WHAT IS AN EMPATH? ARE YOU AN EMPATH?

WHAT IS AN EMPATH? ARE YOU AN EMPATH?

 

 

   

What is an Empath? Are you an Empath?

 

Do you pick up on the vibes of a room, the moment you walk in?  Can you almost always tell when someone is lying? Do you just generally have A LOT of feelings? You're probably an empath. You may be familiar with the spectrum of personality types between introverts and extroverts, but empaths are a whole other type of personality you may not know about.

 

Intuition and perceptiveness are some of the core dimensions of being empathic. Many emotionally gifted individuals are also endowed with a high level of empathy, and when this is combined with emotional strengths and velocity, it can seem as though every day you are fluttering through not just your own, but also other people and even the world’s feelings - hence the term - we are one.

 

Empathy is the ability to read and understand people and be in-tune with or resonate with others. Sometimes it is voluntary and at other times it can be involuntary, especially for someone who is a natural empath. 

 

A hyper-empathic person is someone who is extremely sensitive to the emotions and energy of people, animals, and to the elements in the environment. They are acutely aware of the feeling tones, nuance, subtexts and energy current of their surroundings. Their senses are so acute that they feel as though they 'absorb' others' emotions beyond their conscious control. In its extremity, this ability can even seem mystical.

 

Empaths are hypersensitive people who experience a high level of compassion, consideration, and understanding towards others. Their intense empathy creates a tuning fork effect, wherein the empath seems to actually "feel" the emotions of the people around them. Many empaths are unaware of how this works; they may have simply accepted long ago that they are sensitive to others.

 

 

Whether they realize it or not, empaths share many common traits with other empaths.

 

 

 

 

Empaths Sense Deep Emotions

Many people learn to hide their authentic feelings and put on a show for the outside world. An empath can often sense and relate to a person's true emotions that run deeper than what they project on the surface. Empaths have a big heart and will act compassionately to help that person express herself. 

 

As an Empath, When you are among a group of people, you feel as though you ‘absorb' the energy in a room.
Even when the reason is not apparent, you have a strong sense of ‘knowing’ that there is more to a story than what meets the eyes. 
When a friend is upset, you feel it too; You feel others’ emotions in your own body and mind as though they belong to you. 
You can read between the lines, beyond the obvious and under the surface of what is going on in a social situation.
Sometimes you are emotionally drained by crowds and require time alone to rejuvenate after being in a group. 
Your nerves get frayed by noise, smells, or excessive talking- especially when what is going on is not engaging for you. 
You see through hypocrisies and lies, and incongruence affects you so much that you feel compelled to point out the truths or to take actions. 
You easily or automatically take on the mannerisms, accents, and body language of others without consciously doing so. 
At work or in relationships, you feel you need to learn how to say no without feeling guilty or to set more explicit boundaries to preserve your inner resources. 
As you tend to take on so much, sometimes you are afraid of becoming swamped by the needs of others or feeling engulfed by friendships or intimate relationships.

 

 

Empaths experience empathy towards family, children, friends, close associates, complete strangers, pets, plants, and even inanimate objects. Some are naturally more empathic towards animals (e.g., The Horse Whisperer), to nature, to the planetary system, to mechanical devices, to buildings, or to any variety of beings or things. Others will have a combination of some or all of these.

 

Empathy is not held by time or space. Thus, an empath can feel the emotions of people and things at a distance.

 

Knowing Oneself Is Important

A deep sense of knowing accompanies empathy. While compassion and understanding are good virtues, they can also be problematic for an empath.

 

At times, it may be difficult to distinguish one's own feelings from those of others. This is especially true when it comes to pain and suffering, which can be emotionally or physically demanding on someone who's empathic. For this reason, empaths can become reclusive at times simply because the outside world can be a great drain on their personal energy.

 

 

 

Within our beautiful and limitless brains there are a set of amazing and loving neurons known as the mirror neurons. Mirror neurons allow us to feel into other people not through conceptual reasoning but direct neurological activities.

 

These cells create a neuro-physical link between us and other people, so when we observe someone else doing something, the same regions in our brain which would’ve been involved become activated. 

 

Empathy happens when this applies to our feelings. Just seeing another person’s emotions would automatically activate the same somatic responses in us. This phenomenon is also known as ‘neural resonance’ or brain-to-brain coupling. Mirror neurons are present in us from birth; we know this when we hear one crying infant setting off a wave of other crying infants in a hospital ward.   

 

Neuropsychological findings have confirmed that humans empathize with each other to different degrees and it is likely that people who are hyper-empathic have more a more active mirror-neutron system when compared to the norm.

 

The mirror neurons system can be over or under-active, depending on a myriad of factors.

 

There are also varying levels of strength in empaths. It may be related to the individual's awareness of self or their understanding of the powers of empathy. This could also be impacted by the acceptance or non-acceptance of empathy by those associated with them, including family and peers.

 

Generally, those who are empathic grow up with these tendencies but do not learn about them until later in life.

 

Empathy has both biological and spiritual aspects. Many people believe that empathy is genetic and passed from generation to generation. It is studied both by traditional science and alternative healing practitioners. 

 

 

 

 

How Empathy Works

Everything has an energetic vibration or frequency and an empath is able to sense these vibrations. From an esoteric perspective, the ability to pick up on others’ feelings viscerally is related to psychic abilities.

They can recognize even the subtlest changes that are undetectable to the naked eye or the five senses.

