empath

On Being an Empath and Resources to Help

Posted by Barbara Techel

Recently I shared an article on Facebook that I read about empaths titled, 15 Things You’ll Notice When You’re in the Presence of an Empath.

As I write this, that article has been shared 145 times from my post. It definitely hit home for many! Some leaving a comment that they now, for the first time in their life, understand why they are the way they are.

It absolutely struck home for me as I, too, am an empath. Most of the items on that list fit me to a tee. But I’ve known this about myself for quite some time now. Though, I didn’t always. Sharing that article and hearing the relief in other’s words to have a better understanding of who they are made my heart happy to know it helped others.

While I’ve come to understand being empathetic as a gift, I whole-heartedly understand what many also said that sometimes it can feel like a burden. We feel things deeply.

Being that not only do we feel deeply our own issues and challenges, we take on the emotions of others too, just as the article stated. For me, especially those that I love, and if I don’t manage it, I can get caught up in carrying a heavy load of emotions about the world’s problems also – which as we are all experiencing, is quite rocky right now.

I’ve learned over the years that I have to work to stay grounded and centered. I’ve also learned to tune into my body, heart and mind on a regular basis and trust what I’m feeling. Not that it is always easy and I do fall off the path time now and then – but the more aware I’ve become of who I am, it seems the time in between something that feels a burden, is shorter. Meaning, I’m able to recognize sooner why I’m feeling an emotional overload and can then work to move more easily back into a balanced place within myself.

Being an empath requires a way of being that others might perceive as being selfish. I need alone time. I need ritual. I need silence for processing. I need outlets for letting go and expression, which has come in the form of talking with trusted friends, journaling and writing. I’ve learned that I need to feel my feelings – all of them. I can’t just shove them down or set them aside. I have to process them in a constructive, meaningful way in order be the best I can be.

And being an empath, hearing the distress from some of the burden being an empath can be, I wondered how I could help—hence the reason for this blog post today—and spoken just like a true empath to want to try and do something to help!

So I wanted to share two books that have helped me greatly. It also has me pondering the idea of a SoulCollage® workshop I want to facilitate in the future around this subject in hopes that it can be of value and help for others.

The other resource as I reflect on this that has helped me is working with a life coach various times in my life. When we can understand why we feel the way we do, or how we respond to what is around us, it helps us to manage our own lives in a way that not only serves us in a positive way, but those around us, too.  So a life coach, I’ve found, to be quite valuable in helping me along the way, too.

Book Resources for Empaths

While there are many other titles, these are the two books I personally read that greatly helped me, along with my continued work on a personal level.

I truly hope this helps all empath’s out there! We need you and I just felt it so important to share this and to let you know that you are a gift.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Wisdom of Healing from Mourning Dove

Posted by Barbara Techel

By embracing love, instead of fear, we become an example of the compassion and strength needed to help change the world. Peace was never won with violence and faith has never been met with darkness. Let us share hope with others through our intention to make the world a better place, one moment and one action at a time. ~Louise Hay

I woke with a heavy heart today. As an empath, I have to be careful that I don’t surround myself with too much anger or negativity. It does not mean that I’m ignorant to what is transpiring in our world, but in order for me to be my best self and serve the greater good in what I believe can add to the world in a positive way, I have to not get caught in a downward spiral of anger or fear.

And this means sometimes separating myself from the anger and fear, and doing the work I need to do to keep myself in balance. I don’t always remember to do this and can get caught up in the fear of which I found myself beginning to spiral down into this morning.

Lost is this whirl of emotions I was feeling, I glanced out onto my deck to see two mourning doves. To me, they represent love and peace – and my heart lightened realizing this powerful message that I needed to be reminded of in that moment.

Researching further into their symbolism I found this:  But far from representing death, the symbolism of mourning doves gives us optimism with its spirituality. Beyond their sorrowful song is a message of life, hope, renewal and peace.

While there is so much poison of fear being spread wide and far these days, I still hold onto hope, even when it’s hard, and I feel it quite heavy in my heart, and all I want to do is not function.

I had a choice this morning – I could let my heavy heart lead for the day – or I could work through my feelings to help them to begin to shift. The mourning doves were that needed symbol for me.

Taking a moment to expand on this, I sat down and picked two oracle cards for the day, plus one of my SoulCollage® cards. They were further confirmation of what I needed in working through all my feelings.

From The Nature-Speak Oracle – Rose – Love & Healing:  The appearance of rose, indicates an opening of the heart and the ability to touch the hearts of others. Your ability to express love now has great healing potentials – for yourself and others.

From Wisdom for Healing – Observe Your Conversations: Observe the conversations you engage in today. Are they productive or mean-spirited? Are they filled with gossip or stimulating information? Your goal: to recognize the quality of information you feed your mind each day.

My SoulCollage® card: This card represents peace and honor to me. Striving for peace and honoring that in myself and helping others to find that within themselves, which means I have to (and want to) be that example.

While I kept gradually shifting back into the space of my own truth and what I believe, yet another sign appeared from a friend who posted this image this morning saying: This is the month of love. I’m tired of all the anger and I think the we need more love!

And so it is.

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