By: Christel
Broederlow
Source: http://themindunleashed.org/2013/10/30-traits-of-empath.htm1 - 04/27/2016 - Click the link for the original post.
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 lose
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 nearby 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 labeling them as idle
will only serve in making them unhappy. It’s for this reason many empaths get labeled 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 endeavor 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.
