According to Merriam Webster, the definition of empathy (and empath) is:
the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also: the capacity for this.
I mentioned earlier that during an energy session I once had (during my search for ways to improve my connection to the systems within my body), I was told that I am an empath. I never thought I was, but I knew a lot of empaths. Oddly, empaths seemed to gravitate toward me … people who would pick up on other people’s feelings, intentions or personalities without being told anything. Empaths do have to be careful, because sometimes the feelings and energies they pick up could cripple them; such as if someone was angry with them, they may not be able to function.
I didn’t really consider myself an empath, because I did not typically pick up on feelings, my own or other people’s. I took some time to reflect on this. On closer reflection, I realized that when I was a child, I was very compassionate. My mom tells me that when my brother was born (I was 20 months old), I would bring her things, like diapers, and help her without being asked. When I was in school, I was the kid that always greeted and hung out with the new kid. When I was in elementary school, I recall feeling sorry for the sick girl at a birthday slumber party and spending time with her so that she wouldn’t be alone. I ALWAYS felt protective and stood up for the kid getting bullied, even though I was smaller than everyone else. I remember getting hyped up when everyone else was having fun too.
What I didn’t want to look at was that, as an adult, I had stopped feeling anything but happy feelings. I don’t recall when or why. At some point in my childhood I decided to be tough and not empathetic. (Okay … anyone who knows me can guess that it was due to my father’s influence … he always told me to be tough.)
Shielding caused me to disconnect from my feelings more than anything and it helped me to deal with the strong feelings being projected by those around me. AND oddly, I’ve seen articles about psychopaths/sociopaths seeking out empaths as partners. (That feels yucky, as in an emotional vampire. Eew.) So, am I an empath? Yes, I guess I am. I started out that way. However, I learned to shield myself from my father’s intense emotions for survival. Shielding caused me to lose touch with my emotions, which really means I lost touch with a big part of who I am.