What Does it Mean to be an Empath?

Some of us came to this planet to make big change. We all have a mission and life plan. When you sign up to be an empath or what empath means is that you are taking on a big responsibility of feeling more than just your feelings with the intention of transmuting the energies, which we will discuss shortly. Having empathy and being an empath are two different things.

The definition of empathy according to Merriam-Webster website is: 

The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.

Empath definition according to Merriam-Webster website is:

One who experiences the emotions of others: a person who has empathy for others.

Is everyone empathic?

We all have the capability of feeling empathy to varying degrees. Feeling empathy for someone is not the same as being an empath. Most people have the cognitive and emotional ability to understand and share other peoples’ feelings. Having empathy helps us step into another’s shoes and see things from their perspective. This is an aspect of our EQ or “emotional intelligence” that people are writing about lately. It is the ability to read the room or understand how frustrating things might be for someone. A healthy version of empathy is when it informs how you treat others because you understand what they are going through.

Is feeling empathy the same as being an empath?

Feeling empathy and being an empath are not the same. Everyone has some level of empathy but not everyone signs up to be an empath as a life purpose. When you are an empath you automatically absorb others’ emotions as if they were your own. This is often an involuntary reaction that you cannot easily switch off.  Empath characteristics include lacking boundaries and going beyond understanding to actually experiencing others’ emotional states. This can lead to emotional fatigue, overwhelm, or burnout.

Am I an Empath?

Empath characteristics or you are an empath if . . .

• You absorb others’ emotions – You don’t just recognize how others feel; you actually experience their emotions as if they were your own.

• Crowded places overwhelm you – Large gatherings drain your energy as you unconsciously process multiple emotional energies simultaneously.

• You need alone time to recharge – After social interactions, you require solitude to process absorbed emotions and restore your energy.

• People naturally confide in you – Others instinctively sense your understanding and open up about their deepest feelings.

• You can sense dishonesty – You notice subtle inconsistencies between what people say and how they feel.

• Media affects you deeply – Movies, music, art and the news evoke powerful emotional responses in you, linger in your mind, and/or work into your dreams.

• You’re highly sensitive to environments – The mood of a room impacts you immediately; you can “feel” tension or joy in spaces.

• You feel sick when you listen to others’ problems – You might experience headaches, fatigue, or physical discomfort when exposed to others’ strong emotions.

• You prioritize others’ needs – Sometimes to your detriment, you put others’ emotional wellbeing before your own.

• You intuitively understand unspoken feelings – You can often identify what someone is feeling before they express it verbally.

• Nature and animals provide comfort – You find peace in natural settings and feel deep connections with animals.

• You’re affected by world events – News and global suffering impact you more intensely than others.

• You grew up with people labeling you as “overly sensitive.”

What we do as empaths

While being an empath sounds like a problem or disorder, it is truly a gift, one that we should honor about ourselves. We are doing important work on the planet, feeling the feelings, witnessing the energy, and then, transmuting the energies. I propose we see this as a superpower.

What does it mean to transmute energies as an empath? It is my understanding that transmuting energies is allowing them to enter your body and feeling them fully. It means to deeply feel into the information that is held in these energies. Witness them. Feel them. Allow them to communicate the messages they are here to teach. Then, through the witnessing and feeling of the energies, we release them to the collective in a new healed state. What I have experienced through meditation and plant medicine is that through our transmuting, thus healing, this energy becomes Christ Consciousness, the healed version of the energy.

For example, let’s take the feeling of unworthiness. When we allow the feeling of unworthiness to fully consume us for even a moment, witness it, feel it, allow ourselves to love into this feeling; that feeling is witnessed, processed and satisfied. The energy releases and we are left with the feeling of worthiness. The energy of worthiness is generated and goes out into the collective as a healed version of that energy.

Understanding Gained from Plant Medicine

In plant medicine ceremonies, I go through this process of transmuting energy over and over. I am presented with a shadow aspect of myself or my family/friends or the other people in the room (which is often many people). I am shown what the issue is we are processing, like not-enoughness, bad parenting, bad relationships, bullying, bad male behavior, etc. I feel all the feelings related to that issue from all the people in the room, along with my people, in my body. It feels like I am being flattened by all the feelings or energy. This energy goes into my stomach area which feels like a cast iron burner, and after witnessing and feeling these feelings, they are burned away by that iron burner or released.

There is an aspect of creation that comes into play after this energy is released, as though it is presenting itself to be rewritten or recreated. The energy seems to want me to create the healed version of this energy. “How would you like this to look?” Is the question I receive from whomever is working with me in this ceremonial, internal space. I add a little love, some magic, all the things I would like to see as the perfect state of that energy and then, release it to the ethers.

It feels like important work. Honestly, we are doing this every day, all the time when we choose how we want things to be different going forward. We release the old and create the new. What I am seeing is a metaphoric version of what is already happening.

