The Shadow of an Empath
Many of us were taught from an early age that it is scary to go within. To look at your emotions it’s a deep dark place and to look at your trauma, well that is unheard of.
As a child many of us were told, “Don’t cry, suck it up”. Especially if you grew up in the Midwest in the 70’s/80’s in a German-Bohemian-Irish Catholic family like me, there were NO feelings … you innately knew to just stuff those feelings down. However, if one was intuitive enough, we might go to our rooms and cry into our pillow, just trying to release some of that gunk.
I read a statistic that something like 30% of us are empaths. This means that almost a third of the population is walking around picking up on what the other 2/3rds of the population is feeling and going through all the time. YIKES!
How do you determine if you’re an empath? You may be an empath if you’ve ever walked into the room and could sense the energy without a single word or a glance being shared. Conversely this also feeds the feeling of not fitting in so you tend to isolate. You may be an empath if thoughts started flooding your head and you are conscious enough to realize they are not yours. When a friend shares a trauma, you actually can feel the emotions of that trauma yourself. You heard of over sharing, well, you are over caring if you’re an empath. You may be an empath if nature is your healing space, this is where you’re safe and connected. As an empath need downtime away from all people to recharge your batteries.
I have discovered after many years of such experiences that I am an empath. I have actually found it to be more of a superpower than a detriment. I have also been able to uncover that my husband is also an empath. When he comes home from working in the airline industry, many times he is carrying so feelings and emotions that don’t belong to him, they have just been picked up from others along the way.
But let’s get back to this empath super power for those who fall into this category. And even if you don’t believe you are an empath, chances are someone very close to you is. This highly sensitive being has the ability to flow through life in such an amazing and intuitive way, they can sense the energies around them, duck and weave as necessary to avoid the negative ones. Empaths have a deep emotional intelligence, so much so that they may connect dots or pick up understandings about the world that no one else notices.
And should you choose to accept the mission, being empathic also allows you to dig deep into those dark shadows as they appear. If you have stepped into conscious awareness and have the courage to stay in the “now“ moment, then you know that when these shadows appear that they are for you examined.
Going one step further, should you discover that you are a sensitive, intuitive empath on a spiritual path, there is no going back. Once you open that gateway, you have non-verbally committed your soul to this lifestyle, whether you like it or not. Once that happens, deep dives start popping up all over the place. Souls that are mirrors for you will begin reflecting your trauma with lightning speed.
All this sounds intimidating and absolutely no fun whatsoever, but I will tell you from years of stepping into my many dark shadows, that when you emerge through that tunnel of light on the other side of one, nothing feels quite as exquisite, empowering or comforting as finding that golden nugget of soul wisdom in the deep dark crevices of the shadow mine. Your view of the world get so bright and joyous that it is worth the ride.
It’s impossible to cover all the avenues of shadow work when you’re an empath here, it’s like that proverbial onion that you will keep peeling away until the day you transition. But the message I am hoping that you take away today is one of standing in your power, looking down that deep, daunting mineshaft, and boldly walking into the dark in order to see, feel and uncover what exists in that space. I guarantee if you walk down that path you will emerge stronger and wiser than you ever could have imagined.
I simply share my path, which is just one of many. Take only what resonates and leave the rest behind
