Mastering Energetic Projection and How to Shift the Energy You Receive
- Mar 19
- 5 min read
Kellie and Kelly are the founders of the Academy of Embodiment Arts and hosts of the Soul Discovery podcast. They combine Qigong with meditation and energy mastery to guide people to embody new frequency through transmutation and transformation for lasting change.
A projection is defined as a psychological defense mechanism in which one attributes one's own unacceptable feelings or traits to others. Preconceived ideas, assumptions, and unspoken expectations are the playground where the undisciplined mind projects onto the self or others. These energetic projections can affect how we see ourselves or others, yet they are nothing more than energy we can shift if we are able to see them for what they are.
Over time, we can learn to interpret the information from emotional projections rather than be affected by them. With practice, we can determine when we are projecting onto ourselves and how to see the information as a catalyst for change.
We adopt many beliefs due to the projections of others. Words don't have to be spoken for us to pick up on the energetic information in the room. Unfortunately, when we don't pay attention to these subtle messages or frequencies, we adopt them into our energy field and make them ours. When you pay attention to this type of information, you are learning the conscious control of energy.
So, what does this have to do with internal martial arts?
When Kelly was filming a Baguazhang palm change for one of his international students, it dawned on him that his teacher had projected how difficult the palm change was to learn. Kelly inadvertently adopted this idea from the energy his teacher projected, and at the time, he found the palm change difficult to learn.
Now, think back to a time when you might have found something difficult to learn. How did your teacher or caregiver approach it? How often did you hear that something was hard, so you thought it would be too difficult to do?
Often, when teachers think we should have as difficult a time learning as they did, due to their projection, they may teach it in such a way as to make it difficult for us to learn. If they were to let go of that belief, their students would have a much easier time learning the material.
What we think, we believe. If we believe we will have difficulty learning something new, we will have a difficult time doing so until we release that belief. That is how we project onto ourselves. Our bodies are always listening. New studies have shown that our bodies incorporate belief systems down to the cellular and DNA levels. In a simple sense, it is basic particle physics. Energy gets thrown at a group of particles, and the particles rearrange themselves accordingly.
This is how our minds and bodies interact all the time, every day. On a surface level, we can appreciate this phenomenon as an observation of how being around other people, or a big concentration of particles and energies, affects our mood and sense of self.
Another example would be to observe the way a border collie herds sheep. It uses its bark and quick movements to herd sheep into a pen. The border collie represents the projections of others, while the sheep represent our unconscious mind. Our unconscious mind is shepherded by projections until we become conscious of them. When we become aware of the projections, we can consciously choose not to be affected by them and direct ourselves.
Projections of thought, which are very refined particles, are often missed entirely unless a person has learned how to catch them. Most of us do understand this at a basic level. When we are around a friend we know well, we can assess their mental and emotional state quite quickly, just from the level of familiarity we have with them. We can walk into rooms and feel tension, anger, or unrest. We can also feel joy and happiness in crowds too. The trick is to become disciplined enough in your mind that you are not affected by the changes in energy, or what people are projecting at you. You can remain in a calm state no matter the energy in the room.
How do we achieve a neutral or calm state? The answer is practice. Lots of practice. Most people’s nervous systems are in overdrive, so first, we need to calm the nervous system in the body. Meditation, yoga, and Qigong help you calm the nervous system. Qigong, in particular, helps the body by teaching it to relax under stress. It teaches that there is a state of calm observation rather than the innate fight, flight, fawn, or freeze responses that are often triggered within us.
You become aware not only of your body but also of what your mind does under pressure. You learn to hear the stories that come up when you’re under stress, and it gives you a chance to rewrite the tale so your body knows it has other options instead of gut reactions. Over time, you are able to consciously observe and identify projections and their subsequent impact. In this way, you provide yourself with a baseline understanding of your mind/body connection, which makes you much more self-aware.
Going back to Kelly’s observation, when he heard the old story from his teacher's projection, he could consciously change the energy. Then, he could teach the palm change in a way that made it easier for his students to learn.
Once you develop your own understanding of your mind/body baseline, you can begin observing the impacts of people, situations, and things throughout your nervous system. By doing so, you build your own language for feeling the information through your body and not letting it slip into mental analysis and mental frameworks that are easy for the ego and shadow to hijack.
To listen to the full episode on Energetic Projection, click here for Apple Podcasts or Spotify or check our podcast page to find it on your favourite podcast platform. To book Qigong classes, please visit our website.
Read more from Kellie Winzinowich and Kelly Whelan-Enns
Kellie Winzinowich and Kelly Whelan-Enns, Active Embodiment Coaches
Kelly Whelan-Enns is a master of Shaolin Qi Healing, Qigong, and the internal art of Baguazhang. Plagued by asthma and hypoglycemic in his youth, Kelly's journey of healing and self-mastery has spanned over 35 years, training with master teachers, and studying Taoist, Zen Buddhist, and Tibetan meditation, teaching many along the way.
Kellie Winzinowich is a former elite gymnast whose journey brought her to Qigong and the study of internal alchemy. Now a Certified Hypnotherapist, she helps others navigate personal transformation. Together, Kellie and Kelly guide others to embody lasting change through physical, emotional, and spiritual self-mastery.
