The Metaphysics
of Empathy
“When I wish to find out how wise, or how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is any one, or what are his thoughts at the moment, I fashion the expression of my face, as accurately as possible, in accordance with the expression of his, and then wait to see what thoughts or sentiments arise in my mind or heart, as if to match or correspond with the expression.”
—Edgar Allan Poe, The Purloined Letter
EMPATHIC ANECDOTE
LSD and the Empath’s Spiral Nature
Mystical experiences transcend description. Words fall short and don’t do justice to the experiences. Mystical states can be reached through a variety of methods. Mystical schools of thought exist both as independent pursuits and as offshoots of traditional religions, such as the Sufis (related to Islam), Kabbalists (related to Judaism), and various branches of Christian mysticism. Many indigenous practices across the globe can now be deemed “shamanic” or “ecstatic” in nature, with mystical experiences being central to their existence. Eastern spiritual paths also greatly emphasize mystical states of consciousness without issue, which is probably one reason why Eastern imagery is so often coupled with the use of psychedelics in the West.
American psychologist Abraham Maslow, whose “hierarchy of needs” theory has become quite popularized (see chapter VII), also explored in his research what he calls “peak experiences.” Maslow reported that people who embrace humor, respectful living, open-mindedness, and humility as general rules are those who are able to reach these temporary mystical states of consciousness where the self joins in union with God, with divine Oneness, with the elements, or with what have you. According to modern researchers, peak experiences can be invoked through numerous methods including fasting, dancing, drug use, meditation, rituals, controlled breathing, experiences in nature, musical experiences, and so on.
In those formative years of puberty I was actively discovering myself through trial and error, as many of us do. Rebelling against the status quo, my mind was focused on subculture and art, on strange and sensory experiences. There was also a fixation on creating mystical, gnostic “peak” experiences, as it was only recently that I understood this reality as alive and conscious; the veil of atheism had been pierced by entheogenic experiences alongside non-drug mystical experiences such as ritual, meditation, music, and dance.
I was spending most of my afterschool time with diverse groups of friends with varying empathetic capacities. My own empathy (and probably ego!) was uncontrolled at the time, and while I did associate with a handful of people I considered good friends, others were people with whom I did not actually have much in common aside from youthfulness and alternative thinking. As an uncontrolled empath, I felt identification with anyone and everyone and was highly susceptible to peer pressure. Even though many of the people I associated with didn’t truly care about me and were mainly occupied with judgment and social drama, I didn’t see it that way and continued to hang out with whoever wanted to hang out with me. We all want to be accepted.
I had found that marijuana and other substances provided a sort of “spiritual shortcut” to expanded states of consciousness. While I still believe this to be true, it’s not true for everyone: drugs amplify what’s already there, which is why I took my experiences to a spiritual place. But not every mystical experience is filled with beauty and grace.
I had never tried LSD, and had read about the amazing states of awareness that the drug is known to have inspired in countless individuals. Without considering the set and setting and without considering the drug’s source, I ate a double-stack dose of street-kid acid on a pink piece of Pez candy. Everything was fine at first, but as the drug started to kick in, the veil of social pretense suddenly began to crumble all around me. The acid was blowing my mind, but not in a good way. Instead of experiencing a pleasantly mystical state of consciousness, the environment was influencing the experience to be one of soul-shaking fear. The trip was hitting me hard, and I was beginning to feel what it was like to be in a state of mental hell.
The trip began in a public park at dusk. About twenty other teens, all of whom I was acquainted with, were chatting among themselves. I began to perceive snippets of the conversations and witnessed how “empty” the discussions actually seemed. I was absorbing the hidden fears and judgments present in everyone I observed. Quickly realizing that my mind was in a different place than these individuals’, I stepped back and bumped into a drinking fountain; all attention turned toward me and the energetic absorption increased. Internally, an unprecedented fear arose, while on the outside I maintained a blank stare as others went about their business. When it became known that I was on a “bad trip,” some people started messing with me for their own amusement—this was an uncomfortable emotional revelation.
Later in the trip, having been driven to a friend’s house, I observed every conversation around me as a spiral of energy between minds. As the spiral of energy went quickly from one person to the next, that person would speak. Sometimes the spiral would enter multiple people’s minds at the same time. I was mentally predicting who would speak next and could predict exactly when the conversation would come back to focus on me. I was able to witness how reality operates in spirals and cycles. Somehow, every conversational spiral swirled back into me and ended with people’s attention being focused on my state of being. As this psychic whirlpool occurred, I absorbed the emotional energy present in any given conversation. I realized that empathy was like a sponge. While absorbing and assimilating these intense energies, my own personality was pushed aside as others’ stepped in. Sadly, I instead remained in a dreadfully fearful silence, observing and absorbing instead of choosing to project personal energy into the conversations.
