How to clear energy as an empath

"Empaths not only hear music. They feel it." ~ Vik. G

Hi there!

I first noticed that I was different from others when I would cry at situations that were not my own. For example, when a friend of mine was going through a breakup, or a character in a book lost their father, I would go through a period of heartbreak and would find myself taking on the emotions of someone else. Furthermore, I often chameleon to take the form of someone else. After helping someone through a problem, I would return home feeling heavy, weighed down, and in a way, felt like I needed a long bath or a good cleansing.

I hate feeling this way because I’ve always loved helping others. As you can see, I am here writing this post to in turn, help others. I’ve been increasingly interested in becoming a therapist or a life coach, hoping to guide people through their pain and help them reach a place of healing and love. And yet, when I did take time to help others, I’d feel empty, and low. Helping others, despite it being one of my passions, simply drained me.

I then discovered the "empath".

Since learning that I am an empath, I’ve slowly worked to accommodate my sensitive feelings. I have taken on healthy coping mechanisms and, through mindfulness, have worked to tune into my feelings and learned to remind myself that most of my strong feelings are not my own, and I am allowed to separate myself.

In this post, I’ll be sharing 6 ways to clear energy and protect yourself as an empath.

Before we begin, what is an empath?

Empaths are highly sensitive people who take on other’s feelings as their own. With higher levels of empathy, they are great friends and love helping others, but their subconscious often believes that other’s problems are their own when trying to relate to them and work through them. In turn, empaths take on other’s emotions and even energies.

Traits of an empath: they may feel overwhelmed by crowds or loud energy, may sense when tension is in the air, usually has a strong intuition, can feel things before they happen, can easily see through people, focuses on body language and silence as much as words, and craves lots of time to recharge.

Empaths are not too different from Highly Sensitive People, which I have touched on briefly before. Highly Sensitive People are sensitive to loud sounds, strong smells, and intense feelings.

To find out whether you are an empath, check out this article by Healthline: 15 signs you might be an empath.

6 ways to clear energy as an empath

1) Tap away the feelings

EFT tapping is my favorite method for releasing and clearing energy that may have latched onto me. Basically, it’s the act of tapping specific pressure points while repeating affirmations/phrases for releasing, and my goodness does it work. For more on tapping, check out this article.

2) Practice mindfulness

By practicing mindfulness, you can become more in-tune with your emotions. So, if a situation is overwhelming you, or you feel heavy after a conversation, you can pick up on that and understand that the feeling is not your own, but something you are picking up. When in a situation where you feel low or heavy, maybe practice some deep breathing and return to your center. Also, you can be aware of which people make you feel low and drained, and which people uplift you and make you feel energized!

3) Visualize your shield or bubble

Before leaving for an event or a place in which I know my energy might be affected, I visualize a shield or a bubble all around me. I close my eyes and just for a few moments, imagine a golden aura wrapping around my energy field. If I start feeling weighed down, I visualize this shield again and remind myself that nothing can enter or leave. Of course, this doesn’t help 100%, but it helps me remember my power and the importance of protecting myself and my feelings.

4) Allow yourself time to yourself/time to recharge

There is nothing wrong with needing some time to be with yourself to recharge. Start a warm bath, pick up a good book, or simply sit in stillness and allow your emotions, your crazed mind, to rest. As an empath, it is important to spend some time alone, especially in nature, to fuel yourself with positive, calming energy.

5) Journal it out

While I don’t journal every day, the act of journaling helps me release any emotions or stressors and return to my center. When I can’t quite understand my funk, I take out my journal and start writing. I jot down what I’m feeling, what happened prior to my feelings, and everything going on that may have caused them. This helps me to find a connection or a source to my emotion, which I can then clear. I also love writing creatively and funneling my emotions that way. By doing this, I can create meaning in my fictional worlds.

6) Separate yourself from the emotion with guided meditation techniques

There are many different meditations that can be used for releasing and clearing emotions. One that I do often is imagining that my ankle is tied to a rock, and that rock symbolizes my heavy emotions. I try to walk forward, but I remain stuck in place, no matter how hard I pull away. It isn’t until I pull out a large pair of scissors and snip the cord that I free myself. I then imagine myself sprinting away, feeling free, light, and happy.

I hope you enjoyed this post—let me know if you’d be interested in more posts about empaths!

Probably writing,

Brittney