Fall is the season of death and release. This is a very spiritually significant time of the year, where Mother Nature is letting go of everything that no longer serves Her so She can make space for the new beautiful things to come in the spring. As we are beings that are one with the Earth, it makes sense for us to fall into these natural cycles of growth and release as well. Chances are, there is negative energy you need to release as well in order to move forward with your life. You can be holding onto negative energy without even realizing it. Fortunately, there are many simple rituals you can do today to release negative energy. Pick one that resonates with you, commit to doing it today, and do it. Here are 14 simple ways you can release negative energy:
- Meditate. Perhaps meditation is already a part of your daily practice. If this is the case, try setting an intention to release during your next meditation session. If you aren’t in the habit of meditating, you can still do this. Just don’t over do it by scheduling a 20 minute meditation, try just 5 minutes instead, with the intention of release. Before closing your eyes to meditate, state out loud, “My intention with this practice is to release”. Then as the thoughts come up, imagine them as balloons. Imagine releasing the balloons up into the sky, until you can no longer see them and they are no longer in your control. You have released your excess energy and chatter to the universe, and this energy is no longer clouding your thoughts. Enjoy your new clarity.
- Sweat. This is the body’s natural way of detoxing. Stress and negative emotions physically stay in the body via hormones until there is a means of release. There are a number of ways you can encourage sweat to release. Do some exercise, take a hot bath, try some yoga, wear an extra sweater, or hang out in a sauna for a bit.
- Stretch. Negative energy is often held onto in the body, especially with tension in the hips and shoulders. Targeting these areas with some yoga or intentional stretching will help with the release. Yin yoga is especially effective in opening up the places where we hold tension in the body, and releasing it.
- Smudge. Buy a dried sage stick and burn it. Wave the wand over your body from head to toe, and cleanse your space with it, especially around doors and windows. Sage contains magic that clears away bad energy (even my super-skeptical boyfriend cannot deny that he feels much lighter and clearer after I do a smudge). If you are uncomfortable with lighting the sage, or are sensitive to smoke, you can buy some essential sage oil instead and use it in a diffuser for a similar effect.
- Clear out some physical space. This means getting rid of clutter and belongings that no longer serve you. By clearing away the clutter, you are making more space in your life for positive energy to flow in. After doing a declutter, I like to take it a step further and smudge the space, to make the energy of the new space extra clear.
- Practice forgiveness. It is likely that you are holding onto resentment from things in your past that no longer serves you. There are many rituals you can perform to practice forgiveness. You can make a list of everything you need to forgive, say “I forgive and release this” and burn the list, or practice a mantra such as Ho’oponopono. Find something that resonates with you, and commit to forgiveness. This includes forgiving yourself too!
- Wish goodness upon others. When you are passing others in public, in your mind wish some sort of blessing for them. This can be anything you like, such as “I wish they have a happy marriage” or “I wish they win the lottery today” or “I wish them well and good health”. What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself, and positivity will always melt away the negative.
- Abstain from eating animal products. While it may be difficult or impossible for some people to fully commit to a vegan diet, a reduction or short fast from animal products can be extremely beneficial. When you consume animal products, you are consuming the stress and fear of animals that were tortured and poorly treated. Avoiding, reducing, or completely removing animal products from your diet will result in you feeling lighter and happier not contributing to animal suffering. Always make sure you are consulting a nutritionist to ensure you are being healthy and responsible in any drastic diet change like this.
- Cry. Crying is another form of physical release, much like sweating. If you feel the urge to cry, do not resist or shame yourself for it. Accept the release, and you will likely feel much better afterwards.
- Pray. If there is anything that is overwhelming you, and feels completely out of your control, pray to whatever resonates with you, and state, “I release this now”. Trust that it is now in the hands of the divine, and there is nothing left for you to worry over.
- Burn something ceremoniously. The act of burning physically transforms the energy into something else. What was once a form of negative energy will become nothing but ash. You can journal on everything that is bothering you and needs to be released, and burn these pages. Or you can simply light a candle, with the intention of release, and the candle will do all the work.
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). This is also known as tapping, and it can be hugely beneficial if there is a specific thought or anxiety that needs to be released. Here is a great video by Brad Yates on how to tap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiD72cZ5mcU He also has many resources guiding you through tapping geared towards various blocks and challenges you may be facing, so I highly recommend going through whatever resonates with you.
- Acceptance. Sometimes you need to simply accept whatever it is you’re going through in life. When you accept something, you release the need to control it, along with the misery and anxiety associated with it. All of the above tips and rituals will help you come to this place of acceptance.
- Find a creative outlet. Maybe you just need to sing, dance, paint, or knit for an hour to keep your mind off things, or to physically release whatever it is you are experiencing. Creative activities transform negative energy and emotions into something tangible and real, getting it out of your mind and body and into the world in physical form instead.
Remember there is no one right solution or method to release negativity, it is all a matter of what is most meaningful, symbolic, and appropriate to what you are going through. However, I do suggest trying a variety of things a number of times, and finding what works for you. What’s most important is that you feel some sort of release, no matter how small. Anytime you release anything, you make way for something more beautiful to flow your way.
