The gift of empathy is one that can be incredibly difficult to understand and manage early on, however, once an empath has learned to embrace and utilize their gift for good, it is highly empowering, enabling you to connect with others on an incredibly deep and personal level. Empaths are able to truly absorb and ‘feel’ the feelings and emotions of those around them, providing them with a unique insight into their strengths and weaknesses, celebrations and struggles.
Often confused with simply being ‘highly sensitive,’ the experience of an empath takes sensitivity to an entirely new level. They not only understand and ‘feel’ the emotions of those that they connect with, but they internalize the energies of those around them. These energies can manifest themselves in a number of different ways including emotional feelings or physical sensations within the body. Empaths may also possess an incredible sense of intuition.
Much like the fact that there are different types of people, each with their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, there are also a number of different types of empath. To help you to better understand your own empathic abilities we would like to share this simple picture quiz with you.
Choose One Picture and Read on to Discover What It Reveals About You:
If You Chose #1 – Emotional Empath
The most common and most widely accepted type of empath and emotional empath is known for their ability to connect with the emotions of the people that they encounter. While an empath can learn to manage this gift to some degree, it isn’t something that they can simply shut off. For this reason, going out in public places can be incredibly exhausting as you can quickly become overwhelmed by the emotions of everyone else around you.
The experiences of an emotional empath are rather literal. If you are near someone who is dealing with sadness or depression, for example, you can find yourself struggling with feeling low and upset. If, however, the person you are near is incredibly angry you may find yourself irritated and angry with no explanation as to why. The most difficult part is understanding when these feelings are your own, and when they are a reaction to those around you.
If you Chose #2 – Physical/Medical Empath
A physical/medical empath picks up on a different type of energy from the people around them. Rather than connecting and feeling their current emotional state, this type of empath is able to intuitively understand what illnesses, injuries or physical ailments and individual may be experiencing. This intuition often leads to a career in a medical profession, using this inexplicable sense of intuition to care for and heal other people on a daily basis.
For example, if you are in the presence of someone that is struggling with an ongoing knee injury you may either sense that there is something wrong with their knee, or you may actually feel a pain in your own knee indicating that is the problem. If this ability is left unmanaged it can lead to a chronic pain related illness such as fibromyalgia. It is important that empaths in this category learn to understand their gift early.
If you Chose #3 – Geomantic Empath
Often referred to as an environmental empath, a geomantic empath is highly in tune with the energies of the physical environment around them. It is said that everything, regardless of whether it is alive or not, possesses some degree of energy. This energy can come from experiences that occur in the area or connections that an item has to another. Geomantic empaths are able to pick up on these energies and read them. The more they learn about their ability and how to use it, the better than can understand what these energies are telling them. For example, if a geomantic empath were to enter a home where a murder had occurred they may find themselves overwhelmed with feelings of intense fear, panic, and sadness.
Geomantic empaths are also highly connected to the natural environment around them and can draw energy from the various plants such as trees, flowers, and vegetation. If they spend time in a healthy and undisturbed natural setting them may feel as though they are able to recharge and draw in natural energies, whereas if they were to enter an area that is currently being logged, the negative energies of the trees being cut down will impact them in a negative way. Fill your home with houseplants, natural scents, and natural materials to create a positive, re-energizing environment.
If you Chose #4 – Plant Empath
The green thumb of the group, plant empaths are able to sense the feelings and needs of various plant life. Plant empaths feel most at home when they are surrounded in plant life, spending much of their free time hiking, camping, gardening or any other outdoor activity that allows them to be at one with the natural environment around them.
If you allow yourself to meditate while in the presence of plant life you may be able to not only draw from its energy to recharge your own, you may also receive direction, guidance, and advice. It is said that connecting with a specific tree or plant repeatedly can help to build a stronger bond, empowering you to better understand the messages and energies of the plants around you. In order to create a safe space, surround yourself with various plants or trees.
If you Chose #5 – Animal Empath
Just as a plant empath is able to connect with plant life, understanding their needs and drawing from their energies, an animal empath is able to develop a close emotional connection with other members of the animal kingdom. Those who are able to learn to really understand and manage this gift may even be able to develop the ability to communicate with other animals telepathically. Many animal empaths choose to work in fields where they can use their gift to help the animals that they encounter, becoming veterinarians, vet techs, animal rescue workers, dog trainers, animal behaviorists or specialists in various types of wildlife.
The more time that you spend with animals, the more centered and energized you will find yourself feeling. If you are dealing with challenging times, allow yourself to cuddle with a pet or, if you don’t have animals at home, volunteer to walk dogs at a local shelter.
If you Chose #6 – Claircognizant/Intuitive Empath
Claircognizant or Intuitive Empaths are not only able to connect with the people around them on an emotional level, they are able to connect on an even deeper level. Early on, when first learning of your gift, you may find that you somehow ‘just know’ if someone is being dishonest or telling a lie. As you learn to better manage your abilities you may even be able to telepathically read the thoughts of those around you.
Early on, when learning to manage your emotions, it is important to be selective about who you spend your time with. You may feel heavily bombarded by the thoughts of others, and if these thoughts are toxic or negative they are going to weigh even heavier on you. In time, as you learn to strengthen your abilities, you will be able to better manage who you connect with and to what degree.
Source: big global media