Releasing what is not ours

I've noticed over the last few months that I am taking on emotions that don't belong to me much more often. This is my tendency anyway, and I practice regular self-care and self-awareness to minimize it. But right now, there is so much in the collective field that it is a bit more challenging!

How do you know if you have taken on emotions and energy that aren't yours? One clue is having a change in mood or outlook but not being sure why. It's helpful to look back and see what was happening right before...were you on social media? Watching the news? In a store or other public place?

Another sign is having feelings that seem out of proportion to what is going on. It is possible, and actually common, to be experiencing both our own feelings, and collective energies.

In fact, we tend to be more susceptible to taking on feelings that we are already experiencing. So, if we are feeling sadness and despair at the state of the world (can anyone relate to that??), that can be compounded by taking on the sadness and despair in the collective field, or from the people around us.

We can also take on emotions from others when we really want to help someone or a situation, especially if we feel like it is our job to fix it.

It is important to remember that we can't heal anyone else's pain and suffering! It isn't ours to heal. Most of us "know" that in our minds, but can still find ourselves doing it unconsciously. The most loving thing to do is return it so that they have the opportunity to heal it themselves.

You don't have to know for sure if the emotions you are feeling are all yours, or someone else's, or some of each. You can still release the energy that doesn't belong to you through intention.

Practice: Sit quietly and say either silently or aloud, "I release any emotions or energy that do not belong to me. I keep only what belongs to me. I release this energy back to where it does belong with love and respect." See, feel or imagine this energy releasing from your body and energy field, returning back to where it came from. Take several slow deep breaths to support this release.

You may feel a shift in your mental or emotional state, a sense of relief or relaxation. Then whatever is left is for you...to point you to where you are hurting, to what needs attention in your heart and soul.