Energetic Hot Spots

Into the zone of wonky vibes

Have you ever walked into a room and sensed tension in the air?

Have you ever strolled into a building and absorbed its heavy energy?

Have you ever visited a new destination and immediately felt at peace… like your soul was finally home?

Anyone with a sixth sense knows what I’m talking about. Animals have instincts, and humans have intuition. It’s just something we’re born with. And when our spidey senses begin tingling, it’s hard to ignore. Our psychic satellite dishes are always collecting data from the world around us. Sometimes, it’s good vibes. Other times, we’re bombarded by wonky energy and might describe a place as haunted. So, where are the places most likely to tickle your intuitive antenna? Conveniently, I’ve compiled a list. It contains the good, the bad, and the ugly. Please forward this to anyone in your friend circle who might find it relatable.

Movie theaters

A few days ago, I saw the new movie Twisters. While the main characters were busy “wrangling tornados,” I gasped, cheered, laughed, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over. The whole audience was taken along for an emotional rollercoaster ride. All the collective feelings inside that auditorium will continue to hang there, suspended in the air like August humidity. It’s not vacuumed up or disposed of by some magical energy-cleansing machine. Rather, those emotions will be felt by the next wave of moviegoers who walk into that theater. And when you consider that the same theater has aired comedies, horror movies, dramas, and action-adventure flicks, imagine the cornucopia of feelings contained within those walls. Pound for pound, movie theaters are one of the trickiest places for intuitive people to navigate. As an empath, it’s a side effect I’m willing to deal with because nothing beats seeing a movie on the big screen while snacking on a bucket of buttery popcorn.

Schools and classrooms

Think about it. Test anxiety mixed with first-day jitters and playground pandemonium. It’s an energy bomb waiting to explode. I can’t help but feel bad for teachers on weeks when there’s a full moon. The kids hover somewhere between hyper and feral, while some have enough energy to walk up walls like a spider who’s chugged a Red Bull. And by the time middle school and high school roll around, changing hormones and social drama are added to the mix… which is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Twenty years ago, I worked in various after-school programs throughout my home city of Omaha. Working with youth was immensely rewarding, but I always needed a good night of sleep to recharge my batteries after a work shift.

Bars

Nothing removes a person’s filter like three shots of tequila. Alcohol has a knack for amplifying people’s personalities. Typically, it makes jerks even jerkier. And it causes friendly people to buy a round for the whole bar. If you’re sensitive or intuitive, walking into a pub might hit you right between the eyes with a wave of mixed emotion. It might be good. It might be bad. And it might depend on what transpired there the previous night.

Cemeteries

Believe it or not, cemeteries are no more likely to be haunted than any other public place. They merely contain the bones of souls who have long since crossed into the spirit world. Why would a spirit enjoy walking around a bunch of gravestones when the person could be parasailing in Heaven instead? There are some exceptions. For example, Gettysburg National Cemetery is reportedly crawling with ghostly apparitions. Yet, hauntings have nothing to do with the reason cemeteries make this list. I’ve included them because they hold so much grief and sadness from living people who have said goodbye to their loved ones. I’ve known a handful of people who find cemeteries relatively peaceful. But as a psychic, I generally give them a wide berth to ensure I don’t absorb leftover sadness from past burial services.

Airports

Delayed flights? Check. Nervous first-timers? Check. A hopeful man desperately chasing after his love interest and hoping to catch her before she boards the flight to Paris? Check. Airports are a fascinating subculture. The energy is palpable. The overpriced food is a necessary comfort to calm the anxiety and nerves. Of course, one can also feel a hopeful excitement that precedes a fun vacation. But due to the sheer number of people passing through (from all cultures and all walks of life), airports are a tricky maze to navigate if you’re emotional or intuitive.

Basements

If a below-level basement is fully finished and brightly lit, I can handle it for short periods. But I’ll be the mayor of Nopesville if we’re talking about musty, unfinished basements with dirt floors. Basements are inherently creepy. In my opinion, they should be considered guilty until proven innocent. I grew up in a haunted house with a mostly-unfinished basement. I was always convinced a hand would grab my foot through the gaps in the wooden steps. Plus, it always felt like a presence was following me as I walked up to the main level. There’s something about basements that rattles the nerves. It might be the subconscious instinct that when we are underground, it’s usually because we’re buried in a coffin. No thanks. I prefer a higher elevation. Then again, I’m afraid of heights… so maybe ground level is my sweet spot.

This next one might surprise you because it’s generally associated with fun memories.