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← Sep 2011

What is an Empath??? including *tips and guidlines*
08:00 Oct 01 2011
Times Read: 617

An Empath is a person who can psychically tune in to the emotional experience of a person, place or animal. In the paranormal and in some works of science fiction and fantasy, highly developed empathy is a psychic ability to sense the emotions of others and often highly aware of the health and state of mind of their loved ones, no matter how physically near or far away the individuals may be. It can be challenging for empaths to function healthily in society if they are unaware that they have this sensitivity and often opt to be alone.

Most empaths are often in the dark about their innate gifts but the more developed ones are sometimes called in by the police to help track a murderous pedophile or other heinous criminal because they are able to take on the tortured emotions of the assailant. Utilizing Clairempathy, a type of telepathy to sense or feel within one's self, the attitude, emotion or ailment of another person or entity.

They are sensitive to the visible as well as the invisible and pick up on body language, tone of voice, body movements, the words people choose when they speak, the words they avoid, the logic they use; and the hidden things that only an empath can sense inside another person. It is not uncommon for an empath to "freak out" for no apparent reason, only to discover later that a friend or family member went through some sort of trauma at that exact moment. So essentially an empath is someone whose feeling sensory is extraordinarily heightened, meaning they receive the majority of their psychic input from what they feel.

Since they're being assaulted constantly by emotions which do not originate internally, they can't figure out why they feel the way that they do, and therefore can't address the core issues. Since empathy isn't something you can really ditch it's sometimes difficult to sort out what the Empath truly feels in a given situation or what they are taking on from someone else. This can prove to be very confusing!

Emotions that create powers that have been known to be God like in nature. Emotions that build on inside only to be shared with those around you. Emotional empaths are so sensitive that they can absorb the negative emotions of others in their body, and actually take it on. So when an empath is around somebody who is anxious, they can actually absorb that energy into their body, when it isn't even their own anxiety.

Empaths are born, and they’re born unskilled and are generally very understanding of others and their positions, and often times will ask questions rather than make snap judgments, or intuitively seem to 'know' there is more to a story than what meets the eye. They are sensitive to TV, videos, movies, news and broadcasts. Violence or emotional dramas depicting shocking scenes of physical or emotional pain inflicted on adults, children or animals can bring an empath easily to tears.

Empaths are people who don’t “read” the future, or predict it they “read” people, and their energy although sometimes it depends on the person being read, too. They're often problem solvers, thinkers, and studier's of many things. As far as empaths are concerned, where a problem is, so too is the answer.

They are the psychic sponges of the world, soaking up all the psychic and emotional static that other people give off. Being an Empath is one of the most common and most challenging of all the psychic gifts.

So as you can see being am empath can be both a blessing...and a curse!

Am I An Empath?

Example: You drop by the mall one Saturday morning. You feel great. You get into the mall, walk past a crowd of people, and start feeling a bit strangely. It can be anything – you can feel very down, very angry, very sad, very excitable – the key word here is VERY. And you won’t have any explanation for it, you just feel it.

In other words, you’ve suddenly gone Bi-Polar without actually having the biological deficiency that causes it. And what’s worse, you can’t turn it off. You can carry on, trying to ignore it, but eventually it will be overwhelming to the point you just want to go home and be alone.

This is the reality of an Empath – one who hasn’t yet learned how to block other people’s emotions out. Being around other people is such a harrowing experience, most of them prefer to keep their own company, living the life of a hermit. And they usually find it very much worth it.

Do you experience other people's physical ailments?

This is most common with those you have an emotional connection, but can occur with anyone. A very good example of this would be suddenly feeling very lethargic and fatiqued, for no reason, and having to remain in bed for a day or two. You’re not sick – not really. You’re not ill. Yet, you feel that you are, profoundly. You later find out that your “illness” coincided with a lover’s or family member’s sudden fatigue (resulting from legitimate illness)– even though they were in another country at the time and you had no idea until after the fact. Symptoms can also manifest in the form of chest pains, cramps, migraines, etc – you basically experience it all, without contracting the actual illness.

