What is an Empath?
An Empath is someone who absorbs the emotions, feelings, thoughts or even physical energy of another person, despite that they are not going through the same.
This extra sense, is thought to be often inherited and is compared to the "highly sensitive". Their heightened sensitivity triggers unseen stress and sometimes even actual physical painful symptoms. They intensely feel the good, bad and everything in between.
Discovering this about yourself often comes after an intense awakening or after challenging times.
I often feel sorry for my younger self, not having this realization earlier in life. Being around negativity can be extremely overwhelming, and harmful to one's health. They find it easy to connect and read people and are able to naturally feel and know when others are living in their truth.
An Empath has a unique vibration, their aura is wide and open and can easily attract disfunction, addicts, the mentally ill and those who are in need. By learning how to protect your energy, you can take control by choosing what energies you allow in your life. Naturally attracting those who are in distress, they may even seem the happiest when they are able to help and serve others. They need balance or this can quickly become unhealthy. Learning protection techniques allow the Empath to safely embrace their gift while protecting them from negative energy taking over their energy field.
Being an Empath is not a choice, we are born this way, it is not a curse, but can easily look like codependency or even manipulative if we do not learn how to control and protect this spiritual gift.
Empaths can be like a chameleon, easily changing their energy vibration to accommodate or match another's. Thus making them very easy to get along and work with. They have very special intuition of knowing and reading others, sometimes being able to see or feel what others may not even sense within themselves.
Are you an Empath?
Common Empath traits and symptoms
Highly sensitive
Strong intuition
Physically responds to others emotions
Human lie detector
People pleaser
Others find easy to talk to and are attracted to you
Have no tolerance for inauthenticity
Senses are heightened
Sleep problems
Attracts narcissistic personalities
Craves solitude
Easily overwhelmed in many situations
Fatigued
Overly shy (introvert)
Emotionally feel responsible for others suffering or happiness
Anxiety, depression, worry self sick
Take on others physical symptoms
Have a hard time watching news or movies
Feeling out of control
Happiest when helping others
Occupation that serves others
Born An Empath
As long as I can remember, as far back as my earliest memories as a child I was highly sensitive. I was an emotional wreck. I was afraid and connected deeply to those around me, places and things. Not only did I not know what to do with all of the energy that I sensed and I felt but I didn’t even understand what or why. I loved and hurt so deeply, even into adulthood, others made fun of how very sensitive I was. Crying over everything and anything, some situations so hard for me to control that I’d be paralyzed, unable to talk, move or participate.
This did not develop within me, I was born this way. I realized at a young age that not everyone was experiencing such intense emotions and it made me feel as if something was wrong with me. No matter how much I’d try not to be overwhelmed with emotion or prepare mentally for what I knew would brew inside, I had no control over it. I slept with covers over my head nightly, afraid of the things I intensely felt and sensed alone in the dark. I willing gave so much of myself, and was easily taken advantage of, never learning to say no. I cared, I genuinely cared from the depths of my soul. Feeling deeply, spiritually and physically, I felt the emotions and sufferings of everyone around me, and I carried all of it. I remember as a young child having anxiety attacks. I didn’t know what to call them, I thought perhaps at times I had a heart condition. I didn’t want to worry or burden my parents so I never even mentioned it, even if I wanted to as a child, I couldn't explain in words what I was experiencing.
Once in high school I shared with a friend my symptoms and I asked her if she would mind that I would call her during these attacks, sometimes they would keep me up all night afraid. Unable to breathe and feeling alone, not wanting to worry others with what I thought others say as weakness. Cry baby, “ninny baby”, scaredy cat, to name a few of the names I had been called and that I named myself throughout the years.
