This past weekend, I went to my 20th college reunion.  My college is my “happy place” and I also love the city that it is in, Philadelphia.  Also, so many of the people that I met in college are some of the most intelligent, creative and genuine people I’ve ever known.  I love to see them and it’s great to be reminded of the magic that is being unique.  Truth be told, I’m not much into socializing with large groups, crowded bars or lots of noise, but I signed up for all the reunion events anyway.  I feel confident that I can protect my energy and since I know the city very well, I also had a personal backup plan for fun things I would do if the reunion events weren’t feeling right to me.

That’s one of the great blessings of yoga in my life that I’ve learned to make choices based on my unique sensitivities that do not limit my participation.  I’ve always been sensitive and sometimes that makes me choose to stay home, to hide, to not say “yes”.  But, that’s not always the best choice for me.  Now that I understand that it is my sensitivity to the energy of others, to sounds, light and the environment in general, I know that I always need a back-up plan.  My back-up plan and early escape route help me feel that I can attend events that might be overwhelming with confidence.  If you feel sensitive in groups or shy, I highly recommend choosing to participate fully in life and just make sure that you have an escape plan that is very attractive to you.  If your “escape plan” isn’t good, then it is easy to feel like you “failed” at the social experience.  Also, you need a healthy escape plan.  If your escape is remaining in an uncomfortable situation and drinking too much alcohol or doing drugs to try to numb yourself to how you really feel, that isn’t nourishing and you will likely take even longer to recover from both the energetic toxicity and the toxins you ingested.  But, if your “escape plan” is something you know you will truly enjoy and can nourish any depleted energy from the time you were in the group, then it feels really wonderful to know that you can have it all.

In addition to having an ecscape plan, there are also things that you can do before attending the event that can help protect your energy in large groups.  First, I like to practice some deep belly breathing while visualizing a shiny silver light all around the perimeter of my body.  I see that I am whole and not easily invaded by the energies of others.  Beyond the silver light that coats the perimeter of my body, I visualize a cotton candy pink light about one foot beyond the silver light.  This is a soft pillow of sweetness that is a barrier to anything harsh or toxic.  It only takes a couple minutes to do this, but I find it is very helpful.

Having a touchstone in your pocket or purse or wearing jewelry with gemstones that protect energy can also be helpful.  I like to keep an emerald quartz in my pocket and then hold it in my hand or rub it with my fingers if I need to ground myself.  Emerald or rose quartz are suited to the hand chakras and are associated with the heart chakra and may be best for big family events, weddings, baby showers and the like.  Tigereye is my preferred touchstone for meetings, interviews or events where I need to remember my personal power.¹  If you aren’t into gemstones, keep something you like in your pocket to touch—maybe a pebble or shell you found on the beach, a colorful marble, or a trinket specially designed for such purposes.  There is a store near me that sells lucky pigs, pocket-size metal guardian angel coins and other items intended to be touchstones.  If you feel like you are susceptible to the energy of others, wear silver jewelry, especially bracelets.

I’ve personally found myself very sensitive to synthetic scents lately, but I like to use my sense of smell to stay grounded and calm.  I use the essential oil blend “JOY” made by Young Living by placing a drop on my palm and rubbing into into my low back, a drop on each wrist and then placing a dab behind each earlobe.  Since JOY is made in limited quantities, each Young Living member is only permitted to purchase up to one bottle each month. I also recommend an essential oil blend called “SACRED MOUNTAIN” because it is soothing and grounding. This oil is also limited in sales quantities and only available to members. Due to their limited quantities, I do not personally sell these oils, but you can purchase it yourself at a 24% discount off retail pricing as a Young Living member.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area and it is convenient for you to pick-up oils in Squirrel Hill at Ola’s Herb Shop (on Forbes Avenue above Ten Thousand Villages), then I do sell two products that you can carry in your purse and use to center at any time: Stress Away Roll-On and Tranquil Roll On. If you want your essential oils shipped directly to you and at a 24% discount, then I highly recommend exploring the membership option above.

If you would like a personalized essential oil consultation, then I offer 45-minute consults where you can try out the oils and receive recommendations for the oils that are best for you and how to use them. The consultations are $60 and can be held at my office in Regent Square or at Ola’s Herb Shop in Squirrel Hill. With your purchase of an essential oil consultation, you will also receive FREE enrollment in my online meditation course “A Mindful Month” ($25 value). If you decide to sign-up for a Young Living membership with a premium starter kit after our session, I provide you with a $20 credit towards a future service or online course enrollment with me. You are under NO OBLIGATION to purchase any oils from me or become a Young Living member.

¹Gemstone information is from “A Handbook of Chakra Healing: Spiritual Practice for Health, Harmony, and Inner Peace” by Kalashatra Govinda.  If you are looking for more techniques for protecting your energy, then try Cyndi Dale’s book, “Energetic Boundaries” for some very helpful ideas for healing and protecting.