Helping people has always been important to me. In fact, even when I was young I wanted to make sure that the people around me were good.
The problem was, I would get overwhelmed by other people’s energy. Being around groups of people exhausted me. I was everyone’s “yes girl” and often got taken advantage of.
If you can relate, it’s possible that you’re an empath too.
At that time in my life, it was common for me to feel depleted. I felt drawn to help people, but I never had enough energy to help people to the extent that I wanted to.
It wasn’t until I discovered that I am an empath that this dynamic changed for me.
This discovery has been crucial for my well-being. It’s allowed me to understand myself in new ways, and it’s given me resources to protect my energy so that I can better help others.
What Is an Empath?
Empaths are people who naturally feel connected with other people’s energy. Intuitively, we understand or feel what another person or group of people are feeling and experiencing.
Empaths tend to stay by themselves and away from social situations because the information they receive from groups of people can be so overwhelming.
They can get labeled as “loners” because they need alone time to recharge their energy. Lots of introverts need alone time to recharge, but empaths run the risk of needing so much alone time that they end up isolated.
The thing is (and what I’ve learned over time)… it doesn’t have to be this way for us empaths.
There are ways to protect yourself from others’ emotions so that you don’t feel so drained. Once you have the tools to do this, you’re considered an empowered empath (more on that in a minute).
Empath’s Without Resources
I’m proud to be an empath. And I fully believe that being an empath is a gift.
But if you don’t have the right resources, it can also be confusing and overwhelming. This is why it’s important to know if you’re an empath.
In addition to the indicators above, empaths often feel:
- Drained
- Stressed
- Lost or confused
- Might be a people pleaser
- Might get taken advantage of
- Suffer from depression, anxiety, or anger
Being an empath can be exhausting sometimes! Once you have the resources, however, this dynamic can totally change.
Empowered Empaths
When you’re empowered, you can be in social situations and relationships, be objective, and still feel good. You can feel strong and feel like yourself at the end of the day. Plus, during the times when you aren’t feeling good, you can actually do something about it.
Once you’re aware of being an empath and you discover the right tools to help you harness your own energy, you’ll feel
- Energetic more often
- Confident
- Balanced
- Have clear and healthy boundaries
- Empowered with resources to replenish your energy at the end of a long day
It will come as no surprise to you that Reiki is my favorite way to help empaths feel empowered. With Reiki, you have the tools to use your gift as an empath and feel other people while still protecting yourself.
How I Discovered That I’m an Empath
Knowing whether or not you’re an empath can feel confusing — trust me, I know.
I didn’t fully grasp the fact that I am an empath until I began my Level 1 Reiki certification. My Reiki teacher helped me identify that at certain times when I was feeling “stomachs,” I was actually feeling other people’s overactive solar plexus. We had many conversations about the signs of empaths, and I checked all the boxes.
Once I was aware of the fact that I am an empath, I was able to start the process of learning more about myself and how I relate to others. I learned that I had to take accountability for not letting other people affect the way I feel.
I began to understand the difference between what feelings were mine and what feelings were coming from other people.
It was empowering and exciting.
Of course, healing isn’t linear. And I’m always facing new challenges (or the same old challenges). The difference is how I’m able to handle challenges with the tools I have now.
How Does Being an Empath Make Me a Good Healer?
Once I recognized and accepted being an empath, I found it to be a gift I can use to help others heal with Reiki.
Here are some of my favorite ways that being an empath makes me a good healer:
1. I know how to separate others’ energy from my own
As an empowered empath, I’m able to separate other people’s energies from my own. I can objectively give my focused attention and presence to those I work with since I can be more relaxed with them just one-on-one.
2. I can better relate to my clients
Also, because of my own experience with a large range of emotions and empathic experiences, I can better relate to my clients — no matter what emotion they’re feeling.
3. I know how to slow down and listen
Healing is a gradual process. Empaths tend to have a natural inclination to slow down, observe, and listen. This is important as a healer because I allow healing energies to work as needed for their full benefit, without any rush.
Taking Care of Myself — So I Can Take Care of Others
If you are an empath like me, it’s important for you to protect your energy (this is especially important if you’re both an empath and an energy healer).
I am very emotionally aware and I never ignore my feelings. But there are times when I can ruminate or think too much about things. So taking time to center myself is crucial for my well-being. Doing so allows me to continue to be a clear channel for Reiki.
What does self-care for an empath look like?
My favorite ways are music, talking, and (of course) using Reiki energy.
Music
Music is a very powerful tool for re-centering and re-connecting.
Music that includes drumming instantly grounds me. Egyptian and Iraqi dance music are two of my favorite types of music for grounding purposes. Sometimes I get up and dance. Other times I stay still and listen to the music. Either way, I feel the music I listen to and am very connected to it. So almost instantly, I can completely change my mood.
Talking
As funny as it sounds, talking to myself out loud helps me center myself. There is something powerful about taking the voices inside our heads and verbalizing them so that we can hear our thoughts.
I ask myself, what do I feel? When did I start feeling this way? How did it start? What caused it?
Being patient with myself in these moments and talking through my feelings helps me to backtrack and find the source of the de-centering experience or emotion.
Reiki
To start, I ask Reiki healing energy (out loud or in my head) to guide me, protect me, help me understand something, and to be filled with Reiki healing energy.
As a Reiki-attuned person, I am able to give myself a ‘scan.’ It’s called Byosen scanning, and it allows me to see where there is a change in energy. This allows me to give Reiki to that area which balances and heals.
These trouble areas can heal in minutes or they can take days. It depends on how deep the issue is. So (as with everything in life) it’s important to be patient with the process.
The more experienced and qualified you are with Reiki, the more tools you have at your disposal to help you with your self-healing process.
Once you are a Reiki Level 2 Practitioner, you are attuned to symbols and their functions. With crystal Reiki, I am able to use certain symbols on myself that help to ground and center me.
I’ve found that grounding myself and feeling more connected to the earth helps me to ruminate less, overthink less, uplift my spirits, be grateful on this earth, and remember how powerful I am.
The Power of Being an Empathic Energy Healer
I knew I wanted to be a helper and healer before I discovered my empathic nature. Now I know that being an empath allows me to be an even better helper than I ever dreamed possible.
I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to combine my desire to help with my empathic qualities. I love sharing my healing gifts and providing comfort to those who are ready to receive healing and change.
If you would like to have a healing experience of your own with me, book a session here. OR if you would like to learn how to give Reiki to yourself, incorporate a spiritual practice, and have a well-rounded spiritual foundation then fill out the form at the bottom of this page!