Everything is made up of energy. Everything you can see, or can't see, has an energy field. Our auras are made of this energy. Sometimes, negative energies can become trapped in our auric field, much like a balloon can stick to a wall because of static. This negative energy can come from within—our thoughts, actions, or illnesses. It can also come from outside sources, such as when we are in close or frequent contact with someone who has a lot of negativity, or if we encounter a pocket of it in a particular location. It also can be what we pick up on the astral plane (we all travel astrally, though most of us do it in our sleep).

You may want to consider cleansing your aura if:

- you feel chronic fatigue, weak, or lack energy, drained

- your thoughts are foggy or scattered and you have trouble concentrating you or anyone - after suffering an injury

- if you are experiencing a great deal of stress

- if you find yourself consumed by negative emotions, or after big bouts of negativity - (fights, anger, hatred, grief, Esc).

- If you have been having trouble sleeping or suffering from nightmares

- you spend a lot of time around someone has recently been ill (physically or mentally)

- after being in a place or with a person that made you feel uncomfortable or uneasy, and you aren't sure why

- if you travel often on the astral plane

- if you simply haven't felt yourself

Of course, it is always a good idea not to wait until symptoms begin to take effect. Cleansing your aura on a regular basis is equivalent to having the fluids in your car changed on a schedule. It can help prevent problems before they begin. How do you clean energy, exactly? With energy! Energy from the elements, from natural objects, or even from your own thoughts, can help drag all of the spiritual sludge right off of you.

LIGHT CLEANSING

The simplest way to keep your aura free from metaphysical debris is to devote a small time to cleaning it every day. Think about it-- you'll wash your hands frequently, take a shower, brush your teeth twice a day; so, why not give your aura a quick cleaning?

One simple way to do this is to stand in running water. Making aura cleansing a habit in the shower is one of the most convenient forms of aura maintenance. Take a few moments in the shower after washing yourself physically. Close your eyes and visualize the energy of the water-- the water's aura-- strong and vibrant and clear. See it coming down and going through your own aura. Visualize or feel the astral garbage being pulled off your auric field from the water, sliding down and going into the drain.

HEAVY CLEANSING

Sometimes in life, due to circumstances or our own unproductive thoughts and emotions, we can draw negative energy that will weigh us down and block our energy flow. Often, this is more than a daily shower can handle. This is when our auras call for a more heavy-duty cleaning.

A powerful cleansing agent is incense smoke. Sage and sandalwood work best. Burn ground sage or sandalwood on a self igniting incense charcoal. Place it in a heat-proof container on the floor. Remember, never use barbecue charcoal for incense burning, and incense coals get very hot! Make sure to place the heat-proof container on a board or a stone to avoid scorching the floor of your home, or work outside. Carefully step in the path of the billowing smoke. Turn and shift as needed in order to cleanse yourself. If you prefer, you can use a smudge stick instead of raw incense.

If you are doing this cleansing with a partner or a friend, have one person stand still, legs and arms spread slightly apart, while the other person moves around them with the censer or smudge stick. Use a large feather, such as a turkey or duck feather, to fan the incense towards the person being cleansed.

WHEN TO SEEK HELP

When people think of auras, color is what usually comes to mind. However, color is only one of the seven elements a person needs to consider when reading an aura if they expect to come to a fully realized interpretation. Besides color, the other elements are: size, shape, location, clarity, intensity, and effects. Consider what each element means, and how to use the information it is giving you:

Currently, the size of auras is under debate.

The aura is often made up of layers of varying thickness. Usually at least three distinct layers can be seen. However, should two layers next to each other be the same hue, it will be difficult to distinguish them.

The layer that hugs closest around the body indicates the state of the physical body itself. This layer can change with age or health situations. It can extend up to a couple of inches. The thicker the first layer is, the more physically inclined the subject is. For example, someone with a weaker body, or one who cares little for physical activities and pleasures, will usually have a thinner first layer than one who indulges in physical pleasures or works to take care of their body.

The second layer surrounding the first will indicate the person's emotional state at the time. This can change often, especially in moodier people. It can extend as far as four or five inches outward. The wider this strip, the more emotional the person, and the more deeply the emotions are experienced.

