We are not islands. Every relationship we have ever had, every place we have loved and lived in, every idea we have cultivated – all of them leave a trace. In the world of energy healing, we can call these traces 'cords'.
Cords are energetic connections that link us to the people, animals, objects, locations and thought forms in our lives. They form naturally and inevitably as we move through the world and open ourselves to various experiences. In many ways, they are simply the energetic signature of being human; of caring and living in relationship with everything around us.
However, not all cords serve us.
What is an energetic cord?
A cord can be described as a living channel of energy between you and something or someone else. These connections are not imaginary. They are felt in the body and mind, perhaps as a pull, a heaviness, an inexplicable sense of being drained, or a difficulty moving on from a relationship or situation that, on the surface, seems long over.
Cords can be positive. The warm, energetic bond between a parent and child, between old friends, between a healer and a lineage of practice or a student and The College of Psychic Studies – these are nourishing connections that can sustain and uplift us. Positive cords are not something to fear or sever – rather, they are part of what makes life so colourful and rich.
Unhelpful cords are a different matter. These form through fear, dependency, manipulation, unresolved grief, resentment or trauma. They can attach at various points across the body and, over time, they quietly siphon energy, keeping us anchored to dynamics and experiences that no longer serve us. You may have done all the emotional work, journaled about it, processed through various modalities and even found forgiveness... and yet you still feel that invisible thread pulling you back. That may be a cord.
When cutting cords, intention is everything
Cord-cutting is not a casual practice. It is not something to approach reactively out of anger, or the simple wish to be free of someone who has hurt you or who you do not like. Intention is everything in the practice of cord-cutting. The purpose of cutting a negative cord is not to erase a person from your history or deny the significance of what you shared. It is to release the energetic charge that keeps you in a contracted, depleted or stuck state so that you can return to wholeness.
Cord-cutting done with clarity and care is an act of self-sovereignty. When it is done without proper grounding or energetic foundation, it can be disorienting or incomplete. This is why the practice is best approached by first building a relationship with your own energy field.
The body knows
One of the most illuminating aspects of working with energetic cords is discovering where they attach in the body. Cords do not always connect where we expect them to. A difficult relationship with a parent might be felt in the solar plexus. An old creative wound might anchor in the throat. A fear-based attachment might root itself in the base chakra. Understanding the anatomy of energetic connection helps us locate what needs attention and approach the release with precision rather than guesswork.
For healers in particular
If you work with others in any healing or energetic capacity, energetic cord awareness is fundamental. Healers are particularly susceptible to forming cords with clients, especially when working with those in acute emotional pain. Without clear energetic boundaries and a good understanding of how to recognise and release unwanted connections, a healer can carry a client's energetic residue long after a session ends.
Learning to work with cords – to identify them, understand their origin, and release them consciously – is one of the most practical and protective tools in a healer's repertoire.
A fundamental aspect of energy awareness
Cord-cutting relies on a solid foundation of energy awareness – the ability to sense, ground and work intentionally within your own energy field before reaching into the relational space between yourself and another. The practice of cord-cutting opens a genuinely powerful dimension of healing.
The release that follows a well-held cord cutting can be quietly profound. Cutting energetic cords is not a dramatic or violent experience. Rather, it is a gentle settling; a sense of returning to yourself. A good cord cutting practice can feel like you are occupying your own energy more fully than you have in some time. That is exactly what we are working towards when cutting cords: not separation but wholeness. We are not cutting people out of our hearts, but releasing the hooks that were never ours to carry.
Learn how to cut energetic cords
Experienced healer and Reiki Master Giancarlo Serra teaches the energetic practice of cord cutting at The College of Psychic Studies with regular in-depth workshops. Book now, or register your interest for the next one.
Here's what a previous participant says about his experience: "I enjoyed the cord-cutting class very much. Giancarlo Serra was professional, thorough, yet down-to-earth and responsive. Being a healer, I was pleasantly surprised by the usefulness of the material for my day-to-day work and am looking forward to investigating further and applying what I've learnt from Giancarlo's rich experience - different types of cords, readiness to cut vs. not, etc."
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