Breaking Free from Unhealthy Emotional Ties with Cord Cutting
In our quest for personal growth and spiritual development, we often encounter emotional and energetic ties that hold us back. These ties, known as energy cords, can connect us to people, places, objects, and beliefs, often transmitting unhealthy or unwanted energy and limiting our potential. Cord cutting is a powerful healing technique designed to unhook us from these draining dynamics, freeing our consciousness to pursue growth and well-being.
What Are Energy Cords?
Energy cords are invisible attachments that form between individuals, places, objects, and beliefs. These cords can develop through significant relationships or even brief encounters. They represent the energetic ties that influence our emotions and overall wellness, often without our conscious awareness. While some cords can be positive and nurturing, many become unhealthy, co-dependent connections that drain our energy and limit our freedom.
A Common Example of Energy Cords
Consider the experience of having an overly critical family member. Even when you’re not around them, you might hear their voice in your head, criticizing your choices. Despite the physical distance, their judgment can still affect you, making you feel drained and energetically depleted. This persistent experience suggests an unhealthy energetic attachment that continues to feed those feelings of judgment into your energy field.
The impact can be so profound that, if you focus on that feeling, you might even detect where in your body this energy is penetrating. It might manifest as a knot in your stomach, tightness in your chest, or a headache. These physical sensations are your body’s way of signaling the presence of these energetic cords. Recognizing and addressing these cords is just another way of reclaiming agency over your own energy.
Why Do Energy Cords Need to Be Cut?
Unhealthy energy cords can have an impact on our well-being. They can hinder our personal power, making us feel energetically drained, manipulated, or stuck in the past. These cords often carry the energy of toxic relationships, addictive behaviors, and unresolved emotional issues, preventing us from living fully in the present and pursuing our life goals.
Cutting these cords can aid in restoring our independence and vitality. By severing these ties, we release the unwanted energy and emotional baggage they carry, allowing us to attract relationships and experiences that support our growth and happiness.
Signs You Need to Cut Energy Cords
Warning: This list is going to be long. Now I’m a practical person, and for those who have worked with me, I like to give it to you straight. Most of these issues are fully capable of resolving on their own with time or with the support of a good friend or therapist. However, if you feel like things are not getting better, are getting worse, or you feel like you have no control over these emotions, cord cutting might be a beneficial alternative worth exploring.
Obsessive Thoughts and Emotional Turmoil, expressed as:
Unable to stop obsessing about a person.
Feeling judged or criticized by others.
Mental arguments about the other person.
Deep feelings of sadness, anger, and depression around past events.
Desire for revenge or constant awareness of unfair treatment.
Becoming an emotional wreck, crying a lot.
Being Stuck in the Past, expressed as:
Constantly thinking about past events or people.
Always reflecting on the past and what happened there.
Experiencing constant reminders or memories of the person
Incapable of moving on.
Turning down other offers and invitations, feeling uninterested.
Not looking for new opportunities.
Negative Impact on Daily Life, expressed as:
Feeling energetically drained.
Experiencing nightmares.
Not sleeping well.
Feeling manipulated or controlled by others.
Susceptibility to manipulation.
Unhealthy Attachments and Relationships, expressed as:
Temptation to return to a relationship that doesn't serve you.
Compulsive online stalking of the person (e.g., watching their social media).
Having conversations with the person in your head.
Loss of Personal Identity, expressed as:
Lack of personal identity, overly tied to another person, group, or belief system.
Addictive behaviors and feeling overly dependent on someone or something for emotional well-being.
Is Cord Cutting Safe?
Cord cutting is generally safe when done with the right intention and care—just like any other energetic healing practice. It’s not about cutting people out of your life or causing harm. It’s about letting go of the energetic patterns and attachments that are no longer supporting you, so you can move forward with more clarity and ease.
If the idea of doing this alone feels overwhelming, you're not alone. An experienced energy healer—like a Reiki Master or Practitioner—can help guide the process, ensuring the cords are thoroughly cleared and that healing energy is directed to any affected areas. We can also help you identify where cords may be attached and hold space as you release them, often supporting the emotional waves that can arise. This kind of session can be done in person or remotely.
