I am not sure what the total ability of a Empath is, maybe someday I may know. Like you I feel what others are feeling or what they are sending out, and are not really wrapped tight and protected down deep inside to them, that can be done, but takes more focus.

I love Church and other family and postive groups, they really vibe me up, and make me feel great. Though at time, I feel a bit guilty feeding off of them, but in reality, that is not the case, it is free energy given out, it is not parasitic in nature at all. Groups are protective as you mention, being hit with them all in mass, you are not hit with a 100 or 1000 voices separate feelings and voices; that goodness that is the case.

Often it can be so over powering, it is hard to focus on a individual in the group, or in another location, but can happen. Sometime I need to be a place by myself, where it is quiet, if only in a room away from the crowd.

I have learned to become a medical intuitive, as is still commonly called, but I prefer the Empath name though, not intuitive.

I read once, that Empath could have the latent ability to eventually do it all, and become full psychics, and not just sense but heal at a distance as well, and who knows what else. I know when I was in he military decades ago, the guys in the barracks, we used to do ESP games, sending colors, pictures of things, smell and etc to each other. I was 98 % accurate, but have not done it sense then, not sure I can even do it now, I have sense opened up and expanded into new things. I remember playing solitaire chards, and would catch myself knowing what some of the cards were, but if I did it intentionally, it did not work. That was frustrating, did it not work, for a lack of faith or long standing forgotten protective fears from my childhood.

I grew up not knowing what was wrong with me, feeling so much pain, and not realizing why others had do much influence until i was nearly 40 years old.Now I see what is right with, but the past still haunts me and sometimes gets in the way.

I find most of my abilities have formed around need to survive, mostly are medical, but some are defensive against others. I find most develop skills to survive.

What I feel sounds like what you do. I can at times pick up more then feelings, it can be entire full blown impressions. I remember when my X wife wanted me to meet some new store owners in Town, they opened up a Antique shop. She like them, thought they were wonderful. When I stepped into the store, I sensed druggie hippie types. We later found out, they were, plus they repaired antiques and sold them as items in perfect conditions, not damaged or previously broken.

I find it is more then feelings, I liken it to the gift of discernment. I get full blown answers and data part of the time.

David