Have you ever spent time with someone who on the surface seems as nice as pie, but when with them you feel awful and struggle to form a sentence?
This discomfort is caused by your Empathic antenna sensing all is not what it seems. You are detecting that what this person is showing is a fake persona created to hide something from others.
When an Empath comes across fake people it is common for them to shut down as a form of protection. This can be seen as stumbling over words or one’s memory and thought process being affected. Anyone who is not emanating truthful vibes will put an Empath on high alert. Continue reading →
I think you will probably all agree that, for the Empath, when it comes to wellbeing, there certainly seems to be never ending hurdles to overcome.
Like many of you lovely Empaths out there, I consider myself to be somewhat introverted. And living in this extrovert world can often make me feel like I’m a large square peg being pushed into a small round hole.
And as is typical of an introvert, the thought of going out in busy peopled places or having to attend bustling social events sometimes ignites a bout of ‘social dread’ for me.
So, when I recently came across a condition that causes unnecessary social anxiety and excessive introversion, it immediately caught my attention.
The condition is called Pyroluria. and is caused by a lack of vitamin B6 and the mineral zinc.
Vitamin B6 and zinc are stripped from the body when under a lot of stress. As most Empaths suffer with high levels of emotional stress, they have to consider their nutrient levels may be low.
Although emotions are part of human life and something everyone has to live with, Empaths and HSPs are known to have heightened emotions. This basically means they get upset easier, feel fear and nervousness more readily, and when they get down it can take them longer to get back up… But did you know there was a reason for this?
There is a certain part of the brain called the amygdala which plays a part in emotional overload.
Dr. Elaine Aron, a research psychologist, found the amygdala to be highly activated in Sensitive people. The more Sensitive you are the more this gland seems to work.
The amygdala is a set of small almond-shaped clusters of nuclei, located deep within the brain’s temporal lobe, which plays a huge part in processing emotions. The more aggressive the emotion the more responsive the amygdala becomes, and is responsible for triggering the stress response hormones.
Dr. Aron found, through a series of trials and research, that when Sensitive people (Empaths and HSPs) were shown pictures of human suffering the amygdala became highly activated. Which in turn released hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream, which further enticed emotional responses.
The amygdala is not a thinking part of the brain. It is a reacting part which activates when exposed to stimuli such as stress, fear or other strong emotions. It causes an automatic response known as the fight-or-flight response.
The fight-or-flight response is the body’s way of protecting us from dangerous situations. The process elevates hormones to give the energy and strength to run away from danger or stay and fight.
Two of the hormones released into the body, by amygdala activation, are adrenalin and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate, respiration and glucose levels. All of which are essential for increased body activity. But, they can also ignite fearful emotions and anxiety.
When these hormones are constantly activated by the endocrine glands (courtesy of amygdala activation), and not used through body movement, etc. it can cause heightened emotional responses. This eventually puts other organs and hormones out of balance and leads to illnesses (such as heart disease, adrenal fatigue and diabetes), as well as problems within the energy body (leaky aura and blocked or excessively open chakras).
An Empath does not need to watch another endure pain to experience suffering. Simply being in the presence of someone suffering emotionally is enough to ignite a reaction, whether the other person shows their emotions or not. An Empath feels them and therefore reacts to them. This means the Empath often overproduces adrenalin and cortisol. Both of which stimulate fearful emotions and can lead to weight gain (another reason many Empaths have pot bellies).
In normal situations, when a stressful situation is removed stress levels return to normal, and the amygdala stops reacting. It is when the stress triggers do not decrease that problems arise. This is where issues can occur for the Empath.
Empaths don’t get away from stressful emotions easily. Not only do they have to deal with their own day-to-day stresses but that of others too…
The Empath may stop feeling other people’s emotions soon after leaving them. But this is not always the case. Some people’s emotional energy can cling to the Empath for days after (see this post to learn more). Which means the amygdala is constantly activated and large amounts of unnecessary hormones are dumped into the body.
What to do about it?
1. Avoid triggers:
The first step we can take in preventing unnecessary amygdala activation is to avoid known triggers. The people you know who stimulate a negative emotional response (see post here) lasting more than a day should be avoided.
The amygdala is a defence mechanism activated by emotional responses. It can also be triggered by emotional memories.
People who bring nothing to your life but emotional pain eventually become an Empath trauma trigger and should probably be avoided.
