Coping Tips for Empaths

Being an empath can be physically and emotionally draining.  Many people are unaware that they’re an empath and do not know how to cope with this ability.

Develop Your Shield Body

Around your physical body, there is a layer of your aura that is devoted to your interface with your environment. Its shape and condition indicate your relationship to your world. People who are empaths often have a "thin skin" in relation to their shield body. When it has holes in it, we are more easily influenced by our environment. Visualize a shield of energy around your physical body. See it as being radiant and complete. You may see it as a particular color. Some people like to see it as white or gold. Decide what color would work well for you, and see it that way. Imagine the shield body as flowing and moving, not static.  We are developing a shield here, not armor. It is good for it to be flexible, so you can let in what serves you, and keep out what doesn't. Snap your fingers to hold it in place. Do this exercise regularly.

Center of Being 

Once you have the shield body in place, imagine that there is a spark in the center of your being that is your pure essence. Focus your attention on the spark, bring all your senses to bear. Also be aware of your sensations, emotions and thoughts. First try this when you are alone, and then, after a time, practice it around others. See if you can switch your awareness from your environment to your self, and back again. Notice the difference between the two.

Don't Take On Responsibilities That Aren't Yours 

A person can get so used to care taking that they can feel as though they are supposed to do it. You are not. It is good to be as compassionate as possible without going beyond the limits of what you need to do to maintain your health and sanity. You are responsible up to that line, and not beyond it. If you are an empath, your idea of where the line is might be a bit fuzzy. Once you get to know where the line is, try to stick to it. It will make all your relationships clearer and cleaner.

Get Used To Being the Bad Guy 

Empaths are often outwardly kind and caring. They usually get the benefit of everyone thinking that they are almost saintly sometimes. It is easy to get attached to being the "nice guy." It is not easy dealing with people's negative emotions, but care-taking others does not ultimately serve them or you. It does not help them to protect them from their feelings. It keeps them from growing up. Besides, it's not real. It's much better to live in reality than a padded reality. Yes, they may get angry or sad at you or with you if you don't do what they want you to do, but it is important to remember that their feelings are not your feelings, and your well-being is not dependent on their well being.

Develop Your Throat Chakra 

Sometimes an empath will know what they need to say or do to make good boundaries, but have a hard time following through in expressing it. The throat chakra is the center for the expression of personal truth. Through the opening of the throat chakra, we open ourselves to expressing our true needs and feelings, as well as expressing the creative force as it moves through us. Some good exercises for opening the throat chakra are singing and chanting, sharing your feelings and thoughts with friends, and meditating on the throat chakra. Some healing stones that help with the throat chakra are chrysacolla, turquoise, lapis lazuli, amazonite, and blue lace agate. You can meditate with them, put them in a medicine bag, or wear jewelry (particularly necklaces).

Develop Your Root Chakra 

The root chakra helps us to deal with being fully in the world. When the root chakra is open, we are fully grounded and present with whatever is coming our way. When it is not open, we can be disassociative, fearful, and have difficulty staying present with what is going on. Opening and healing the root chakra helps us to release the fears that keep us from our highest manifestation within form. Some exercises that help to open the root chakra are:

Imagine you are sending roots down into the earth from your base. Imagine you can breathe in and out of your root center. On the inhale, breathe in energy from the earth. On the exhale, release any thing that is within you that does not serve you out of the root center and into the Earth.

Some healing stones that you might find helpful are:
obsidian
Kansas pop rocks
hematite
and red jasper.

Smudging And Clearing Regularly 

Whether you are having difficulty with your empathic abilities or not, it is a good idea to smudge yourself regularly to release other people's energy and influence from your energy body. Smudging is a way to clear your energy by waving incense around your body. Sage, copal, frankincense, and Palo Santo are all recommended. Other good clearing methods are: showering, bathing and spending time in solitude.

Take a Clary Sage bath

This is the single most effective thing you can do to clear all that emotional funk away. And I do mean bath – a shower doesn’t permeate in the same manner. You don’t need candles or anything else, just a nice hot bath and some privacy. Give it a good 15 minutes and you will feel much, much better. I recommend it before going to bed, as you can carry all that crap through your sleep and still wake up with it, otherwise. If you can't find sage bubble bath, it's ok, anything will work, I just really love the sage.

Breathe

Wherever you are, stop what you’re doing for 5 minutes and just breathe. You should be inhaling through the nose and from the diaphragm. Slowly. And then you should be exhaling slowly, through the lips – don’t just open your mouth and blow it all out. Pretend you’re blowing on a cup of hot coffee; that’s the kind of blowing you want. Slow and steady. Imagine that each time you inhale you are drawing all that crap up to the surface, and then expelling it when you exhale. If you practice, that will be precisely what you learn to do, eventually. Do not overdo it initially – deep breathing can release all kinds of emotional junk you weren’t previously cognizant of, and that will just make you feel worse. Really, really worse. So take it slow until you’re more skilled at it. A few deep breaths is enough when you’re just learning.

Suggested Articles:
7 Signs You're An Empath
Empaths: Coping With Sensitivity and Empathic Gifts
All About Empathy and Empaths

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