Empathy

[Auroro]

Greetings,

Two questions. Empathy. How do you practice it? How do you strengthen it? Thanks.

Whisper
:dis:

[Zibblsnrt]

Two questions. Empathy. How do you practice it? How do you strengthen it? Thanks.

I practice it and strengthen it the same way I work on any of the five senses - simply by using it.

[Auroro]

I don't know how to control it to use it...

Whisper
:dis:

[Zibblsnrt]

I don't know how to control it to use it...

I've never seen it as something that has to be "controlled" or learned any more than I have to learn to use or control my vision. I don't consider empathy to be a magical or metaphysical thing as much as an inbuilt facet of humanity; all humans, except for the occasional damaged one, are empathic.

It's observation and experience over time; simply put, people are books, and anyone can learn to read if they keep their eyes and mind open and functioning. It doesn't require incantations or ritual, just interaction.

[Hellenic_Witch]

To put it simply, instead of trying to control it just try to develop a deeper understanding of it. I know that answer doesn't give you alot of information, but I find that each empath feels things in his/her own way. . .you alone can understand and hone in on your own gift. However it might be helpful to read the threads written by other empaths. Sometimes reading what others have gone through might give you a different perpective. Try the empathic bunker (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=30125&highlight=empathic+bunker) It's very long, I know, but worth a visit.

[wolf]

Two questions. Empathy. How do you practice it? How do you strengthen it? Thanks.


At risk of sounding like a Nike Commercial ... just do it.

Oh, but before you do, learn shielding and grounding. Absolute must.

[Zibblsnrt]

Oh, but before you do, learn shielding and grounding. Absolute must.

Heh, I keep hearing this. I follow (and mainly lurk on) a fairly popular emphaths community elsewhere, and some ridiculous portion of the traffic - rarely less than fifty percent - is about shielding and grounding.

At the same time, I've not given a moment's thought to dealing with either, and haven't exactly had problems.

That said, there's something to be said for getting some kind of awareness for what you're feeling. I've seen a lot of people who seem to have a great amount of difficulty telling the difference between themselves and others.

[Protagonist]

Oh, but before you do, learn shielding and grounding. Absolute must.
I agree with Zib. I've heard tons about "shielding and grounding," most of which amounts to "imagine yourself in a paper bag of white light." As I see it, this is a silly mental exercise. If you can't tell which emotions are yours and which are not, no amount of shiny paper-bag meditation will help you. The important thing is to spend some time reflecting on what you're feeling and trying to determine its origin.

[wolf]

Many people express the concept of shielding and grounding poorly. I would also scoff at the "paper bag of white light".

But ... being unable to separate yourself from the rush of incoming information/feelings is more likely than not going to buy you a ticket on the crazy train.

[Zibblsnrt]

Many people express the concept of shielding and grounding poorly. I would also scoff at the "paper bag of white light".

Quite. That's literally about 95% of the "shielding" "tutorials" I've encountered.

But ... being unable to separate yourself from the rush of incoming information/feelings is more likely than not going to buy you a ticket on the crazy train.

See, I just find it baffling that people have so much trouble with that. ;) It's come pretty naturally to me over the past dozen years. I'm pretty sure I do a better job of self-knowledge than a lot of people out there, but I wasn't aware it was that difficult.

Is differentiating really that difficult for so many people? It's truly beyond me to appreciate the fact; ironically enough, it's something I find extremely difficult to emphathise with.

[Auroro]

Hmm.... Zib, do you think you could PM me a link to the Empath community? It'd be a great help and most appreciated. Thank you guys... I've been doing some reading... but I'm not done yet.

Whisper
:dis:

[Zibblsnrt]

Hmm.... Zib, do you think you could PM me a link to the Empath community? It'd be a great help and most appreciated. Thank you guys... I've been doing some reading... but I'm not done yet.

Whisper
:dis:

It's right here (http://www.livejournal.com/community/empaths).

[Auroro]

Thank you...

Whisper
:dis:

[Laura Stamps]

Many people express the concept of shielding and grounding poorly. I would also scoff at the "paper bag of white light".

But ... being unable to separate yourself from the rush of incoming information/feelings is more likely than not going to buy you a ticket on the crazy train.


Grounding I have no problem with, it must come naturally to me, because I never have to think about it. But I agree with you...shielding is very important for most Empaths, so that is probably why there is so much about it out there...silly as some of the suggestions sound. I read somewhere that everyone is born with a natural shield of sorts. But the natural shield of an Empath is thinner and has holes in it, one of the ways the energy from others gets through to us, and ours goes out to them. So learning how to strengthen that natural shield when needed is a must.

I cast a circle of protection around myself every morning with help from my Patron Goddess Bast and the Rune Spirit Algiz. However I need more. I was born an Empath, and it is my nature to give of my energy and to feel intensely the feelings/energy/info of others. I am also psychic, so I might glean more information from someone than most Empaths. The shielding that is most effective for me is a mental one, just the realization that I am being drained or that an intense emotion I am feeling is not my own. When I come in contact with someone who touches me in this way I go with it at first, because that is my natural Empath response. Then a few seconds later I realize what is happening, and if I need to I step back mentally and say to myself: "Back off, this is an Empath thing." And I am okay. In the case of a psi-vampire I also have to leave that person's presence.

I have had to learn this way of shielding, because my husband is very highstrung and boiling over with emotion every day. And my mother is a psi-vampire. And that is the thing. All Empaths should be aware of how to shield themselves from psi-vamps, because psi-vamps tend to prey on us. Some do it on purpose, but most don't know they are psi-vamps and wouldn't believe you if you told them. So, yes, I think learning the shielding technique that works best for you, for whatever level of Empath you are, is a very good thing. You might have to wade through lots of silly suggestions, but at some point something will click, and it might be just the thing that will work for you and your level of Empathy power.

And in case anyone is wondering, there are more vamps out there (psi- and blood vamps) than you can imagine. It seems everybody knows at least one, if not more these days. Not that that is a bad thing, but just something all Empaths should be aware of.

[Lunacie]

Welcome to MW Laura. :wave: This thread is a couple of years old, you know, and I don't think the OP is even around here anymore. But there are a lot of us Empaths that hang out over at the Empathic Bunker forum (part of MW). There is a really huge thread just for support and discussion, and a recent thread was started about psy vamps and empaths. Some come over and join in:

http://mysticwicks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=217