Hello,
And welcome to this talk on empaths and highly sensitive people.
My name is Ana Kondroeva.
I am a licensed therapist,
A meditation teacher,
A highly sensitive person,
And an empath.
In this talk,
I will explore what it means to be an empath,
How this beautiful way of being is formed,
And how it intertwines with high sensitivity.
We'll look at the qualities empaths possess and discuss why they might absorb the energy of others,
Often leading to those feelings of heaviness or imbalance.
Finally,
I will give you three tips on cleansing your energy field.
Let's start by defining what it actually means to be an empath.
Empaths are individuals who have a heightened ability to sense and feel the emotions,
Energies,
And even physical sensations of those around them.
They don't just observe someone else's feelings.
They actually feel them as if they were their own.
There's a difference between someone who is an empath and someone who has a high level of empathy.
For example,
Imagine you learn that someone lost a loved one they were very close with.
If you have a high level of empathy,
You may feel some of their pain because you imagine yourself in their shoes,
Saying something like,
Oh,
If I lost my sibling or parent,
I would be very sad.
But as an empath,
You don't need to imagine anything.
You can just feel their pain.
You don't even need to know they lost someone.
You can sit next to a stranger on a bus,
Not know they lost someone,
And still feel their feelings as if you are that person.
This deep level of empathy allows empaths to connect profoundly with others,
But it can also make the world a very overwhelming place to navigate.
And it's not just other people's emotions empaths are sensitive to.
They can also be sensitive to any suffering experienced by animals and the natural environment.
Don't get me wrong,
Very few people out there can stay indifferent to mistreatment of animals,
But animal and environmental empaths are particularly affected.
There are several theories about how this gift of being an empath comes to be.
Some suggest it is a natural gift that a person is born with,
A trait passed down through generations.
People who can read auras usually say that you can see empaths have a different aura while they are still in the womb.
Others believe that becoming an empath happens as a result of a heightened awareness that gets developed in response to our environment,
Particularly in situations where we needed to read the emotions or moods of those around us to feel safe.
For example,
Children who grow up in unpredictable or emotionally charged households may become finally attuned to others' emotional states as a survival mechanism.
Whatever the origin,
The empath's ability to feel what others feel is both a gift and a responsibility.
And you may already know this,
But many empaths are also highly sensitive people.
Highly sensitive person is a term coined by psychologist Elaine Aron,
And according to her research,
One in five people can be considered highly sensitive.
Highly sensitive people process sensory input and emotional experiences more deeply than others.
They are wired to be neurophysiologically extra responsive from birth.
For example,
They might notice subtleties that others miss,
Like a slight change in someone's tone,
The way sunlight filters through the trees,
Faint background noise,
A tug on their clothing,
Or subtle flickering of artificial light.
This depth of processing allows them to really appreciate beauty and nuance,
But also makes them more susceptible to overstimulation and stress.
Highly sensitive people have a rich inner life,
Complete with deep thoughts and strong feelings.
They find the beauty in almost anything,
Whether it's art or something in nature,
And they take comfort in their routines,
Because the familiar is far less stimulating than something brand new.
Not all highly sensitive people are empaths,
But it is suspected that most empaths are highly sensitive people.
Highly sensitive people are also more impacted by trauma or mental health struggles,
But the inverse is also true.
They thrive more when they have positive support.
Things that are simple and mundane for non-sensitive people,
Like going to the grocery store,
Can be a nightmare for highly sensitive people,
And especially for empaths.
The qualities of empaths are both their strength and their challenge.
Empaths tend to be deeply compassionate,
Very intuitive,
And quite nurturing.
They can sense when someone is in pain without being told,
And they are often the first to offer support.
Their ability to connect with others on such an authentic level makes them natural healers,
Artists,
And listeners.
However,
This deep attunement also comes with its challenges.
Because they feel so much,
They can easily become overwhelmed in crowded places,
Emotionally charged situations,
Or when surrounded by negativity.
And one of the most significant challenges for empaths is their tendency to absorb the energies of others.
Imagine walking through a garden and finding your clothes covered in pollen from the flowers.
Similarly,
Empaths can't help but pick up the emotional and energetic residue from the people and environments they encounter.
This is called unconscious merging,
Because it happens without the empath's awareness and involves the merging of two or more people's energy fields.
While this ability can foster deep understanding and connection,
It can also leave empaths feeling drained,
Heavy,
Or out of balance.
Without proper skills,
An empath might carry around sadness,
Anger,
Or anxiety that doesn't even belong to them.
If you recognize yourself in this description,
Please know that you are not alone and that there are ways to protect your energy while still embracing your empathic nature.
Practices like grounding,
Self-awareness,
And regularly clearing your energy can help you stay balanced.
Setting healthy boundaries and learning to differentiate between your emotions and those of others are also essential skills.
Remember,
You are a vessel of love,
Compassion,
And intuition,
And with care and mindfulness,
You can protect your energy while embracing your unique nature as an empath.
I want to give you three beginner tips for how you as empaths can cleanse your energy and emotions from heavy energy that doesn't belong to you.
The first tip is to smudge your space and yourself with sage or palo santo.
Make sure your windows are open when you smudge.
Traditionally,
Sage is lit for a few seconds,
Then extinguished,
And the smoke is spread with a feather.
You can also simply wave the sage bundle around if you don't have a feather.
Holding an abalone shell or a bowl under the sage bundle helps catch any embers and ash.
With palo santo,
Simply light the stick on fire and allow it to burn for about 30 seconds,
Then blow it out and use the smoke to smudge yourself and your space.
It is important to smudge intentionally instead of just waving the sage bundle or the palo santo stick around.
While smudging,
You might want to center yourself and say something like,
Please let the smoke cleanse the space of negativity and fill it with light and love.
The second tip is to cleanse your energy field with salt water.
Salt water,
Especially salt water from the ocean,
Has cleansing properties.
Many empaths report that they feel lighter and unburdened after going for a swim in the ocean.
So if that's available to you,
Go for it.
And if not,
You can always take a salt bath with sea salt.
If you do not have access to a bath,
You can dissolve some sea salt in a bowl of water and anoint yourself at your temples and heart space.
Rinsing your feet with the salt water can also be helpful,
As your feet are a major center for energy flow and connection to the body's subtle energy systems.
The third and final tip is to use crystals to help you balance your energy.
There are many crystals out there with protective properties for empaths.
But if you pick just one crystal,
Make it black tourmaline.
You can wear it,
Meditate with it,
Place it around your home and office,
Or simply hold it in your hand.
Other great crystals for empaths are amethyst and hematite.
If you are interested,
Just search for empath protection necklaces or bracelets or rings online.
You can find items made with several crystals that will give you great protection.
It is important to properly maintain your crystals.
And that means smudging them with sage or palo santo to cleanse them,
And charging them with moonlight or sunlight.
I hope this talk was helpful for you as an empath.
Please stay tuned for more,
And make sure to follow me to be notified when new tracks are released.
Thank you for listening and for honoring the beautiful,
Sensitive soul that you are.
Remember,
Your empathy is a gift to the world,
And caring for yourself ensures you can continue to share it from a place of strength and wholeness.
May you continue to shine your radiant light on everyone around you.
Namaste.
