How Being an Empath is Connected to Spiritually Awakening Part 2
Hi, dear friend and followers. Today I would like to share with you part 2 of Empaths Spiritually Connected. Thank you very much for reading my blog. The orange Notes are my own
Krznaric later goes on to reveal that empathy has declined by nearly 50% in the past 40 years. A study in 2007 also revealed that alexithymia is directly tied with a lack of empathy.
Other than a lack of empathy, alexithymic display numerous traits that are extremely common in the people of our day and age. These include:
Lack of intuition.
Restricted imagination and emphasis on the logical and realistic.
Outbursts of crying and fits of rage appearing to come from nowhere.
Inability to identify and describe what one is feeling (poor emotional intelligence).
Difficulty in relationships (adopting the role of the dependent, dominant, or distant partner).
Impulsive acts or compulsive behaviors.
The tendency towards obesity (binge eating), anorexia, bulimia, sex addiction, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, fibromyalgia, personality disorders, migraines, depression.
Social isolation and an inability to connect or identify with others.
However, if you have experienced an awakening as an alexithymic, or a shift in consciousness from “unaware” to “aware,” you’re most likely experiencing the following symptoms:
Social anxiety or phobia as a result of being bombarded with too much verbal, emotional and physical data.
Intense self-consciousness, or being painfully aware of how other people perceive you.
Tumultuous emotions. You will begin to feel your emotions rather than hide from them or channel them into unhealthy habits such as binge eating, alcoholism, workaholism, etc. Because you are emotionally inexperienced, you experience many highs and lows in emotions, not knowing how to stabilize and harmonize yourself internally.
Confusion between your emotions and other’s emotions. You might jump to one extreme and think that you have borderline personality disorder or another disorder – or, you might jump to the other extreme and blame everyone else for the way you feel, adopting a classic victim complex.
Low self-esteem. As a result of being thrown in the deep end, so to speak, you might personally feel and inter-personally inadequate because of your heightened sensitivity to the world. You might beat yourself up, think you’re stupid, think you’re weak, think you're mentally ill, or any other number of self-criticisms.
You are more in touch with your body. You might begin to take care of your health more, change diets, change cosmetics, try to overcome any addictions you have, and generally take care of yourself more.
You will be more sensitive to the beauty and horror of the world. As a newly awakened soul, you will experience the world much more deeply – this has its positives and negatives, and can result in pure joy or severe unhappiness.
My awakening started in the twelve step rooms, after a few years attending twelve step meetings I felt a desire to return the help I received from them, this was where my career as a social worker began, by serving in the 12 step groups. I then went on to serving in soup kitchens and street centers. Took a course in social work in the evenings. After graduation, I went on to working with street people and mental health consumers. 22 years altogether.
During this time my spirituality also grew. Spending more time in nature helped me to find peace within myself. The forest became my church. I always loved using imagination and I satisfied that part within me through the medium of fantasy movies. I also exerciced my imagination through pen and paper. After I got a home computer I transferred all of my short stories on hard-drive. Now it all resides on this blog. This blog is my life's struggle getting through the hard times in my life. This was my escape from all the terrible things that go on in the world. My spiritual growth in a nutshell.
You have the sudden craving to express yourself creatively, but you don't know how or where to start.
The transition from alexithymic to empathic can be compared to a pendulum. The pendulum swings from one extreme to the other, but eventually through time it slows to a halt, to a balance between two extremes. How do you find that stability? There is a lot of bad advice out there on the web, so let me share with you what I learned through trial and error.
The Empath Fledgling Guide to Creating Inner Balance
I will be expanding upon this topic in a future article (it deserves one of its own!), but for now I’ll provide you with a few basic pointers.
1. Forget “Shielding” – Try Non-Resistance and Non-Attachment
Many articles and many websites suggest, “shielding” techniques to “protect you” from the emotions of others. Firstly, this advice uses the language of victimhood which is counterproductive to becoming a balanced empathic. I’ve personally tried using “invisible eggs,” “walls” and so forth before, but I've found it not only completely ineffective but too mentally draining as well.
Instead of using shielding techniques, simply open yourself. Simply be. Don’t fight, don’t resist, for your resistance will create continuous tension within you – which you certainly don’t need.
Non-resistance is paradoxically the most simple thing to do in the world, but it can also be very difficult as we are so used to resisting ourselves, other people, time, and life in general.
But non-resistance isn’t simply about letting everything and anything come – it is also about non-attachment or letting emotions come and go without identifying with them. Non-attachment requires you to be self-aware in the present moment of what you are feeling. This can take time and practice.