2. Control your mind and thoughts:
Keep the mind quiet to stop unnecessary amygdala activation from thoughts, read post here
3. Avoid stimulants:
Sensitives react to coffee and other stimulants more than most. It is best to know your caffeine intake limits and stay within them (take note at which point you get a physical response – too much caffeine can cause shakiness, pounding heart, flushing, faster breathing and an aching chest – and stay under the that amount). Also drug-like food has a huge impact on an Empath brain (read more about this subject here) and should be avoided.
4.Exercise daily:
Exercise has many redeeming benefits for the Empath. In the case of amygdala activation, it helps clear excess stress hormones from the bloodstream (which would otherwise cause damage).
5. Control glucose levels through diet:
Regularly experiencing stressful emotions, your own or off others’, results in extra glucose being dumped into the bloodstream (from amygdala hormone activation), the last thing an Empath needs is their diet to contribute to this problem. Avoiding sugar or sugar-forming foods can prevent this from happening.
If you are one who carries excess belly fat, your body is receiving too much glucose for its needs. If you want to learn more about how the right diet can transform an Empath’s life you may want to read this post.
I hope this blog post helped you understand how your brain plays a vital part in your Empath wellbeing, and how the amygdala’s activation impacts your emotional health.
If you want to learn more about the ways Empaths are affected by the energy of others click on the attached links above.
Hope all is keeping really well in your Empath corner of the world…
Until next time
Diane
If you have found my work to be helpful please consider donating here
In recent times, more and more information has become available on the traits of Empaths and Highly Sensitive People (HSP). But as little as ten years ago this wasn’t the case. Many Sensitive people struggled to understand who they were and why they had such powerful emotional reactions to life situations or when around certain people.
It is interesting to note how many Empaths discovered they were also introverts on their quest to uncover why they ‘felt’ so much when around people. And a need for time alone was not just down to having been ‘peopled’, it is very much an introvert trait. But even the extrovert Empaths discovered, like introverts, they also need time alone to recharge.
During my many years of research I came across Dr. Elaine Aron, a prominent research psychologist who wrote a book about HSPs.
In her research, into the inner-workings and behaviour traits of Sensitive people, Dr Aron interviewed 39 people who described themselves as either being introverted or easily overwhelmed by social stimulation, and queried their film preferences, creative activities, relationships with family and friends, and philosophical and religious views.
Based on these interviews, and further research, she came up with a compilation of 27 attributes of a Highly Sensitive Person.
Here’s a sampling:
Highly Sensitive People tend to be keen observers who look before they leap.
They arrange their lives in ways that limit surprises.
They are sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, pain, and stimulants such as coffee.
HSPs have difficulty when being observed or judged for general worthiness.
They have a tendency to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than being materialistic.
They dislike being engaged in small talk.
They describe themselves as being creative or intuitive.
They dream vividly and have good dream recall.
They love music, art, nature and physical beauty.
They feel exceptionally strong emotions, such as acute bouts of joy, sorrow, melancholy and fear.
They process information about their environments, both physical and emotional, very deeply.
They notice subtleties: such as another person’s shift in mood or a light bulb burning too brightly.
They have an unusually strong conscience.
They dislike violent films and TV shows.
The are acutely aware of the consequences of their own behaviour.
In social settings they often focus on subjects like the personal problems of others.
Aron also found that many introverts tend to be Highly Sensitive…or Empaths!
Do you identify with any of the above traits?
It should be noted that because someone is an Empath does not always make them an introvert, there certainly seems to be more introvert Empaths than extroverts, but many introvert Empaths tend to be a HSP.
An introvert Empath or HSP has more chance of becoming excessively withdrawn, to the point of becoming a near recluse, especially if they’ve taken many knocks in life (read more about this here).
If would like to discover more about where you sit on the introvert/extrovert spectrum click here to take the Briggs Meyers personality test. It’s quite an eye opener.
For more books on the incredible Empath traits and ways for the Empaths to harness their hidden power click here.
Most Empaths have at least one person in their life who cause them to experience negative emotions, just by being in their presence. These people, who may be friends or family members, seem to spew acid when they talk: they complain about everything, appreciate nothing and only look out for their own interests.
It is quite normal for an Empath to experience heightened emotions and feel another’s buried pain, and we want to help others out with their problems when we can, but we are not supposed to be someone’s emotional punch bag or toxic dumping ground.
