Empaths, you are not alone.
You are not crazy, even though it may feel that way at times.
But what is an empath?
This question gets asked quite a lot.
In short, an empath is someone who picks up on the emotions and / or feelings around them. It may be the feelings of someone they are close to. It might be the general feelings in a room or even when there is a very strong emotion around the world, such as fear.
I believe that we are all empaths at some level, but it seems the majority are low level so that they aren't aware of any other feelings but their own. They might be considered the lucky ones.
The ones who are prone to problems are what I call high level empaths. They are the psychic sponges of the universe, absorbing the emotions and any psychic pollution that is around them. Most of the time, they don't even know they are doing this, and do not understand that the feelings they feel are not always their own.
For instance, you might feel quite good, then suddenly, for no apparent reason, you experience a drop in your emotions. One reason might be due to a friend or partner dropping in their emotions and you are picking up on this. This is a sympathetic attachment, and it's not unusual for someone to feel down or depressed in sympathy with another. Unfortunately, it's not healthy, either.
The empaths that are psychic sponges also have a tendency to be ungrounded. This means that they do not wish to be here in the 'now', so they try and leave the body. As this doesn't work, they are stuck in a no man's land, where they can't escape, but also can't be here.
The key to being grounded is self-confidence. When you feel as though you are out of your element, or that you do not belong somewhere, the tendency is to leave.
This becomes a vicious cycle, as the more ungrounded you are, the more negativity you can pick up, and the less you wish to return to your body.
Grounded people are rarely swayed by another's feelings, even if they do feel them. Because of their confidence, they have a strong sense of self.
Empaths often suffer greatly because they do not understand what is happening to them. They are not aware that their feelings are not their own. They do not understand why they are feelings depressed, anxious, desponded or full of guilt, and rarely will they actually connect it to another.
Most high level empaths are prone to clinical depression and are prone to take on the problems and pain of others, as though that will lessen it.
Many are driven by feelings of guilt, feeling bad if they feel good, and others don't. They will attempt to match their moods in order to show solidarity and sympathy, however, this ends up making things worse for both you and the one you are trying to console.
Being an empath doesn't have to be bad, though. It can be a very powerful and potent tool for connecting with others and helping them to heal. It can also bring an incredible amount of joy if you are able to control it.
