Well I couldn't figure out where the empathy discussion stuff should go, so figure magick is next closes deal.

Anywho, as I've been reflecting upon past to present lately, come across an interesting question to myself.

Generally when I'm around others, I've got empathy, (who doesn't these days, ya know?) But I digress, my empathy I can't tell the direction.
Such as if you can feel if someone is feeling something, I can't tell if it's my own energy reflecting back to me, or if it's the other persons.

Generally I can pinpoint pretty accurately what a person feels long term, and I give it maybe an 80% accuracy, but the other 20% I'll ask and it will be a no, I'm not feeling that. This I already knew. My problem comes, when I feel one thing from them, and they say another thing.

I'm like and asking anyone here, heh, how do I discern when I feel something from someone and they're telling me their not feeling it, but I still feel it, and it doesn't appear to be coming from me?

Such as if I'm feeling something and I ask, and they're like no, not me, but the feeling is there only when around them. Could it be my own feelings, is it something other than either of us, or what do you think?

Also do you think that having empathy without blocking it, could be considered like eavesdropping on a person's life, cause it's hard to lie when your emotions are speaking truthful? Like I feel I did a friend wrong, cause I could pick up on their emotions and brought it forth before they were ready to have it revealed or dealt with. It was only a question, but my answer to what they were feeling, was unfavorable at best

People often lie about their feelings. When they do it's usually a good sign that they don't want anyone prying into their feelings.

Personally I never go in on empathic signals. I figure that if it's something they want to talk about, they'll bring it up themselves. If they don't, then I don't usually see the need to drag it to the surface. Unless it's something involving myself maybe.

*Nods* Yeah, that's what bothers me.

I know I don't specifically call anyone on their emotions as it's theirs and theirs alone. Even if it concerns me, I'm not going to be like dude are you lying to me? If I get that feeling, that they feel one thing and are saying another.

Truly, I don't mind my empathy, but sometimes it gets too in depth and the person's emotions suddenly become tangible even online. Makes me feel like I'm suffocating, till I ask them is this what their feeling. Not really sure what I asked the one friend, but he did fess up to feeling that way, and I was like huh. And like felt like I had forced it out of him, but it was either their lack of containing their emotions, or since shields don't work that well against me anyway, I was reading them without realizing I was doing so. Weird peripheral deal.

Honestly I never ask anyone about a feeling I'm getting from them, as most generally can't read my own in return, and I feel like it's prying anyway. Just not a way to stop getting so connected to them, so's I'm not reading them almost like an open book.

perhaps theres a way to control your empathic ability with some practice...like turn it on only when needed

Thats something, or tune it into a white noise effect. Hear it but don't pay attention to it. Sometimes the most rewarding thing is ignorance.

Rosey: Well I tried that at one point, but it only made me feel like I was going literally blind or deaf. I think I may have done it wrong, but whatever way wasn't really helping. Feeling others is like a primal instinct, otherwise I hardly know what humans are about around me and who could make some interesting people to talk to and who would just totally set me off in a threatening way.

That's what's part of the problem, is usually they are white noise type feelings. Not really tuned in, but then pick up on something and try to ignore it till it's like everytime it comes up like a tangible force field. Usually it's only negative energy I feel tangibly, but it's becoming more positive and negative and sometimes neutral.

Don't try to ignore it. See it for what it is, just energy radiating off others. Use it if you want to, be aware of it if you pay attention.

However leave it for what it is and let it do what it does when you don't want to be bothered by it. Just like an unwanted sound or smell ... if you let it be without conscious thought, you'll probably get used to it and filter it out.

By actively trying to force it out you're doing the opposite, giving it conscious thought.

Took a moment to reply. heh

Well that's what's the thing I'm thinking of, is it's not like usual empathy where it's a vague thing you can ignore. It's more like a tangible feeling.

Like if you reached up and slid your hand through your hair, it's how I feel these emotions of others. I'm not entirely sure on why it's like that, but it makes me totally disoriented and highly confused. Usually no matter who someone is, I talk to them enough, get white noise feeling. But some people it's more than white noise and hard to ignore which is why I often wonder if it's me or is it them? And how to tell the difference if that is possible.

Sometimes it will feel like yeah, I know I'm not feeling this emotion, it must be them. Only to turn around a while later and realize that indeed it was something I was putting off and it was reflecting back to me, which brings me to my first question. How can I tell if its mine or someone else's emotions?

Logical deduction?

If it's an emotion that suddenly wells up when someone else is near and that someone else is portraying similar feelings .. you can probably put your money on it not being yours

Isn't foolproof since one of the downsides of empathy that you can't always fully separate yourself from your surroundings.

Unfortunately that's why I always have an issue.

I can't particularly tell what humans feel by looking at them, only by feeling exclusively, or if they tell me specifically.

I suppose that's an easy deduction, and maybe shall try that.

Another option would be learning to actively focus your empathy. Concentrate on someone nearby and feel what radiates from them. The emotions that get stronger when you do that are usually theirs and not yours ... unless they're yours that are triggered by their presence like love.

yeah like zan said you could try practicing more...that way you may get more control over your ability

*Nods belatedly* Yeah, that's what I plan to do.

Those are my two main deals is learning to control my empathy near others and also learning to project my energy to more than me or use it in anyway at all, as I don't know how to do energy work. But that's another thing for another day. hehe.

I do not have advice but I can relate my friend and i hope 'you can get control of it Hun.

Thanks

Being understood is half the battle in figuring it out ^_^