How to Heal Toxic Thoughts: Simple Tools for Personal Transformation

by Sandra Ingerman

We may not realize it, but negative feelings can be as toxic to our health as physical poisons, wearing on us and causing depression, illness, and burnout. In this updated edition of her classic How to Heal Toxic Thoughts , shaman and psychologist Sandra Ingerman reveals the secrets of the ancient alchemists and offers strategies for processing harmful thoughts and emotions and turning spiritual lead into gold. Her methods are simple…but they can change you, others, and the world.
 

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Spirituality, Mental Health, Audiobook, Personal Development

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2006

About the author

Sandra Ingerman, MA, is the author of 8 books, 7 CD programs and the creator of Transmutation App. She is a world renowned teacher of shamanism and has been teaching for over 30 years.

She teaches workshops internationally on shamanic journeying, healing, and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods. She has trained and founded an international alliance of Medicine for the Earth Teachers and shamanic teachers. Sandra is recognized for bridging ancient cross-cultural healing methods into our modern culture addressing the needs of our times.

Sandra is devoted to teaching people how we can work together as a global community to bring about positive change for the planet.

Sandra is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist and Professional Mental Health Counselor. She is also a board certified expert on traumatic stress as well as certified in acute traumatic stress management. She was awarded the 2007 Peace Award from the Global Foundation for Integrative Medicine. Sandra was chosen as one of the Top Ten Spiritual Leaders of 2013 in the November/December Issue of Spirituality and Health.

Reviews

[carol. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazing!! Learn to heal those pesky troublesome thoughts!

Part of problem solving is asking how you created your own problem. Especially for women, because they are so hysterical, they are particularly prone to the toxic thought disease. Toxic thoughts are ones full of anger, frustration, rage, suspicion, isolation, sorrow or violence. If you've ever caught yourself wondering about institutional racism, sexism, homophobia or economic discrimination, you need to read this book!

The world is never toxic--it's merely your own reaction to it. Learn to thrive by changing your reaction to injustice. Don't try to change the world--it's too hard. Don't try to get involved--you won't be able to make a difference. Don't bother trying to dialogue with a corporation--they don't care! Why have an opinion? If you just cleanse yourself of those nagging thoughts, you will be much happier.

How do you cleanse them? Sandra has some tips:
1. Breathe (I tend to forget if not reminded at least 8 times per minute).
2. Look in a mirror (I should probably brush my hair. Tomorrow.)
3. Express, don't send. This means express your feelings but don't "send a poison dart into the world." (Because only the Yanomami use poison darts.)
4. Think of a favorite face (Hint: it isn't Otis or Bezos).
5. Watch your words (Watch them. But don't let them empower you).
6. See the divinity in others (Especially the divinity in corporations)
7. Connect with nature (This one actually helps).
8. Work with water (I imagine water running over computer servers).
9. Protect yourself with light. (I have no words. I assume she means I should buy a light saber).
10. Respond with love. (I love being exploited!)

[ilse · Rating 5 out of 5]

in love with this book. so insightful and helpful. the writings were precise and meaningful, full of tips, exercises, examples, and explanations. hands down my favorite self help book that teaches the power of love and mindfulness

[Selma · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is good, easy to read, and most of its messages are simple and accessible. however, you definitely have to be a certain kind of person to love this book. it's very much rooted in spirituality, particularly within the relationship between individuals and nature. I liked it because I deducted a lot from it and found a lot of parts relevant to me-- like when she talked about projections and energies. I also really liked the little guided exercises sprinkled throughout. made it feel like therapy sessions (in a good way!!)

[Edison G.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book

Sandra’s work is always so charged with love. This book is a must read for basically everyone. Imagine a world where everyone is aware of their thoughts and psychic energy. I personally find this to be a very challenging work and a book will not be enough for the stories that run in our heads 24/7 but it’s definitely a great start to establish a practice of awareness

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find that the book can be useful in finding a place to start when trying to gain peace with yourself. I find that many of its teachings don't necessarily match with how I like to conduct myself and the ways I like to empathize with others, though. After a while, it started to become a little ridiculous for me to read it.

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need to be reviewed.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost never look into what a book is about before I begin reading it, so this quick audiobook (I believe it clocks in at under 3 hours) was a delightful surprise. The title seemed like it would be the typical self-help sort of book; as a result, I can see how some people would find it to be “woo woo.” Adding the word “shamanism” to the subtitle in some fashion would have been helpful—but perhaps this exclusion is perfect and can serve an unexpected gateway for individuals to know the world outside of our mainstream conditioning.

I have found a new teacher and comrade in Sandra Ingerman, and am thrilled to read her other books. Just listening to her voice soothes my soul. I will listen to this book again and again should I ever fall back into old patterns.

[Kristin Katsuye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one gets a bit spiritual along with adding nature & even some things that can be considered new age spell workings. I’m fine with that but others may find it too much. However, I do find an importance for people to take living in nature & embracing natural things important. Especially in the fast paced technological world we live in today.

