What I mean by negative energy is not the same thing as when someone has hurt you physically or abused you, caused you direct harm, or emotional upset. There is a Ritual for Catharsis and Purging of Negative Feelings on the Esbat Menu that will help with situations of that sort. Here I am talking about negative energy as thoughts, along the lines of envy or jealousy.
People can send you their negative energy and most of the time this is repelled by your aura and your own positive outlook. But there may be times that you may feel you are under psychic attack.
Some signs of psychic attack are:
It has been my experience that there is a definite feeling which goes along with this, that someone is "out to get you" or "watching with maliciousness". Perhaps someone has actually threatened you, or your family, and you want to protect yourself from whatever energy they are directing at you. As well as doing all you can on the physical plane, there are some things you can do magickally as well.
If you only have ONE or TWO of these signs, then chances are very good that you are NOT under psychic attack. Look instead for a reasonable explanation and work to change the symptom on the physical level. However, if you have many of these occurences, and have this feeling that I described, and know that you have made someone angry at you or have been threatened by them - then you should assume that they could be attacking you on an astral level. Note also, that people who send you negative energy, don't have to know anything about magick or actually be doing a "spell" to have their negative or hurtful energy affect you.
A spell you can do is called a "reversal spell". One way to do a reversal spell would be to utilize a red/black candle and a mirror, to send back out whatever is being sent to you. These candles are red at one end and black at the other, and can be obtained from an occult shop, but many New Age type shops do not carry them. (If you can't find a supplier in your area, try the Links page for online vendors.)
Place the candle in front of the mirror and state that any negative energy that comes to you is bounced back to the sender without harming you.
Don't put a name to the reversal spell no matter how sure you think you are of the source. You may be sending it to an innocent person or a pawn of someone else, and thereby miss the real culprit entirely. Putting a "name" on the spell or focusing this energy and anger on a person is unethical, and makes you just as bad if not worse than the person you believe is doing something to you! Believe it or not, you COULD be WRONG! So, simply send it back "whence it came" and you will be sure that it is going to the right place. You may not know where the energy came from, but the Universe certainly does! This is ethical because you are not putting a name to it - just returning it. Besides, it is their energy to start with. This is self-defense.
There are people you will have to deal with, on a daily basis perhaps, that just attract negativity to them like a magnet. They are constantly complaining, finding fault, or just always having a bad day. One way to deal with this is again by using mirrors. Place a few tiny mirrors around your desk, in the four directions if possible, but no less than three, and aim them away from your area. This will also help deflect other's negative energy. However, if YOU are the source of the negativity, you will soon know it, because all your own negativity will be reflected back to you as well! So be very careful to stay calm, and focused, and not let little things bother you.
You can also use Spiritual washes, and sprays, etc. to cleanse your area and home of negative energy that may be accumulating there. Other information on these supplies is given in the Other Supplies listing on the main menu.
A besom, or broom is also a way to "sweep out" negative energy, or really any energy that you don't want in your home, or workplace. This is a tool that has been blessed and consecrated, and is not used for physical sweeping really, it is more used for "astrally" sweeping out the energy. It doesn't even have to touch the floor, if you don't want it to, it can be done a few inches above the floor.
Start at the back of the room, and going widdershins (or counter-clockwise) and visualize and clouds or muddinesss in the atmosphere being swept away, take it all around the room, to the door, and sweep it all the way out the front doorway. If there is a lot of negative energy in the area you need to use, then go around first with sage, burning it strongly and smudging the area well prior to using the besom.
There is a chant that our group uses for doing this:
"Tout, tout, tout
Within and without
All negativity
Get out, out, out."
Another verse I have heard used for this purpose is a bit longer:
"Besom, besom, long and lithe,
Made from ash and willow withe,
Tied with thongs of willow bark
In running stream at moonest dark,
With the pentagram indited as the ritual fire is lighted.
Sweep the circle deosil,
Sweep out evil, sweep out ill.
Make the round of the ground where we do the Lady's will."
"Besom, Besom, Witches broom,
Sweep out Spirits, sweep out doom.
Rid the Lady's Hallowed ground of demons, imps, and hell's red hounds.
Then stand thee down on her green earth,
By running stream, or Mistress' hearth
Till called upon for Sabbat's rite,
To cleanse once more the dancing site
To guard us all from evil might."
I would suggest using the first one, as it is easy to remember, and appeals to younger self.
And of course there is just no cure like prevention. Doing a House Blessing and Protection ritual at least once a year and then strengthening your "wards" every 3rd lunar cycle (quarterly) is the best measure I know of to keep your home safe and secure from psychic attack. Your home is your fortress, your safe haven, and you need to keep your perimeter "defended" by setting up the invisible walls and guardians that will repel negative energy that may come your way.