http://themindunleashed.org/2013/10/30-traits-of-empath.html
By: Christel Broederlow
What is an empath?
Being an empath is when you are affected by other people’s energies,
and have an innate ability to intuitively feel and perceive others.
Your life is unconsciously influenced by others’ desires, wishes,
thoughts, and moods. Being an empath is much more than being highly
sensitive and it’s not just limited to emotions. Empaths can perceive
physical sensitivities and spiritual urges, as well as just knowing the
motivations and intentions of other people. You either are an empath or
you aren’t. It’s not a trait that is learned. You are always open, so
to speak, to process other people’s feelings and energy, which means
that you really feel, and in many cases take on the emotions of others.
Many empaths experience things like chronic fatigue, environmental
sensitivities, or unexplained aches and pains daily. These are all
things that are more likely to be contributed to outside influences and
not so much yourself at all. Essentially you are walking around in this
world with all of the accumulated karma, emotions, and energy from
others.
Empaths are often quiet achievers. They can take a while to handle a
compliment for they’re more inclined to point out another’s positive
attributes. They are highly expressive in all areas of emotional
connection, and talk openly, and, at times quite frankly. They may have
few problems talking about their feelings if another cares to listen
(regardless of how much they listen to others).
However, they can be the exact opposite: reclusive and apparently
unresponsive at the best of times. They may even appear ignorant. Some
are very good at “blocking out” others and that’s not always a bad
thing, at least for the learning empath struggling with a barrage of
emotions from others, as well as their own feelings.
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, and have a preference to peacefully
resolve the problem quickly.
Empaths
are more inclined to pick up another’s feelings and project it back
without realizing its origin in the first place. Talking things out is a
major factor in releasing emotions in the learning empath. Empaths can
develop an even stronger degree of understanding so that they can find
peace in most situations. The downside is that empaths may bottle up
emotions and build barriers sky-high so as to not let others know of
their innermost thoughts and/or feelings. This withholding of emotional
expression can be a direct result of a traumatic experience, an
expressionless upbringing, or simply being told as a child, “Children
are meant to be seen and not heard!”
Without a doubt, this emotional withholding can be detrimental to
one’s health, for the longer one’s thoughts and/or emotions aren’t
released, the more power they build. The thoughts and/or emotions can
eventually becoming explosive, if not crippling. The need to express
oneself honestly is a form of healing and a choice open to all. To not
do so can result in a breakdown of the person and result in
mental/emotional instability or the creation of a physical ailment,
illness or disease.
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 bring an
empath easily to tears. At times, they may feel physically ill or choke
back the tears. Some empaths will struggle to comprehend any such
cruelty, and may 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.
You will find empaths working with people, animals or nature with a
true passion and dedication to help them. They are often tireless
teachers and/or caretakers for our environment and all within it. Many
volunteers are empathic and give up personal time to help others without
pay and/or recognition.
Empaths may be excellent storytellers due to an endless imagination,
inquisitive minds and ever-expanding knowledge. They can be old
romantics at heart and very gentle. They may also be the “keepers” of
ancestral knowledge and family history. If not the obvious family
historians, they may be the ones who listen to the stories passed down
and possess the majority of the family history. Not surprisingly, they
may have started or possess a family tree.
They have a broad interest in music to suit their many expressive
temperaments, and others can query how empaths can listen to one style
of music, and within minutes, change to something entirely different.
Lyrics within a song can have adverse, powerful effects on empaths,
especially if it is relevant to a recent experience. In these moments,
it is advisable for empaths to listen to music without lyrics, to avoid
playing havoc with their emotions!
They are just as expressive with body language as with words,
thoughts, and feelings. Their creativity is often expressed through
dance, acting, and bodily movements. Empaths can project an incredible
amount of energy portraying and/or releasing emotion. Empaths can become
lost in the music, to the point of being in a trance-like state; they
become one with the music through the expression of their physical
bodies. They describe this feeling as a time when all else around them
is almost non-existent.
People of all walks of life and animals are attracted to the warmth
and genuine compassion of empaths. Regardless of whether others are
aware of one being empathic, people are 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, and 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. Then again, for
empaths, it is always nice to actually be heard themselves!
Here are the listeners of life. They can be outgoing, bubbly,
enthusiastic and a joy to be in the presence of, as well as highly
humorous at the most unusual moments! On the flip side, empaths can be
weighted with mood swings that will have others around them want to jump
overboard and abandon ship! The thoughts and feelings empaths receive
from any and all in their life can be so overwhelming (if not
understood) that their moods can fluctuate with lightning speed. One
moment they may be delightfully happy and with a flick of the switch,
miserable.
