by David Burgess

Created on: August 22, 2007

Feeling a little Empathic?

Part 1 What's an empath?

Empathic ability is perhaps the most common and possibly least understood psychic gift available to humanity. So what is an empath? Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary defines empathy as "the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner". In lay terms, being an empath means being able to feel what another person is feeling, either emotionally, physically, or both. Advanced empaths also sometimes have the ability to draw out' physical or emotional pain from another person and take it into their own body, with the intention of then releasing or expelling that pain and curing the subject.

How do you know if you are an empath? Well, because of their sensitivity, empaths tend to have certain tell-tale characteristics or qualities. For example, they sometimes tense up or feel uncomfortable when they enter a room where an argument recently took place, even if the disagreeing parties are no longer present or have made peace. If the argument was particularly bad, or the empath is particularly sensitive, they may actually become irritated themselves, and start snapping at those around them for no reason.

Empaths tend to avoid heavily crowded areas or events, since the energy built up by having many people in one place can become quite overwhelming. You may notice an empath wince or flinch a bit when entering a crowded room or a party, for example. Walking into a room full of people can sometimes feel like being punched in the stomach, depending on the number of people and the frame of mind of those present.

Many empaths have a tendency to be pushovers' or doormats', for several reasons. First of all, they are highly sensitive to energy, which can make it very hard for them to say "no" to anyone who is experiencing pain or need of any kind. Second, most empaths don't know how to shield themselves properly, so when confronted by any kind of intense emotion they have a hard time thinking clearly. An angry finger pointed in their face can cause actual physical pain. Empaths are not just sensitive to negative emotions, however. A highly sexually aroused individual will quickly inspire a similar state of excitement in an unsuspecting empath, who may have an extremely hard time fending off advances,

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