Toxic people can drain your energy within a matter of minutes of being in their presence, and even self-protection techniques may not work to prevent their dark vibes seeping in.
Typical sensations experienced when with toxic people:
Anger or feelings of bitterness: This can last for the duration of being in their presence and up to 10 days after. Depending on their negative traits will depend on what you feel.
Fatigue: Struggling to keep your eyes open, especially if they are venting.
Being out of sorts: A range of strange feelings wash over you, from being spaced out, to nausea.
Negative talk: Finding yourself talking negatively of others, even though it is not a typical trait of yours.
Apathy: Losing all previous zest and optimism.
If you have a toxic person in your life, you may have already tried helping them, by sharing what has helped you in dealing with the rigours of life. Sadly, they did not want to listen and have no intentions of making any changes to themselves, preferring to continue to offload their negative rants on you.
The Empath generally avoids hurting or causing unnecessary pain to others, and it is for this reason many keep in their lives those who cause them unhappiness. Yet, one must always put the emotional health of self first.
If a food or substance made you violently ill, or caused you to feel depressed, you would likely avoid it; the same should be applied to those who cause emotional turmoil.
We have a responsibility to keep our body and mind healthy. If another continually causes stress that we cannot cope with (all stress eventually leads to illness) the only option is to remove them from our life.
I am not talking about having the ego dented by another’s random disrespect. Everyone have people who offend, hurt or make them angry, by their lack of understanding. And we in turn will no doubt, unknowingly, do the same to others. This issue is about those toxic friends, or family members, who repetitively (and often intentionally) bring us down.
The point comes in all toxic friendships when you have to decide if it is causing more harm than good.
Here are some questions to ask that may help you evaluate your friend/relationship and hopefully help you see if it is a healthy one:
Am I taking anything from this friend/relationship?
Does spending time with him/her make me happy?
Do I dread being in his/her presence?
When was the last time I enjoyed being in his/her company?
Do we have any of the same interests?
Is it a one-sided friendship with me fitting in with his/her needs?
Does this relationship affect my emotional health?
Do I feel ill, emotionally drained or have intense negative emotions after being with him/her?
Am I being used as an emotional dumping ground?
Does he/she have a lot of negative thoughts or anger towards me?
Am I learning anything from spending time with him/her?
Is being in this relationship making me grow spiritually, emotionally or other?
Is this relationship beneficial to either of us?
Has he/she become dependent upon me?
What are my real reasons for staying in this relationship?
There are many reasons we encounter toxic people. A common reason being the Mirror of the Empath. Certain encounters act as a mirror and show us weaknesses or issues we need to resolve within ourselves.
Any undesirable behaviour that repeats, in any type of relationship, is something that needs to be investigated. Repetition highlights flaws or issues that need to be worked on and learnt from.
We all learn from the bad situations presented in life. Yet, if the same emotional scenarios keep playing out, no one is gaining, learning or growing from the situation and it is time to cut the cord.
Once you have learned from an experience you don’t need to re-learn it over and over. You may learn from bad experiences, but you don’t need to keep experiencing other people’s negativity to grow.
This is not about being spiteful or uncaring. You can be grateful for all they have shown you in life and send them love. But when it feels time to let them go, it is.
If you want to learn the secrets of being an Empath, find ways to restructure your life and harness your hidden power, this may be of interest to you.
Hope this helps on your Empath Journey.
Until next time…
If you have found my work to be helpful please consider donating here
I have attached a link to an article I came across quite randomly whilst writing this post and offers another writer’s perspective on ways to deal with toxic people, and although it is not written with the Empath in mind, it is worth a read.
There are many forms of psychic attack. For the purpose of this post, I’m referring to the type which is sent from one person to another, through dark thought forms.
Most Empaths have experienced psychic attack at some point in their life. Many without realizing what they are actually experiencing.
It’s often difficult to discern between the emotions our thoughts create, by pondering a stressful subject, to those we experience through psychic attack, and this is why many Empaths are unaware they are on the receiving end of it.
Most people don’t experience the dark thoughts of others, but Empaths do. When another is having undesirable thoughts about them, Many Empaths pick them up.
We are in the midst of some challenging times, which are bringing up buried insecurities and hidden issues to the surface within us all. But, instead of facing these issues and taking responsibility, many are projecting their pain onto others in the way of blame. This can be the reason behind psychic attack, as dark thoughts are projected out.
