Empath: Psychic Gift or Curse?

Being an empath can be very difficult, even painful for most. I have helped a lot of people in life, especially at our metaphysical shop, learn to dance with this talent. It’s gratifying to see them learning how to live without either suffering or hiding themselves away from the world. That’s no way to live.

I often meet empathic people when I’m doing tarot readings, in our metaphysical shop, but even just visiting. I used to suffer too, but then I learned and so will you. Connect with us for more on Instagram, Facebook (Meta) or TikTok.

But let’s start by understanding basic human empathy. We see the furrow in someone’s brow, the tears well up. Perhaps it’s the vein pulsing in their forehead. But we see the physical signs of stress, sadness, anger etc. and respond with compassion. Yep, there you go, basic human compassion, something I wish more people had in great quantities.

Psychic empathy is the same, but also different. Most people, while they could relate, can’t actually feel what someone else is feeling. They might have pity or compassion, but they do not experience the specific hurt or negativity of another. Empaths do. It can be anywhere from grossly irritating, to stressful, to overwhelming.

And that’s the problem for empathic people. Nearly every single empath I’ve come across is a suffering mess. But I know why. I often have this conversation in our tarot room.

I notice that most empaths hang on to every little hurt and every little compliment like it’s precious. Hoarding these feelings, but just a part of what makes them feel “sick”.

Being an Empath – Gift or Curse?

Some people would call being an empath a curse, others would say it’s a gift. I advise people to think of it as neither gift or curse, but a talent only. For an empath, gift or curse would depend on how you use it. Below is a simple, but very effective way to start training your mind to use psychic empathy more correctly.

It is worth the time to do a little meditation here and there. Take some time out to mentally prepare before you engage with other people. Know ahead of time, as much as you can, what you are walking into.

The Dance of an Empath

This is best illustrated by telling you a tale I’ve told hundreds of times in my life. I used this one experience to educate hundreds about being an empath.

This girl, she didn’t come to see me specifically, but at our metaphysical shop. Right away I knew she was depressed, but also angry. I could feel it, but it didn’t take a psychic to know, just one look in her eyes would have told you.

I told her to come with me and gave her a pro-bono reading. Boy she had a lot of toxic people she kept company with. Sigh, empaths often do, I know I did once upon a time. I knew she struggled to make healthy boundaries, but I also knew she didn’t know why, but I did. So, I taught her a game.

I told her ever since she was little, she had been able to easily pick up on other people’s feelings. I pointed out she felt their anger, loneliness or anxiety and made her feel “sick”. She nodded yes and tears were already flowing. Every time it made her feel sick. I pointed out the only way she knew to try and feel better was to “fix” them. You can’t, I told her, no one is yours to fix. And I pointed out, she would just try harder and harder and then blame herself when they didn’t behave better. What an unnecessary self-imposed guilt trip.

I asked her, for trying to help them, how has that been for you? How is this fair to you? What are you getting out of it. Let them go, I told her, make the healthy boundaries. Now learn to play this game.

How to Play the Game

I told this young empath; I want you to imagine you are at a familiar house with some friends and a few people you just met. You’re having a great time and then, boom! Out of nowhere; anger, anxiety, depression, loneliness. Now take these four steps and play the game.

• Ask yourself, is this emotion appropriate for you right now, is it timely? If not, it doesn’t belong to you.
• Look around the room, you have an “aha” moment, oh, it’s you as you spot who’s emanating that energy.
• Make a mental boundary with that feeling, this is your invitation to ask them “are you alright?” This in turn becomes their invitation to regale you with some or all their miserable, soggy life-story.
• This becomes your invitation again, to give kind, simple and loving advice and then it’s “case closed”. Refuse to live in or embody that person’s emotions.

If you are an empath and suffering, try this. Save that gift only for those you love the most with rare exception. Be determined, stick to your guns, and you won’t want to hide as much from people. You also won’t be as affected. You can also meditate on this and see yourself doing it.

I recommend this Alpha Trigger meditation. Get to the end and then visualize or think on whatever you wish. Be well, be happy and be healthy.