Empathy in magick means being sensitive to energies. Its the base of all psychic abilities . You can not sense/see spirits unless you are sensitive to their energy first. You can not feel another persons emotions unless you are sensitive to the energy surrounding them ect.
Who is an empath?
Everyone is an empath. Some people are just more sensitive than others and thats why they use to label themselves as empaths cause of how open they are to the energies.
How can someone improve his already natural having empathy?
Like i said above everyone is an empath. So i can not say how can someone become an empath since we all are but many are simply in a larger level. An empath needs to practise on being more aware of the energies surrounding him. It is easier if he tries to open himself up while meditating for start. I will write practising techniques later on.
What does someone need to know before he tries to become more aware and sensitive?
Empaths often get overwhelmed by the feelings and energies when they are among a lot of people so shielding is nescessary to know how to perform. (i will make another lesson on shielding techniques) Also energy manipulation would be handy cause of the practising techniques to become more sensitive and aware need it.
Meditation is the key to everything. So its only natural to be of need to become more aware and open to energies.
As a first step i advice becoming more attuned and aware of your own energy . So:
Sit crossleged and relax. Let your body be at peace. Concentrate on your energy. Try to feel it as it runs through your chakras, your flesh and blood and also surrounds you in it. Visualize it as a white light around you circling and passing through your whole body with a steady flow as a river. Feel your energy running in you from your head to fingers. Open up at it and let yourself drown in your energy. Meditate for as long as you feel its nescessary and repeat it if needed. This is the first goal of this exercise to learn to feel your own energy better and become really attuned with it. Know your energy like you know your own hands for example. ( i understand that most people are aware of their own energy since its a rather basic thing for a witch but i cant not conclude this in the lesson cause i do not know the level of the person reading this and if he/she is a beginner or an even advanced one it still wont hurt to do this)
Now as a second part of this exercise when you feel like you are really aware of your own energy try to understand it. As your energy circles your body let your mind be focused only in feelings and your energy, try to see behind the steady flow of the energy amd open yourself , let go so you can feel exactly what feeling your energy is carrying with it. If you have some strong emotions it will be easier to understand them than less strong ones. For example if you were really sad about something before starting meditating you should be able to feel the melancholy in your energy as it runs through your body and around you almost as it is touchable. If you were angry you should feel the negative vibrations inside your energy. Stronger emotions are easier to be aware of since they affect our energy in a larger scale than smaller emotions so we should start with strong emotions and continue till we can feel every single one. Also our surroundings affect our energy so it may suprise you to feel negative emotions when inside you you carry none. This is the goal of the exercise to be able to start recognising feelings inside your own energy for start and be more aware of your own energy.
This is the first exercise there are more to come please tell me your opinion if you decide to practise this and of course any questions you may have.
When you have excelled at the first technique which makes you attuned to your own energy you should start practising with energies that are not your own. Its easier, since people are too complicated, to practise as a second part to become more aware and open of energies of crystals and plants or trees.
Despite what you might think if you are really new to this crystals, plants, herbs and trees as anything that comes from nature has its own unique energy. Something you need to become attuned to to proceed in magick.
Like we said meditation is the key to everything so it will be needed here as well.
In case of a crystal
Start meditating and open yourself again to all the energies around you. Feel relaxed and attuned and let your own energy run through your body without blocking it. Just let it flow free. Once you think you are ready pick up the crystal and hold it with both your hands while your arms are relaxed. (the crystal should be properly cleansed and charged first) You do not need to hold the crystal high with your arms like above your head or close to your heart or something. You are still meditating so you need to be relaxed and let your arms hang relaxed. Open yourself more then. Try your own energy through visualisation to expand and conclude in it the crystal. Then visualise the crystal's energy pulsating from the center till around of the crystal while you hold it and start become unitied in a way with your own energy like spilling 2 colors inks inside a bowl and mix them but not till they are a diferent color just enough for each to take a taste of the other. Every crystal has its own characteristics so if you do this practise with each diferent crystal you might have, you will feel different things coming from their energy. For example if you use aquamarine (which is the crystal i propose if you have it since its excellent for meditations purposes) you should be able to feel some of its characteristics as a goal of this exercise. You should feel a calmness wave coming from the crystal and a feeling of security since aquamarine is used to help people overcome fears as well and be better balanced. This is not what you should feel from every crystal those are characteristics used as an example specifically of the crystal aquamarine You can try this many times till it becomes natural to feel the magickal properties of crystals.
