Being an empath means you have the gift of tapping into the subtle energies all around you. This could mean feeling the emotions of plants, animals, and people, seeing auras or spirits, having a strong intuition, or even sensing natural disasters. These unique traits allow you to gain a better understanding of the world we live in through an acute awareness of energy exchanges. Empaths are able to pick up on the unsaid and tune into the meaning behind it. But with great power comes great sorrow. If you don’t understand this ability or how to use it, being an empath can be pretty overwhelming. It is important to know how to protect your energy without giving it away to negativity, understand the difference between your pain and the pain in the energy around you, and most importantly, how to use your ability to your benefit.
Protecting Your Energy
While this process may sound daunting, it is much simpler than it sounds. Once you get a routine down, it will become second nature. When you first begin this process it is important to be consistent and set firm boundaries so that you learn what limits you are comfortable with. So how do you protect your energy when you feel like a person or situation is attempting to take it? The easiest way is to say to yourself “this is my energy and I do not freely extend it.” This method is my personal favorite way to protect my energy because it can be used in any situation and it doesn’t require the use of anything other than your voice. Additionally, you can use essential oils, palo santo, sage, or various talismans. When using sage, remember that it absorbs all energy both positive and negative, so fill the space with positivity as you go.
The most important aspect of this process is your intention behind the protection. Energy attracts like energies, so if you are protecting yourself out of fear rather than maintaining boundaries, you may find that negative energies are surrounding you more frequently. Whether you are developing a routine or working in an acute situation, use the mentality of working towards becoming the best version of yourself. Fear begets fear while assertiveness begets assertiveness. You may also find that your new found boundaries extend into areas of your life outside of energy protection. Once you become comfortable in your own body, you are more aware of what is happening around you. This awareness in combination with your newfound boundaries will allow you to express your needs and opinions more freely.
Whose Pain is this Anyway?
Perhaps the most difficult part of being an empath is separating the pain you are feeling from yourself. Western culture teaches you that if there is an emotion in your body, it belongs to you. Empaths know that this philosophy couldn’t be further from the truth. The emotions you are feeling could be from the person sitting next to you on the bus, the person driving in front of you on the road, or even from a loved one across the country. The best way to decipher where your emotions are coming from is to check in with yourself. If you start feeling sad or anxious out of the blue, think about what is happening in your life in that moment. If your current circumstances and your emotions aren’t lining up, that sadness or anxiety is not yours. You can now practice your energy protection and ask this energy to leave your body. If you do a check-in and find that the energy is yours, follow your best self-care routine.
It is important to recognize where your pain is coming from so that it does not overwhelm you. Whether you are unaware of the impact of being an empath or are choosing to ignore your capabilities, it can have extreme effects on your life. This can lead to a development of negative habits like the use of drugs or alcohol which will then further the disparities you are experiencing. It can also have a destructive effect on your relationships because if you are unable to care for yourself properly, you will have increasingly less time for your loved ones. On the other hand, when you start to establish firm boundaries and assert yourself during energy draining times, you will notice a positive shift where you begin to recognize habits that no longer serve you as well as a deepening of relationships.
Being an Empath is my Superpower
Although being an empath can be overwhelming, once you learn how to use it to your advantage it can be a pretty useful tool. For instance, it allows you to have a deeper understanding of yourself. By using the suggestions above, you can help to set firm boundaries which will then lead you to a better sense of self. In relation to others, you can deepen your connections by providing compassion to those in need. You can even use your empathetic abilities as part of your career (i.e. Reiki, mediumship, counselor, daycare worker, teacher, etc.). When you have a better understanding of your abilities, you will open yourself up to situations and relationships that you couldn’t imagine beforehand.
Being an empath doesn’t have to be a burden. In fact, many people who practice setting boundaries and strengthening their skills find their abilities helpful. Regardless of your stage in development, look at your empathetic talents in a positive light, as something that will not only give you a greater understanding of yourself, but others as well. This shift in thought will help you to more fully accept yourself for who you are.
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