Do you feel overwhelmed when watching something horrible in real life or even on television?

This one sounds silly, but viewing the news or depressing commercials designed to induce sympathy and open wallets, can debilitate an Empath for several hours. While most people get upset over homeless dogs and cats, an Empath will often feel like their hearts have been lanced. That’s a literal definition, by the way. It’s not something as shallow as sympathy or even regular empathy. It’s a feeling of guilt and moral empathy that cannot be easily assuaged. Crying is very common – and not just during that time of month when all the emotions are out of whack!

Do you ALWAYS know what someone really means?

In other words, can you always, always, always tell what it is someone meant to say to you? More importantly, can you tell why they didn’t? If an Empath is in person with someone and they’ve just been lied to, they will know. And they will know why. They will know if the other person is trying to spare feelings, they will know if malice was involved – in other words, they will know the intent. You cannot lie in the face of an Empath and not be caught out. While they will not usually be able to tell the specifics of what you’re hiding, they will know if you mean them well or not – no exceptions. This is more than good intuition. This isn’t a hunch, this is knowing.

A true Empath cannot walk past someone suffering and not feel a need to stop and help that person. Homeless people can be particularly difficult, as they are everywhere and little can be done to help them unless the Empath has an occupation related to this. A true Empath feels compelled to go to anyone they feel pain from, be it angst or something physical. And a true Empath's compassion will usually be accepted on the spot – people in pain, no matter how they would normally react to strangers, will receive an Empath with open arms. They know, instinctively, that their pain matters to them.

Do people open up to you – even if you don’t want them to?

Some Empaths are the new-agey peace loving types – but many just want to be alone, because they have difficulty processing everything they absorb from other people. (This is usually because they have yet to realize their abilities and haven’t learned to deal with it yet.) For an Empath, however, putting on a grumpy face doesn't keep people they barely know drawing near and seeking compassion and empathy from them. The ill, the suffering, the weak – they are all drawn to the unconditional understanding and compassion an Empath emits. And Empaths emit it whether they want to or not.

That’s not to say Empaths can’t be mean and nasty people. They surely can be. But it’s usually those Empaths with the most profound sensitivity who have simply broken down inside and have no other way of keeping other’s emotions at bay. Again, these are Empaths who don’t know of their abilities.

Can you heal?

Most Empaths have the ability to heal. Yes, that means physically. This isn’t about Reiki or any other alternative modality – though they may seem similar in concept. An Empath heals instinctively, usually by drawing the pain or ailment out and accepting it into their own bodies. For obvious reasons, this is not recommended for anyone who doesn’t know how to keep from becoming ill in the process.

Empath Types

Empaths types are the born writers, singers, musicians and artists of the world and quite often exhibit a high degree of creativity and imagination. They are known for many talents as their interests are varied, broad and continual, loving, loyal and humorous. They often have interests in many cultures and view them with a broad-minded perspective. They are mother, father, child, friend, nurse, caregiver, teacher, doctor, sales people... to psychic, clairvoyant, healer, etc. (That is not to say that any of these categories are all empaths.) The list is extensive and really unimportant. It is more important to notice that empaths are everywhere--in every culture and throughout the world.

Empath types can be very affectionate in personality and expression, great listeners and counselors (and not just in the professional area).

Most empath types will find themselves helping others and often putting their own needs aside to do so although in the same breath, they can be much the opposite. They can become quiet and withdrawn from the outside world and become loners, depressed, neurotic, daydreamers, or even narcissistic. Many suffer from self medicating addictions such as drugs, alcohol and often food.

They are most often passionate towards nature and have the ability to become one with it. One will often find empaths enjoying the outdoors, beaches, hikes, etc. Empaths may find themselves continually drawn to nature as a form of release. It is the opportune place to recapture their senses and gain a sense of peace in the hectic lives they may live. The time to get away from it all and unwind with nature becomes essential to the empath. Animals are often dear to the heart of empaths, not as a power object, but as a natural love. It is not uncommon for empaths to have more than one pet in their homes and many plants as well.

