May this new year embrace, support, and empower you to radiate and shine the blessing of the in-dwelling greatness you truly are. Be Light.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate:
Only love can do that.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This month I’d like to share a question from a client. I felt that many of you could benefit from my answering the question in this newsletter. V. from Los Angeles, CA wrote:
“…Basically, I’m an empath and I find that I get very tired when around a lot of people, soaking up all their energy and such. I know it’s not a nutrition thing and Tony mentioned I needed to strengthen my aura, so if he still agrees that that is the solution, could he provide me with a few exercises to strengthen it?”
This is a great question! Sounds like the makings of a great workshop – Stay Tuned!
As a born empath, I have always felt the emotions and physical feeling of those around me. I really had to learn how to create limits and boundaries as a way to navigate my way through the variety of situations that life has to offer. We are all sensitive to other people’s emotions and differing states of being. Many of us have had that moment of being emotionally moved by hearing a friend’s story. We gasp, we laugh, we cry, we cheer them on. We all can have empathy.
I mean, TV commercials alone know the right buttons to push to get us to empathically respond to their products: “Piano lessons $1000; Camera $200; Tickets $15; Seeing your little girl in her first recital: Priceless.” (Cue the water works…. Sniff, sniff.) Here, we have to be careful of being too open to manipulation through our media.
Being an empath, sensitive, and open-hearted is a blessing most of the time which can, in turn, carry a bit of a burden. Learning to control this ability is key. Some people can have lack of energy and a weakened immune system. It is best to get acquainted with your abilities. Accept, honor, and acknowledge them. Accept that you are more open than most. Own it and know it. I am a firm believer in the old saying that the universe does not give us anything we can not handle. Know that you are not a victim. Once you truly understand this, no one – and I mean NO ONE – will have any power over you. Just because you can deeply understand and feel a person’s feelings doesn’t mean they are right or that you have to give away your personal power.
But what do you do when you find yourself in a situation when you are totally overwhelmed by your surroundings? When you are surrounded by emotional vampires or the real card-carrying members of the Debby Downer Department or the Negative Nelly Society?
First off…
Breathe: It will bring you to your center and relax your nervous system.
Create Your Boundaries: Learn when to say Yes and when to say No. When we learn to stand our ground, it’s easier to not get sucked into another’s reality or belief system.
Get Grounded: Allow yourself to feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually stable and firmly rooted. This is very important. Here is a simple grounding exercise:
Inhale deeply while visualizing your breath flowing in through the top of your head and resonating at your hips. Now exhale as you visualize the breath going down through each leg into the earth and wrap it around a stone in the center of the earth. Now say, “I’m grounded. I’m safe. I’m present.”
Clear and Cleanse: Water is a powerful tool that washes away the “stuff” you may take on from another person or situation. Baths with sea salt, showers, and even simply washing your hands are all very helpful.
Less Carbs: Carbohydrates are deceptive. They help you feel like you can block out the world and even feel grounded, but they also help you hold on to heavy energy.
Me Time: Give yourself permission to take time for yourself. A little bit of solitude can go a long way.
Emotional Support: Get some healing body work or energy work. For example, get BioFeedback, learn Reiki, find a homeopath. Surround yourself with people who help you feel good.
Drop Judgment: When we invest energy in judging — ourselves or others — we continue to plug into the very issue creating unbalanced receptivity. Learn to recognize when you are doing it.
Rock On! Citrine, Obsidian, Hematite, and Ametrine are great stones/crystals which can help… a lot!
Lastly…
Have Fun! Being open is a gift that can sometimes be a burden for sure. In any given situation – for example, large groups — own the feeling you are feeling and know that life is a joy. Embrace it and play. You can always leave the party if you find it to overwhelming.
Keep shining.
LOVE your way,
Create a beautiful day!!
T.