What I was... what I am... I AM AN EMPATH! I didn’t have parents and adults around me who understood my gift. This lead to self doubt, low self esteem and selflessness. Negative thought patterns that have taken years to undo. I learned to easily surrender control to those around me due to the lack of control I had of myself. This resulted in many codependent relationships, dysfunctional yet with good intentions, naively thinking I could save everyone around me and the world’s pain, thinking this will make me whole and happy. I won’t suffer inside if they no longer suffer. I will please and make everyone happy. Doing so made me feel better (temporarily), I was left exhausted and slowly but surely it lead to self destruction. Giving out far more than taking in. Living on very low energy as I freely gave it all to everyone and anything willing to take until I felt empty.
Sound familiar? If this is you, someone you know, or do you have a child you think may be an Empath? Breathe, it's not a curse! I've heard people suggest so... it is not, it's a gift! It's not always an easy gift to have, yet if you can identify it, understand it and learn to use protection techniques this gift will help seek and fulfill the souls purpose in life. Undetected it can be very unhealthy, dysfunctional and destructive to the soul, leading to severe mental health issues as well as physical symptoms.
Awareness is the first step! Because this is my amazing spiritual gift, I can easily sense, connect and recognize an Empath around me. I feel their pain, and almost instantly I feel a great sadness for my younger self that my gift was undiscovered and unknown for many, many years. Identifying this in a child is vital, look for the symptoms. Support them with the tools and love that's needed, let them know they are not alone!
I've learned that there are different kinds of Empaths. My story describes one type, others can become overly isolated or sone angry and aggressive. The dysfunctional symptoms that an Empath has can differ do to their parenting and life experiences. Discover your type, learn to accept, protect and work with this gift. You must learn to control it, that it does not control you. Learn to feel and accept feelings, without becoming them. Allowing them to come in and out like waves. Name and own them! Identify what energy is yours, from another's. Connect with, "the why and how?" How does this gift fit into your life, this special gift of connecting to others, can be your super power! There is nothing wrong with you, in fact there is something Divine within you! Align yourself with your spirit, connect deeply within, you were made perfectly and purposely.
Energy Vampires & Protection
Have you ever wonder, "why do I attract narcissistic personalities, addicts, needy or hurt people in my life?"
Your light is bright, you have a natural strong vibration you are putting out. Others can sense your aura is wide open, without protection. No boundaries. Those who are lacking energy, will easily sense that you're open, they unconsciously are drawn to you. It's like you have a breach in your aura, you are far too open and vulnerable.
“Not mine!”
Often others will seek you for solutions, healing and support.
Sometimes I feel as if I’m in war with the "Energy Vampires"! Making boundaries, protecting my energy, visual mirrors, crystal protection, smudging, calling on Ascended Masters, Archangel Micheal and Spiritual guides, and although these tools often than not are useful, to understand the energy leach, is important.
As an Empath, Lightworker and Energy healer, this has become an important subject to me. So what I’ve come to learn that many people have negative energy patterns, negative thought patterns, lack of self-love can lead to becoming an energy vampires, living on the energy of others never filling up on their own energy. When one gives them energy they fill up and do not have the need to look within themselves. When you are an energy enabler as long as you’re giving they will be taking, this is a temporary fix they will have to come back each time they are depleted you may want to ask yourself if you are an open 24 hour human fuel pump, allowing other people to stop in for free and fill up their tanks with your gas only to find themselves empty again. You’re hearts in the right place, just trying to be a good friend, child, parent, sibling, therapist, but you are enabling them. They will never feel they emptiness that they need to feel for them to seek out and refill their own.
For an Empath they have to learn that you can still very much be there for others in a safe and healthy way, but it should always be in your control, your choice. You should not be available 24 hours, you need to understand that you cannot help everyone, you need to learn to mange your own energy and time. Learn to say no! No thank you, I’m sorry I cannot right now. Let me think about it, are great go to phrases. Don't spread your self so thin. Remember to always fill your own well first, and give from the overflow!
Shanna
Our dear friend, Dr Michael R Smith has been working professionally in empath consulting for several decades as a counselor, coach, energy healer, spiritual medium and author. We highly recommend joining his Empath Community for support!