I think that categorizing energy as ‘bad’ or ‘good’ is already a bit downstream.
There are more powerful places to stand.
And when your power increases enough to shift the energy in a particular context, it really does not look ‘good’ or ‘bad’ anymore.
Example:
You’re walking down the street, and you see a guy kind of stumbling and stomping towards you from the other direction. His eyes are unfocused, he’s saying a bunch of profanity and weird, vague conspiracy theory kinds of things. As he gets closer, his eyes focus a little bit more, and he balls up his fist, calls you some profane word, and throws a punch. You’re a busy person, and you are quick enough to dart past him, and you walk away. He says one more curse and then keeps walking.
Relatively at least, we can call that ‘Bad Energy’. ‘Bad vibes.’
Now, it’s 20 years later.
You have, during that time, mastered 3 forms of wrestling, fighting, and movement arts to the level where you are considered in the top 3% of people around. You did it for the love. You were playing different subliminals and at some point, you just got this strange inspiration to become a top-level mover/dancer/fighter. So you did. It brings you joy. And lots of interesting experiences.
One day, walking down the street, you see a very similar guy to the one from 20 years ago. This time, what you notice most is his horrible balance. His general lack of coordination and mental focus. You feel compassion and pity. As he gets closer, he throws yet another pitiful punch in your direction. You just step to the side a half-inch, and he misses you and falls down on his behind.
You help him up. He can’t make eye contact. He curses at you and starts crying.
Looking at you more closely, he wisely declines to throw anymore punches, and since you have a few minutes, you ask him his story. He’s in a pretty bad way; and you buy him a water and a sandwich from a nearby shop. You give him the card of a friend of yours who runs a dojo and a halfway house. “Show up there. He’ll help you out.”
Now, he’s crying again. But this time, he’s saying, ‘Thank you so much!’
You go by the dojo a month later, and see him in there. He looks better. He’s working it out.
From this perspective, if we asked you about his energy, you might say, ‘Unfocused. Chaotic. Weak.’
But not bad.
Part of what made it ‘bad energy’ in the first example was that you were threatened by it, due to your own lack of experience and skill. He actually had more capacity to harm you in that first case.
Anyway, I think that vibes are vibes. Not necessarily good or bad. But they take on a particular value to us based on the level of our vibes.
So it’s good to refine our skills over time.