Those who stay in a negative mind-set tend to vibrate at a low-frequency. Their energy becomes toxic to the Empath. Because many Empaths find it difficult being around this type of energy, they may need to disconnect or stop spending time with them. This often causes resentments to form in the other. A psychic attack may then ensue.
Generally, a psychic attack comes from family members (not necessarily blood-related), friends who are close or once used to be, work colleagues, or those who the Empath has disconnected from.
How can you tell when being attacked?
When under psychic attack, the tell-tale signs are repetitive negative thought patterns surrounding one person.
For example: a certain friend (the one thinking and thus sending bad thoughts) repeatedly pops into the mind, along with negatively charged feelings, throughout the course of the day or days. You may wake up thinking angry thoughts towards this person, when you have had no recent contact with them. But you wrongly assume it is your own issues creating the angry thoughts.
When under attack, the one thinking/sending the dark thoughts won’t know you are on the receiving end of them. You probably won’t be the only person the thoughts are directed at, but you may likely be the only one feeling them.
What should you do when you sense a psychic attack?
If you suspect you are under attack, stop indulging the dark thoughts or emotions you are experiencing, immediately. Which has to be said, is not easy to do. By engaging angry thoughts that don’t belong to you, you become part of the problem.
An Empath has the power to project angry thoughts back to the source without realising. But, in doing so, they unintentionally open a two-way psychic battleground. This is when angry thoughts start flying back and forth. It can go on for days. And in these cases, the Empath always comes off worse.
You may have noticed your moods are projected onto others. If feeling happy you lift others up. If sad, you see it wash over those in your presence. Even your tiredness, and stumbling over words, is projected to another.
More than any other, Empaths have to be cautious of what they project into the world in the way of gloomy, angry or irrational thoughts. What goes out has the tendency to come back amplified. (The positive flipside to this is the return of projecting positive thoughts out into the world).
How do we stop engaging dark thoughts?
The easiest way to stop negative thoughts, that don’t belong to you, is distract yourself the moment you notice them; especially if they repeatedly go back to the same person.
You may have already discovered your own way to do this, but making noise in your head can really help, like singing, humming or chanting, etc. Just like plugging in your ears and singing loudly blocks out external sounds, I’ve found this helps with outside thoughts too. You could also try strenuous exercise or get creative as a way of distraction.
How can we protect ourselves from psychic attack?
Being out of balance, physically or mentally, automatically weakens your energy-field (aura). Your energy-field is your invisible shield which protects you from outside influences, such as negative thoughts and emotions. If you have an overly porous or leaky aura (as many Empaths do) you will allow too much energy in from others , including their thoughts. (click here to find out if your aura is leaky)
Suppressed emotions, poor diet, lack of exercise, a busy head, illness and emotional pain all contribute to weakening of the aura (energetic body). If you suspect you have been on the receiving end of psychic attack it might be a good time to tune into your IGS and see what changes could be made.
By strengthening your body and mind (see here for more) it in turn strengthens your aura and thus helps ward off psychic attack or negative energy.
I have often been asked questions such as: ‘how can I be of service to others without being drained?’ or ‘I want to help, how should I do it?’
And, although I have replied to those who have asked these kind of questions in comments, I decided to write a mini-post about it.
It is an inbred trait for Empaths to want to help others, if only in an indirect way, and it can be incredibly soul-destroying to see another suffering and not be able to help them.
Especially when it’s obvious they are either too ashamed to ask for help for fear of appearing weak, or if they have gone through life being the ‘strong one’ and when their life starts falling apart, they are afraid of being judged for having failed.
Everyone needs help and direction at some point, no matter how evolved they are. But it is still up to each person to seek out the answers they need and they have to be ready to ask for help and/or be willing to make changes.
We see suffering as bad, and it is.
But it is through suffering that humans really learn and grow. It can also be an important rite of passage into spiritual consciousness.
That said, everyone needs a pointer at some time.
So, how can an Empath be there for another without suffering compassion overwhelm?
One of the easiest ways is to simply listen.
By listening, it is healing to the one being heard.
People don’t really listen anymore. Most are too busy thinking about their own story to hear what others are trying to say, or are just waiting for their turn to talk.
But to Empaths, listening comes as naturally as breathing.
This is why Empaths are often so sought out, because they listen and they hear. The downside to this is taking on too much, especially when another is repeating a victim-story, like a broken record, and refuses to help themselves by making any changes.