This experience gave me insights into the nature of empathy and the reasons why the ability must be harnessed. It taught me the danger of passivity in the face of negativity. Luckily, this experience also taught me the lesson of social discernment: those with whom we spend our time are of the utmost importance in maintaining personal wellness. While the whole experience invoked mortal terror in me, the many lessons I learned were something to be very thankful for.
✴ ✴ ✴
Empathy as a Spiritual Force
Over the last three decades, the terms empath and empathy have become commonly used in a number of metaphysical circles, and a great number of people have become self-identifying empaths. A great number of psychics, healers, mystics, occultists, and other spiritually minded folk have caught on to the phenomenon as a significant aspect of humanity’s sacred nature.
Metaphysically speaking, experiencing a high level of empathy is similar to a strongly psychic person receiving constant extrasensory impressions and mental stimuli or a person prone to mediumship receiving daily visitations from spirits and ghosts—any of these experiences can be overwhelming even if they are of a spiritual nature. Some people like to use the term clairempathy to differentiate extreme empathy from common, everyday human empathy, though I tend not to make that distinction throughout this book because these are simply different expressions of the same thing.
Both scientists and mystics understand that empathy is a natural, inheritable trait present in human DNA. Many people also believe this to be true about psychic gifts and other spiritual abilities. Personally, I’m of the belief that spiritual and psychological traits can be inherited (much like hair color or eye color) but that these things are not always exclusively a result of genetic heritage. In a scientific sense, empathy is a genetic characteristic that everyone utilizes to different degrees.
Empathic skills and psychic skills both require some amount of the other to function properly. It’s rare that a person is simultaneously a strong empath and a strong psychic, because each utilizes a different part of the brain and perception. Many people go through periods of strong mental awareness or of strong emotional awareness. Most psychics and empaths I know are dominant in one particular area, yet they have a decent capacity in the other in order to maintain healthy functioning and interpersonal communication. I’ve only met a few people who are extremely empathic and psychic simultaneously.
One individual who experiences extreme levels of both on a constant basis is Kelly McGannon, who operates the website www.bridgebetween twoworlds.com. In addition to working jobs that require extreme mental acuteness and academic knowledge, she puts her empathic and psychic skills to use through empathetic spiritual counseling, Jung-inspired dream interpretation, shamanic-style healing, and spirit mediumship. Kelly believes that her strong psychic and empathic skills are attributed to biology: her mother is extremely empathic and her father is extremely psychic. This perspective makes it reasonable to believe that high capacities of these traits can be genetic. (Kelly was also raised in an environment where these skills were encouraged and considered normal, so the nature-versus-nurture question can arise as well.) Similarly, it is in everybody’s human genetics to inherit a liver, but it’s not in everyone’s genetics to inherit a strong liver; perhaps the same principles can be applied to nonphysical abilities.
It’s so easy to compare and contrast oneself to other people, but in reality this is a form of giving away one’s energy. Social competition might feel inspiring in the moment, but it actually detracts from a person’s own unique abilities, lessening the empathetic exchange. Instead, try setting realistic and attainable goals, both big and small, that have nothing to do with competition but everything to do with personal achievement. Success occurs when we aim to impress ourselves!
Empathy in the New Age
Psychologically speaking, most people who do not actually have their emotional needs met are likely to lack consistent empathy as a result. Modern society is said by some to have a lack of empathy, and many scientists believe this is greatly due to childhood experiences and the level of civic and social empathy promoted within a person’s living environment. Childhood experiences and genetic predispositions can strongly influence a person’s empathetic capacity. Repetitive cycles of trauma or reward, both in childhood and later in life, can give rise to everyday responses of emotional expression or repression. Metaphysical circles often add that a person’s astrological blueprint (birth chart) and past-life experiences strongly influence psychic and empathic dispositions. At the end of the day, the causes are irrelevant; the most important aspect is how we learn to deal with our situation and what we ourselves do to perpetuate a more empathetic and emotionally aware world.
In the New Age movement, empathy is believed to be increasing in global strength as humanity progresses to more enlightened, peaceful, and self-aware states of being. In the early 2000s we saw the recognition of Indigo Children, Crystal Children, Rainbow Children, Star Children, and other ultra-colorful descriptions used to identify a new generation of kids who demonstrated particular psychic, emotional, or rational abilities from a young age. I have no doubt that this “higher consciousness at birth” was and still is occurring.