The third layer will give you insight into a person's overall personality. It is the base color, the color in which we generally associate a person. This is usually the largest, most noticeable layer, which can extend outward six or more inches. There can be up to four more layers indicating the spirit or the higher self; these layers are more difficult to see, and a bit more difficult to interpret.

Looking at the size of the aural layers can tell us a lot about the subject. Are they ruled more by their emotions, or by their carnal instincts? Is someone, who by all outward appearances seems caring and concerned, really putting on an act? Or is another who always looks calm and cool just masking their emotional depth?

SHAPE AND LOCATION:

A healthy aura will be a nice oval, completely surrounding the body. Misshapen auras can indicate an imbalance in a person, be it physical, emotional or mental.

Take note-- is the aura skewed, or does there seem to be a "chunk" missing, or perhaps a swelling or thickness in one area? Is it just one layer, or the entire aura? Are there any unusual colors or shapes in that area? Around what part of the body does it occur?

Any specific areas that are either thin or built up, especially in the first layer, could indicate an illness in that part of the body causing an energy blockage. If it is in the second layer around the head, it could mean an emotional problem that is affecting the person's life or health. In the third layer, it could mean the person has deficits in their personality. An overall crooked aura can be a sign of serious illness that is affecting the entire body, or that you are examining a person who is "warped," and perhaps a threat to himself or others.

Unless you are an experienced healer, it is best not to guess the person's particular problem. If you feel there is a health concern, advise the person to see their health care specialist or a counselor.

COLOR:

Rarely is an aura all one color, however there usually is a predominant color that stands out. This is one of the first noticeable things about the aura.

The main color of the aura tells us a lot about the individual overall. Other colors, depending on where they are and how they appear, give us insight on specific details about the personality, things going on in the person's life or in their past, as well as the state of the physical body.

Each color actually has a very complex meaning, different shading bringing different nuances that need to be considered if one is to interpret an aura correctly. This following brief list is just a very simplistic guide to give you an idea, but if you want to give better and more accurate readings, you should consult more detailed sources on the meaning of colors.

CLARITY AND INTENSITY

How strong or weak is the hue of the auric colors you are looking at? Do they appear muddy? Washed out? Very dark?

Usually clear, vibrant colors are a sign of a healthy aura and a strong personality. Colors that appear faded or washed out can mean that the qualities associated with the colors are less pronounced in this person. On the other hand, excessively dark or muddy colors may point to the fact that the person leans to the extreme of those traits, usually for the worst.

For example, someone with a bright red aura is likely a very strong-willed, confident individual; however if the red is very pale (but not pink), it may mean that they they lost their confidence and given up. A very muddy, dark red, on the other hand, could mean that the person has become too pushy and self-righteous in their attitude.

EFFECTS

An effect in the aura can take the shape of "sparklies," wavy lines, spikes, "shooting stars," or a number of other unusual figures. A person can have no effects, or one, or several different kinds at once. They can cluster around a single location, or be spread throughout, or around, the entire aura or a specific layer. They can be short lived, or permanent.

The cause of these effects that are short lived may be in the fleeting thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the individual. For instance, if you are studying a subject whose mind is wandering, and his mind suddenly recalls a recent death in the family, it might produce some black waves (death, mourning), or blue spikes (sensitivity, sadness), somewhere in the second layer of the auric field. If a person suddenly got a sharp cramp in their leg, red sparks might shoot out of the area unexpectedly.

For someone who appears to have the same effects consistently surrounding her in every reading, it could be because she has a special talent or gift that is well developed, and it shows in her aura. Perhaps she has studied the Tarot for years; this may appear as twinkling violet stars around her head. Becoming familiar with the meaning of the colors will help you interpret what these anomalies in the auric field say about the individual.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

When reading a subjects aura, remember that you have to piece together the details like a puzzle. Don't be distracted by a single color, shape, or effect. Just as one chapter in a book does not tell the whole store, neither does one element or section of the aura tell you about the whole person. Look at the over all aura and analyze it in its entirety. With practice, you'll begin to see patterns and what you are viewing will become more familiar to you, allowing you to make more accurate interpretations of what you see.

source: http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/howtoreadinte_shib.htm