Abandoning an empath in the throes of alternating moods can create
detrimental effects. A simple return of empathic love–listening and
caring compassionately without bias, judgment and/or condemnation–can go
an incredibly long way to an empath’s instant recovery. Many empaths
don’t understand what is occurring within them. They literally have no
idea that another person’s emotions are now felt, as one’s own and
reflected outwardly. They are confused as to how one moment all was
well, and then the next, they feel so depressed, alone, etc. The need to
understand the possibilities of empath connection is a vital part of
the empaths journey for themselves and for those around them.
Empaths are often problem solvers, thinkers, and studiers of many
things. As far as empaths are concerned, where a problem is, so too is
the answer. They often will search until they find one – if only for
peace of mind. This can certainly prove beneficial for others in their
relationships, in the workplace, or on the home front. Where there is a
will, there is a way and the empath will find it. The empath can
literally (likely without the knowledge of what’s actually occurring)
tap into Universal Knowledge and be receptive to guidance in solving
anything they put their head and hearts into.
Empaths often are vivid and/or lucid dreamers. They can dream in
detail and are inquisitive of dream content. Often they feel as though
the dreams are linked to their physical life somehow, and not just a
mumble of nonsensical, irrelevant, meaningless images. This curiosity
will lead many empathic dreamers to unravel some of the “mysterious”
dream contents from an early age and connect the interpretation to its
relevance in their physical life. If not, they may be led to dream
interpretations through other means.
Empaths are daydreamers with difficulty keeping focused on the
mundane. If life isn’t stimulating, off an empath will go into a
detached state of mind. They will go somewhere, anywhere, in a thought
that appears detached from the physical reality, yet is alive and active
for they really are off and away. If a tutor is lecturing with little
to no emotional input, empaths will not be receptive to such teaching
and can (unintentionally) drift into a state of daydreaming.
Give the empath student the tutor who speaks with stimuli and emotion
(through actual experience of any given subject) and the empath is
receptively alert. Empaths are a captivated audience. This same
principle applies in acting. An actor will either captivate the audience
through expressing (in all aspects) emotions (as though they really did
experience the role they are portraying) or will loose them entirely.
Empaths make outstanding actors.
Empaths frequently experience déjà vu and synchronicities. What may
initially start as, “Oh, what a coincidence”, will lead to the
understanding of synchronicities as an aspect of who they are. These
synchronicities will become a welcomed and continually expanding
occurrence. As an understanding of self grows, the synchronicities
become more fluent and free flowing. The synchronicities can promote a
feeling of euphoria as empaths identify with them and appreciate the
connection to their empathic nature.
Empaths are most likely to have had varying paranormal experiences
throughout their lives. NDE’s (Near death experiences) and or OBE’s (Out
of body experiences) can catapult an unaware empath into the awakening
period and provide the momentum for a journey of discovery. Those who
get caught up in life, in society’s often dictating ways, in work etc.,
can become lost in a mechanical way of living that provides very little
meaning. All “signs of guidance” are ignored to shift out of this state
of “doing”. A path to being whole again becomes evident and a search for
more meaning in one’s life begins.
These types of experiences appear dramatic, can be life-altering
indeed, and are most assuredly just as intensely memorable in years to
come. They are the voice of guidance encouraging us to pursue our
journey in awareness. Sometimes, some of us require that extra
assistance!
For some empaths, the lack of outside understanding towards
paranormal events they experience, may lead to suppressing such
abilities. (Most of these abilities are very natural and not a
coincidence.) Empaths may unknowingly adopt the positive or negative
attitude of others as their own. (This, however, can be overcome.)
Empaths may need to follow interests in the paranormal and the
unexplained with curiosity so as to explain and accept their life
circumstances.
Here are 30 of the most common traits:
1. Knowing: Empaths just know stuff, without being told. It’s a
knowing that goes way beyond intuition or gut feelings, even though that
is how many would describe the knowing. The more attuned they are the
stronger this gift becomes.
2. Being in public places can be overwhelming: Places like shopping
malls, supermarkets or stadiums where there are lots of people around
can fill the empath with turbulently vexed emotions that are coming from
others.
3. Feeling others emotions and taking them on as your own: This is a
huge one for empaths. To some they will feel emotions off those near by
and with others they will feel emotions from those a vast distance away,
or both. The more adept empath will know if someone is having bad
thoughts about them, even from great distance.
4. Watching violence, cruelty or tragedy on the TV is unbearable: The
more attuned an empath becomes the worse it is and may make it so they
eventually have to stop watching TV and reading newspapers altogether.
5. You know when someone is not being honest: If a friend or a loved
one is telling you lies you know it (although many empaths try not to
focus on this because knowing a loved one is lying can be painful). Or
if someone is saying one thing but feeling/thinking another, you know.
6. Picking up physical symptoms off another: An empath will almost
always develop the ailments off another (colds, eye infections, body
aches and pains) especially those they’re closest to, somewhat like
sympathy pains.
