Witches and psychics are everywhere. People may have been better at hiding their abilities in earlier days, but I believe there are just more sensitives around than there used to be. If you're not an empath, why should you care about how those who experience your energy? And if you don't get this stuff, how are you going to be able to change your energetic behavior?
You should care because some really wonderful people are empathic. They're much more likely to befriend you, help you or date you if you learn some incredibly simple techniques for energetic housekeeping. All the complicated stuff in my article on psychic survival (elsewhere in this issue) -- it has nothing to do with you. Your part is easy. Stay tuned.
Everyone, no matter how prosaic their approach to life, knows it can be overwhelming to live in this modern age. We are constantly surrounded by much more sensory input than ever before -- ringing phones, rushing cars, blaring TVs and radios, spam, always someone else wanting something. Things that used to be simple are not -- is it polite to hug someone hello, or are you going to get slapped with a harassment suit for "frontal contact"? Is that loud noise a signal to your reptilian brain to flee or fight, or just a backfire?
Now, just for a moment imagine having a whole other sense also bombarding you with input. Psychic people might be aware of echoes of past occurrences. Rather than just sensing what's going on now, they might also be aware of highly charged places in the building. Looking into someone's eyes, they see that person's face morph into who they were in past lives. Try carrying on a normal conversation with this going on!
Or they could see auras: bright red and yellow streaks around people, colors associated with anger, grief, pain, or fear. Colors associated with every human urge, in all its glory. Seeing all of it, everywhere they look.
An empath would feel the emotions coming off the people around them. Just talking to someone who was nervous would put them on edge as well. Being in the same office or house with someone experiencing intense grief can have them in tears. Sometimes I have to tell people I live with not to touch me today -- one person can't keep her migraines to herself, no matter how she tries. Talking to someone, the empath can start feeling the physical ailments that the other person is suffering.
Is it any wonder psychics get a reputation for being neurotic as hell? And antisocial to boot.
Of course you're dying to know, "What can I do to keep the psychic volume down to a manageable level for my fellow human beings? How can I make sure my behavior doesn't cross any of these lines I can't see?"
There are two main classes of people who can cause extra angst for psychically sensitive types. The two classes are people with an overly strong psychic presence, and psychic vampires. There is nothing intrinsically "wrong" with either. I simply provide information here that you must have in order to consciously tailor your energetic behavior to the setting in which you find yourself.
To determine if you're the former, the first thing you want to take an inventory of is: How strong is your psychic presence? Some people instinctively keep their auras tucked close to their bodies and their energy to themselves. Without being aware of it, they behave in an energetically respectful way. Chances are, these people are pretty pleasant for most people to be around. Those of us with a stronger psychic presence need to be very aware of what we do with it. How can you tell?
Speaking metaphorically, are you a "big" person? When you walk into a room, do you make sure other people notice you? Do you regularly create situations where you're the center of attention or in control? You might notice that people often take a step back from you in conversation. They find themselves overwhelmed by being too close to you. Or you might notice that you piss people off more than does, say, your sweet, crocheting Aunt Nellie. Do you find it's almost too easy to get your own way?
One can have a big aura for a night or a lifetime. You might have just gotten a promotion at work, and your enthusiasm might be broadcasting itself everywhere. Healers who are regressing someone to bring their abuse issues to the surface may not thank you, even though "happy" feelings are flooding their work. If your kundalini is rising in uncontrollable bliss, that could be in direct conflict with someone trying to get his or her taxes done.
People with a large presence can wreak havoc for sensitives. A general note to remain aware of is: Am I keeping my strong emotions to myself? If you're triggered, or angry, or jealous, or whatever, that's yours. Please do stay with your emotions -- it's very important to sort through them for your own healing and growth. But is it an emotional process you're having with yourself and only those who have offered to help? Or are you bleeding your drama over to those around you without their permission?
It's hard for a sensitive to take direct action against this kind of psychic attack. Since the person flooding their energetic space hasn't said anything and is probably 10 or 30 feet away, it's difficult to discuss. Many psychic types second-guess themselves constantly, so they may not be sure their sudden discomfort and energetic confusion came from you. Even worse, such a psychic may feel the upset is his or her own fault, for not being skilled enough to shield properly. Either way, such big drama is upsetting to the delicate balance of someone else, someone whose delicately balanced energy is what drew you to them in the first place!
The psychic vampire is almost the opposite of the "big aura" type. Some questions to ask yourself to tell if you're one: Do people seem to become fatigued around you? Do you find that you keep discussing the same things, forcing others to listen or process with you until they seem groggy and confused and you've suddenly got a bunch of energy? Does it ever seem that people spend time with you from a sense of duty, rather than a sense of shared fun? When you look inside yourself, do you find resentments and bitterness, or a sense of entitlement -- the world owes you something? Does other people's happiness piss you off? Well, then you've got a streak of the vampire in you.
This can also be true for a night or a lifetime. A personal loss may have left you temporarily feeling needy and looking to get a lift from the people around you. Or you might be like that every day.
Sensitives have an extra hard time when encountering a vampire. Suddenly, the life and color is drained out of the world. Energy is zapped. It's just gone, and it can take a long period of time to recover from an effective vampire. The zapping can be done from across the room, which makes it hard to avoid. The vampire's attention is drawn to a person full of the kind of bright energy the vampire is currently lacking. Basically just looking to survive, his or her energy goes to take what it needs. The vampire gets a lift, a rush of energy, from that person or people.
If you're still not sure if any of these might be you, ask your friends. They will know. If you've been hanging around places witches congregate for a while and you don't have any friends there, ask yourself why. Correcting a psychic imbalance might open a door you didn't know you were keeping closed.
In any of the above cases, the cure is the same. Ask yourself, "Am I keeping my hands and feet inside the seat compartment at all times?" Basically, you need to remain clear that the energy you're enjoying is yours to have. To directly make use of another's energy, you must have permission. As always. Even if you are the only one who knows you are. The kind of energy rush that comes with a guilty thrill must be examined. Is that really mine to have? Did I only take what was given freely? Or did I cross a line?
It is incredibly easy to learn to tuck your aura in closer to your body -- even if you've never seen an aura and don't believe you have one. In doing energy work, when I tell people to pull or push their energy to a specific distance from their body, every single one of them does it. No stress, no instruction needed. You know the feeling when you're walking down a lonely street at night and you don't want to be noticed? You pull your aura in close to you. Same thing when you're trying to avoid catching the eye of your ex-girlfriend in a crowd. Practice this simple thing -- tucking your energy in so it doesn't impinge on others. And then remain aware of when is a good time to use your new trick.
In busy, overpopulated urban settings, letting your aura expand to about four to six inches outside your skin is appropriate. You can take up more space when it won't affect others. But most of the time, keeping all of you inside the area that would not be touched when passing someone in a hall is about right.
Only taking what is given could have some exciting side effects. Rather than getting your needs met through the efforts of others, you could remain just slightly hungrier. This could lead you to reach out a little bit more. Reaching out can lead to adventures of many rich and delightful kinds.
Freya Ray is a professional psychic, shaman, writer and teacher. She teaches energy work, shamanic journeying, Tarot reading and how to live a more blissful life in general. She recently relocated to Seattle after working at Phoenix and Dragon in Atlanta and Rainbow Moods in Tucson. Her writing has appeared in the New Times, the Awareness Journal and the Magical Journal. She can be reached for comment or psychic readings at (206) 276-4290 or freya_ray@yahoo.com.