But even when the work is centered on you, it’s natural to wonder: What happens to the other person?
Let’s talk about that next.
How Does Cord Cutting Affect the Other Person?
One of the most common concerns I hear is: “If I cut cords, will the other person feel it?” or “Am I hurting them by doing this?” It’s a valid question—and one that speaks to your empathy and heart.
The short answer? Cord cutting is about your energy, not theirs.
When we cut cords, we're not casting blame or sending harm. We’re choosing to release our side of an energetic attachment that no longer serves us. You are reclaiming your energy, your space, your autonomy.
That said, because energy cords are connections, the other person may feel a shift—especially if they were unconsciously relying on that cord to stay connected to you. This might show up as a sudden urge to reach out, dreams about you, or emotional discomfort they don’t quite understand. But any reaction they have is theirs to process, just as your healing is yours.
You’re not cutting them out of your life (unless that’s part of your intention). You’re simply dissolving the energetic pipeline that allowed their energy to influence you—consciously or not. This doesn’t prevent you from caring for them, or even staying in contact. In many cases, cutting cords actually allows a relationship to reset and become healthier, more mutual, and less energetically entangled.
If a relationship is meant to continue, it will—but from a more empowered, balanced place. And if it isn’t, the space you create by releasing that cord will make room for something more aligned to come in.
The Cord Cutting Process
There are various methods to cut energy cords, each with its own approach and tools. Personally, when it comes to removing any kind of energy, I find it equally important to replace that empty space with something positive. In my opinion, anything left vacant is more susceptible to being filled back up with unwanted energy. Think of it like decluttering your home: once you’ve cleared out the junk, you don’t want to leave the space empty for more clutter to accumulate. Instead, you want to fill it with things that bring you joy and comfort.
Cord-Cutting Meditation with Light and Source Energy
To effectively cut energy cords, I like to combine a meditation practice with the visualization of light and Source energy. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Find a Quiet Space: Sit comfortably in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes and take deep breaths to relax and center yourself.
Ground Yourself: Imagine roots extending from your body into the Earth, grounding you firmly. Feel the connection to the Earth’s stabilizing energy.
Visualize Light: Picture a ball of bright white light formed from the energy of the sun, moon, and stars. This light represents pure, healing energy.
Scan Your Body: Move this ball of light through your body, starting from the top of your head and slowly descending to your feet. As the light moves, visualize it pushing out any energy cords attached to you.
Focus on Chakras: Pause at each chakra (energy center) and spend extra time visualizing the light clearing away cords and filling the space with pure energy. Notice if there are any blockages or cords attached to specific areas.
Cut the Cords: As the light reaches a cord, imagine it dissolving the connection effortlessly. Feel the cord disintegrate and the space it occupied being filled with healing light.
Release and Fill: Continue moving the light through your body until you feel all cords have been addressed. Imagine the light filling you up completely, restoring your energy and sealing any gaps.
Breathe and Relax: Take a few more deep breaths, feeling lighter and more energized. Open your eyes when you’re ready.
Post-Cord Cutting Experiences
After cord cutting, you might experience changes in your relationships. Some relationships may evolve, while others might naturally fade away. Emotional releases, such as crying or feeling a weight lifted, are common. Physical symptoms like fatigue, nausea, or light-headedness can also occur as your body adjusts to the energy shift. It's also important to be mindful of the possibility that those energetic attachments might attempt to reconnect. Maintaining strong boundaries is crucial to prevent these cords from re-forming. Trust your instincts and give yourself time to heal and adapt.
By regularly engaging in this cord-cutting process whether self administered or with the help of an energy healer, you can free yourself from draining attachments and open up to a life of greater joy, health, and fulfillment.
If you're interested in learning more or discussing how energetic attachments could be affecting your day-to-day life, you can always schedule a consult. As always, I encourage you to support each other on this path to greater freedom and well-being by sharing your experiences or questions in the comments below.