Some people also need professional help, and guiding them towards it may be the best option.
However, to prevent overwhelm, it is always wise to have time limits, when listening to others.
With each person, time limits will be different.
For some people, five minutes is enough time, with others an hour or so is ok.
But, for extra protection, always use grounding and protecting techniques before and after. See here and here.
Another incredible way to serve others, is by serving self first.
When we work on ourselves, in mind, body and spirit, we become balanced and empowered. Our vibration then speeds up and we emit a much more powerful energy. This type of energy is uplifting and healing to those around us.
So, just by empowering ourselves we can help empower others, and it will not drain us of our own energy.
If you want to learn more about becoming an Empowered Empath,this post is worth a read.
When you don’t have control of your thoughts, your thoughts can shape your life into something you don’t want. In other words, your thoughts create your reality.
Thoughts are so powerful that they can be the root cause of illness. And because Empaths are ‘big thinkers’ they tend to be at a higher risk of developing stress-related illnesses due to overthinking.
Thoughts feed emotions and emotions feed thoughts. Negative thought patterns become a dangerous repetitive cycle. Due to the fact an Empath picks up the emotions from those around them, which they may claim as their own, their thoughts can be influenced by the energy of others.
If negative emotions are stirred up by your overbearing thoughts, your emotions and thoughts are ruling your life in a very unproductive way. But, never fear, there is a way to take back control:
Yogic Breathing…
For all the many benefits yoga has to offer the body, it was primarily designed to still the mind. Which makes sense, for it is only when the mind is calm and quiet that we truly find peace.
Ancient yogis knew that whilst the body or mind was in pain or discomfort, negative thoughts would remain dominant.
One of the quickest ways to still disruptive thoughts, and help calm the emotions that caused them, is through yogic breathing techniques.
Not only are the different yogic breathing techniques energizing and uplifting, they are also calming, relaxing and rejuvenating.
For an Empath, yoga breathing (pranayama) also helps lessen the impact of negative energy picked up from others. Their practice also helps keep a strong aura. Having a strong aura will protect you against psychic attack and leaky aura syndrome.
In challenging times, yoga and the yogic breathing systems are a blessing and should be part of every Empath’s life.
Below is a list of easy breathing exercises, and links to their demonstrations on YouTube, that you can use to calm the body and mind.
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) is a technique that quietens the mind and blisses you out. It is brilliant to do before bedtime, especially if you have a wired monkey mind. It is also perfect for balancing masculine and feminine energies within the body.
For an instructional video click here. or to learn more about balancing masculine and feminine energy click here.
Kapalbhati (bellows breath) is a fantastic energizing breathing technique that also works and strengthens the core stomach muscles. It is best to do this in the morning (always on an empty stomach), or when one needs a quick energy boost. It is perfect for eliminating raging emotions that linger around the solar plexus area (seat of emotions). A few rounds of kapalbhati, will leave you with a quiet, yet energised, mind. For an instructional video click here.
Ujayi (victorious breath) is commonly used within yogic asana practise to create heat within the body. It keeps the mind focused and helps remove toxins. I find this technique great to use when in places such as supermarkets, where there are lots of different ‘people’ energies swirling round. Ujayi helps keep you centred and helps prevent emotional overwhelm . For instructional video click here
Dynamic Asana Practice: This is a flowing yoga practice that moves with the breath. Instead of holding poses static, for a certain length of time, you move in and out of the postures with the rhythm of your breath. Again, brilliant for quietening a busy Empath mind, but also great for alleviating tension, and building strength and flexibility within the body. (I have not attached a link to this as it’s best to learn under a qualified instructor).
To reap the greatest benefits of any yoga breathing techniques you should try to practise every day, if only for 5 minutes.
Any yogic breathing system should be approached gradually. When first attempted they may cause dizziness or sometimes anxiety. This, however, quickly passes, so don’t be put off.
Alternatively, if you want an incredibly easy relaxation technique click here to learn more.
Hope this helps on your Empath journey.
Are you ready to transfor
If you want to discover more about being an Empath click here.
It is incredible how quickly clutter builds within the home and the mind. How many of us hold onto things long after they’ve outlived their use?
Have you kept old clothes for when you lose weight or hope they may come back in fashion one day?
Or have you been given a gift you didn’t really like, but kept to avoid hurting another’s feelings?
