Taking on the energy of others?

I have been dealing with this for a little while. Just recently it has gotten worse. I have befriended a person who is plagued by illness and pain. Ever since meeting them, I myself have felt tired, sick, unmotivated, and low-energy. This is totally unlike me.

Long before this, I have also had feelings with my parents, when my father is upset, I become angry and upset. When my mother has an attitude, I notice and tell her, but then she becomes upset and insists she doesn't have an attitude. With my parents, I am not sure if they are just trying to deny it and make me seem like the crazy one (which they have done before, lol) or if I am actually noticing their feelings more than others.

Anyways, I was thinking about this and it sounds like it might be I have empathetic tendencies. I try to stay away from words like 'empath' and 'empathy' because I feel that all humans are 'empathetic' in some respect. But, I know for sure I am a sensitive person. Is there any sort of way to stop taking on the feelings of other people? If so, I would greatly appreciate getting a few tips!

Thanks!

[ribiq]

Grounding yourself is important when you're faced with these kinds of problems. Meditation and energy work particular focus on the earth element have been the best ways for me to do this personally. Also spending more time in nature wherever possible is always beneficial. You can also make energy shields or bubbles around yourself to protect you and prevent you from taking on foreign energies like what you're talking about. Having confidence that you're protected, in addition to all of these things, should help a bit. And of course, if you can avoid people you know are generally negative, this would be the most effective way to keep negative energy away from you.

Thank you, Ribiq! I appreciate your advice! I have been going out more and also working on grounding techniques , and it has helped tremendously! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Fenetre

Thank you, Ribiq! I appreciate your advice! I have been going out more and also working on grounding techniques , and it has helped tremendously! Thanks!

Hi,

I am also what some would call an empath, and I find it extremely difficult to remain grounded or shielded enough and not take on the emotional climate of where I am at the time.

Yes, grounding and putting up a protective shield helps me temporarily. But I have to keep constantly practicing grounding or shielding in the moment for the effects to be maintained, and that takes my attention away from being with other people. So then I come off closed and guarded. But if I don't, my energy gets drained and I pick up on everyone else's energies.

I don't know if this is your experience, but I wonder if it is just extremely difficult for sensitive people to stay grounded and shielded from other people's energies.

If anyone else has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Hawk

I used to sheild, but about 3 years ago I took them down. The results were surprising. I do take on other's moods easily, but I am less drained because I no longer need to fight myself over them.

In a crowd, I feel a wave of friendliness and warmth, and soon the crowd becomes so themselves. Otherwise I just feel the emotions as not my own and release them, let them go and recenter. I feel alive, unsheilded, living more fully.

There is one thing I still struggle with, ongoing contact with empaths who are depressed, or struggling and stuck; unable to reach their core issues. They can drain and I must distance myself for a short time to recover; connecting to empaths who are more emotionally centered.

This method may not be for those who deal with issues of self love, hurt or confidence. I am vunerable unsheilded, willingly and I know I cannot be seriously hurt by it.

I would suggest to keep positive thoughts and energy within yourself so any other energy cant overwhelm it. Theres a scientific proof that love energy can influence the negative energy of fear (which is illness) a lot more than vice versa.

Originally Posted by awakenflame

I would suggest to keep positive thoughts and energy within yourself so any other energy cant overwhelm it. Theres a scientific proof that love energy can influence the negative energy of fear (which is illness) a lot more than vice versa.

It is our own beliefs and fears that actually do the harm. If we don't believe it can harm us, it won't.

[Dawn1976]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Hi,

I am also what some would call an empath, and I find it extremely difficult to remain grounded or shielded enough and not take on the emotional climate of where I am at the time.

Yes, grounding and putting up a protective shield helps me temporarily. But I have to keep constantly practicing grounding or shielding in the moment for the effects to be maintained, and that takes my attention away from being with other people. So then I come off closed and guarded. But if I don't, my energy gets drained and I pick up on everyone else's energies.

I don't know if this is your experience, but I wonder if it is just extremely difficult for sensitive people to stay grounded and shielded from other people's energies.

If anyone else has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Hawk

Hawk, you and I are similar. I work with all types of patients every day and somehow, I developed a way to shield myself from them so I don't pick up illness or whatever else is going on. But, I also find myself strangely detached from them as well, and I also consider myself somewhat of an empath.

I'm HSP, so I do find it difficult to stay grounded and shielded as well. And I am trying to sharpen my spiritual skills (clairvoyance, etc), so shielding isn't always the best option for me. So I would love to hear any suggestions as well

I have found that if I am around people who I have a strong connection with (i.e. family, partner, etc) that I can take on their mood easily and when I walk away I am left with residual feelings. Yet I know that these are not my own feelings. I can separate them from my feelings and their feelings.

It doesn't help in the moment though, lol. I feel I can be easily influenced. DOn't get me started if there's an argument! I think grounding works wonders. I find I need space and distance to let the taken-on feelings dissapate. Also being very conscious and mindful and present about what I think/feel/know and staying true to that. Sometimes easier said than done!

Yes, interested in other people's experiences also.

In my personal experience I seem to take on the illness and pain of others. After much meditation I realized I was doing it on purpose, to stop them from suffering. Although, then it would transfer to me. I could actually make a person feel better within minutes, but it was harmful to myself. So, after much work and patience as a child I was able to create a place, like a sanctuary, where I could send the bad energies I was taking from people. I don't know if it was just a visualization or a real place I created in another dimension, but it worked. Eventually, I realized that this was not solving the problem, just moving it. I learned to take it into my own body and then focus my good energy on dispelling the bad energy, turning it's uses into good uses.

I'm not sure if that's something you'd like to try, but it worked for me. Good luck!