What is an Empath
An empath is aware that they read emotions, subtext, undercurrent, intentions, thoughts, social space, interactions, relational behaviors, body language, and gestural language.
A more straightforward way to explain it is that an empath is someone who feels others' emotions, not only people's feelings. They can feel the emotions of other animals too.
Empath Witches are so profoundly intuitive that they may even be psychic – They can easily pick up on others' vibes, energies, and feelings. As a witch, this can be a powerful tool if you want to help others but be warned it can be extremely draining.
5 Signs You are an Empath
You feel other peoples' emotions as your own and can even absorb them
When you walk into a room, you know what other people feel, even if they're putting on a fantastic poker face. Some empaths can feel the same emotions someone else is feeling, and some can absorb the other person's feelings.
You feel people's physical illnesses; it's not just emotions you feel
When someone is ill or hurt, you might feel their illness or injuries as if it's your own. This doesn't just mean feeling compassion or concern for them, but having real physical sensations like pain, tightness, or soreness.
You don't only mirror people's emotions. You can mirror what someone is experiencing, which includes their physical body.
You know when someone is telling a lie
People will have a difficult time telling lies to you and getting away with it. If you listen to your gut instincts, you will be able to detect even the slightest social cues when someone tells a lie. You may not know what the person's true intentions are, but you will know they are being dishonest.
When you talk with someone, you have a calming effect on them
People who find themselves in difficult emotional situations will seek unknowingly seek out an empath for counseling-if your friends seem to pick you to talk to when the times get rough, it's a telltale sign your an empath.
When you are in a large crowd, sometimes you experience sudden overwhelming emotions
When people are around you, there is always a chance you will randomly sense someone's emotions. It can be sudden and without warning. This is why many empaths become drained after going out into large groups of people.
What Other Empath Witches Say About Being One
I asked empath witches what they thought about being an empath and what problems they had to deal with, and this is what they said.
Jackie:
Empaths need to be very good at shielding, or they will be bombarded with everyone's energy and emotions. One of my young sons is an empath, and it can be very hard on him at times. Thankfully after a lot of practice, he has gotten better at shielding himself.
Janita:
Feeling others bad feelings, feeling too many emotions at once, exhaustion in crowds or after it, people open up randomly about super personal stuff and ask advice. This is why I learned blocking/shielding years ago. Now it's automatic. But like last weekend at my grandmother's funeral, I took part of my dad's pain away. Times like that, I'm glad to be one.
Tina:
I'm an empath, and the thing that gets me is feeling others' energy and emotions. It can be overwhelming at times. I'm still working on shielding and grounding myself. It's an amazing gift but can be overwhelming.
Marie:
It's verryyy draining, and people assume that they can vent Everything to me at any point in time because I feel extra. This really sucks because I enjoy helping people, but it takes a lot of out you. The hardest part for me is being able to build a "wall" to other emotions while also learning to understand what they're going through without letting myself feel it all
Half the time, I stay in my room to build a bubble over myself, or I go nuts.
How to Deal with Being an Empath Witch
Empaths need to learn how to shield and protect themselves so they are not always overwhelmed when they go out into public or groups of people. Learning shielding and protection techniques can give you control over your gifts.
One of the easiest things you can do is wear a bracelet or necklace with a black tourmaline crystal. These crystals offer excellent empathic protection from psychic attacks, and they absorb negative energy, so you don't have to. Black tourmaline crystals are known to have a calming effect on empaths, making them the perfect addition to any empaths jewelry collection.
When you are overwhelmed with other people's emotions and energies, you can do a grounding technique to send the energy from you to the Earth.
There are many different ways you can ground yourself; here is one way. Take several deep breaths. Relax and let your body feel as if it is melting into the Earth. Feel the negative energy and emotions leave your body and sink into the Earth. Imagine as if you were high above the ground, and the energy was sinking deeper and deeper into the ground. Imagine the energy moving from your head and down your spine and going all the way to the Earth's core.
You can cover your head with a veil, scarf, or even a hoodie. Wearing a covering can help protect the crown chakra, another form of protection to keep other peoples' energy out of your personal space.
If you don't want to wear a head covering, you can use frankincense or myrrh essential oils for grounding, energy protection, and cleansing. All you will need to do is rub some drops at the top of your head to create an invisible protective barrier.
Being a witch and an empath can be challenging, especially initially, but if you learn how to protect and take care of yourself, you can genuinely make a difference with your unique gifts.