helps to prevent slow energetic buildup, especially if you're around draining people often. Another thing you can do is wear protective jewelry or symbols. So jewelry, charms, or symbols act as a physical anchor for your intention. Things like rings, necklaces, bracelets, or even a pen could be enchanted or dedicated for protection. Common symbols might include things like protective runes, sigils, knots, or even sacred geometry.
00:28:24
Speaker
Stones traditionally associated with protection or grounding would also work. The power isn't just in the object, it's in the repeated association between the object and the intention. Wearing it becomes a subtle reminder that you are protected.
00:28:40
Speaker
And then grounding practices. So for a full episode on grounding, make sure to go back and listen to episode 18 in season one, where we talked about this in depth, but grounding helps excess or unwanted energy move out of your system instead of lingering.
00:28:57
Speaker
This is especially important after interacting with energy vampires or emotionally heavy environments. Practices might include visualizing roots growing from your feet into the earth, touching the ground, plants, or even trees intentionally, breathing deeply while imagining your energy settling back into your body.
00:29:20
Speaker
Grounding brings you back into yourself, and it's less about defense and more about restoration. we look at active shielding. This involves intentionally forming a protective energy that surrounds your body. So instead of pushing energy out as you would with grounding, the aim with active shielding is to envelop yourself in your energy, expanding your personal energy outward to form a protective bubble beyond the edges of your physical body.
00:29:46
Speaker
You could do this with something like visualization shields, and this is a core way that shielding is practiced. You focus on your energy core and expand that energy outward around your whole body, seeing it extend out past your physical form so you're walking in a bubble. This imagined protective shield helps you to feel more energetically contained and safe during social interactions.
00:30:10
Speaker
And people who are skilled in aura reading sometimes say that people with strong shielding practice appear to have a large or vibrant aura and strong energetic boundaries. So this is a really great thing to practice. Even when you feel like you're not doing anything, still do it.
00:30:25
Speaker
And then another form of active shielding is something called elemental shields. And this uses the qualities of the four classical elements, so earth, air, fire, and water, to shape your energetic protections. Elemental shielding allows you the creativity to choose how you want your protection to behave based on what you're dealing with. Earth shields are about stability, density, and containment. So think of rocks, stone, mountains, or dense soil or crystal. Earth shields are best to use when you feel emotionally scattered or overwhelmed and when you need grounding or when you're dealing with energy that feels chaotic or invasive.
00:31:02
Speaker
Air shields focus on clarity, flirtation, and mental boundaries. Things like wind, mist, and breath. Air shields are best to use when you are dealing with manipulation, gaslighting, or confusion.
00:31:16
Speaker
Fire shields are active, assertive, and transformative. So things like flames, heat, solar energy, or protective circles of fire. Fire shields are best to use when you need strong boundaries fast, you're dealing with hostile, aggressive, or intrusive energy, or you're reclaiming your power after you've been drained or violated.
00:31:36
Speaker
And lastly, water shields are fluid, adaptive, and emotionally attuned. These are things like the oceans, rivers, or other bodies of water, rain, etc.
00:31:47
Speaker
Water shields are good to use when you're navigating emotional conversations, you want protection without emotional cutoff, and when you need flexibility. And it's important to note here that with elemental shields, you can use all four elements, just one, two however many like combinations of it you want to to use if you are using it in an active shielding exercise.
00:32:10
Speaker
It's also important to cleanse after contact. And basically this is where you're going to be clearing what isn't yours. So the first option you have is going to be cord cutting or cord softening. So the energetic cords can form after intense or repeated interactions, especially when emotional labor is involved.
00:32:32
Speaker
Cord cutting is best for relationships that are harmful, no longer active, or where ongoing connection isn't healthy. It's about reclaiming your energy, not punishing or banishing the other person.
00:32:45
Speaker
Cord softening, on the other hand, is a gentler option for people that you still interact with, so like family, coworkers, or even long-time connections.
00:32:57
Speaker
Instead of severing the cord, you imagine loosening it so that the energy can flow without depletion. Both practices are about choice where you get to decide how much access someone has to you.
00:33:11
Speaker
You can also do energy return practices. After draining interactions, it's helpful to consciously call your energy back. And this can be done through visualization, through breath work, or spoken intention. You might imagine your energy returning to you cleansed and whole while releasing anything that doesn't belong to you.
00:33:34
Speaker
This reinforces the idea that you're not meant to carry what isn't yours emotionally or energetically. And then, of course, there's bath, smoke, and even sound cleansing, which we have talked about copiously throughout several different episodes ah on the podcast on all five seasons. But bath cleansing works through water and physical sensation. And And adding things like salts, herbs, or just simply setting the intention that the water washes away any residue.
00:34:07
Speaker
With smoke cleansing, you're using things like incense, herbs, or resins to reset the energy around and within you. So you would focus on inviting in clarity and calm and not just getting rid of something.
00:34:23
Speaker
And then, of course, sound cleansing uses sound through bells, singing bowls, clapping, or even music to break up stagnant energy. Sound is especially helpful when emotional residue feels stuck or heavy. And these methods can be combined or used individually. What matters most is presence and intention.
00:34:47
Speaker
And lastly, Just to wrap things up on a little bit of ethics, right? So shielding is not about containment or isolation. Overshielding can cause disassociation or emotional numbing. So that's important to note because there's a fine line here. As we mentioned earlier, there's going to be times where we all step even just a toe into these energy vampiric roles where we're unintentionally could be draining somebody's energy and not realizing it. And so you need to think about that as well when you're thinking about shielding yourself and protecting yourself and setting those boundaries.
00:35:23
Speaker
Is this person actually intentionally or unintentionally playing that role of an energy vampire? Or do they actually just need support in this moment and they're going through something very heavy, but there's no pattern of energy vampiric relations
Distinguishing Vampires from Those in Need
00:35:40
Speaker
with this person? And that's something that we cannot answer for you. You need to actually do the work and understand that because if the last thing you want to do is harm any close relationships that you have, because you just assume everybody is out there playing the energy vampire role, that might not be the case.
00:35:57
Speaker
And then lastly, protection magic should not replace things like therapy. Like you heard us, we are huge proponents of therapy because we both have backgrounds in mental health. Go to therapy if you need it.
00:36:08
Speaker
schedule that appointment. Do not use your friends and family as your therapist. It also should not replace something like safety planning. If you are in an abusive situation and you feel like you can't leave, you need to involve professionals to be able to ah help you get out of that space. And you need to make sure that you're leaving abusive situations, especially when things are toxic. Magic is not going to be able to solve all of your problems. Sometimes you might have to do work outside of magic to be able to leave those situations.
Episode Conclusion and Announcements
00:36:45
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you loved this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts. It helps more witches, seekers, and magical misfits find our show.
00:37:01
Speaker
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00:37:15
Speaker
Just check the show notes for the link or search Get In Loser We're Doing Witchcraft on Supercast and Patreon. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at Get In Witches or email us at we'redoingwitchcraft at gmail.com.
00:37:28
Speaker
Join us next week for another installment of our Deity series, this time looking at the Norse Pantheon. Until then, stay magical, stay curious, and as always, blessed be witches.