I think it’s safe to say most could answer yes to the above questions. But hoarding, even just a bit, soon sees your home overloaded with junk. Bad news for Empaths or those of a Sensitive nature.
An overly cluttered house leads to an overly cluttered energy field.
Clutter equates to stagnated energy and is extremely draining to the body and mind. Even clutter the eye cannot see has a debilitating effect on the psyche and creates an overcrowded feeling.
If you have a crowded house (and I don’t mean with people) you may not realize how much it depletes your energy. Clutter causes sluggishness, apathy and an uninspired Empath mind.
Empaths tend to have an inbuilt loathing of clutter, whether they are aware of their gift or not, and this is because they feel ‘clutter energy’ dragging them down. They may opt for an uncomplicated decor, without too much fuss, for the simple reason all objects hold energy. But over the years clutter unintentionally builds.
Many years ago, I read a book by Karen Kingston called: ‘Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, it really resonated with me and inspired me to have a full-on house detox.
I hatched a plan to rid the home of all unwanted, unused and unhelpful items we had hoarded. My husband and I ploughed through the house, room by room, and cleared tonnes of stuff (slight exaggeration, but you will be surprised how much is crammed into the smallest draw). I have a minimalistic décor style and have never liked visual clutter. So everything removed came out of cupboards, draws and wardrobes.
It was amazing how clean, fresh and liberated we both felt afterwards. Removing the clutter also cleared energetic debris held within the unused items.
Where to start
The first thing you need to summon when de-cluttering is bravery. Yes, it may sound silly to suggest being brave when it comes to house-clearing, but it’s often exactly what you need. Letting anything go causes discomfort. Fear always rear its ugly head when making any changes in life. When de-cluttering, fear likes to perch on your shoulder and whisper in your ear, telling you how much you need those unneeded items.
Hoarding is born from the fear of lack. By clearing your clutter you face this fear. When your home is full there is no room for anything new to come into your life. In making space, you send out a message to the universe that you are open to receive (but hopefully not to more clutter).
To find out whether you really need something in your life simply ask this question: How will this item improve my life? If you can’t come up with an answer (other than it won’t) it’s probably time to ditch or give it to charity.
Mental Clutter
Clearing the clutter doesn’t just have to be of your home, you can have an internal-clutter-clearing session.
Disposing of old beliefs, traits or thought patterns is both liberating and rejuvenating. Granted, they’re not as easy to be rid of as belongings, but probably ten times more beneficial.
A trait that will serve you no-end in eliminating is overly judgemental behaviour.
Judgemental behaviour carries a dark, cluttering energy
Although Empaths may dislike judging others it doesn’t mean they won’t harshly judge themselves. Being judgemental is imprisoning and causes untold harm. And it doesn’t have to be vindictive to be damaging: Believing you are not good enough, or another is more worthy is destructive. Self-judgements shrinks your self-worth and clutters your mind with insecurities.
Being judgemental catches all Empaths unaware. But when you work to clear it you become more conscious and automatically disengage from judgemental musings before they have chance to do damage.
Clutter Clearing Check List for the Internal and External
If you are in doubt of what you should or shouldn’t keep in your life, see the following questions:
Does this serve me today?
Will this serve me in the foreseeable future?
Can this serve anyone else?
Why am I holding onto this?
Will keeping/holding onto this make me happy?
A word of warning: Within days of having a clear-out your mind will play tricks on you. You will suddenly find use for everything you de-cluttered. You may not have used an item for 5 years but your mind will find a job for it once you’ve binned it. Just know that this is part of the de-cluttering process and it will pass.
Hope this post helps you on your Empath journey.
Until next time
Diane
Donations can be made here. Thank You for your kind support.
The main aspect of being an Empath is feeling and experiencing the emotions of others. For example, an Empath can tell when another is nervous, when one is angry or sad. They may enter shopping centres, or busy peopled places, and feel an array of strange sensations wash over them like a tidal wave. This is due to the gift of being able to feel…
Granted, not all Empaths consider the ability to experience other people’s emotional energy as a gift. In fact, some would say the opposite. But that is often because they have emotional or physical imbalances to work through (which may take some time), and this makes feeling the emotions of others as intrusive and ‘just too much!’
Before they become aware of their birthright, some Empaths may not give much thought to all they experience, energetically, because what they feel happens so naturally. It is not something they force, nor do they have to work at it. They may go through life assuming everyone experiences the same, not realizing that what they ‘feel’ is a unique part of Empath life.
