The in a nutshell definition of an Empath is a person who; “works with and through the emotions; who feels and interprets the language of the heart;  has the ability to connect with others on the emotional level.”  

This energy can be energy that moves toward others as you connect with them (either intentionally or just by being in the general proximity) This energy can be also energy to moves toward you as in the case of those who receive the emotions of others just by being in the proximity. 

Future posts will get more to who is who in the energy movement and how to manage that.  But first things first.  Here is a lovely little laundry list of common traits or experiences of the Empath:

You might be an Empath if;

           You tend to be the Caregiver (primarily concerned about and for others) even  at the expense of your own health and needs.          

           You sense the emotions, agenda or intent behind words and actions

            You get “gut” feelings – particularly between your belly button and rib cage. (Often, empaths unconsciously cross their arms in front of their solar  Plexus as this is an involuntary protective response of the nerve bundle that begin our fight or flight response)

             Unless you attach an emotional significance with time, you are relatively  nonchalant about time schedules and deadlines.

            People tend to unload their feelings and “life stories” on you at anytime and anywhere

            People may back away from you after unloading on you as they may feel  the uncomfortable vulnerability of “I’ve revealed too much.”

            People who need to be healed are drawn to you.   They may tell you that, no matter what you say or do, they feel better after being around you..”   (However, you may not feel good after being around them) Please also note that even if a person needs to be healed doensn’t mean that they are at that place of accepting to be healed.

            You act as “sounding boards” while people release their emotions

            You are drawn to and draw intense emotional drama  (emotional junkie)  Note about this that while many Empaths have a “drama queen or drama queen by proxy” history; not all drama queens are empaths.  You know when it is stated (regarding Freud’s phallic project / envy concepts) “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar?”  Well sometimes a “drama queen is just a drama queen.” 

            Your high emotional base can “trans –sense” to other senses.  An example is that you “feel the music, color, etc.”

            You feel the emotions of others.  Their emotion becomes your emotion.  You tend to put others at ease as this puts you at ease.

            You tend to live in your head as living in your body becomes confusing with the  onslaught on other’s emotions.  (While empaths are wonderful with allowing others to emotionally balance, we often have no idea about the condition of our emotional state)

            You notice that others project their issues or problems in to you, in essence acting          as mirrors to them.  (Or, due to our lack of emotional self awareness, we find ourselves surrounded by those who do possess traits that we are not seeing in ourselves.)

            You tend to state, “I feel …”

            You experience unexpected waves of emotion without a noted cause.

     You may have laid claim to just a few of those or several of those.  Empathic energy is not “all or none.”  It isn’t static.  It doesn’t label easily.  It is an individual as our very thumbprint.  So regardless of how many “yeps” you had in the list, trust your heart.  The emotion of the heart is always the truest compass to our destiny.  (which is one huge advantage of being an empath … we are heart connected:D)

See you tomorrow!

Karen