Try asking yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” when you feel stressed, tense, or stuffy with emotions. Your answer might be something like, “I am feeling pain, worry, sadness and anxiety, but that is OK.” It is OK to feel the emotions. Open to them, but also let them pass by not adopting them as “yours.” Are your emotions “you?” No. You are much more than transient emotions which come and go.
2. Try Somatic Mindfulness
Somatic mindfulness is basically a way of anchoring you firmly in the present moment (and not getting lost in the hurricane of your thoughts and feelings) through focusing on your bodily sensations. This is complementary to the previous point of non-attachment and non-resistance which both require present moment awareness. Somatic mindfulness is extremely effective as it requires nothing other than your ability to feel sensations. Types of somatic mindfulness involve focusing on your breathing (deepening it), blinking your eyes, your feet on the earth and the temperature of your body.
You have the sudden craving to express yourself creatively, but you don't know how or where to start.
The transition from alexithymic to empathic can be compared to a pendulum. The pendulum swings from one extreme to the other, but eventually through time it slows to a halt, to a balance between two extremes. How do you find that stability? There is a lot of bad advice out there on the web, so let me share with you what I learned through trial and error.
The Empath Fledgling Guide to Creating Inner Balance
I will be expanding upon this topic in a future article (it deserves one of its own!), but for now I’ll provide you with a few basic pointers.
1. Forget “Shielding” – Try Non-Resistance and Non-Attachment
Many articles and many websites suggest, “shielding” techniques to “protect you” from the emotions of others. Firstly, this advice uses the language of victimhood which is counterproductive to becoming a balanced empathic. I’ve personally tried using “invisible eggs,” “walls” and so forth before, but I've found it not only completely ineffective but too mentally draining as well.
Instead of using shielding techniques, simply open yourself. Simply be. Don’t fight, don’t resist, for your resistance will create continuous tension within you – which you certainly don’t need.
Non-resistance is paradoxically the most simple thing to do in the world, but it can also be very difficult as we are so used to resisting ourselves, other people, time, and life in general.
But non-resistance isn’t simply about letting everything and anything come – it is also about non-attachment or letting emotions come and go without identifying with them. Non-attachment requires you to be self-aware in the present moment of what you are feeling. This can take time and practice.
Try asking yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” when you feel stressed, tense, or stuffy with emotions. Your answer might be something like, “I am feeling pain, worry, sadness and anxiety, but that is OK.” It is OK to feel the emotions. Open to them, but also let them pass by not adopting them as “yours.” Are your emotions “you?” No. You are much more than transient emotions which come and go.
I quite agree with this. I have learned on my own many years ago as I stated above, I would loose myself in imaginations, frustration? I have done my share of screaming or taking walks in nature if the weather was clement. If I was sad, I allowed myself to cry, no matter where I was, there are always public washrooms around. Singing? But of course, when I was happy, or even dancing is more my thing. Meditation is also another good way to release, like watching fall leaves flowing down a brook, each leaf floating away is letting go of a thought that has been bothering you
2. Try Somatic Mindfulness
Somatic mindfulness is basically a way of anchoring you firmly in the present moment (and not getting lost in the hurricane of your thoughts and feelings) through focusing on your bodily sensations. This is complementary to the previous point of non-attachment and non-resistance which both require present moment awareness. Somatic mindfulness is extremely effective as it requires nothing other than your ability to feel sensations. Types of somatic mindfulness involve focusing on your breathing (deepening it), blinking your eyes, your feet on the earth and the temperature of your body.
3. Run, Scream, Cry, Shout, Express
Catharsis is essential for every empath. In fact, it is essential for every human, regardless of their level of sensitivity as it dispels a lot of pent up energy. For empaths, this means getting rid of negative emotional residue from oneself and others.
Whatever you do, try to avoid going more than one day without engaging in some form of healthy catharsis. I’ve found that become lax in my habit of “cathartic” has promoted chronic pain in my body and unpleasant mood swings. Beneficial forms of catharsis ideal for empaths include exercise of any kind, screaming into a pillow, making a habit of crying every day, laughing (laughter therapy), or self-expression in the form of art.
Whatever works for you … make a habit of it daily!
There are many other ways of being a balanced empathic which I will elaborate on in a future article. Although you might be swinging like a pendulum through the extremes of your new shift in consciousness, remember that eventually through effort and persistence, you will come to a halt and achieve balance.
We all go through confusing and disorientating times in life, so you are not alone. I can vouch for that.
Do you have any experiences with being an empath or an alexithymic? Please share in the comments!
Thank you very much again, dear friends, for visiting my blog. Please share your thoughts with us, if you will. Have a great day.
✿ڰۣ❤In Loving Light from the Fairy Lady❤ڰۣ✿
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