But once the Empath’s eyes are open to their incredible traits and abilities they have, they can’t unsee them. All those ‘feelings’ finally have an explanation.
Other than their ability to sense the emotions of others, most Empaths also have incredible intuition…
Empath intuition comes in many forms, but for most it comes as strong gut sensations, having the ability to read others, or just having a ‘Knowing’ about future outcomes.
Intuition can be developed (see this post for more details), if that’s what one wants, but most Empaths already have very dependable intuition (in the way of gut-feelings) without having to try at it.
Some ignore their gut-feelings for their own reasons: Maybe they want to see the best in others, or perhaps they don’t believe in their intuition as much as they should. But every Empath’s gut-feelings are there to warn, serve and protect them from experiencing anything they don’t need to.
The strong sense of intuition an Empath has is both their guide and their best friend.
They may question their intuition, especially if it does not fit in with what their mind or ego wants, but they would be wise to listen to it.
Strong urges, feelings, premonitions or notions in any shape or form, happen for a reason and it is in one’s best interest to take heed of them.
The reason behind them may not be revealed for days, weeks, months or even years but they will have a purpose that will eventually reveal itself. For more information on tuning into Empath intuition see this post.
Another one of the many traits an Empath has is the ability to feel the energy of the days of the week.
Many love the vibe of a Saturday morning, because it feels calm, peaceful and uplifting, but are not so keen on the energy of Sunday evening, there’s a reason for that too…
Empaths pick up on collective energy.
The start of the weekend, when the majority are off work, can feel deliciously freeing. Late weekend evenings (Sunday evening for example), can carry that heavy vibe, as people prepare to return to jobs they dislike or even dread.
Some Empaths blame their workday feelings on their own job dissatisfaction, not realizing they are picking up on the energy of those around them.
But not only do Empaths have the ability to feel energy, some can also see it.
I remember, from an early age, seeing energy fields (auras), around the animate and inanimate, without even trying.
I loved lying on the grass, on a warm summer’s day, and watching the hazy energy around the trees as they swayed gently in the breeze. I assumed this was something everyone could see/do.
It was only in adulthood, that I discovered not everyone could see energy fields. I realized it was just another trait of being an Empath and Sensitive to energy… There are many more.
An Empath’s traits may strengthen or weaken with passing years, depending on life circumstances. But they have these traits for a reason, and a great part of Empath life is figuring them out and learning how they can guide them towards the life they were born to lead.
Want to learn more about Empath traits? Click here.
In recent months, I have had many comments asking how to develop the traits of an Empath.
What does it mean to develop the traits of an Empath? Basically, it means being able to discern the emotional energy of others and better understand what it represents. It also means to transmute negative energy, build intuition and learn how to stay protected.
Although we came into the world ready to do our job of transmuting the dense and dark energies of the world, many Empaths find the emotional energy of people toxic, which quickly takes them out of balance and prevents them from developing their traits.
Quite often this is caused when the aura becomes compromised.
The Hazards of Modern Life
There are many things about modern life that weaken an Empath, making life difficult and sometimes painful. But when the aura weakens, the energy of people has a negative impact.
Whether they are aware of it or not, Empaths are constantly at work in the unseen realms mopping up negative emotional energy.
It is part of an Empath’s life-path to help bring balance into this chaotic world, which involves transmuting emotional energy.
But it is too easy for an Empath to take on another person’s pain and mistake it as their own. This causes the type of stress that can lead to unnecessary illness and a leaky aura.
By building a powerful energy field (aura) , it helps prevent other people’s emotions from having a ‘destructive impact.’ This is an essential step in developing your Empath traits. (If your aura is leaky, you may need to take some further steps. Read more here.) One easy way to do this is crank up your endorphins.
I recently watched a program about solar flares (coronal mass ejections) and how power plants protect themselves from their impact. When a solar flare is expected to hit, the power station cranks up the electricity in the grid to full blast. This gives a protective shield and diffuses the energy of the flare through the grid. By doing this, the Sun’s energy cannot destroy the grid.
This reminds me of what happens when we do vigorous exercise: we crank up our feel good endorphins, which in turn raises our vibration and builds a stronger energy field, so that when the external energies hit, they simply get diffused. Even just 5 minutes of working-out to your max reaps huge benefits.
Another way is by stilling the mind.