7. Digestive disorders and lower back problems: The solar plexus
chakra is based in the centre of the abdomen and it’s known as the seat
of emotions. This is where empaths feel the incoming emotion of another,
which can weaken the area and eventually lead to anything from stomach
ulcers to IBS (too many other conditions to list here). Lower back
problems can develop from being ungrounded (amongst other things) and
one, who has no knowledge of them being an empath, will almost always be
ungrounded.
8. Always looking out for the underdog: Anyone whose suffering, in
emotional pain or being bullied draws an empath’s attention and
compassion.
9. Others will want to offload their problems on you, even strangers:
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.
10. Constant fatigue: Empaths often get drained of energy, either
from energy vampires or just taking on too much from others, which even
sleep will not cure. Many get diagnosed with ME.
11. Addictive personality: Alcohol, drugs, sex, are to name but a few
addictions that empaths turn to, to block out the emotions of others.
It is a form of self protection in order to hide from someone or
something.
12. Drawn to healing, holistic therapies and all things metaphysical:
Although many empaths would love to heal others they can end up turning
away from being healers (even though they have a natural ability for
it), after they’ve studied and qualified, because they take on too much
from the one they are trying to heal. Especially if they are unaware of
their empathy. Anything of a supernatural nature is of interest to
empaths and they don’t surprise or get shocked easily. Even at the
revelation of what many others would consider unthinkable, for example,
empaths would have known the world was round when others believed it was
flat.
13. Creative: From singing, dancing, acting, drawing or writing an
empath will have a strong creative streak and a vivid imagination.
14. Love of nature and animals: Being outdoors in nature is a must for empaths and pets are an essential part of their life.
15. Need for solitude: An empath will go stir-crazy if they don’t get quiet time. This is even obvious in empathic children.
16. Gets bored or distracted easily if not stimulated: Work, school
and home life has to be kept interesting for an empath or they switch
off from it and end up daydreaming or doodling.
17. Finds it impossible to do things they don’t enjoy: As above.
Feels like they are living a lie by doing so. To force an empath to do
something they dislike through guilt or labelling them as idle will only
serve in making them unhappy. It’s for this reason many empaths get
labelled as being lazy.
18. Strives for the truth: This becomes more prevalent when an empath
discovers his/her gifts and birthright. Anything untruthful feels plain
wrong.
19. Always looking for the answers and knowledge: To have unanswered
questions can be frustrating for an empath and they will endeavour to
find an explanation. If they have a knowing about something they will
look for confirmation. The downside to this is an information overload.
20. Likes adventure, freedom and travel: Empaths are free spirits.
21. Abhors clutter: It makes an empath feel weighed down and blocks the flow of energy.
22. Loves to daydream: An empath can stare into space for hours, in a world of their own and blissfully happy.
23. Finds routine, rules or control, imprisoning: Anything that takes
away their freedom is debilitating to an empath even poisoning.
24. Prone to carry weight without necessarily overeating: The excess
weight is a form of protection to stop the negative incoming energies
having as much impact.
25. Excellent listener: An empath won’t talk about themselves much
unless it’s to someone they really trust. They love to learn and know
about others and genuinely care.
26. Intolerance to narcissism: Although kind and often very tolerant
of others, empaths do not like to be around overly egotistical people,
who put themselves first and refuse to consider another’s feelings or
points of view other than their own.
27. The ability to feel the days of the week: An empath will get the
‘Friday Feeling’ if they work Fridays or not. They pick up on how the
collective are feeling. The first couple of days of a long, bank holiday
weekend (Easter for example) can feel, to them, like the world is
smiling, calm and relaxed. Sunday evenings, Mondays and Tuesdays, of a
working week, have a very heavy feeling.
28. Will not choose to buy antiques, vintage or second-hand: Anything
that’s been pre-owned carries the energy of the previous owner. An
empath will even prefer to have a brand new car or house (if they are in
the financial situation to do so) with no residual energy.
29. Sense the energy of food: Many empaths don’t like to eat meat or
poultry because they can feel the vibrations of the animal (especially
if the animal suffered), even if they like the taste.
30. Can appear moody, shy, aloof, disconnected: Depending on how an
empath is feeling will depend on what face they show to the world. They
can be prone to mood swings and if they’ve taken on too much negative
will appear quiet and unsociable, even miserable. An empath detests
having to pretend to be happy when they’re sad, this only adds to their
load (makes working in the service industry, when it’s service with a
smile, very challenging) and can make them feel like scuttling under a
stone.
If you can say yes to most or all of the above then you are most definitely an empath.
Empaths are having a particularly difficult time at the present time,
picking up on all the negative emotions that are being emanated into
the world from the populace.
