There are differences between Empaths, the sympathetic, and those who consciously practice compassion. But what are the differences between empaths, sympaths and those who practice compassion?
Empaths are somewhere in between a sympath, and those who practice compassion. Empaths have a very sensitive ability to feel the emotional and mental states of others. As a result, very sensitive empaths can experience burnout, as well as other debilitating emotional conditions.
By contrast, Sympaths have a more special and unique gift; they can act more as a catalyst than an empath. This is because Sympaths can relate to the misfortune of others, but don’t have a need to express beyond that. Sympaths can positively influence others, without negatively influencing themselves. This is because they don’t by indulge in pity and sorrow. Consequently, this can make sympaths very good healers.
Unfortunately, Empaths are limited in this respect, because their empathic pain can over ride their ability to heal. As a result, this hampers their ability to act as catalyst for others. Consequently, Empaths can end up taking on more pain than they should. As a result, Empaths can develop negative coping mechanisms, that ultimately internalize the pain.
The practice of compassion is all about love in action. Those who consciously practice compassion have the viewpoint of all perspectives, and can bring them together as one.
Here is a parable that illustrates the differences: an empath, a sympath,and someone who practices compassion, all witness a cat hunt and kill a mouse. The sympath doesn’t take in the pain, they have pity for the mouse, but do not need to feel beyond that. By contrast, the empath takes in the pain of the mouse, and wants to end all suffering for all mice. They will do this at the expense of all cats, by denying all cats the food source of mice. The person who practices compassion, moves beyond the pain of the mouse, and recognizes it as the grand movement of nature. This is the mutual exchange of energy, between the mouse and the cat, in reciprocity. Do you see the difference?
There are many empaths who remain stuck in the inbetween stages of protection and safety. This is because that is what they’ve been taught by other empaths. For many, it may take decades to advance and grow in their feeling nature. This is especially true if they persist with the need of protection, and live in fear of any intrusive energy. These issues do not exist for those who practice compassion. A compassionate person can stand in their power, they do not need an external object to clear a room of negative energies. A compassionate person does not need crystals, amulets, or smudging. They themselves are the “tool” that many empaths rely on. Consequently, they do not need protective objects, outside themselves. As a result, many empaths give their power away, to something or someone outside themselves. They do this for a false sense of protection.
There is no linear progression to this process; an individual can phase in and out of empathy, sympathy and compassion. The goal is not to reach compassion as a state of “nirvana”. If you find a sense of peace as a sympath, good. Finding peace in compassion, that’s good too. If you feel comfortable with the sensitivity of being an Empath, that’s OK too. It’s a matter of feeling comfortable with where we are. Are we being drained? It’s about where we place our focus.
The transition between empath, sympath and conscious compassion is temporary. But those who persist in the empathy stage, without progressing to sympathy or compassion, will hold emotions that can build up into dis-ease and dysfunction. Empaths can often see themselves as victims, but this is of their own doing. Holding onto the “identity” of being an empath, can be very destructive. This is due to a lack of self observation and integration. Empaths often sadly drown themselves in the pain they pick up from others, and are unable to move forward. Empaths need to learn to embrace what they’ve been resisting.
There are many, very sensitive empaths at this time. Unfortunately, they hold a frequency that is strongly tied to duality, and it prevents them from seeing past the right/wrong paradigm. This can block them from the process of self growth. But fortunately, the wise empath can quickly raise themselves to a state of compassion. They can achieve a higher vibrational frequency, much more quickly than the average person.
Empaths feel pain to a greater extent than most, delving deeper into realms of darkness, pain and suffering. Unfortunately, this can be like a snow ball, rolling down a hill, moving faster and growing bigger. This dark energy can contract, and become destructive. By contrast, it can also expand, and move to a higher level of awareness.
Once an empath can transition out of the pain, fear and suffering, and release their need to save the world, they can experience the oneness of compassion. A knowing that all is well, and all ends well, regardless. In that place, an empath can find their true power. To sum it up, this will allow them to stand in their power, rather than around it.
