empathic abilities

What all can an empath do?

i know there are different categories, but i need to know, specifically from a Christian standpoint.

all the sites i've been to haven't taught me anything i didn't already know, and now i would like to know what i'm capable of and when to use it.

just in case someone asks, i scored as a Universal empath.

Originally posted by bobbyboy
i scored as a Universal empath.

Where? Do you have a link? .

Anyway, an Empath can 'feel the vibe' of a certain person or situation i think, they are sensitive to other ones feelings. What can you do with it? Beats me, anything that works best when you know the state of mind of the other person will be easier for you i guess.

it's probably not reliable but just google "empath test" and it's the first result. the second result is supposed to tell you if you actually are an empath or not

Harman is very much correct about sensing the "feelings", or subtler energies, of people and situations. For myself, I can add places, objects, animals, plants, and even more subtle life forms. Everything is possessed of energy at some level, whether it is self-generated, gathered or latent.

What to do with it? For myself, I see it as a wonderful tool for healing. But not purely in a physical sense. Someone who offers emotional comfort to those who need it is just as much a healer.

One thing I recommend avoiding is telling people you "know" how they feel. Many people will become instinctively defensive, and contrary, if they believe they are being "read".

You asked for a christian perspective, so I'll tell you that I'm not a member of any christian church, or any other form of organized religion. But if you're willing to take the opinion of a "heretic", I'll say this about a christian perspective...

If you're perhaps worried about the bible's admonition of and warnings against magic, witchcraft, astrology and other esoteric arts; I would say that the warning to me applies to attempting to control that which is the province of the Creator. Allowing an ability to flow naturally, for the good of others, without self-intent or selfish design can not, in my opinion, be seen as anything other than good.

Please feel free to accept or disregard what I've written as you see fit, as it applies within your system of belief.

[edit on 25-11-2008 by TravelerintheDark]

ok, that kind of helps, but some of it is stuff i've already heard before.

and yes, i am somewhat worried, because i'm a Christian and i asked my family about it, but, of course, they don't believe me. in fact, they say it's from Satan. i mean, it could easily be, but for one, i asked God for control over it, and two, i'm using it for good either way.

my main problem is that i've stumbled upon abilities that i've never heard of an empath having - one being that i can go in a person's mind and tell them what's going on in their head, even in their subconscious state.

it could be that a lot of people have these abilities, but some i've never heard of, and my father is even going as far as to say that i'm trying to take Jesus' place, which i'm not.

"empath
noun
(cheifly in science fiction) a person with the paranormal ability to apprehend the mental or emotional state of another individual"

not so sure about the paranormal part, id lean towards thinking that perhaps this "empath" just has a greater ability to read body language...

Originally posted by Zeus187
not so sure about the paranormal part, id lean towards thinking that perhaps this "empath" just has a greater ability to read body language...

you sure about that? because i'm fairly certain that, after all i've been through with this ability, it's a little on the supernatural side. ha i actually convinced myself at one time it wasn't true.

Originally posted by bobbyboy
ha i actually convinced myself at one time it wasn't true.

IMHO, you had what we regular folk refer to as "a moment of clarity"

reply to post by bobbyboy


Everyone is empathic on some level. It's perfectly natural. Some though are far more conscious of it. It's a trait that allows us to relate to each other. It's what makes us laugh and cry with each other, that allows us to share our feelings on a deeper level. Rather than just talk of how we feel, empathy allows us to truly feel it.

The reason I recommend not seeking control from a spiritual standpoint is that control implies motive which is a product of ego.

As to this being a product of Satan: Why would Satan want us to feel for each other? Wouldn't it be more productive from the position of evil to separate us? Follow your heart in this and all things.

Traveler. I loved what you had to say on the subject. starred and friended!!

reply to post by bobbyboy


You are saying that the "empathic abilities" is a real psychic ability? Its not, not even close to be called a psychic gift of anykind. Please! If you are going to post a thread about "psychic-soul powers", then you should beable to have "psychic-soul powers".

I think I'm very empathic and it can be a bit over whelming at times feeling someones depression hurts,but feeling their joy is like a drug that I cant seem to enough of.I also have a very very very darkside that scares me.If some one hurts me just a little I feel the strong need to hurt them a lot.Recently I added a ATS member to my foe list.That same member sent me a U2U calling me a very nasty name.In turned I replied with one of the most nastiest comments I have made to another human being in years.They replied and I took the comment even further and uglier that than the first and took pleasure in doing so without any regrets.
Ying and Yang with a little dark spot on the light side and a white spot on the dark.

reply to post by Tricky63


It's been helpful to me to see emotion as energy and through this for me is an understanding of how and why words can hurt and heal as every exchange between living, energetic beings is an exchange of energy.

In this, negative energy is taking. In the positive is giving. But most importantly for me is that there is also a choice. We do not need to allow others to take from us, nor are we required to accept what we're given.

reply to post by Tricky63

I also have a very very very darkside that scares me.

Inrespect to you, Tricky63. Nobody hasn't seen evil in the same way I have. The reason why I am living is because, I am a "unique human". I am not part of this system.

