Culling Year

Every few years, and very cyclical, I seem to experience a culling year.  This year is clearly one of those years,  Today, I heard about another death from a coworker.  I didn't know this person well, but saw him every day in the halls.  He was always smiling and always said hello.  This is the third death in three weeks of people at our office.  It is the fourth one this year.  

What do I mean by a culling year?  There seems to be a large amount of death around.  I'm sure that other people experience them in other cycles though.  These years are hard to get through.  I rely heavily on my friends and family to help distract me, get me out of my house and remind me that I have survived them before and will again.

I believe they hit me a bit harder than many people because I am an empath.  I typically do not miss those who have passed.  But I feel the sadness and grief of the friends and family.  With this happening at work, I'm surrounded by 400+ people who are grieving in some way.  

Over the years, I've learned how to build some pretty substantial walls to protect myself and to stay above the fray.  Every now and then, they simply aren't substantial enough.  Two weeks ago, we had two deaths in one weekend.  By the time Friday had gotten here, I just couldn't do it.  I was exhausted.  

So how does one protect one's self from this bombardment?  It's a little different for everyone.  You have to figure out what your source of power is.  For me, it is the solar plexus chakra.  Every day, I pull energy up through the earth and my body to my solar plexus and make sure that chakra is bright, clear, and spinning.  The light from there extends out from my solar plexus and creates an orb similar to an egg shell shape around me.  I see it as being inside a bubble of this energy.  Typically, it is fluid and clear and opalescent.  When I'm being bombarded with others' emotions, it thickens and hardens to prevent them from getting in to me.  

This is all part of Grounding, Centering, and Protecting.  I use simple visualization techniques to accomplish it.  But because it is a visualization exercise, each person has their own way that this manifests.  My recommendation is that you use meditation time to find and grow your own methods.  Once you find the visualization that works for you, hone it until you do it without even realizing that you are doing it.  As witches, we are so open to energy, use energy, and feel energy that it is important to know how to keep unwanted energy out.  

Keep breathing and stay centered.

All the best, 

~Lapis