Note: for the purposes of this writing, the term “negative” is used to signify something “not good” and the term “positive” is used to signify something “good”.

Energy cannot be made nor destroyed, but it can be transformed into another form. From a scientific standpoint, there is no disputing that everything is energy.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt overwhelmed by a very distinguished “vibe”? When someone tapped you on the shoulder, or entered your home, have you ever felt something new being added to your space?

A family friend of mine always proclaimed aloud that I should be aware of energy. At the time, while I had a gut feeling that he was right, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what he was trying to teach me. “If a place makes you feel sick to the stomach, don’t stay there, even if you think you have to,” he said. “If someone brings positive energy and light to you, cherish the friendship. If they bring negative energy and darkness, stay away. Choose your friends wisely,” he said. “Nothing can destroy energy, but you can transform it from negative to positive if you are aware of it,” he said.

What seems to be a simple message now was actually quite difficult to wrap my mind around when I was younger. I identified as a peacekeeper and social justice activist of sorts. I didn’t want to divert my attention away from the atrocities occurring in the world, so how could I shield myself from their negatively charged energies? I didn’t want to give up on any of my friends, so how could I transform the moody, angry, and negative ones into happy-go-lucky people? Over time, I learned that my friend’s message was not about becoming ignorant and uncaring to suit my own means, nor was it about changing people. It was about being an active energy transformation hub, converting darkness into light.

How could I do that?

I’m still learning, but here are a few ways that have worked for me:

• When I am in a negatively charged space, perhaps due to its history, I walk out and remind myself that there are equally powerful positively charged spaces. I evoke memories of those: my favourite churches, playgrounds, restaurants, schools, beaches, etc. I learn the lesson from the place I have visited, but leave the energy behind.
• When someone brings negative energy to my personal space, such as my office, home, or car, I stop and take a moment to pray something along the lines of: “Lord, guard this home and all who dwell inside. Protect us from the envious, the manipulative, the angry, and the disheartened. Let them take of the gifts of this home, but leave nothing of theirs behind.” A prayer or a verbal declaration of gratitude is often all you need to build a shield against negative energies.
• When I travel and witness difficult lives, or watch horrible news on my screen, I close my eyes and imagine the victims dancing in all the joy I wish them. We all deserve peace. All of us. No exceptions.
• When someone says “you’re so lucky!” I always, always (test me if you like), will skip a beat in the conversation to quietly think: “I wish you light and luck, God shelter me from this envy” or “protect me, protect me!”
• I also often melt (not burn!) Frankincense because it evokes memories of my favourite churches. Some believe that Frankincense has a cleansing power and re-energizes a space with light energy. This is why it is so commonly used in religious spaces.

Practices such as these work whether or not you are religious. Your choices of thoughts are infinite, you just need to make sure you meet three basic goals:

1. Recognize when you are in a negatively charged space and pay attention to how interactions make you feel, even if they are as brief as rubbing arms with a stranger on a metro.
2. Transform the negative energy to a positive one by converting negative words and actions into positive ones. You must wish others well, even if you feel the need to get away from them. What we put into the world, we receive back two-fold.
3. Evoke a sense of safety and protection through prayer, contemplation, reflection, meditation, or good memories of a safe place. If you have no such memory, imagine a place and visit it often through contemplation.

Do you believe that you can transform negative energy into positive energy? Are you the hub where light is created? In the comments section, let me know what you do to keep your own energy in check! I can use more tips!

And remember… we design our own luck!

M.