Empathy is recognized and celebrated in the New Age movement. Having originated in 1970s Britain, the New Age movement identified itself as a conglomeration of multiple spiritual beliefs and practices not generally accepted by the Western mainstream. Rather than being its own religion (though some see it as a continuation of Theosophy), “New Age” became a catchall phrase for uncommon metaphysics. Everything from Reiki to shamanism, angels to mediumship, and lost civilizations to UFOlogy, all find their place somewhere in the New Age. Additionally, ancient practices such as yoga, astrology, herbal medicine, acupressure, mantras, meditation, and folk magick can be subsumed under a New Age guise, even if the origins of these practices are far from “new.” Because New Age has such a large scope, even the most serious occult movements have in some manner mingled with New Age thought. The term is unavoidable! Because of the extreme degree of eclecticism of many who follow the movement, an uncomfortable amount of sensationalism, superstition, chicanery, and mumbo-jumbo surrounds New Age ideologies in general.
I’ve taken a sort of hit-or-miss approach to the New Age movement’s various practices and practitioners. As an empath, I respect all reliable paths to healing and awareness and am overjoyed that the movement has brought so many important ideas into the limelight, but I’ve also seen profiteering or wishful thinking assuming the guise of enlightenment. Most self-proclaimed “lightworkers” I’ve met carry a great deal of personal darkness in the form of passive-aggressive criticism, extreme judgment issues, and general self-righteousness. Still, a great number of spiritual seekers can work with the New Age light without being blinded by it.
When it comes to the New Age, it can be difficult for people to separate the wheat from the chaff when a movement of thought integrates something as time-tested as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with something as wishy-washy as healing cancer with crystals. The line between placebo and real energy medicine is thin, which can serve to confuse, avert, or delude a great number of seekers. Nevertheless, virtually all modern Western metaphysical systems are integrated with the New Age movement to one degree or another, for better or worse, and I believe that each seeker has the responsibility to approach mystical systems with an open mind and a healthy amount of skepticism. In the end, I believe it all comes down to the need to have progressive intentions, solid academic research, and honest practice. I am glad that empathy is becoming more recognized and analyzed in the New Age movement.
Empathy in Magickal Paths
Within modern Pagan systems—which are related to, yet distinct from, the New Age movement—we see empathy emphasized in coven camaraderie and training circles. More and more earth-based spiritual paths are also embracing the benefits of community service, community projects, charity, and social work. In fact, many use community work as a requirement for training.
Esoteric groups build empathy in the form of social support coupled with ritual drama. After all, to invoke a deity or spirit is to empathically connect with its vital essence. To enact metaphorical and mythology-based drama during ceremony is to empathically invoke those mythic pantheons into the observers and participants. Empathy is a force in Witchcraft used to align with Spirit and to help manifest wishes, prayers, and spells for oneself and one’s community.
One would be hard-pressed to find an overt emphasis on empathy within Western magickal paths—but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Instead, we are more prone to find an emphasis on the power of love, both human and cosmic. While these forces may not be specifically termed “empathy,” the idea of love as a force of spiritual goodness can be found in all varieties of religions and mystical systems in the Western world. The extent to which one embraces and lives by “love” as an esoteric force is entirely up to the interpretation of the practitioner.
One of the most well-known magickal emphases on love lies in the original Drawing Down of the Moon found in the original Gardnerian tradition of Wicca. This is a poetic work that was pieced together by High Priestess Doreen Valiente. The Drawing Down describes the Great Goddess as saying, “All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals” and “My law is love unto all beings.” Is this energy of love directly related to the experience of and necessity for human empathy? I most certainly believe so!
Thelema, which is an esoteric school of thought founded by British magician Aleister Crowley in 1904, emphasizes, “Love is the law.” This statement, alongside “Love is the law, love under will” are drawn from Liber AL vel Legis (Liber CCXX): The Book of the Law, which Crowley received during a three-day trance-channeling with his Holy Guardian Angel, known to him as Aiwass. As a philosophical system, Thelema has become most prevalently integrated with the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), a prominent esoteric lodge, but is also upheld within other orders, including the Argentium Astrum (Order of the Silver Star, or A
A
) and the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC). Though Crowley himself may not be thought of as a particularly empathetic individual, many of his channelings and rituals express divine love through and through, advocating love as the highest human evolutionary potential. One of the most relevant ways that this love can be expressed in the world is through the consistent utilization of empathy. We can more easily learn life’s lessons and grow in spiritual consciousness when we exercise our esoteric empathy throughout daily life.