Thinking on Tricky63's post, I realized the above I posted doesn't say all I think might be useful. Because I do believe there are those of us, perhaps more than a few, with a strong sense of empathy who are also self-destructive in some way. Whether it's by hurting others or allowing ourselves to be hurt.

Dangerous turns and deadly circles for empaths can include drug addiction, bad relationships, mental illness and personality traits such as coldness, bitterness, neediness, depression and anxiety. This isn't meant to be an all-inclusive idea, but I think it safe to say most people dealing with something listed above are covering themselves emotionally.

The person in an abusive relationship who simply can't let go because they sense there is good in the other person. The addict who abuses the trust and respect of friends and family to fulfill their desire while at the same time loathing themselves for doing so. The reclusive loner who shies away from people, appearing callous and uncaring who also happens to be desperately lonely.

It sounds counter-intuitive that someone who feels the emotions of others deeply enough to distinguish would do anything to hurt another, but it happens. The why, from where I see, is in my previous post, in the giving and taking of energy. Because one thing I have also learned is that those who are empathic are incredibly prone to being drained.

It may be hard to understand for those who haven't experienced it, but I believe most have to some extent, how utterly draining negativity is. How it seems to suck the life out of us. How it can be physically painful, bring about physical illness, nausea, headaches and tiredness. How horrible it can feel.

Sadly most of us experience this from a very young age, and I believe it perhaps likely that there are many who also suffered in some way at a young age. Nothing hones a sense for the feelings of others like living in a tumultuous environment, especially when we are young and feeling defenseless. Learning to sense the moods of others can be a survival instinct. The problem lies in that there is generally no one around to relate to, to explain it to us or to tell us how to regain our depleted energies.

And so we develop negative habits and behaviors to compensate. We learn what we are taught. But I feel there is hope. That in learning to replenish ourselves we can overcome the dark circles that enthrall us. I've been there myself and am learning to heal.

First and foremost is realizing that we are not helpless, that we are not obligated to take on the emotional baggage of others and that we don't need to feel for them. They can do well enough on their own.

Second, time alone, for ourselves, is an absolute necessity. We need this time to find ourselves, to separate what is ours from what is not. I know for some that the prospect of this is frightening, but it is necessary most especially for what we do in that time alone.

What to do is learn to rebuild ourselves, to strengthen our emotional core, to feel whole. For myself, I meditate, focusing on chakra work to draw energy from around me, safely and without drawing on others. It is all around us, in the air and the earth, and available to us if we can learn to sense it. I also work with stones, though not usually tumbled and polished but rather raw stones, most especially from a water source.

Simply being in nature works wonders for me as well. Amongst trees, in caves, simply sitting on the ground. Having plants around the home or work can also do wonderful things. This isn't to say what works for anyone or everyone, rather it's best to find what woks best individually. But I do believe it's always been there, in things we are interested in and likely have been all our life. Explore and find what suits you.

If any of this sounds "new age" and that's a turn off, all I can say to that is there is nothing "new age" about me. I hope this proves useful and I welcome questions in the hope of being more so.

According to a science fiction movie based on an alleged psychic ability; Remote Viewers can become disturbed or have their personalities altered by negative or psychotic people such as serial killers.


There was an interesting documentary about the brain and psychotic or narcissistic people and the "small" size of their amigdala. I wonder if an oversized amigdala is than also responsible for a higher empathy or "sympathetic imagination." Probably diagnosed as another psychosis and delusion?

I believe they also studied John Edwards ability as if an actual psychic medium or empath. Is he a credible example of an empath?

reply to post by aleon1018


I read an article once describing receptors in the brain that reacted to the emotions of others, at least in theory creating feelings of empathy. I would assume an increase in these receptors could explain a lot. I'll see if I can find the info.

As to diagnosing intense feelings of empathy as psychosis and delusion: Absolutely. Though validation is easy enough when these feelings bear out.

As for John Edwards, technically he is considered a medium, though all of this is interrelated. As for his credibility, he does it for a living, so to me that makes it questionable immediately. Not to say he isn't genuine, or at least believes he is. But my sense of him discredits him for me, personally speaking.

Here's an article from the American Psychiatric Association talking about mirror neurons as they're called.

Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that respond equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action. They were first discovered in the early 1990s, when a team of Italian researchers found individual neurons in the brains of macaque monkeys that fired both when the monkeys grabbed an object and also when the monkeys watched another primate grab the same object.

www.apa.org...

When you begin using this gift, you must be confident in your abilities or they wont work. Don't doubt your gift at all. The enemy will tell you that you're crazy, or if it's too obvious you're not, they'll try and get you to doubt the gift. you see? Having 100 percent faith in the gift actually makes it a part of reality. Just don't doubt yourself......

reply to post by TravelerintheDark



Wasn't there also some claim about some alleged newly learned behavior by a few primates suddenly assimilated with all in the group as if a hive conection?

The insect connection and or evolution etc. Lost abilites that seem to require an amount of faith by proof might bump some of us back or forward.