Thoughts become destructive if repetitive and bleak. Negative thoughts weaken the mind and body, and greatly compromise the immune system. They also make discerning other’s emotional energy more challenging.
When the mind is quiet, we are better able to discern between whose emotion belongs to whom. This not only means we can switch off from another person’s emotions but we are better in control of our own.
Meditation is the best way to still the mind.
For some Empaths, switching off the mind can be quite torturous. But there are many mind-stilling forms to try. Yoga, for example, works as a moving meditation and is a better choice for those who find meditation alone difficult. See this post for more details.
Meditation also builds intuition. Stronger intuition helps us navigate our way through life and prevents us from making bad decisions. (see this post)
At a higher level, it also opens us up to the invisible realms of healing or clairvoyance. However, developing as a healer or clairvoyant should always be done under the guidance of a good teacher (who knows about Empath abilities).
Well, it’s been a while since my last post, over 2 months. I spent the latter half of November and most of December in India doing my yoga teacher training (which was the most amazing, albeit challenging, experience). And as I don’t tend to fare well in the dark, winter months in the way of motivation, I have not had the inclination to put fingertips to keyboard since my return.
However, I thought it important to write a post this week because of the adverse effects the solar flare, which hit earth last Tuesday, has had on myself and those around me. It’s knocked me right out of my groove and I’m sure it’s doing the same thing to countless others who aren’t aware of solar storms and their effect on humans, hence this post.
Image via Wikipedia
I first noticed something was amiss on Sunday evening with the arrival of some turbulently vexed emotions, but hadn’t linked them in with the solar flares until yesterday.
Tues and Weds were the worst days, they were pretty unbearable. Here’s a list of some of the symptoms I endured:
pressure in the head and ears, and headaches
excessive thirst
body/muscle soreness, similar to flu symptoms
disturbed sleep
exhaustion coupled with exhilaration
irrational anger
intense grief
low moods
On Tuesday the symptoms got so bad I was starting to question my sanity. My emotions were swinging from rage to feeling like I was in mourning. I didn’t know what to do with them or where to place them. The emotional and physical maladies weren’t showing me anything, they were just there. I had no control over what I was feeling and they were unlike the usual social ’emotions’ experienced after picking up too much emotional energy from others.
Nothing I tried shifted them or lightened the load: yoga, meditation, walking in nature, etc. I was baffled by it all, until I noticed on the news that the largest solar flare since 2005 had hit the earth on Tuesday 24th and it gave me an ‘aha’ moment in that this had to be the reason I had gone completely cuckoo for 2 days.
My mind went back to the information I’d come across last year on Mitch Battros’s website: on how the solar flares can affect humans, emotionally and physically. I remembered that I’d previously been affected by them (although not to this extent).
Battros has worked alongside Mayan elders and has done much research on Mayan predictions and the effects of solar activity. His scientific research, along with ancient text documents, suggests the ending of the Mayan Predictions may very well be connected to solar activity. It shows that charged particles emitted by the Sun in the way of solar flares, CME’s and coronal holes are the cause of extreme earth changes such as earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and tornadoes. It also indicates the very same magnetic flux which affects the Earth, also affects humans, in that the magnetic field which surrounds the Earth is similar to the magnetic field which surrounds every living thing, also known as the aura.
Equation: Sunspots => Solar Flares (charged particles) => Magnetic Field Shift => Shifting Ocean and Jet Stream Currents => Extreme Weather and Human Disruption (mitch battros 1998).
— Mitch Battros “I believe it will be the magnetic influence produced by the Sun which will usher in what is described by our ancient ancestors as “the transition” bringing us to a new state-of-being”.
So, there we go, something to for you to ponder.
If you’ve come across this post, chances are you may have been affected by the solar flares or have a suspicion that your mood changes have been caused by the sun. The more Sensitive you are, the worse you’ll be impacted. We’re probably going to be in for a very bumpy ride this year, if this flare was anything to go by. There’s more predicted. I think the best thing we can all do is: slow down our thoughts through meditation, exercise, get out in nature, drink plenty of water, eat well and do anything that keeps your frequency raised… And most importantly, keep the faith. The feelings will pass.
I have often been asked questions such as: ‘how can I be of service to others without being drained?’ or ‘I want to help, how should I do it?’ 
It is incredible how quickly clutter builds within the home and the mind. 
Whether they are aware of it or not, Empaths are constantly at work in the unseen realms mopping up negative emotional energy. 
Empaths Empowered 