Sensitivity

[FairyCrystal]

No offense, but I fail to see how meditating is going to be of help with this.
What's required is personal growth which by doing so helps clear the first 3 chakras.
First learn to ground properly, meaning not just 5 minutes but at least 15-30 mins, and shielding.
Then work on any issue with self-esteem, feelings of not being worthy/good enough (which may be the cause of you feeling you have to carry other's burdens), and/or whatever issues you have.
We all have issues, or had until we worked on them, so nothing strange.

I actually think meditation can help - if it makes you calm and you finding your inner voice. It has helped me through stressful times (work related in the past). Why I think meditation is helpful is because it allows your senses to shut the outside out more, and for you to have alone-time. Me being highly sensitive means I need my time alone as my brain takes in, feel more from the external and it can get too much. This could be sounds, other people's feelings, just to use few examples. This is too how it may work with those who are on the autism spectrum: they can have under- or over reactions to things such as smells, sounds and other things. It is important you do not do any self-blame on this, to know this is your brain, and you were meant to be this way. Had we all been the same we as humans would not have survived. Also you have to think of another thing which is that you most likely come from a line where your surviving relatives were equipped with this sensitivity for survival or else you would not be here today. We all come from other survivors of tough times. the ones who didn't - well, they did not get to live to tell the tale. So to be having feeling of being nervous etc could be in your DNA a head up for warning for danger which was very useful in the past but may not in the present full a real function, it can be different things.

What ever does the trick, you have to try different things. One other thing that works for me is if you have to force your concentration on something else, detailed such at best. Pretend you are at work and this or that task is something you have to do, so you have to then shift where you are, how you are, you have to leave all that other stuff (worrying or what it now may be) a rest. It works for me. Sure doing the dishes can help some but the more detailed it is the better it is, your brain then gets a rest from the constant "nagging" of thoughts, feelings.

You are most likely like me, highly sensitive so you are picking up, and as you now got involved her asking you about the dog you then feel responsible for your part in trying to find it but are still so limited in doing so, so then it comes back to you - that you feel as if you have failed in finding the dog, and failed helping the lady, and now you can't quite let it go. so now you're feeling not good enough, is my guess, and that is part of the high emotion response, you want to help more but you can't. Just try to think of it then like this: If you were meant to do more you would have been equipped to do more. Maybe this one was not your calling, maybe someone else. God send those along the way that can help, different set of times, different set of situations. You can't save and be the one all the time to fix things, let it now be up to someone else. These are the kind of thoughts that could help you, I'm hoping? Has helped me, anyways.

In time this will let go. It is only because you are sensitive that you feel some things stronger, are triggers, and this is clearly one of them. I can be perfectly in harmony and have steady reactions to lots of things, even things that are triggers to others who are not as sensitive as I am, but I have my moments, my triggers for sure and then it is something important to me, could both react on someone else's energy, and my own. And then it gets to be this swirl which can be hard to untangle.

I hope you will feel better soon. I have lost dog myself (OK that sounds bad) but I had one that was more walking with me than the other way around. It wouldn't disappear too far away. Someone ought to find "your" missing dog, especially if it is running around in a neighborhood area and has a leash, then visible and it might be more easy to for instance get a foot on the leash before getting it with your hand. I don't know where you live (and no need to tell me, of course) but to me it is the right season to be loosing a dog as I can imagine lots of people are out walking themselves this time around year, not to mention all the other dog-walkers and their dogs, and the more eyes, the better fortune to find it. My guess it will think it is fun to run around for a while, and then sooner or later it will turn around thinking: hum...? where did the slow lady go? She's totally missing the party, and slow it down and hope to be found.

[Hemera]

I can see how chakra work and meditation can both be of value. Meditation I'm familiar with and have practiced on and off for a while.

Asearcher I think I've mentioned it before but I'm almost certainly on the autistic spectrum - I'm highly introverted, used to stim and pace as a child, and am socially awkward (but have learnt a lot so this doesn't show so much now). What you say makes a lot of sense. I need alone time and if I don't I go downhill very rapidly physically, mentally, emotionally. I take too much in. It's taken years but I have realised that my brain works quite differently to a lot of other people's and that if I am over stimulated I can end up very unwell for some time.

The dog was found - someone took it to the local vets. I'm so massively relieved for the dog walker. I did feel that I should have done more and feeling helpless is a common feeling I struggle with, as well as guilt that I'm limited. Thanks for your understanding.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Hemera

I do internalise and there is a part of me who feels it's my 'duty' to feel what others feel so they won't be alone with it. I think it's also about thinking I have to make it okay for them by making it okay.

Another perspective is to remember that our emotional nature is associated with the element of water. The significance of water is that it is shaped by its surroundings, its shape is dictated by whatever contains it.

So it is with our emotional nature. Which in itself is not a bad thing. It allows us to relate to others and to feel sympathy and empathy. But if we cannot set healthy emotional boundaries (as FairyCrystal says) then whatever we feel is dictated by our environment. Which is not a recipe for peace and happiness.

So we are not responsible for whatever others may be feeling. We do not have to feel whatever other people feel. If someone is sinking in quicksand we do not help them by jumping into the quicksand with them just so they know that they are not alone. Far better to stand on solid ground and throw them a rope. Then we make it okay.

Peace