Empathic Overload

An Empath is is an individual who experiences the feelings and emotions of other people.  An empath, or "sensitive" isn't just being sympathetic, or empathetic, they are actually experiencing and feeling the emotions of another person. 

The empathic gifts are often the first to manifest in a developing psychic.  This is because they are so strong, and we find they are easily triggered.  Often a person can tell if they are an empath by answering these questions:

When entering a busy department store or crowded place, do your moods suddenly change?  Do you find yourself getting angry or negative where you were feeling light and happy before you entered the store?

Do you sense the thoughts of other people as you walk down the street, or pass them in a busy area? 

Are you drawn to animals and animals drawn to you?

Do you find entering a hospital to be extremely upsetting? 

Do you often feel "scattered" or unsettled?  This is also known as free floating anxiety.

If you answered yes to these questions, you are most likely an empath or sensitive.  Being an empath can be very upsetting in the beginning.  The most often picked up emotions are the negative emotions; sadness, dispair, depression, anger, negativity.  They are the strongest and easiest to key in on.  I have a theory that most cases of diagnosed Social Anxiety Disorder are most often very sensitive empaths, who feel this intense overload when going out into a public place.  Empaths are also known to take on the illnessess of others around them unknowingly.  It is easy to see how this type of ability can become so overwhelming and unsettling.  It can truely take over a person's life if not understood and recognised.

All these examples lead up to why it is so important for empaths to learn to control or shield themselves from the emotions of other people.  It's easy to do when you learn how.  It's simply a matter of acknoledging where the emotions are coming from, recognising when you are feeling something out of the ordinary from your normal rutine, and tuning it out, or asking it to leave.   Grounding and Sheilding are exercises where you will learn to be able to tune out these emotions. Often times, when I am in a crowded place and am being attacked by negative emotions of other people, I will simply ground and shield, then I will simply put a thought out there, "if these emotions aren't mine, they must be gone.". This usually works for me.  If not, I will remove myself from the area and come back when it's not so busy.

In extreme cases of overload, or if I know I'm going to be putting myself at risk for overload, I will prepare first with Patchouli Oil.  Patchouli is an essencial oil that is available in most health food or aromatherapy stores.  It's relatively inexpensive, and lasts a long time.  I dilute mine in 1/4 cup oil, (almond, mineral or olive) to 7-8 drops of patchouli.  It can be a little overpowering full strength.  But you need to experiment with the right amount.  Dab a dot of patchouli on the top five chakras; the crown, the brow, the throat, the heart and the solar plexus.  This oil acts like insulation, or a cover over your chakra's and helps to shield emotions from overloading us.