So what exactly is an empath? A person who has empathic abilities can “tune into” the energy of others. This means empaths feel the emotions and/or physical ailments of others. Think of it like this, an empath is like a walking satellite dish. Energetic signals from all over are received by the empath, just like a satellite receives radio waves. These signals aren’t just limited to people, as empaths can tune into animals, places, or any living objects such as plants or trees.
An empath doesn’t have to be in the physical presence to pick up on, and feel emotions or pain of others. For example, let’s say a loved one is at work and gets really angry over a rude phone call. The anger, whether it is expressed physically, or just in thought, creates an energetic vibration that radiates outward. The empath, who is at home, unconsciously tunes in and picks up on the energetic frequency of the anger. They absorb it, take it on as their own, and thus become angry. The same applies to physical ailments and pain.
The sad thing is most people who are empaths have no idea they possess this ability. They may go through life feeling weird, like they don’t fit in, and are different. Worse yet, this isn’t something that is taught in school so most empaths have no idea how to manage their abilities. Since there is no “off” switch, many empaths may feel bombarded with a continuous flow of emotions and pain, without any understanding of why it is happening.
How does one become an empath? It is not something that can be learned, it is something you are born with. Some people learn to block out the energetic signals as they get older. However, others continue to receive the signals, not knowing how to block them. This can lead some empaths to self-destructive behavior such as drug use or other toxic behavior to drown out the emotions/pain of others. The good news is that it can be managed and knowing you have this ability is half the battle.
Stay tuned for next week’s blog on how to tell if you are an empath.