Empaths have the ability to not only relate to others' feelings and experiences, but they also feel and experience exactly what the other person is going through as if they are going through it themselves.

Dr. Judith Orloff, an empath herself and author of "The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies For Sensitive People," says empaths lack the filters most people use to protect themselves from excessive stimulation and can't help but take in surrounding emotions and energies, whether they're good, bad or in between.

San Diego-based therapist Kim Egel explains: "Empaths have a higher sensitivity to outside stimuli such as sounds, big personalities, and hectic environments. They bring a lot of heart and care to the world and deeply feel things."

Connection

Empaths can connect to others on such a deep level beyond logic and words and fully see and feel others' past and present. They are sensitive to the visible as well as the invisible.

Empaths unintentionally read body language, tone of voice, and body movement. They notice the words people choose when they speak and the words they avoid. They pick up on the logic people use and hidden things that only an empath can sense inside another person.

Empaths can seem moody or have mood swings that change in scale for no apparent reason. This is because empaths pick up other people's energies and emotions, as well as the energy from places, animals, and Mother Earth.

Empaths can be feeling balanced one minute, then feeling sad, depressed, or angry out of the blue. Or they can suddenly feel overly enthusiastic, driven, or excited. They can also develop physical pain and headaches out of nowhere.

Empaths or highly sensitive are like emotional sponges. Without protecting their energy, they constantly absorb the emotional vibrations of those around them.

When you have not set up protection for yourself, those emotional vibrations can influence an empath or highly sensitive person. Without protecting your energy as an empath, you can easily be confused and find it hard to separate how you feel from what you are feeling and absorb from others.

It is common for empaths to feel exhausted and drained after spending time with people or being in crowded places.

Being an empath is a divine gift, but if you don't balance, ground, and protect your energy, it can feel more like a curse.

Downside

The main downside to being highly sensitive is being totally overwhelmed by the energy around you.

When you are constantly absorbing the vibrations, emotions, feelings, and physical sensations of others, it can drain your own energy. It can leave many empaths feeling exhausted, anxious, moody, stressed, and even in physical pain.

Here are some techniques to protect your energy to help you avoid feeling drained, overwhelmed, anxious, or feeling physical pain. Being aware of your vibration and energy and keeping it in balance is crucial to enjoying your gift.

Blak Tourmaline Crystal

Wear or carry black tourmaline to protect yourself as an empath. Black tourmaline gives strong protection from psychic attack, negative and low energy, and also EMF.

Black tourmaline is known to have a very calming effect on empaths. It is also a great crystal to help to heal inside the body and clear out unwanted energy. It is a great shield to protect against lower energies.

I always carry selenite with my tourmaline. The selenite will constantly charge and clear your tourmaline.

Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael is a great protector. I start my day by asking Archangel Michael to clear me of any low or negative energy as I visualize a white light entering through the crown of my head and making its way down to my feet.

You can then ask him for energy protection and visualize yourself surrounded by a blue-purple light, like a shield of light around you so that no negative energy can penetrate it.

Along with this, carrying amethyst is great for protection and it is also the crystal associated with Archangel Michael.

Bubble Of Light

Similar to the above, you can picture yourself surrounded by a bubble of light. Light is a form of energy and can protect your personal energy field. You can choose which color of light you want to surround yourself in, or you can layer each one.

For example, visualize yourself surrounded by white light; this light is pure, clear energy. Purple light, as I've mentioned above, is for protection. And pink light is for loving energy. Each of these works on its own, or you can combine them.

A light bubble will keep you centered positively, and only allow positive, loving energy to penetrate through to you.

Clearing Your Space

Smudging your space with incense, sage, or Palo Santo is a potent protection tool for empaths.

Regular smudging of your house and workplace clears the space of any low or negative energy, all of which can influence you as an empath.

Grounding

Grounding releases all that no longer serves you into Mother Earth for healing and recycling. Feeling depleted and frazzled is one of the main problems empaths and highly sensitive people feel. This is due to taking on too much energy from outside of ourselves.

Grounding is important as it supports us energetically, and it also restores and rejuvenates our energy field. Helping to promote a sense of calm, it helps improve mental, emotional, and empathic clarity.

Get out in nature, walk barefoot where possible, and connect with the energy of Mother Earth.

If you can't get out in nature, a simple trick to help ground you, visualize your energetic roots, like tree roots coming out of your feet or base chakra if you are sitting. Imagine them sinking deep into Mother Earth, grounding and anchoring you.

Feel the connection to Mother Earth's energy flowing back up through you, connecting you to the earthly energies.

Look Within

As empaths, we are so attuned to others' emotions, vibrations, and energies, sometimes far more than we are to our own.

If you want to protect your energy, you first need to be well attuned to your own energy. As an empath, you need to be aware of the energy you put out into the world, and what energies you have picked up that you need to clear yourself of.

Salt Baths

Baths with sea salts or Epsom salts, essential oils, and herbs are a powerful cleansing tool.

The saltwater cleanses your body of all negative energy and is something you should try and fit into your routine.