Psychic Vampires, etc. (was: Casting Love)

[VioletImagery]

So I suppose my caution would be to just be aware that this practice can bring about intentions in ways you might not expect...

Yikes! That sounds like a touchy situation with your mother. I wish you both well! Thanks for the note of caution. I don't have any experience dealing with energy vampires or psychic shielding or anything like that. I still feel like an innocent n00b. Where do I start? And which end of the sword do I hold again?

--Kelsey

[ButterflyWoman]

That sounds like a touchy situation with your mother.

Uhm, yeah.

I don't have any experience dealing with energy vampires or psychic shielding or anything like that.

Consider yourself lucky on the vampires thing. Most of them don't even know they're doing it, actually, but some are deliberate. General psychic shielding is a good idea, though, in any situation.

Where do I start?

The Psychic Self Defense forum is a good place to start. Lots of threads about shielding, etc. The simplest is to just announce (with intention):

I AM the only authority in my life
I do now close my aura and body of light
to all but my own Godself
And so it is

That works very well for me, and it's very quick, doesn't involve a lot of visualisation, etc.

Another member of this forum just takes her finger and draws a circle in the air and says, "Circle of protection around me" and that works for her. You can also do something like:

God before me, God beside me, God beneath me, God above me, God around me, All is well

(Substitute "Goddess" or "Spirit" or "Christ" or "Source" or whatever makes you comfortable if the "God" part doesn't resonate.)

There are other interesting ways to shield yourself, as well. As I said, check the Psychic Self Defense forum and ask questions if you have them.

And which end of the sword do I hold again?

Point the pointy part at the bad guy. There you go.

[Neil Templar]

I don't believe that it was the sending of love that was the problem. I think it was the way I was doing it and the fact that my mother has long been in the habit of draining me of as much energy as possible, and the moment the opportunity presented itself, boom, there it was. I'm not entirely sure what I was doing "wrong". Maybe nothing. Maybe it was necessary for me to re-establish the link so that events would unfold so that I could reach the state of forgiveness and thereby gain healing, which was, after all, my intention to begin with....

I'm not sure what sort of caution to offer, actually. My mother and I are a special case, with a karmic connection that goes back a long, long way. I certainly haven't had any sort of backlash or problem with sending love to anyone else, and I do certainly still practice this regularly. I think in this case with my mother it was a combination of intent and old karmic stuff that had to be addressed, and the end result was good, even if it was kind of uncomfortable to get to there. So I suppose my caution would be to just be aware that this practice can bring about intentions in ways you might not expect...

i wonder if there'd be less potential for this kind of problem if we were to send out love to everyone, every time, rather than focusing on any one individual?

[ButterflyWoman]

i wonder if there'd be less potential for this kind of problem if we were to send out love to everyone, every time, rather than focusing on any one individual?

That's my thinking. Or when you send love in a sort of detached or abstract way. For example, I sometimes sit and send blessings/love to every driver of every car that I see. As I don't know those people, it's very detached, and still benefits me and, I hope, them.

With my mother it wasn't exactly detached, because I still had a lot of issues that had to be sorted out. But I'm sure I could send love to my husband or my mother-in-law, or the next door neighbor, and that would be fine. I do those things now and there's no unusual or unwanted connection set up and no particular problems have arisen.

Detachment is the key to a lot of spiritual practices, it would seem.

[VioletImagery]

Consider yourself lucky on the vampires thing. Most of them don't even know they're doing it, actually, but some are deliberate. General psychic shielding is a good idea, though, in any situation.

Now that I think about it...there might be someone trying to 'latch' onto me. I received a particularly poisonous email today from my supervisor probably intended to make me feel about 2 inches tall. He's quite charming in person, but he always sends nasty emails first before he wants to meet with you (I am seeing him on Wednesday). Does that sound like a form of energy vampirism?

The simplest is to just announce (with intention):

I AM the only authority in my life
I do now close my aura and body of light
to all but my own Godself
And so it is

That works very well for me, and it's very quick, doesn't involve a lot of visualisation, etc.

And, ya know, I did happen to mentally say something along these lines first before I replied to his email. I think I will 'borrow' your affirmation and make a practice of it. I'm not feeling nearly as bad as I normally would after receiving such harsh (and rather unnecessary, IMO) criticism.

And which end of the sword do I hold again?

Point the pointy part at the bad guy. There you go. [/quote]

Ah yes, thanks. Just making sure I had that right.

--Kelsey

[CFTraveler]

Now that I think about it...there might be someone trying to 'latch' onto me. I received a particularly poisonous email today from my supervisor probably intended to make me feel about 2 inches tall. He's quite charming in person, but he always sends nasty emails first before he wants to meet with you (I am seeing him on Wednesday). Does that sound like a form of energy vampirism?

Oh yeah. I find that people that manipulate (or strive to) to get an emotional effect, whether it's demeaning or adoring, are energy vampires. Of course, they don't always know they are. But the effect feeds them, and that's all they might know. The ones that realize what they are (and are happy about it) put off a different vibe, (so to speak) but both (aware or unaware) are easy to detect, once you become aware of it.

[ButterflyWoman]

Editing note: In a somewhat complicated attempt to split a topic that was over more than one page, this post kind of got chopped off. I couldn't work out how to merge it back, so I've copied it verbatum and posted below. -OW

Thanks for the information, CFTraveler! It was quite helpful.

So, once you can detect energy vampires and they are no longer affecting you (or not very much, anyway), how do you deal with them? I will have this supervisor for the next 4 years and I don't want to just put up with his abuse the way his other students do. I want to have a more mutual working relationship than that, but I don't know how willing he will be. I am waiting for his response to my email where I suggested meeting to establish some overall expectations for my work for the duration of the program (I just started my PhD this fall).

--Kelsey

[ButterflyWoman]

Abuse is a classic tool of the psychic vampire. Sometimes it's verbal/emotional, but it can also include physical abuse and other forms of manipulation and control. What they do is get you "stirred up" so it raises your emotional energy, then they batter you (emotionally, physically, whatever) just enough to keep you feeling helpless against them. When they want to drain you, they rile you up again, and hold you down at the same time. It's an extremely unpleasant situation to be in, to say the least.

Not all psychic vampires employ overt abuse, but it's fairly common. Some just deliberately provoke emotional responses (such as internet trolls). Some are more subtle, and will form a "friendship" with the victim and build a connection and then slowly demand more and more energy.

In this case, with the abusive supervisor, I'd say start shielding NOW. I'd actually go so far as to create a specific shield that has his name on it and forbids all spiritual/psychic connection.

[CFTraveler]

Ditto that. I'd use a mirror shield if they are very mean, cut cords with them (which is prob. stickied here) and work on not being 'stirred up' by them. By knowing that's what they are doing this will help you analyze 'as coldly and analytically as possible' and find ways to avoid contact when you don't have to address them.
A lot of 'nonviolent communication' practices are very helpful, as long as you don't find yoruself expending lots of energy on this, although it is initially helpful. So I'd say a multi-pronged approach is best.

[VioletImagery]

Thanks for all the advice, OlderWiser and CFTraveler! I feel much better prepared now!

I'd actually go so far as to create a specific shield that has his name on it and forbids all spiritual/psychic connection.

Can you tell me how to do this specifically? Like I said, this is totally new to me. Thanks!

I'd use a mirror shield if they are very mean,

Like the kids rhyme "I'm rubber and you're glue..."? Maybe the kids are on to something.

and find ways to avoid contact when you don't have to address them.

Well, it's not too late for me to change supervisors. Maybe I should consider it.

So I'd say a multi-pronged approach is best.

Yes, you've given me a good variety of tips. Thank you!