The Empaths Perspective: This Empath Opens Her Heart Chakra
Many changes took place when my Heart chakra opened. A step in my spiritual self-development, I’d been working on this big step for about a year. I knew my life would be altered and I was afraid to face the unknown. Then, I had heart surgery. The surgeon helped me open my Heart chakra. I knew he was part of the plan from the moment I met him. When I awoke from surgery I knew my heart chakra was fully open and I was right. There were changes I could feel immediately. The first feelings were about healing from surgery. I was able to stop taking pain meds fairly quickly. I was in awe that major, open heart surgery was performed and I was feeling weak but very good.
I loved the way I felt but was annoyed that I suddenly turned into a people magnet. People came to my room just to sit with me. Some didn’t even speak. It was a bit unsettling. The healing energy my friends and family were sending to me was magnified and I was able to see it as well as feel it. My own healing energy seemed dramatically powered up. I’ve always been empathic but now everything I sensed in my surroundings seemed to be electrified. I was full of great joy and saw life with more clarity.
One of the most emotionally charged experiences took several months to surface. How I perceived others in my world changed right before my eyes. I felt compassion and love as never before. I was able to step beyond my tunnel vision to feel and help heal.
A year or more before my heart surgery I published a book. It was about my journey through grief when my husband died and at the same time I lost my fortune. It was a rough time but I came through it intact. My life would be forever changed but I would be okay. One of the things I never discussed with anyone was how I resented life just went on as usual. I know everyone experiences grief. When I observed others they seemed to be so accepting. My life had been easy and care free up until I lost everything. I always thought my grief was different; my tragedy greater than any other. Time should have stood still. The story should have made national news. This was happening to me and life just went on! I was spoiled; so protected from life’s seeming injustices! I always felt completely alone with my burden. I wasn’t. My loved ones and friends surrounded me, loved me and supported me. But my thinking was, “How easy to be them. How easy to show compassion when this isn’t happening to them.”
Then one day I heard someone talking about how they lost everything. It was devastating; they were a victim of Hurricane Katrina. They were still living at home with family at the time and everything was lost. Their house disintegrated and everything of value went with it. In their family, those old enough to have jobs lost them. With very little, they all moved to Oregon where they began their lives again. They survived; they thrived. They found there was more to life than material things. As this person told their story it dawned on me I wasn’t the only one in the world that ever suffered loss. Suddenly my tunnel vision disintegrated. My self-pity fell away. My heart swelled with love and compassion. I cried. Not just for this person telling their story but for every soul affected by Katrina.
I felt compassion in a new way. I felt it to the extent that it physically hurt. I thought about my emotions since the heart surgery. I laughed when I realized I cried a lot more and over practically anything. The list of what I couldn’t bear to watch on TV was growing. I cried over some commercials. I stifled my tears in public when I heard strangers talking to their friends. I knew I had to find a way to protect myself. I was taking on the energies of everyone and everything around me.
It has taken time, but I’m able to go out in public more often as time passes. I learned to do some things that make a difference. When I walk into a room where other people are present I take time to observe and feel the energy. Without judging, I feel for energies that are heavy, negative or distorted. Practicing mindfulness, I feel like an unseen observer. By observing what’s happening in the moments, I’m able to deal with my emotions much better. I practice goodness by being kind and loving, sending healing energy and wishing others well. I take breaks, leaving the room. I found meditation, being aware of my breathing and using variety with protection is helpful. I imagine a shield or angel wings surrounding and protecting me. I wear grounding and protecting gemstones. If the energy is too over-whelming for me I use my escape plan. I almost always drive my own car and can leave at any time. For the empath, there are several ways to soften or eliminate emotional trauma when out in public. When the Heart chakra is also open, it is wise for the empath to have additional awareness.
Not all my focus goes to looking for undesirable energy. A lot of the work I do to help myself is done before I go out. That leaves me free to enjoy being in public and I can mingle with the beautiful, positive energies. Like attracts like. I’m typically a positive and kind person and am attracted to the same thing from others. Thinking with kindness and love above all, I usually have a great time when I’m with other people. I can now experience the depth of my compassion and love in a productive and positive way.
Preceding the death of my husband, I began to write. Beginning with a few poems, my words expressed my intuitive knowing of imminent change. After he died, I wrote a book about my journey through grief. The book, “Walking with Azrael” was published in 2014. Currently, I’m working on two additional books. I love to read and do a lot of research focusing on my current journey of self-discovery and the sometimes rough road to self-truth. Look for my current book, “Walking with Azrael” on Amazon.com.