Reflections: On Being an Empath

The highly empathic person feels deeply connected to loved ones emotional and physical pain, sometimes feeling their symptoms of illness or experiencing their sadness and joy on a deeper level than the average person who is empathetic of another persons situations. Empaths tend to be deeply sensitive to others beyond their loved ones and inner circle of friends, and they often can pick up some disconcerting feelings both physical and emotional, if gifted with what is known as psychic empathy.

Dr. Judith Orloff has written on the topic in-depth in a few of her books. Those that I have read including Second Sight and Positive Energy have given me great insight into understanding the complex and sometimes disconcerting feelings that arise for myself and others with empathic abilities.

Sometimes as an empath, I find myself unable to block these feelings that arise and I have learned to ride them out like a storm honoring the dark nights of the soul that might arise. One must honor the feelings that the empathic trait brings, and learn to deal with the well-spring of emotions that range from happiness to grief and beyond.

I’ve just emerged from one such period where a wealth of empathic emotions propelled me into deep contemplation and triggered the all to prevalent writer’s block. The storm has passed… I emerge like a butterfly with new and strong wings, inspired to fly free filled with joy.

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