As I sit at my computer to compose this message I am taking deep breaths to regain composure and balance after, yet another, experience as an intuitive empath.
Energy psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD explains:
"An intuitive empath not only senses energy but absorbs it from others and the environment. Their body takes on the angst of the world. It can be very draining."
If you are not an empath (commonly called HSP, Highly Sensitive Person) there is no way in the world to describe how different living can be for someone that is connected to our world at an intimate level. We are blessed and cursed at the same time. For my clients, it comes as a blessing since I have the ability to sense the energies around them, as well as, multiple dimensions that we all live in. This allows me to aid them in grief as a medium or "tap into" past lives that may be affecting them in their current life. The other positive attribute is that I can help them with physical and emotional healings by reading their physical and emotional body for clues to their distress.
The downside to these abilities now comes with the understanding, through quantum physics, that everything is energy and that there is no time and space. Most empaths find it difficult, if not impossible, to do routine chores like go shopping, enjoy concerts, ballgames or even socialize with family and friends. When in these environments the HSP is experiencing and feeling everyone and everything around them. Not only the current energies that are being played out in the NOW, but also energies from the earth and the environment in the past, present and future. BOY< that's a lot to try and process, let me tell you as one who knows.
No matter how many techniques we learn to protect ourselves, or limit our exposure to exhausting and draining experiences, there are always unexpected whips to our energy fields that can leave us exposed and vulnerable. I am currently examining a recent challenge that I did not know, at the time, was such a monumental connection to such an expanded union of time and space. Before I share the current awareness, let me quickly give a couple of examples of previous jolts that shook me to the core of my Being without notice.
The first one that literally had me grounded, occurred in the late '90's in upstate Washington. I was in the beautiful woods of the area enjoying Mother Nature and the peacefulness of her surroundings. During my walk I began to sense that there was an unmarked Indian burial ground beneath my feet that stretched for some distance. I continued to walk and as I did I realized that the Souls buried there were Native American women and children. A bit of dismay came over me, then BAM!!BAM!!BAM!! I fell to my knees whaling with an emotion of grief that I have never felt before or since. I was screaming at the top of my lungs out of control in this grief. I Knew that my youngest daughter, in this life time, had been raped and murdered as a Native young woman and her body was buried beneath me. There was no way for me to shake this feeling. I had to just to go through it until I could re-balance myself and bring me into current time/space.
That was the first time I was aware that this kind of experience was possible.
Years later, another huge wave of unexpected energies hit me and laid me in bed for a couple of days. I was with my boyfriend visiting his son in the Queen's/New York City area. I was very careful to center myself before going into the City and for three days was quite proud of how I was able to enjoy the city without becoming overwhelmed with the crowds. The last day we were to stay, the guys wanted to go to the Natural History Museum. When we arrived I knew immediately I was not going to be able to be in such close quarters with such large crowds. We agreed to meet up in a couple of hours.
When I rejoined my friends I found out they really wanted to go to Ground Zero. Stupid Me!!!! I didn't even think about it. I was comfortable with the subway ride and was following them up the stairs to ground level when, once again, BAM! BAM! DOUBLE BAM!!!!!! As the men walked ahead, I began to choke and had the sensation of suffocation. I felt the sharp edges of debris going into my lungs and could not breath. It was if I was literally living out 9-11, 6 years afterwards.
I was beginning to pass out and fall to the ground when my distress was noticed and someone caught me before I collapsed. Then the fear of the horror set into my energy field. BAM! I was, again, screaming at the top of my lungs, unable to control myself as I relived the nightmare so many Souls witnessed, lived and died that day. Since no one in the area knew what was going on, especially my boyfriend, they quickly hustled me into a cab and took me across the bridge to Queens where I pasted out to sleep off the drama until late the next day.
These are extreme cases of being an empath but clearly show what the HSP can be traumatized by. I will continue with this topic later. For NOW, I will close so that I may finish processing my recent episode in the Life of an Emapth.
And so it is........