12 Tips for Removing Negative Energies from Your Environment and Yourself

Do you ever have days when you just feel in a funk, unable to focus on any one task or feel optimistic about anything? Negative energy can make days long and miserable, dragging us down and making everything seem bad. Luckily, we don’t have to just wallow in that negative energy on those days.

Removing negative energies from your space and body can be as simple as meditating for a few minutes or putting out a bowl of salt. Read on to learn some techniques for getting rid of this bad energy and brightening up your days again.

1. Get Some Plants

Negative energy is all about darkness and stagnation, so having plants around is a great way to combat that. Plants embody growth and life, and they need sunlight to flourish. So not only can they help banish negative energy from your space, they can also motivate you to bring more light into your space, increasing your positive energy.

Succulents are popular for their low care requirements and adorable shapes, but they can also absorb feelings of envy and malice in a space. Jasmine can attract positive energy and puts off a lovely soothing aroma. And rosemary can cleanse the air of harmful toxins, not to mention adding fabulous flavor to your cooking.

2. Open a Window

Because negative energy is all about stagnation, it probably won’t stick around in the face of sunlight and a breeze. Opening your windows can bring in fresh air, sunlight, and better energy. If it’s a nice day, set a fan in front of your windows to pull the fresh air in and blow the negativity out.

This is also a good opportunity to cleanse the spaces you spend the most time, where negative energy may be concentrated. Shake out your sheets, maybe taking the opportunity to wash them and hang them out to dry. Shake out couch and chair cushions, fluff pillows, and beat out rugs – get fresh air moving through any stagnant areas in your home.

3. Salt It Out

Salt is good for more than flavoring your dinner. Salt crystals also absorb a ton of negative energy in a space and refresh your life.

Sprinkle small grains into the carpet and leave it there for about an hour and then vacuum it up. You can also place salt in small bowls in the corners of your room and leave it there for a few hours. 

4. Claim Your Space 

You may start to feel like your space isn’t your own, and like you can’t be at peace in your home. When you come to this place, one great way to reclaim your space is to literally reclaim it. Stated intentions have power, both for your space and for your internal state.

Walk around your space, paying attention to the details and looking at each item. Say out loud, “I claim this space. I choose to love this space and make it a place of positive energy for me.”

5. Burn Sage

Sage has long been acknowledged as a purifying substance. Burning sage is a great way to cleanse a space of negative energy and open it up to positive vibes. Do be careful to practice proper safety when smudging or burning sage, and follow any regulations if you live in an apartment.

Get a white sage smudge stick and burn this while you walk around your house with it. Swirl it in a counterclockwise direction and say, “I am clearing all negative energy from this space and allowing only the most positive energy to remain.” You can also swirl the sage smoke from your feet moving up to your head to cleanse your personal space.

6. Visualize

The human mind is an amazing thing, and it’s astonishing how much visualization can do to cleanse your personal energy. When you practice visualization, you picture negative things leaving you and your life and positive things entering. Not only can this cleanse your energy, it can also help you find joy and positivity in the midst of the worst days.

When you get a chance in your hectic day, sit down somewhere comfortable and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, centering yourself and focus on breathing in good vibes and breathing out bad. Picture a small ball of golden light in the center of your chest that expands with each exhalation, growing until it fills your entire body.

7. Soak in a Tub

A soak in a tub is always relaxing and cleansing, but there are ways you can make the most of this ritual. There is something sacred about the act of immersing yourself in water. And adding the right minerals and essential oils to your bath can draw out negative energy from your body, leaving you cleansed body and soul.

Run a hot bath, and then dissolve one cup of sea salt and one cup of baking soda in the water. Soak in the bath, taking time to focus on your breathing and the negative energy leaving your body. You can also cut those quantities back to ¼ of a cup and use this as a foot soak if you don’t have time for a full bath.

8. Get a Quick Massage

Sometimes, taking a few moments out of your day to recenter yourself and clearing your body of negative energy can be incredibly transformative. Your head and face hold a great deal of your energy, so giving them a quick massage can help bring better energy into your day.

Place the tips of both your middle fingers on your forehead between your eyebrows. Sweep your fingers up the center of your forehead, back across the crown of your head, and down the back of your skull. When you reach the point where your neck meets your shoulders, sweep each finger down a shoulder, focusing on breathing out the negative energy as you do.

9. Meditate 

It’s no secret that meditation has tons of benefits, physical, mental, and spiritual. So it makes sense that it can be a powerful tool for cleansing negative energy. Meditation helps you strengthen your mental “muscles”, sharpening your intentions and giving you greater control over your personal energy.

Meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and taking a focused breath in and out. Try to find small moments in your day when you can be present where you are at that moment without worry about the future or judgment of how you’re feeling. During these times, focus on finding the light within yourself and your life and setting that light as a core of your being.

10. Breathe

One of the core tenets of meditation is mindful breathing, and this can also be a great tool for clearing negative energy. Practices like Kapalabhati breathing can help dispel negative energy, as well as warming your body, improving digestion, and providing a variety of other benefits.

To practice Kapalabhati breathing, sit somewhere comfortable and place your hands on your lower belly. Take one deep breath in through your nose and out your mouth, and then inhale deeply through your nose, filling your belly about ¾ of the way full. Then in one quick motion, forcefully expel the air from your lungs, drawing your navel in towards your spine. 

Let your belly fill again naturally, paying attention to how your lungs fill on their own. Repeat this cycle ten times or so, and then allow your breathing to return to normal, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body. Repeat this whole cycle three or four times.

11. Smile

Smiling when you feel weighed down by negative energy may feel disingenuous, but it can be a great tool to improve your mood. The act of smiling itself can release a variety of positive endorphins that can raise your mood.

Even if it feels fake, try smiling for ten seconds, or look at something that always makes you grin. Your smile has tremendous power to banish the negative and bring light into your life. And not only that, sharing your smile with those around you can bring them joy too.

12. Get Moving

As we mentioned before, negative energy is about darkness and stagnation. Moving around breaks that stranglehold and shatters the negative energy. You don’t have to join a Crossfit gym or start training for American Ninja Warrior to bring positive energy to your life; simple movements will make a world of difference.

Get up and take a walk around your office, your block, or your town. Do a few healing yoga poses, preferably outside or with the windows open to let in plenty of natural light. Even a few jumping jacks or squats can lift your mood and energy levels.

Learn More About Clearing Negative Thoughts And Energy

Negative energy can feel like an anchor around your neck, dragging you down as you move through your life. Cleansing negative energies from your space and your person can fill your days with joy and light. So set your intentions, breathe deep, and find the joyful energy in your life.

If you’d like to learn more about finding balance in your life and centering yourself, check out the rest of our site at I’m Centered. We have articles about everything from yoga to nutrition.