In a recent ceremony, my intention was for it to be all about me, rather than involving the energies of other people in the room. I am not there to heal other people, only myself. Normally, in ceremony, I am working on collective energies in the room, sometimes with nearly 100 people. This time, I arrived in ceremony with 100 people and my higher self said, “There is no you here. It is only ever us. Our pronouns should be ‘we, us, ours.’ If you want to know what it feels like to just be your individuated self, we can show you that.” To provide this teaching, I felt blips of frustration, annoyance, and joy. My guides said, “You have signed up to feel all the feelings so that you make big change in the world. When you feel only your feelings, it does not lead to change. You need all the information so you know what to do about it.”

This information made me settle into my responsibility of being an empath, to feel the feelings strongly enough to do something about them. As I move away from the ceremony and integrate the experience, I can see that we as empaths, are taking in energies and processing them through our bodies. They merely showed me what it looks like in a metaphoric way so that I have a better understanding of what I am doing here and a greater appreciation for myself.

Remember, a person is either called to plant medicine or not. Most people will never experience this medicine and that is perfect. Through meditation or hypnosis, one can also arrive at these understandings and inner-sourced answers.

How can I better deal with the world as an empath?

Set clear boundaries: Learn to say, “No” to things that make you feel bad or do not bring you joy.

Limit time with emotional vampires: They will drain your energy in an instant. You know who they are.

Protect yourself: Envision a bubble or light around yourself to act as a force field, especially before entering crowded spaces or places you know are challenging (holiday dinners with family for instance.)

Regular grounding practices: Put your bare feet on the ground and tap into the energy of the earth. Or visualize yourself growing roots that extend deep into the earth.

Spend time in nature: Natural environments help reset your emotional system and clear accumulated energies.

Meditation or breath work: These necessary tools are useful to center yourself and release unwanted energies.

Create a safe space: Design your living space to be calming and enriching, using color and textures that promote calmness, softness and self-love.

Spend time alone: Even extroverts need time alone. The important thing is to balance time with others with a practice of spending time alone to recharge and unwind. This allows you to reconnect to your own energy.

Release or cut cords from people: Visualize cutting the cords between you and other people you have just been with or talked to. We need to show up as our full self, clear of the energy of others. Cutting these unseen cords, energetically releases this connection, while maintaining a healthier relationship with that person.

Watch your media intake: TV, movies, music, art, books, social media feed impact empaths deeply. Be very selective on what you watch or listen to. Carefully select inputs that are enriching rather than erosive.

Use physical objects as anchors – Carry crystals, meaningful jewelry, or other items that remind you to stay centered. Stones like Obsidian, Amethyst, Black Tourmaline, Red Jasper, Hematite, Smoky Quartz, Citrine, Pyrite, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, and Fluorite.

Honor your sensitivity – Recognize your empathic nature as a gift rather than a weakness, but one that requires mindful management.

Envision a vessel between you: When people are telling you their story, or offloading drama or frustration, listen but do not take this energy into your body. Visualize a vessel between you and them, seeing the information shared going into that vessel. Afterward, thank it and send it up to the Creator for recycling or processing. The person feels seen and heard, while your physicality remains clear. From that standpoint, you can offer greater support and assistance.

Let this be your superpower!

As empaths we have the natural ability to create deep connections with others. We are a safe space for people to confide. We build trust quickly and naturally. We read situations accurately when others miss crucial emotional undercurrents.  We detect dishonesty and hidden agendas that others might miss. We anticipate needs before they’re expressed, allowing for proactive care.

We make good leaders, having a genuine understanding of all perspectives. We can build a team easily because we understand needs without them being spoken. We motivate and inspire people because we can connect to their values and aspirations.

We are creators who can channel emotions and energy into our art, music, writing, and other creative expressions. We understand the emotional impact of our work on people and audiences. We create deeply resonant experiences that touch hearts.

As healers, we create comfort that goes beyond words, reaching into emotional spaces. We can identify root causes of physical symptoms or behaviors. We create safe spaces that enable people to heal themselves.

Being an empath isn’t just about carrying the emotional weight of the world—it’s about transmuting that energy into something beautiful and healing. When we honor our gift, establish protective practices, and recognize that “there is no you here…it is only ever us,” we transform our sensitivity from a burden into our greatest strength. Through this sacred witnessing, feeling, and releasing, we don’t just survive as empaths—we fulfill our soul’s mission to generate Christ Consciousness from shadow. So, remember, fellow empaths, you aren’t “too sensitive”—you’re precisely sensitive enough to do the profound energetic work you came here to do. Let your empath nature be the superpower it truly is and watch how it creates ripples of healing through the collective consciousness. After all, we signed up for this beautiful, challenging role—now let’s embrace it fully.

If you want to explore plant medicine, if you are called or curious, we have an upcoming retreat May 28-June 3 in Costa Rica where we will journey with an intimate group of 12. Our medicine guides have been serving medicine for many years and have a deep knowing of the importance of set and setting. We will share in two sacred ceremonies with Brad Recktenwall and Sarah Saso, founders of the plant medicine program at Rythmia Life Advancement Center.

Each ceremony honors the ancient wisdom of Grandmother Ayahuasca, held within a container of traditional practices and teachings. Brad and Sarah create a sacred space where surrender becomes possible, allowing you to rest in stillness and reconnect with your divine essence. Please email us if you are interested.