Empath Traits

Empaths are usually quiet and take a while to handle compliments because they're more likely to point out another persons positive attributes and even empath traits. They are highly expressive in all areas of emotional connection, and talk openly, and, at times, quite frankly in respect to themselves. Empaths have few problems talking about their feelings.

Sometimes, they can be the exact opposite and be reclusive and unresponsive at the best of times and may even appear ignorant at times and arrogant at others. Most find it difficult to block out others and that can be tough to deal with, at least for the learning empath struggling with a barrage of emotions from others, as well as their own feelings.

Empaths have a tendency to openly feel what is outside of them more so than what is inside of them which may cause empaths to ignore their own needs. In general an empath is non-violent, non-aggressive and leans more towards being the peacemaker and in general, any area filled with disharmony creates an uncomfortable feeling in an empath. If they find themselves in the middle of a confrontation, they will endeavor to settle the situation as quickly as possible, if not avoid it all together. If any harsh words are expressed in defending themselves, they will likely resent their lack of self-control, and have a preference to peacefully resolve the problem quickly.

People of all walks of life and animals are attracted to the warmth and genuine compassion of empaths. Regardless of whether others are aware of one being empathic, people are drawn to them as a metal object is to a magnet! They are like beacons of light.

Even complete strangers find it easy to talk to empaths about the most personal things, and before they know it, they have poured out their hearts and souls without intending to do so consciously. It is as though on a sub-conscious level that person knows instinctively that empaths would listen with compassionate understanding.

Empaths are the listeners of life and are often problem solvers, thinkers, and studiers of many things. As far as empaths are concerned, where a problem is, so too is the answer. They often will search until they find one...if only for peace of mind.

Empath Shielding

I have spent countless hours trolling Empath forums and reading many empath shielding articles and these are without a doubt the best tips for shielding and reenergizing yourself from the soul draining powers of emotional vampires and the like. I use these practices myself almost daily. These tips aren't just for empaths but they will benefit the most from them.

1. Distract yourself from emotional thought patterns and psychic information that resonate to these thought patterns. This can be done in several ways. You could try and do complicated math problems in your head, for instance. Another popular technique is to visualize an object in between you and the incoming information. Try a red rose or the face of a popular movie figure. This is a fast way of finding some relief, but far from the most effective.

2. Strengthen your natural empath shielding defense field and distract yourself by visualizing a wall or force field around yourself. A glowing egg of energy works well, pick you favorite color! The more vivid the shield you imagine, the stronger it will be. You can set this field to keep out any kind of information you wish. In fact with a bit of practice you can allow in only one type of information, which will allow that info to make itself known on a far more powerful level, as it will have no competition for your attention. This is perhaps the most common technique of shielding. You can also ground yourself, let excess energy flow off of you, by imagining a link or cord that goes from the base of your tailbone to a point deep within the Earth. Some find this helpful, and if nothing out requires more concentration to visualize, which may help you find relief.

3. If you are ready for something a bit more challenging, but very effective, you can generate a protective field of information in concert with your subconscious mind. Instead of visualizing a shield around you, try to feel the field around your body strengthening on a fundamental level. Do this without using mental images or words for best result. You can control the type of field you generate by holding a deep meditative state while keeping the concept without distraction in as pure a form as possible. You can use this field to perform any shielding task you wish. This type of shielding is very powerful, but really only needed if you are actively under a strong mental assault.

Now these different ways of shielding will only work against non-physical intrusions into your mind. For physical threats you have to use a more advanced technique, Aversion Shielding. An article on this topic will be coming soon.

For now you will find that you have to concentrate on shielding at about a 1 to 4 ratio. One minute of concentration to 4 minutes of shielding, as the effects tend to linger for a bit. As you gain confidence and solid technique you will get far better results. With more advanced methods you may only have to reinforce your shielding once every week or so. (More on this later too.)

All three of these techniques are useful for different things and you will find that learning to use them all can be of great benefit. If you are having trouble with psychic intrusions into your mind, you can trouble shoot by using them all in the order given here.