The Big Brown Cloud

This morning I woke up to the strong smell of smoke.  That can always be a bit disturbing as it is a reminder to me of the time I lived in Montana during a busy and destructive fire season.  Fortunately, nothing was on fire in our area, and instead the winds had shifted overnight.  The smoke was from the South Fork fire that was burning about 130 miles to the east of Cortez.  I spent the day with itchy eyes, and scratchy throat, with the windows closed in spite of outside temperatures in the high 90’s. 

The brown cloud I am writing about today is not caused by any forest fire, but is a cloud of negativity that some people carry around with them.  Depending on how you perceive energy, this can appear as a brown smokiness in the auric field or literally a brown cloud hovering around the person’s head.  If you are not visual but sensing or kinesthetic, your body will have a reaction when you encounter the brown cloud around someone else.  You may feel uneasy, experience a drop in your own energy levels, or feel like you have been slimed.  For a sensitive person, it can be quit uncomfortable being around this cloud of negativity.

What causes this?  Certainly untreated or low grade depression can.  General negativity or a “bad attitude” towards life can do it, too.  A basic conversation with those with the cloud can leave you feeling just as down as they are. You just can’t get away fast enough.  In the movie “The Cooler”, William H. Macy plays a character who works for the mob to jinx gamblers who are on a winning streak.  Talk about a big brown cloud at work! 

I find that there is a big mental component to the creation of the cloud, too.  We have no way of knowing what thoughts are being repeated in people’s minds, but in these cases, there is a lot of self judgment, self attack, and mental self sabotage involved.  There may also be health issues, drugs or alcohol at play here.

When frequently being around those with this issue, you may find that the size and density of their brown cloud may ebb and flow day to day according to how they are feeling energetically, emotionally or physically.  I do know that keeping one’s energy field moving is essential, and exercise is great.  Scientific studies have shown that regular exercise is more effective for depression than medication is.  Keeping grounded and in the body is also necessary for the heavy energy that builds up to drain out of the energy field.  Of course, attending to any chronic negative patterns is a must.  In “The Cooler”, William H. Macy’s character reverses his negative trend by falling in love. 

What do we do when in the presence of someone with a brown cloud?  That all depends on your sensitivity and tolerance levels. I find that even though I may like the person, I need to take them in small doses.  Maybe the lucky ones are those who aren’t aware of the cloud in others.  Ultimately, it is up to the individual who knows that they fit the brown cloud category to look into the patterns that are creating the issue.