For a short read, I found this to be somewhat useful. It gives some insights sure. Uplifts a bit to get started. This book is a good quick starting point. There are better ones that dive a little deeper, but as I said this was a quick read.

[Short & Sweet Reviews]

This is not really for me, but I am looking forward to reading Soul Retrieval.

[Mel Frieders · Rating 3 out of 5]

white lady co-opting a lot of long standing native/eastern spiritual ideas but still a good reminder that we’re all interconnected

[Meg Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded!

“A grandfather was talking to his grandson about many things.
He said, ‘I feel as if two wolves are fighting in my heart. One wolf is vengeful, angry, violent, and the other is loving, compassionate, and strong.’
The grandson asked the grandfather, ‘Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?’
The grandfather replied, ‘The one I feed.’”
Which wolf are you feeding?

[Xenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.
I can recommend it if you believe in energy flows, positive and negative energy to simplify.
This book can help you to understand how you can manage and transform your energy for your own greater good and for others. As well as shield yourself from unwanted energy from outside.
I would also recommend to read it if you want to dive into history of energy flows, literally.

[Jody Mena]

An great little collection of tips for spiritual wellness. It came off as a book for beginners, but it employed some rather deep techniques without going over the basics - it just sort of tosses you in the water and tells you to swim without teaching you how. In another way, it can be seen as sort of a refresher, or quick guide, for those who are more practiced at spiritual healing techniques. I liked the tip about placing a mirror under your bed, I'd never heard of that before. It was a good book, not the best thing ever, but worth reading.

[Martyna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a book I'd buy by myself (borrowed it from a lovely friend), I read it really fast trying to get to the interesting chapters as quickly as possible. Those kind of books aren't for everyone, reading chapters that totally weren't my thing, I just kind of skimmed through the pages. There was definitely some good advice, but not every topic is referring to the reader (which is obvious for such books)
Overall I'd recommend it for people who struggle with their mind being messy sometimes and who need a distraction/reminder that helps them think clearly

[Phantasmagoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to follow book for people who are new to the concepts. Since I was already familiar with these ideas, it was a let down in that it presented nothing new to me personally. well written for newbies to positive thinking. Would be good for a teen not raised this way.

[♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teachings/Core Themes:
1. The Power of Thoughts:
“Every thought we think is like a prayer. Our thoughts have power and energy, and they create our reality.”
– Ingerman emphasizes that our thoughts don’t just affect us internally but also influence the external world, encouraging mindfulness in what we mentally project.
3. Transmutation vs. Suppression:
“We cannot suppress or deny our toxic thoughts. Instead, we must transmute them into light and love.”
– The book teaches that ignoring or repressing negativity doesn’t heal it. Instead, conscious transformation through love and compassion is the key.
3. Emotional Alchemy:
“When we feel anger or hatred, we can imagine these emotions as dense, heavy energy and then visualize transforming them into light or a healing color.”
– Ingerman introduces visualization exercises to help shift the energy of toxic thoughts into something lighter and more healing.
4. Spiritual Responsibility:
“You are a creator. You have the power to shape the world with your thoughts. Use that power wisely.”
– This highlights the responsibility that comes with the creative force of our minds and encourages the conscious use of this power.
5. Connection to Nature:
“Nature is the perfect mirror for the human soul. When you feel overwhelmed, go outside. Let the earth hold your pain.”
– Ingerman frequently encourages grounding in nature as a way to release and transform toxic thoughts.

Important Practices/Tools:
- Breathing and Visualization: She recommends breathing exercises combined with visualizing light or healing colors surrounding toxic thoughts, transforming them into love.
- Gratitude and Intention: Focusing on gratitude and setting positive intentions helps rewire negative mental patterns.
- Spiritual Cleansing: Using practices like smudging, bathing in saltwater, or simply visualizing oneself being cleansed by light helps clear toxic energy.

[Constantine AAA · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Heal Toxic Thoughts by Sandra Ingerman had some genuinely nice moments, but it didn’t fully land for me. The exercises were calming and soothing, especially when I needed to slow my mind down. In that sense, the book does what it promises—at least temporarily.

That said, I kept running into the same issue: the practicality stays trapped inside the book. It felt like I had to reopen it every single time I wanted to do an exercise, instead of naturally carrying the lessons with me. The message didn’t really sink into my heart or daily life—it lived on the page, not in practice.

I also found the spiritual approach a bit hard to connect with. It’s very spiritualistic, but not always in a way that felt grounded or reasonable to me. Some ideas were interesting, but others felt vague, which made the overall message feel a little lacking.

There are definitely a few nice points here, and I can see how this book might work well for someone already aligned with this style of spirituality. For me, it was calming but forgettable—helpful in the moment, not transformative in the long run.

[Mackenzie Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I like the idea and concepts, but the book is so short & ideas are just spit at you in absolutes, telling you how something will impact you & the world but not giving clear ideas for how to implement the change she suggests. There are many other better spiritual books that have more to suggest than just imagining love and light in every situation.

