The Proper Care and Feeding Of Empaths
“You’re too sensitive!” When I was young, I heard that phrase a lot from family members, friends, and classmates. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained some new insights around what being sensitive means to me.
When you call someone sensitive, it can have different meanings ranging from being touchy, too emotional, or easily offended to being extra tuned in and intuitive.
A Highly Sensitive Antenna
As a psychic medium, my sensitivity has always come from being tuned into the energy of others. The same “antenna” that can easily pick up messages from Heaven tends to be affected by other people’s emotions in a very personal way. In fact, when someone is sensitive in this way, they actually take on the anger, sadness, or joy of others. There’s another word for people like that – they’re called empaths.
Empaths relate to others in a way that goes beyond caring or sympathy. Empathy is defined as the ability to strongly relate to and understand the thoughts and feelings or emotions of someone else. An example of empathy is feeling the same amount of excitement as a friend does when they tell you they’re getting married.
This is great when someone has good news, but being around people who are grieving, in pain, or holding onto a lot of negative emotions can be draining for an empath.
Feeling Other People’s Pain
Empaths sense the emotions of others. Psychic empaths feel other people’s pain without them saying a word and often experience it as their own. Psychic empathy is a type of empathic ability that allows an empath to tap into someone else’s emotional state or energy, usually without even knowing that they’re doing so.
This can be hard on the empath! When a psychic empath takes on the feelings and emotions of others, it can affect them in these ways:
– They typically feel drained after spending time with certain individuals.
– They may exhibit physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches.
– They can have lingering anxiety after taking on another person’s fear or sadness.
– They may feel depleted after spending time in large groups or around people who are physically ill.
Shielding your Sensitive Energy
People like being around empaths because they’re understanding and caring. They can have an easier time making friends and getting jobs because they tune into the other person and instinctively know what to say and how to relate to them.
But it’s not all fun and games! To experience more of the benefits and less of the discomfort of their unique nature, empaths must learn to safeguard their energy using psychic protection and shielding techniques.
The best way to shield your energy is by paying attention to people and situations that drain you and trying to avoid spending too much time there. Practice mindfulness to help you protect yourself. You might find that focusing on your breath quiets the mind and centers you in your body.
Energy Vampires
I’ve known people who make me feel uneasy and even physically uncomfortable for no obvious reason. These people might be energy vampires. When it comes to these individuals, I first try to avoid contact, but it’s not always possible or practical. That’s when I deploy my psychic buffer! I imagine myself surrounded by a thick wall of light and picture the negative emotions bouncing off before they can reach me. It sounds crazy, but it works! If I know I’m going to be around energy vampires, I take time to meditate and visualize my protective shield before I see them.
Emotionally Charged Situations
There are situations that are especially tough for empaths. Imagine if you were super-sensitive to being around other people’s fear and pain. If you’re an empath, you don’t have to imagine because you KNOW what this is like. How would you feel at a funeral, a hospital – even an airport or a dentist’s office? Your energy would be cluttered with the feelings of others. You can’t lock yourself inside, but you can be aware of the assault on your energy. Don’t linger in places that make you uncomfortable, and if possible, bring a calm, grounded friend along with you as a buffer. Finally, imagine yourself tuning your “antenna” down, so it’s not picking up every little vibration.
Clearing Out Energetic Debris
When you leave a triggering person or situation and still feel a little weighed down, take a moment to clear out that energetic clutter! Meditate, take a bath or a swim, or turn on some music and dance it out. Different techniques work for different people so try a few things and see what replenishes you.
Getting Used to Life as an Empath
The best way to shield your energy is by paying attention to people and situations that drain you and trying to avoid spending too much time there. Practice mindfulness to help you protect yourself. In any situation, you might find that focusing on your breath quiets the mind and centers you in your body. Spending time outside and connecting to nature is also grounding and helpful.
At the end of the day, there are upsides and downsides to being an empath. But when it comes to being a good friend and compassionate human, empathy can be a superpower. Use the techniques I’ve shared to set boundaries and shield your energy – then enjoy the upside of empathy!
Responses