The Arc of An Emapth
What is the arc of the Empath?
If you’ve landed here after taking the Empath Quiz, your answers align with experiencing multiple features and developments of being empathic. This is understandable as being empathic is an intuitive feature that reveals our multidimensional make-up of being both physical and energetic.
“Empathic” means that you receive sensory information from the subtle energetic planes of emotions, thoughts, and physical impressions. As a child were you considered sensitive, intuitive and empathetic? Could you feel the tension in the room of what was not being said? Were you adaptable, and actually “low maintenance?” An old soul?
From my experience, there’s an evolutionary arc that represents a spectrum of development and self-awareness that most emphatic people undergo on their path from being unaware and overwhelmed to being self-aware and accepting their empathic nature.
When unaware of being empathic, you can easily be overwhelmed by sensations and impressions that present themselves and you mistake them to be your own. As you eventually gain some awareness of your intuitive nature, and recognize that you can receive impressions that do not originate from you, it is easy to overextend yourself by wanting to fix everything you pick-up. A functional and empowered empath, however, honors balance and boundaries.
I often remark that we may be born sensitive and empathic but no one is born an empath. Being empathic is a personal journey that challenges what you sense and feel, as well as your sense of belonging. And not everyone who is empathic is an empath. As you probably know, an empathic person can remain passive with the impressions they receive; but it is when an empathic person crosses the threshold from passive to actively engage and witness energy impressions that the skill of an empath is required.
As an empath, you need to be the embodiment of your own authority. Perhaps that’s the question that needs to be put forth on a self-assessment test to help sensitive people identify where they are on the arc of development.
Do you have authority over your own energy?
Do you know how to take care of yourself without needing a crisis to signal you’re over-extending yourself?
Do you know how to ground yourself and why that’s an essential component to developing sensory fluency?
What do you typically do when you receive an impression from someone else, from a room, or from the Earth?’
Perhaps, like me, you have questioned your sensitivities:
“What does this level of sensitivity teach me about myself and humanity? What is the difference between having empathic traits and sensitivities and having the skills and abilities of an empath?”
A functional empowered empath embodies spiritual maturity, integrity, and presence.
Can manage boundaries well. Understands what is self-created vs. from an outside source.
Recognizes when to passively observe and when to actively witness.
Knows an empathic nature is not a power or a curse, but the ability to have a larger awareness of oneness.
Can sense what is out of balance, can offer presence as a way to ground a truth.
Can recognize when they are mirroring another’s behavior for reflection.
Can feel contrary emotions simultaneously.
Is comfortable with mystery.
Has a deep reverence for the Earth and Life.
Self-care for an empath:
Journaling and playing with language as a way to give form to abstract experiences.
Create a glossary of physical sensations that communicate information to you.
Regular and consistent body work, to help regulate your nervous system. Massage, cranial sacral, rolfing, etc.
Explore which forms of meditation offer you stillness to reset your mind.
Consider using EFT to relieve anxiety and tension.
Consider that if you identify as an empath, you are on a spiritual path. The adage “hollow to be hallow” is relevant—so what lifestyle choices compromise your receptivity. Before you get to a point where you want to numb yourself, take time to be in the presence of beauty.
Self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love is what offers you resilience and strength. You are enough.
Offer compassion over judgment—to yourself, as well.
Please consider my perspective on being an empath: it's neither a gift nor a curse, but an ability that allows us to live in extended communication with nature and humanity. Self-awareness is the greatest GIFT we can give ourselves and humanity, and our empathic nature is a catalyst for empowerment and authenticity.
After taking the Empath Quiz, look for my follow-up emails to learn more about how to use your sensitivities as a guide. I tend to say that once you identify as an empath, you are on a spiritual path. It requires that you know yourself and accept your life’s experiences. This takes patience, but it garners wisdom and compassion.