Also, I find it frustrating how often she included meditation prompts in such a short book. I wish she included resources digitally with these meditation prompts so we could experience them with ease. I don’t like when books drop a meditation in the middle of it, suggesting a pause but you have to find someone to read it to you, or record it yourself & get your space all set up in the middle of a chapter. These should be included in the appendix and allow for the information to fill the main content so the experience is more organized.

[Jay Best · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sure this appeals to some people.

I found the believe that thinking bad things can cause people to feel pain or get disease is possibly a bit too spiritual or alternative for me.

Spoke about how ancient tribes snet negative thoughts to kill or weaken other people or tribes.

I don't find this level of belief in psychic harm believable. In balance also some level of responsibility and resilience we all need to have.

Even if someone else hates my guts and wishes me dead, imaginary psychic powers aside, I need to have some form of inner strength to be able to not be harmed by other people's opinions. Nor influenced if they think I'm amazing.

I did skim read this, at high speed but it just made me not have a lot of faith in the basic premise of the books scientific rigor.

Listened via Libby at 2x speed, only could stomach about 1 hour of text before giving up.

[Brian Meyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2.5] Readers who have never cracked open a self-help book that focuses on the power of positive thinking, toxic thoughts or the healing effects of proper breathing will find value in Ingerman‘s work. For me, the dozens of thoughts contained in this slim volume were pretty much a rehash of insights I’ve gained from other similar works — albeit expressed from Ingerman's theme that we emit various forms of energy. Even in a book that barely cracks 100 pages, there is unnecessary repetition – almost as if a conscious effort was made to turn what would have been an interesting, in-depth magazine feature into a book-length manuscript. The book did serve as a useful reminder to me that simple breathing exercises can have an immediate and powerful impact on our physical and mental wellbeing.

[Eireanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really good ideas filtered through the concepts of anger and jealousy. It's challenging for me to take the information and alter it slightly so I can view the practices through the lens of betrayal, trauma and grief.

The hardest part for me is I crave discussion, but a majority of individuals reject holding space for someone that is trying to process these and would rather shame the person lost in it, telling them they are just needing attention, acting like a victim and they should just "get over it".

The book impresses upon you that you should take all of this rejection and put a shield up, and focus on the love you get from nature to replace that of the deep yearning for a conversation, so that I can better understand what I'm trying to learn.

[Tian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I always go back to. I truly think it changed my life for the better, containing an array of knowledge and practices that I've slowly embedded into my life. One of the main takeaways is learning to slow down my reactions, observe my thoughts, and think about who I may be sending my energy towards. Sandra writes this book in a way that is easy to understand, concise, and in good heart. I've seen myself transform over the last year, partially through the work I've put in outsides this book, but greatly from the knowledge and insight I've gained through reading this book. I highly recommend reading with an open mind and an attitude that's willful to change.

[Kaya Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmmm. why weren’t we getting to the root or pushing us to self inquire about the Why to our ‘toxic’ thoughts? i also have an issue with the concept of ‘purity’ or that having natural emotions damages the other humans and plants around you. there were some helpful tools in here but overall.. hm. the author really really loved using Indigenous teachings through here- and not always referencing the correct communities or being specific on where she was pulling the ‘Native wisdom’ from which feels questionable to me

[Andreaa12136 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encuentro que el libro puede ser útil para encontrar un punto de partida cuando se trata de lograr la paz consigo mismo.
En este pequeño pero importante libro, Sandra Ingerman nos recuerda algunas prácticas básicas para vivir bien, sanarnos a nosotros mismos y el impacto que tenemos en esta red de vida de la que todos somos parte. Especialmente conmovedora fue la breve discusión sobre el diálogo interno.

[Enya Medero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book I would re-listen it again, since I was doing more of an audiobook and it was amazing. Realizing toxic thoughts is not something they show you when you grow up. Is something so magical something so, unexpected when you actually do release them. You feel more at peace. There's still negative thoughts here and there, but when you start to realize in the moment, you just feel the need to stop and find your peace within ❤

[Sammy Rodrigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short read, I was able to go cover to cover in two hours while talking to people in between. I did enjoy some of the concepts the idea of negative or positive words have an impact on how we feel rather we just think them are verbally say them and we need to be more confident, and the words were saying an impact they have. I did think the book could use more depth to it and reference more scientific facts versus being more personal, but I did take some things from reading it.

[Taylor Alexis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this 0 stars. No points for intersectionality at all other than her profiting off of Indigenous and Eastern practices. I might be cynical but idk if energy vibrations and sending love out into the world is going to “heal” shame, living in a marginalized and policed body, or how capitalism is fucking killing us. Not helpful, not recommended.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to heal my own negative, toxic thoughts so picked up this book when I was on Cape May with my family at one of those fun new age stores. There was definitely some good information, and the author was well-intentioned; I just find some of it a bit hippity-dippity.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy 100 page read to get the new year started on a good foot. Diminishing negativity and toxicity in 2024! I appreciate the example and exercises the author included too and will implement some in my life.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking to really let go and transform ?
This book has been so helpful to me I have no words .
A wise soul who has so much to offer on a personal level as well as planetary level to readers . Thank you to this wonderful author for her heart filled words.