 

Words of expression hold an energetic pattern that originates from the speaker. They have a specific meaning particular to the speaker. Behind that expression is a power or force-field, better known as energy.

 

For example, hate often brings about an intense feeling that immediately accompanies the word. The word hate becomes strengthened with the speaker's feeling. It is that person's feelings (energy) that are picked up by empaths, whether the words are spoken, thought, or just felt without verbal or bodily expression.

 

Who Are Empaths?

Empaths are often poets in motion. They are the born writers, singers, and artists with a high degree of creativity and imagination, so the artistic community is filled with them. They are known for many talents as their interests are varied, broad, and continual. They often have interests in many cultures and view them with a broad-minded perspective.

 

More and more people are becoming aware that humanity has reached a critical stage in its evolution.  What we see now in our environmental, economical and political spheres reveals a pattern of civilization collapse. Instinctively we know that our materialistic and self-serving worldview has reached its limit. Our highly fragmented, superficial culture have little to help us feed our soul’s cries, and the answers we desperately need lies in our inter-connectedness as humans - hence the beautiful term - we are one. 

 

Empaths encompass all walks of life and span every culture across the globe. You can find empaths within your family, neighborhood, workplace, and the broader community. There is no single defining gender, career, personality, or any other label that we can place on empaths in general, they are everywhere and can be anyone.

 

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

 

 

 

Empaths Sense and Read Others

Empaths often possess the ability to sense others on many different levels. From their position in observing what another is saying, feeling, and thinking, they come to understand that person.

 

In many ways, the empathically gifted has no choice but to respond to the summon to be the game-changers of the world. Endowed with the sensibility to feel into the world,  to see things penetratively and the compulsion to take action, they must channel this energy outward. If these abilities or qualities are stifled or suppressed, they will experience a physical and psychological internal collapse, manifesting self as physical pain and sadness, existential guilt, depression, and chronic emptiness. 

 

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. It is not uncommon for an empath to be told an entire life story by perfect strangers in a matter of minutes. People, animals, and children are drawn to empaths like magnets. It's as if the empath is a sudden sounding and solution board for other people's issues, problems, or opinions. 

 

 

They can also become very proficient at reading another person's body language and may intently study their eye movements. While this in itself is not empathy, it is something that stems from being observant of others. In a sense, empaths have a complete communication package.

 

Empaths Are Good Listeners

Empaths are often very affectionate in personality and expression, so they are great listeners and counselors. They will find themselves helping others and often putting their own needs aside to do so. This is why we find so many empaths in careers connected with compassion, such as healers, clergy, counselors, and caregivers.

 

In the same breath, they can be much the opposite. They may be quiet and withdrawn from the outside world as they tend to be the listeners rather than the talkers. Empaths may include loners, those who are depressed or neurotic, life's daydreamers, or even narcissists.

 

Empaths Connect With Nature

Empaths are often passionate towards nature and respect its bountiful beauty. One will frequently find empaths enjoying the outdoors, whether that is a walk on the sunny beach or a stroll in the rainy woods.

 

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.

 

Some empaths are more drawn to certain elements of nature, such as water. One might find herself attracted more towards ponds, rivers, or oceans as a place of peace. Others may feel more of a connection to the mountains or the deserts.

 

Animals are often dear to the heart of empaths as well. It is 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. Stereotypes like "the crazy cat lady" or the animal communicator are often filled with emphatic souls.

 

 

Empaths Are Peacemakers

Empaths have a tendency to openly feel what is outside of them more so than what is inside of them. This can cause empaths to ignore their own needs. In general, an empath is non-violent, non-aggressive, and leans more towards being the peacemaker.

 

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. The preference is to peacefully resolve the problem promptly.

 

 

 

 

Empaths Can Be Overwhelmed by Media

Empaths 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 easily bring an empath to tears. At times, they may feel physically ill or choke back the tears.

 

Some empaths will struggle to comprehend any such cruelty. They will have grave difficulty in expressing themselves in the face of another's ignorance, closed-mindedness, and obvious lack of compassion. They simply cannot justify the suffering they feel and see.

 

Empaths have a unique ability to pick up other people's emotional energy and take it on as their own. This can occur whether an empath is near a person, far from a person, or just thinking of a person—distance is not an issue here.

 

Any place that contains too much energy can be a miserable place for an empath. Because of their ability to absorb other's energies, places like shopping malls, concert venues, grocery stores, traffic jams, hospitals, retirement homes, even thrift stores, garage sales and graveyards can be unbearable. 

 

Empaths Are Compassionate Safe Havens

People of all walks of life, as well as animals, are attracted to the warmth and genuine compassion of empaths. Regardless of whether others are aware that someone's empathic, people are naturally drawn to them as a metal object is to a magnet.

 

Even complete strangers find it easy to talk to empaths about the most personal things. 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.

 

Once the empathic souls have owned their unique life path and qualities, they will realise the gifts of living a congruent life: It is through our meetings with each other that we learn to be tender with sadness, be compassionate with the dark, be tolerant in the face of uncertainty and be humble with glory.  By aligning themselves with a bigger purpose, they will also find the strengths and peace that carry them through. 

 

 

 

 

 

Above all, embrace your ability. People of all walks of life, as well as animals and children, are attracted to the warmth and genuine compassion of empaths. Others may not be aware that someone is an empath, but they will still be drawn to them as a metal object is to a magnet!

 

 

Sending you vibrations of peace love and light on your incredible and amazing journey.

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