Empath Hell

Before I begin a blog about being an empath, I will start with a very brief description of what an empath is. An empath is a person who can feel the emotions and energies of other people around them. They often feel it so strongly that they can not differentiate whether it is their own emotions that they are feeling or somebody else's.


Yesterday, I held a barbecue at my apartment complex for all of the neighbors. Now, to most people this would not be that big of a deal. In fact, to many people, this is one of the most relaxing times. Unfortunately, it is not the same to an empath such as myself.

First, I had to go to the local Wal-Mart in my neighborhood. Now, as an empath, I can assure you that nobody at Wal-Mart is ever happy. Not the customers, not the employees, not even the children in there are happy. And when you're an empath shopping at Wal-Mart...it is pure hell. So... I slowly wandered through the store, trying to ignore all of the emotions that I was being bombarded with. And... When I am bombarded with emotions that don't belong to me, it brings on physical pain in the form of fibromyalgia. By the time I left the store (which was actually a short trip and lasted less than an hour), I could barely walk.

Upon arriving home, barbecue preparations were being made by my husband. Guests were beginning to arrive and children were playing as children do. The more people that piled into my house, the more emotions I was feeling, and my pain was increasing by the hundredfold. People were drinking of course-what's a barbecue without beer, right? And as the men were becoming intoxicated, their emotions were getting stronger. Before the food was even cooked and served, I was in my bed crying in tears from feeling everybody's emotional "crap". Some were happy and having a great time. Others were getting angry (due to their own personal relationship issues). The children were starting to bicker and of course I was feeling their frustrations. The worst part was one of the couples that attended my barbecue is going through an extremely hard time, and I was mostly feeling their issues as if they were my own. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster and not one of the emotions that I was feeling was my own. None of it should have even affected me really. And yet it did.

After the barbecue was eaten, and the various guests had departed back to their respective homes, I stayed in my bed contemplating all of the events of the day. Deep thinking for me can be the best therapy, or my worst enemy depending on the topic. The thought occurred to me that being an empath can be a great gift or a mighty curse. Then, of course, my mind wanders to the ultimate debate of  "why me?".

I am what some people would call an "out of control empath", meaning that I can not stop the emotions from bombarding me and causing me pain. There are blocking techniques that I am still trying to learn, but they are not easy to master. I am doing myself a great disservice by not blocking everybody's emotional garbage from myself.

There are, however, great benefits to being an empath that are most worthy of mention. When I meet a new person, I can tell immediately the type of person that they are. I can tell whether they will be a blessing or a lesson for me. I know whether they are honest or scandalous, and whether or not I ought to have them around my family and especially my children. Very rarely is somebody able to pull the wool over my eyes. Also, being an empath made learning to read Tarot Cards extremely easy for me. I picked up my first deck and within one month was able to read them better than my husband who has been reading them for over twenty years. People are unable to successfully lie to me because I can see right through the facade that they attempt to fool others with.

So... here's the moral of the story. All gifts are a double edged sword. You must learn to take the good with the bad and find the bright side of everything in life. Use your gifts to your fullest advantage, for the universe has not gifted us to be slapped in the face when we ignore and deny our true calling-good or bad. Thank you to everybody for allowing me to vent today and I hope that this story might help somebody. Blessings to all!

-Lady Ariel