Why Being an Empath is a Gift-Part Three

I came across a blog post the other morning that briefly stated that empaths have more power than we think we do. By power, the blog's author meant spiritual or thought manifestation. I know this sounds a little too "Secretish." I have two copies of the book (thanks Mom) and sometimes roll my eyes when I read its pages. And I certainly don't back the idea that empaths walk around with the magical powers of "Mickey's Sorcerer" at their fingertips. I do, however, think that empaths have the ability to send and receive energy.

The experience can be kind of freaky, eye-opening and compassionate at the same time. As the blog post suggested, sometimes we wish for a little bit of something and we get a whole lot of it. The other night ABC broadcasted a special segment about how identical twins have a higher occurrence of telepathy between them than the general public. One of my friends and I have this ongoing discussion/debate about how parallel selves have the same sort of "spiritual" relationship. We don't reveal the identities of our "other halves" because of course that would be an astral privacy violation. We just compare experiences. And he helps me understand what's happening and why. He and his parallel self have been consciously "interacting" a little longer than I have with mine. But even that's debatable as I continue to discover more and more synchronicity.

No one knows how the telepathic process works or why it exists. Despite the scientific tests, professional observations and numerous personal accounts, the official stance is inconclusive. Scientists think that there's a higher incidence among identical twins (even after the death of one) because these are essentially two people who directly separated from the same source. Mirrors. Duplicates. One person needed to become two.

Parallel selves are spiritual twins. The same soul or astral body has incarnated twice. They will have many similarities, synchronicities between their lives, and be learning the same lessons. However, if they do interact the relationship will be very similar to that of sibling rivalry. Parallel selves often learned the same lesson from opposite angles, so their perspectives and choices might clash. Despite that they feel intense compassion for each other. Each one of is a guide to the other; a supporter in times of distress. A bright light of inspiration when either one needs it. And they have a lot to learn from each other. How do you recognize a parallel self? In the eyes and the heart. It's like looking into a mirror, but not exactly. Don't be surprised if you "meet" virtually. You'd probably faint otherwise.

So what exactly am I getting at? Is this "energy sending" thing just for the closet psychotic or for those who live in geographic locations famously known for a higher proportion of "fruits" and "nuts"? How is vibe sending, thought manifestation and telepathic communication beneficial? They're gifts because we have the ability to experience and learn to trust the unseen. There's something reassuring about receiving validation that something exists beyond our physicality. It's one of the times that we get a sense that we're not alone. And there's some purpose to our existence besides being the direct descendents of monkeys.

There's also something beautiful about emotion, which is the vehicle that these methods of "communication" use. Sometimes that emotion can be overwhelming, especially if it's unexpected. There are times that being receptive to the energy and emotions of others makes you want to block it. But then you realize the vulnerability of being able to receive that energy is what makes any type of connection possible.

Recently one of my high school friends posted on Facebook that she felt very alone in this world. It was a feeling that spun from the fact that her mother is battling a terminal illness and she wasn't getting the instant support that she needed. I publicly asked her what was wrong and then privately exchanged some words with her that I hoped would be encouraging. It's not easy to watch your parents decline. They're kind of like bookends that have always been there to lean back on for support and guidance. Their existence makes you feel secure, that you have a connection, and that you're not alone. And for most of us, they're the only ones who have consistently been there from day one.

I suppose it's the emphatic experience and connection with unseen energy that makes us comfortable with the idea of physical separation. Thought manifestation teaches us that what we see stems from what we think-if not instantly, then somewhere in our journey. Nature has this very subtle way of communicating through silent energy that is so primeval and yet freakishly accurate. It's powerful in its own gentle stillness; a nothingness that can suddenly become something beautiful and extraordinary without explanation. Winds that rustle through the trees on a stormy summer night, a rainbow without rain resting on top of the clouds, the sudden foam white whoosh of the ocean against the sand of a beach; the possibilities are endless if we just listen.

The ability to open up to that energy, to listen to it, to become it-that's one of the things about being sensitive that makes it possible to spend our human experience living.