By Shelly Wilson
An empath is a person with the clairsentient ability to comprehend another individual’s mental or emotional state. An empath is also known as someone who feels or is a feeler. Empathy involves having compassion and understanding. When referencing empathy, the Golden Rule is often referenced – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This notion can also be translated simply – treat others how you want to be treated.
A sensitive is someone who is in tune with the energies around them and is able to feel other people’s energies and emotions. At times, they may be unable to distinguish other people’s energies from their own unless they are intentionally tuning in and have a heightened energy awareness. As empaths, we will feel the energy being emitted from others.
A highly sensitive person, often referred to as HSP, is someone who feels energies to the extreme, which may then affect them physically. A highly sensitive person typically does have a higher degree of empathy towards others because we have the ability to feel what they are feeling. With that said, we tend to feel everything even when we really don’t want to. Learning to understand what is our stuff and what isn’t and then adapting accordingly is necessary.
Understandably, unless someone is a highly sensitive person, they may not be able to understand what being sensitive fully entails. People can be sensitive to criticism or take things personally. This is a different connotation of being sensitive but is important to recognize nonetheless. We can be offended by hurtful remarks because we are human. However, we all have the ability to choose how we wish to respond and if we want to accept the remarks as truth for ourselves.
Being highly sensitive also involves understanding energy, which includes becoming aware of our own energetic emission with our thoughts, words, and actions and practicing good energetic hygiene. We know that everything is energy. This energy vibrates in frequencies. Therefore, we are essentially walking vibrations. Like a radio station, the frequency we vibrate at is what we broadcast out to the world around us. Our emotions affect our physical bodies. If we are vibrating with fear, stress, or lack of trust, the energy is being focused in a lower vibrational way and resisting flow. The lower vibrations may feel especially overwhelming to those of us who are sensitive to energies and empathic.
Whether we deem ourselves sensitive or not, all of us have the power to transmute and shift energy based on our perspective and how we choose to respond. As necessary, we can transmute the lower, heavier vibrations to a vibration that feels better, or we may need to excuse ourselves from the situation altogether. We can easily shift our energy by breathing consciously and intentionally while attaining the peace within, so we can respond rather than react to external circumstances.
Moreover, we need to understand who and what affects us in a positive, healthy, balanced way and in a not-so-positive, unhealthy, imbalanced way. Social media and the news can pull us into a negative or lower vibrational vortex. Sometimes, people are unable to be an observer and will instead take some of the posts personally. They may also be passionate about their beliefs and feel others should oblige by having the same beliefs. Choosing to disconnect or at least limiting our technology time is beneficial.
As a highly sensitive person myself, I can speak firsthand and offer my personal perspective. I’ve always been sensitive to energies, even as a young child. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware of how to see sensitivity as a blessing rather than a problem. I work as an Intuitive Medium, so I am able to connect to my client’s energy and also connect to those that have transitioned to the Spirit realm. It wasn’t until my late 30’s that I realized fully what I was experiencing and that there are varying degrees of sensitivity. Initially, it felt more like a hindrance, but now being sensitive is a beautiful gift. Excusing myself from a situation or stepping outside for a breath of fresh air is a temporary solution, but maintaining good energetic hygiene is necessary. Furthermore, I tend to be very selective of the energy I am immersed in, whether it be personally or professionally.
I find it extremely challenging to be in a busy space, such as a shopping mall, especially during the holidays. Concerts can be overwhelming due to large numbers of people, the use of lighting, and loud auditory levels. Even restaurants that have televisions blaring are something that I tend to avoid altogether, or at least at peak meal times. In addition to feeling the energy in each of these spaces, I am also feeling the energy and emotions of those present. Lastly, I am extremely selective of any news that I watch or even read and the length of time I am exposed to it. Graphic images and videos will literally make me feel nauseous and dizzy.
Taking responsibility for our own well-being is essential on this spiritual journey, especially for those that are empaths and sensitive to energies. We often overlook our own physical health and mental/emotional well-being in order to assist others. The following self-care tips are intended to help you function as a highly sensitive person. Rather than just survive, these tips will help you to thrive and embody your sensitivity.
1. Cocoon as needed – In essence, cocooning involves pulling your energy in as you become more aware of energy drains, whether it be people, places, or things. Gather your energy and intentionally bring it back to you. Cocooning may also involve resting/sleeping and establishing boundaries.
2. Don’t take things personally – What other people say and do is a reflection or projection of their own personal reality. The same is true for you. Communicate clearly to the best of your ability, and don’t take things personally.
3. Invest in yourself – Take time for yourself and honor your emotions. Self-love and self-care are definitely not selfish. Your physical health and mental/emotional well-being are extremely important. Intentionally investing time and energy in your well-being will benefit you and those around you.
4. Relax and restore your spirit – You are a human being and not a human doing. Each one of us must become aware of how we’re investing our emotional, mental, financial, and physical energy and then choose to recognize whether these activities bring us joy, connection, nurturing rest, and creativity to our lives. Choose to relax, restore, recover and re-energize, so that your spirit can be restored.
5. Excuse yourself from negativity – Being consumed with fear, worry, and negativity will undoubtedly take a physical and mental/emotional toll on an individual and can even create illness or disease within the physical body. Being sensitive, you will feel this energy from others. You have the power to choose where and with whom you invest your energy, so invest wisely!
