Ever since I was very young, I was considered extra sensitive emotionally. The littlest things would upset me. I would find myself mirroring the attitude of whatever person I was around. This was at times, very overwhelming. For years I ignored it and tried to tell myself that i was being a baby and needed to get over it. Many people close to me have always said I could possibly an Empath. My reply was always that's silly, that's not real,or its an excuse for people to validate their emotions. It wasn't till later in life I considered the possibility that I could possibly be "gifted".
A few years ago I became very interested in astrology. I read tons of books and spent hours researching. Even had an Astrological Chart done. I discovered that I was exactly like the description of a Pisces. Pisces are the most impressionable of the twelve zodiac signs. Deeply empathetic, they often exhibit a gentle, patient nature, but one that is in want of inspiration. Pisces can be deeply affected by and completely absorbed into their environment. Pisces are also not typical people. They are too idealistic and impractical for every day run of the mill living. Pisces are sensitive and instinctual rather than bookish or mechanical. All these are traits I have also found in myself.
Not to long after, I took a personality test based on C. Jung and I. Briggs Myers type theory, and discovered I am an INFP type. Each letter in the personality type code - I, N, F, and P - describes a preference for a way of thinking or behaving. There are eight styles and you use all of them, but INFPs prefer:
- Introversion (thinking things through) more than Extraversion (interacting with people)
- iNtuition (perceiving new possibilities) more than Sensing (perceiving tangible facts)
- Feeling (making decisions using subjective values) more than Thinking (making decisions using objective logic)
- Perception (a flexible lifestyle) more than Judgement (an organised lifestyle)
It became very clear to me that both these things have a lot to do with my ability to read peoples emotions. I realized then that maybe people are not so crazy. People with a lot of Neptune in their Astrological chart commonly classify themselves as empaths. Most empaths also have either INFP ir INFJ personality types as well. At first I was kinda freaked me out, but the more I read about empaths the more I realized it was a gift as much as it was a curse. The fact I was trying to bury this part of myself was causing a lot of resistance in my life. I noticed that because of this I often hide my true feelings from those closest to me. I would pretend that being around people that gave me strange feelings were just me being judgmental. When I started doing spiritual work within myself, I came to terms to fact that this is simply who I am. Most people do not listen to their inner voice at all and this was just the way I choose to perceive my inner voice. Though feeling.
Traits of an Empath
1. Knowing: Empaths just know stuff, without being told. It’s a knowing that goes way beyond intuition or gut feelings, even though that is how many would describe the knowing. The more attuned they are the stronger this gift becomes.
2. Being in public places can be overwhelming: Places like shopping malls, supermarkets or stadiums, where there are lots of people around, can fill the Empath with turbulently vexed emotions that are coming from others.
3. Feeling others emotions and taking them on as your own: This is a huge one for Empaths. To some, they will feel emotions off those near by and with others they will feel emotions from those a vast distance away, or both. The more adept Empath will know if someone is having bad thoughts about them, even from a great distance.
4. Watching violence, cruelty or tragedy on the TV is unbearable: The more attuned an Empath becomes the worse it is and may make it so they eventually have to stop watching TV and reading newspapers altogether.
5. You know when someone is not being honest: If a friend or a loved one is telling you lies you know it (although many Empaths try not to focus on this because knowing a loved one is lying can be painful). Or if someone is saying one thing but feeling/thinking another, you know.
6. Picking up physical symptoms off another: An Empath will almost always develop the ailments off another (colds, eye infections, body aches and pains), especially those who they’re closest to, somewhat like sympathy pains.
7. Digestive disorders and lower back problems: The solar plexus chakra is based in the centre of the abdomen and it’s known as the seat of emotions. This is where Empaths feel the incoming emotion of another, which can weaken the area and eventually lead to anything from stomach ulcers to IBS (too many other conditions to list here). Lower back problems can develop from being ungrounded (amongst other things) and one, who has no knowledge of them being an Empath, will almost always be ungrounded.
8. Always looking out for the underdog: Anyone whose suffering, in emotional pain or being bullied draws an Empath’s attention and compassion.
9. Others will want to offload their problems on you, even strangers: An Empath can become a dumping ground for everyone else’s issues and problems, which, if they’re not careful can end up as their own.
10. Constant fatigue: Empaths often get drained of energy, either from energy vampires or just taking on too much from others, which even sleep will not cure. Many get diagnosed with ME.
The Gift
Not all people will be this way, after all we are all one of a kind, but if your like me and have discovered that the dominate way you perceive the would around you is by identify emotions, then you may be an empath as well. If you are, chances are this isn't the first time you have considered the possibility. Empaths tend to care take their environment as a way to care take themselves. This is a pretty roundabout way of doing self care. Doing or saying something that will make someone else angry or sad is uncomfortable for an empath, so that they often avoid confrontation in order to avoid feeling other people's uncomfortable emotions. It is easy for them to lose track of the fact that they themselves are feeling uncomfortable. This can make it difficult for them to see the joy in being an empath, but there is ways we can use it to our advantage.
In order to use this ability to your advantage its to come to terms with the fact you have this ability. Get rid of any denial you might have about the subject, if you need to prove it to yourself. Gather evidence, keep a journal about these feelings and see if you can prove any of these feelings to be more than just feelings. Maybe your boss gives you the creeps, write about. Maybe later on you find out that you really had a reason to believe your boss was creepy. Once you admit to it you can learn to control it better.
As an empath the energy you’re sensing may not be your own. Try to detach from the emotions or physical sensations you’re feeling and take on the role of observer. What are you experiencing? Name the emotion. Think of the cause of this emotion? Is it really you. This is whats tricky for us. Empaths are not just good receivers they are good creators as well. Empaths often manifest people or events that create these feelings as a form of manifestation. So, DO YOUR SHADOW WORK!!! This is important for everyone but empaths can use shadow work as tool for understanding the feelings they get.
Empaths are really just people who are open to emotion, rather than someone closed off from it. This means that YOU are choosing to operate this way and therefor you can decide not to. You can always learn to shield yourself from other energies if you wish it just takes practice. Its the same for people who have a hard time feeling they just need practice. Its depends on the person. Research different shielding techniques and see what works for you. Empaths are really meant to be spiritual healers. Once you learn how your ability works, you can then be able to use it for what it was intend for. Healing others as well as yourself. I don't want to completely spoil the surprise, but its very cool what Empaths can do as healers!!!
The key is to never stop working on it, in fact never stop working on any part of you!!! Everything in your life throws at you is meant to teach you or aid in teaching you. You are a source of infinite creation!!
Have a good day everyone!!
-Namaste