Unfortunately i have some business to attend to and i will finish the plants and tree part of this practise technique tomorrow.
i am glad it helped nivaspoook hope this does as well. :)
I personally do not work with crystals, but I can totally relate to how you use the energy around the crystals. That makes a lot of sense and reminds me of the way I use the energy around my body. Looking forward to the plants! I'll be glad to contribute to the people's energy section :)
~Aika
Plants are of the most energetic things in nature along with trees. Unlike crystals plants are as much as alive as people and animals. Their energy level gets affected by the same things as a person's. If the plant is sick for example its energy level gets lower. If the plant isnt treated with the respect and care it needs its energy wont be the same as when it is cared for.
I have a small problem here cause english isnt my first language as to if you consider herbs and plants the same thing, herbs are plants too for me so this part of the lesson is about them also not only plants used for decorative ways but plants that can be used in herbalism as well.
Being attuned to energies of herbs , trees, plants is rather significant for a witch. For example when i need a herb for a ritual i do not cut it unless i have become attuned of the plants energy and feel i have its permission to do so. So this is a rather important part.
Diference / similarities between plants and trees . They are both part of this "GREEN LESSON" . Both of them can be used in the same way. The diference is that a tree's energy is so much easier to be aware of since trees are radiating a big amount of energy levels way bigger than those of a plant. So later when it comes to the techniques the same thing exactly can be used for trees but its easier to practise with a plant since most of us live in the city and it wouldnt be as easy to go meditate under a tree. My advice is to practise both with trees and plants though.
in case of a plant/tree
Take a plant you may have in your balcony as it is along with its vessel and soil. (sorry again for the poor english) If you dont have one you can go and buy a small plant of basil its rather cheap and it is an amazing plant that brings luck and protection in your home and it doesnt need a huge amount of time to take care of it. Take it at a quite place and sit down in order to meditate with the plant either on your hands or right infront of you.
Relax your body and focus on your own energy. once you feel it flowing in your body put that it in the back of your mind and start focusing on the plant. Visualise its energy from roots to top and around it as an aura. Basil is a plant with rather intense smell so let yourself absorb the smell like a drug. Be completely lost in it. (some plants dont have a perfume but it doesnt matter just focus on the plant and be as much attuned to it as possible)
Once you visualise clearly the energy running through the plant try to feel it too. If the plant is in your hands then let your own energy circle your body and through your hands circle the plant and embrace it. If the plant is infront of you extend your own energy like pushing a bubble till it circles the plant and cloaks it.
Unlike crystals you shouldnt only feel the properties of the plant but firstly you should feel its life source. Its chi energy if you like it. Plants lets not forget that they are as much alive as you and me. That means that you will feel its emotions in a way. If it is pleased of its caring or not. If it is "sad" cause someone cut a piece of the plant without its permission. This might take a while during the meditation but dont give up and push yourself till you can feel all these. Circling a plant with your own energy makes the plant like a part of you. As the energy circles in your body so does the energy of the plant in you. Also since your energy circles in the plant as well (you could say that at this point you are unitied in a way) try to have only positive feelings and cleansed energy so the plant will trust you and know it wont get harmed by you. That is the reason why if we take care of our plants with love the plant blossoms .
Once you have achieved that you should start to feel the protection wave of a basil and all its positivity cause basil is a plant rather pleasant since its properties are about love, protection, sympathy, luck ect. But the significant part of the exercise is not to feel the plants properties but to feel the plant itself.
Trees now to use in this exercise its exactly the same thing only you meditate underneath a tree and with your hands touching the ground or your back resting on the tree. You choose the way but other than that it is exactly the same thing.
any questions feel free to ask me ^_^
Re: Empathy Lesson By: Aika.sun
Post # 8 Oct 31, 2012
Love this :) I can directly relate to this. I have never tried the exercise that you taught just then, but I am certiantly going to try and I will let you know how it turned out! :)
I have done something of the similar with trees. I have always felt comfort in the arms of a tree and the one in my front yard and I have a good relationship. I feel her spirit and it is very motherly. I feel her ask me when I am upset, yet it isn't in language like I am talking now, it's more in the feeling, the meaning and the emotion that she sets out. I respect her and give her energy and in return she gives me energy and oxygen which we all need. I make sure to care for her and I don't allow children to pull her leaves. I repsect her so much. I'm leaning towards druidy, so I'd say that this lesson is very helpful. Thank you grey :)
