Tips for Empaths During the Coronavirus

If you are the person who senses others’ feelings, moods and distress, the Coronavirus era can be completely overwhelming. As one client said,

“For a few weeks now, I have been feeling EVERYTHING … I actually feel the sadness of the small business owner who has closed; I feel the distress of the now-unemployed; I feel the anxiety of the child who doesn't know when they will see their friends again; I feel the pressure on the shoulders of the public official tasked with steering us to calmer waters.  I FEEL EVERYTHING 🙁  No wonder I'm so tired!”

Those of us who are empaths feel more than others can imagine. It takes a lot of self-management to assure we are not taking on others’ feelings, while still extending compassion or positive thoughts/prayers to others.

Before our “shelter-in-place” order, my daughter and I went to Target to pick up some household items. I thought it would be good to get out of the house and be around others – albeit six feet away. I walked into the store, happy to be there. Very slowly, as I walked through aisle after aisle, I began to feel my throat close, my head start to hurt and …wait, was I feeling warm? I began to doubt myself. “Why didn’t I feel these symptoms before? (as in “how irresponsible can I be to even leave the house?!”)

I stopped nodding and smiling at people and put my head down, as if somehow that would further protect them. I saw a young man blow his nose and I felt frightened, even suspicious and judgmental. By the time we paid and left, I was a mess – truly concerned about my health and those around me!

We got into the car, closed the doors and lo and behold, I was completely fine. I had no headache, my throat felt fine, my temperature was normal, and I felt happy again.

It took me about five seconds of bewilderment to slap my forehead, realize I had just felt the fear of all the customers in the 20,000 square foot big box store, and say, “Holy cow. I do this for a living. How could I have forgotten to be conscious about my energy?!” That’s when I decided to write this blog.

It is as essential to manage and clear your energy as it is to wash your hands and clean your environment.

If you are highly sensitive or empathic, here are ways to keep your anxiety down while employing your awareness and empathic gifts in the service of others:

• Start from Within: When you wake up and before going to sleep, make a clear intention. “I ask all energies that are not mine to move into the Light or back where they came from with love. I bring back all my own energy to my body so now I am fully present.”
• Transform Anxiety to Positive Action for Others: When you feel concerned or anxious on behalf of others, take it as a signal to move into action:

1. 1. Ask your angels, guides or the God of your heart to send them the most powerful love for their healing and wholeness. Send your intention for their highest good.
   2. Imagine placing them in the arms of Spirit, knowing they are in better hands than yours, being tended to with love.
   3. If you are tempted to worry about them again, remind yourself to have faith in the grace that is flowing to them from your intention/prayer.
   4. Place them back in the hands of Spirit so that they can receive loving kindness and healing.

• Whenever You Leave your House, remind yourself you are entering others’ energy fields and the collective field. Covid19 makes the collective field more unified in anxiety and therefore worthy of your conscious participation.

1. 1. Imagine that as you walk, you are blessing the ground so that others who walk there will feel safe.
   2. Think of the place you are going before you arrive. Imagine a net coming from the four corners of the ceiling falling to the ground, taking all fear in the room down with it. When you enter a room, remind yourself of the net. If the room feels emotionally challenging, repeat the exercise.
   3. By your conscious intention, assure your energy is within two feet of your body. The unhelpful alternative is to unconsciously allow your energy to fill up a room, which is the same thing as listening into others’ inner conversations and/or taking on others’ feelings.
   4. Imagine radiating light coming down through the crown of your head and out from your heart toward others’ hearts, asking for their highest good. When you are aware of radiating love, there is no room to take on others’ feelings.

Be aware that everyone is learning in their own way from this experience. We can send compassion without pity, help without rescue and take care of others without taking on their feelings…but only if we choose to stay conscious of how beliefs influence our energy and actions, and if we choose to keep our positive intentions alive.