Really good question... Since I've only just recently found out about being an empath, I think I probably need to learn more about what that exactly means for me as an individual. Learn how to handle, control, and maybe even develop it more in the future...

And then after knowing enough about ourselves, it would be easier to try to raise our community/society's awareness of empaths. Also since we can pick up their perception of us, hopefully we should have some kind of advantage in helping them to understand.

Have you, or others, told your families/close friends about being an empath? For those that were successful in making them understand, how did you go about explaining it to them?
Maybe we could use the same strategy to help our communities as a whole gain an understanding too..

For my family, I tried to gather all these articles I could find online... and had them read about empaths, their traits, characteristics, feelings, the reasons for those feelings, thinking patterns... it really almost scared them, at how accurate and closely it fit with me. All the questions about how and why I am the way I am, were suddenly put down in words for all to see... I can tell that one or two don't totally want to accept it. But most of my loved ones I told, are now encouraging me to learning more about it. They've changed towards me, and their support and acceptance of me really makes a huge difference.

Another idea. I'm a psychology major, and we conduct scientific studies all the time with personalities and social behaviors. We could apply it to empaths as the experimental group and non-empaths as the control group.

For example... we could have a group of people write down their emotions at that very moment - have both an empath and a non-empath try to discern it. Just like the studies that have been done for groups like Men/Women. Who knows? We might even discover that there's a difference in the brain's form and function of Empaths and Non-empaths...

For example: this is from an article of one of the many studies done on Men vs Women:

"While the brain allows us to think, it also drives our emotions. It may not come as a surprise, then, that the ability to identify and control emotions varies between sexes.
Women are faster and more accurate at identifying emotions," says Ruben Gur, PhD, a neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania. Studies have shown women to be more adept than men at encoding facial differences and determining changing vocal intonations.
www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp

We are an emotional people right? But we live in a logical run world. If we want to make sense to non-empaths, we need to speak their language. We need to somehow gather, evidence, proof, etc in order to make sense to them.. Saying "I just have that feeling" is never going to be enough for them.. and we'll also learn more about ourselves in the process.

I'm afraid that's part of a much larger problem. There have always been psychics and empaths in the human race and most of them have been persecuted because they weren't understood. Unfortunately until most people are willing to look outside thier own little box of what is "true" and "not true" we're not going to see a larger acceptance of our abilities. I've been an Empath my whole life but I grew up in a pagan household so I was never told that what I could feel was just "my imagination" or anything like that. Perhaps I'm a bit jaded and used to being looked at in askance and often times in utter disbelief but in my opinion the only thing we can do is consistently and gently introduce people to the idea and not take it personally if we aren't immediately believed. Once you get past certain barriers with people, they're a lot more open-minded that you think!

im not sure its about 'them' at all... ultimately, we have little or no control over anyone other than ourselves... honestly, im pretty much over what anyone else thinks... i think its about being comfortable with who and what we are... its an inside job...

Does it need approval when your effects on people are visibly benefic? Does it need recognition when people feel you change something in them, for the better? As for those who misinterpret what empathy really is about...thinking about it only feeds it. Make a permanent abstraction..and keep doing your empathic work.
Because being an empath is more like a mission, so concentrate on the mission, on the gifts you have to offer and keep radiating love...The rest fades away in time.
With empathic children..that's more delicate. In general, psychologists should study empathy more thoroughly...But in the end, if the healing is there (that includes healing yourself as well)..it's all as it should be.

Its just a gov't coverup!
Like aliens, ghosts, etc...(lol)

This is a heavy issue for me. I am sad to say that I have a negative outlook for the gift of empathy to be viewed as a valid human characteristic. The difficulty I've experienced in my efforts to gain understanding from people on an individual level hinders my hopes for garnering understanding from society on a broader level. The fact remains that many people fear or do not accept things that they cannot expain.


Jeff~ I admire your attitude. I feel like it is basic human nature to long for mutual understanding. So I can not deny the fact that sometimes I suffer when I feel that I am totally misunderstood by someone imporatant to me. I wish I knew how to brush these feelings off. Maybe this is something I may become better at with age and wisdom?

Hmm, interesting question, and I've really enjoyed reading everyone's responses.
I've always believed that secrets exist for a reason.
If everyone knew of the gift of empathy, I think it would be much less fun to be one, don't you?
And secrets reveal themselves when we're ready. This life isn't a vast sandbox of equality where we all play together, but more a series of ever more clear levels we excel towards.
Enjoy the game.

Things are changing. Notice all the television shows that depict people with psychic abilities and sensitivities these days.

And we've come a long way from the days when we would likely have been burned at the stake if anyone learned of our sensitivity.

Still, we're not there yet. I think that for a lot of people holding on to their skepticism is their defense against their fear of the unknown.

The best thing I could say is that I am learning to trust that everything is unfolding in perfect time and order. It's best not to push through and try to convince others, but to allow them to discover, if and when they become ready. At least, that's the way I see it.

I will tackle this one with total enthusiasm for the 'prove to the public its real' but don't go on TV shows trying to prove it unless you really really
know what you're talking about. I dislike large crowds or having to go before them to prove something. I am deeply nervous at this moment in my life about way too many things. Its carrying over into too much. I think I'm cutting caffeine for the next few days. I mean, its one thing to be woo-woo about it but its quite another to be scientific. To set out on a course of study to prove that empathy is real is something that I want to do with the rest of my life. If there is such thing as tons of certifications, I'm going to have them including a biofeedback one. I have just a BA degree right now in creative writing. But things will change.

We do it by BEING real as empaths. The industry has a bad rep...look at why and you have your answers. The answer to the mystery is revealed in the history. Blessings....

Empathy and compassion are certainly proven to exist, in our species, other species, and my favorite - between species! We happen to be more sensitive to feelings - sometimes a LOT more sensitive. People tend to think a high level of talent in anything is freakish and intimidating. In my view there's nothing really mystical about it, it's just misunderstood.

I don't use the word psychic...I'm not, I can't tell what thoughts are going through someone's head or what actions they will take. In fact, they usually surprise me when they do something completely against what they seem to be feeling. But some people probably are telepathic...anyone? If you are what it is like?

First of all you don't try to force this point on other people that don't want to understand it. Their is no need to try and push your perspective on others, that actually causes more chaos around you. So you don't even start with it.

Second, just go about your life as you usually do. Look, the reality is that someone out there will clearly be shown access into who/what you are anyway, chances are simply too high for it not to happen. So you don't even have to bother with trying to brute force this point on others, you just have to be able to positively impact one person this lifetime with the gift. The rest isn't even up to us, you have to let others have their free will if you hope to make the impact properly. Brute forceing doesn't get you anywhere as a minority in the population.

Look. The universe needs far less preaching from everyone as a whole about how they somehow are actually right, and more accepting of the differences of others.

Teddy, this is a question I've thought about a lot, and I've done a lot to help this to happen (over 800 media interviews so far, related to my various books including "Empowered by Empathy"). But... and it's a big but... I do think it is a mistake to ever have one's mental health, or happiness, depend on collective consciousness... or any force bigger than yourself over which you have very little control.

Learn how to become a skilled empath. It's that simple. Find techniques you like and respect and learn how to turn your gifts OFF most of the time. Then learn how to turn your gift(s) ON, when it's safe, and you're using a technique that will give you vivid experience plus keep you from taking on anyone else's pain.

Have you ever heard of the Hundredth Monkey Effect? Basically, when enough monkeys -- or people -- learn a new skill, eventually there is a kind of critical mass. Then other people learn more easily. Be one of those leaders, Teddy. Let the rest of humanity follow!