Way of the Empath

First you must understand that I am you and you are me. There is no separation or delineation between us that makes your pain less than mine and visa versa. We are linked in ways that you may not be able to comprehend, but I do.

Eternal suffering is not a black hole and does not exist in a vacuum. In the same way, eternal joy is also seen, felt and understood by all. We are one and the same. The only difference between you and the empath is that I am experiencing with you, always, and in all ways. I am living it within my own body and my emotional centers are so wide open that I cannot help but to feel you. I cannot remove myself from the place that extends such openness towards you, therefore, I know the depth of your experience in fullness, even though I may be unfamiliar with the circumstances that precipitated it

As an empath I expound upon every feeling place that we, as human beings collectively know. It is amplified within me because I now feel what is going on within my own body-sphere, as well as yours, and perhaps others who are sharing the space with us at the time. The ability to feel others in this way can be interpreted as a gift by many, though empaths experience this as a mixed blessing. The curse of feeling.

Your joy is so grand to share in. It fills us like the sunshine in summer, and newborn baby laughter, so euphoric that we can be swept away within it, and carries us upon breezes of teal and azure; the delight of flying. Carnelian and daffodils caress our flesh like silky butterflies, dancing within our chest. For such a whimsical carousel we ride, enjoying the ups and downs of sheer wonder. We swoon within your happiness and delight in your passion and pleasure.

Your anger is so fierce that it overwhelms us with sorrow. To feel the full strength of someone's rage is to understand one thousand single cuts upon the body and continue to live through the pain. The onslaught of terror and sadness that such a feeling can exist is tremendous and powerful, so differently experienced than that of joy. It is the crimson of the darkest battle, midnight blue of the void, and a frighteningly silent cosmos that threatens to consume us whole and leave us in stardust pieces; to blow away at the slightest breath.

Your grief is akin to the loss felt when a loved one has died. The darkness of that deep ocean where sound is drowned out and a numbness floods our veins with molasses so we are paralyzed. Unable to move away from such a blunt force, we are crushed slowly, and severely as though lying beneath a great mountain; we cease to exist to those around us. Even a hollow cave would feel cozier than such a dreary place. A tomb in the depths of a pyramid would be refreshing in contrast, restrained by the bandages like a straightjacket; we succumb to it and surrender.

To our advantage, empaths have the ability to reach into other people’s suffering and relieve it just by being there. It requires very little on our part but to show up and be present for the situation. Frequency is constant, therefore it is not advice most people need, but the space to voice their suffering so it can be released. Healed is a strong word, to release the current suffering is to allow it to move through you. With the presence of an empath, that movement can be fluid and graceful. It may still be painful to experience such a release, that is to be expected. Empaths have an uncanny ability to clear energy just by being with you. What a blessing!

We do require a greater amount of time to ourselves though. This is often misunderstood as introverted behavior by extroverted people. This time that we take to realign our energy is a form of self care and how empaths can be so very present for people when needed. Without this interlude, we can become stressed, anxious and overwhelmed by the trainwreck of feelings we experience in the wide world. There is a misconception that empaths “take on” the feelings of others. I feel that this is misrepresented and misunderstood. We understand the feelings so completely that we cannot help but to feel them. We know they are not ours, and we have no attachments to the feelings, but we embody them within us to our detriment at times, so people will say that we “take it on” when they see this happening. This is no more than the empath transmuting energy and frequency. Transcending these heavy feelings is our responsibility within ourselves. If we feel burdened by this, then we are not managing ourselves properly. As explained above in how we feel everything so deeply, I will say that yes, absolutely, we are greatly affected.

We must own and care for the feelings that pass through our own bodies, regardless of the source. It is not our job to syphon traumatic experiences from others in order to help them feel better, that will only cause us suffering! We can learn to facilitate release of energy in others by taking impeccable care of ourselves. Loving oneself is the greatest gift you can give the world, because only then are you truly present for another, who in all reality is only you anyway...