Western paths tend to emphasize the mental plane more than the emotional plane. Western schools of ceremonial magick are based on science and academia more than on intuition and connection to nature, while Witchcraft usually emphasizes the latter. Still, modern Witches and magicians of all varieties may choose to perform rituals outdoors in the elements or within the confines of a lodge or indoor sacred space depending on the ceremony or astrological conditions—or the weather! Neither earth-based Witchery nor the ceremonialism of the Western mystery traditions is necessarily better, but they each demonstrate a different style of spiritual connection. People of all magickal traditions can benefit from the wisdom held within each sphere. The division between Witches and magicians is decreasing, and the two spheres are constantly influencing each other, exchanging ideologies, and helping evolve each other’s practices. We now find more Witches identifying with Hermeticism and more ceremonial magicians identifying with earth-based spiritual paths.
Personally, I believe that Eastern philosophies and ethics, including those found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Jainism, Shinto, and other traditions, is a foundational puzzle piece in the ethical framework of Western occultism and Paganism. Eastern and Western mysticism are not as separate as one might think, and in many ways they are complementary to each other. The increasing integration of Eastern and Western spirituality is allowing empathy to become more pronounced in modern occultism on a global scale.
IN PRACTICE
An Uncrossing and Cleansing Spell for Empaths
The purpose of this working is to banish negative external energy from your sphere. For empaths who experience a dose of paranoia, it’s easy to assume that overwhelming emotional experiences are the result of curses that have been cast. While this may be true on rare occasion, the vast majority of these experiences are the result of improper energy processing. Still, there are times when a person finds it difficult to discern whether their experiential negativity is externally or internally sourced, or if it’s a combination of the two factors. Because empaths absorb external emotional energies whether they’d like to or not, occasional uncrossing spells and rituals can help dissipate energy that has attached itself, whether intentional or otherwise.
As with most folk magick, this spell serves as a framework and is open to modification. Turn off your phone and work by sunlight, moonlight, or candlelight. It is vitally important that you feel safe and protected in an area of your home or in nature that makes you feel comfortable and secure. You will need to situate yourself undisturbed in a sacred space for at least an hour. Beforehand, gather an empty glass bottle or vial, a bit of vinegar, an incense charcoal, and a safe burning container (or simply light a stick of incense that you feel is especially mystical). Feel free to use any of the herbal components mentioned in this spell that are readily available; otherwise, you may substitute certain components or leave some out. You may also substitute other components in this spell; for example, you may wish to use Florida water, vodka, or witch hazel in place of the vinegar. Trust your intuition. Additionally, get a black onyx stone and place it in the empty jar before beginning the spell. Also, be sure you’ve ignited the incense charcoal beforehand outside of your ritual space, so the fumes won’t influence your work.
In your sacred space, enter a meditative state of mind. Slow your breathing, close your eyes, and focus on the environment. Allow your emotional body to merge with the energies surrounding you. If you are outdoors, consciously align your emotional body to the rhythm of nature. Pay attention to the subtle sounds around you, tuning in to the elements that surround you. If you’re indoors, sense the layout of the room. Take mental note of the objects and items situated around you.
When you’re ready, cast a magick circle, perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, or simply visualize yourself surrounded in a sphere of glowing white protective light. Craft a sacred space in whatever way makes you feel comfortable. Invite the guides, guardians, angels, ancestors, and protective spirits in a manner that resonates with you personally. When you truly and strongly feel their presence, proclaim: “Mighty ones, bear witness. I channel all curses within this!” Hold the glass jar above your head. Continue to repeat the affirmation as many times as you’d like, imagining any external juju lifting off of you and moving into the black onyx. Rub the bottle and/or stone on your body to help external energies filter into the spell.
Place a combination of agrimony and rue on the ember. (You may also add dried nettle, if you so choose.) Waft its smoke around your body. If you choose, feel free to get skyclad (nude) and allow the smoke to touch every inch of your physical body. Be sure to inhale a bit of this smoke so its essence can enter your bloodstream. As you do this, visualize the smoke vaporizing and banishing external negative influences: this is a super-smudging.
Next, sprinkle the vinegar around you and rub some onto your brow, the top of your head, and the back of your neck. Declare: “With this bitter water it all shall lift: external pains be set adrift!”
Use the rest of the vinegar to anoint various places on your body that you feel could use an energetic boost or that may carry excessive energy. If you have any physical injuries or disabilities, be sure to anoint these particularly vulnerable areas.
Add a few drops of the vinegar to the bottle, add a bit of salt, and then fill up the bottle with any combination of these uncrossing herbs: angelica, sulfur, anise seed, balm of Gilead (poplar bud), rue, nettle, wahoo, agrimony, and chili pepper. For an added boost, create an herbal sachet for the bath using these herbs.
To conclude, waft the bottle through the incense smoke, anoint it in the shape of a pentagram using the vinegar, and hold it to your face. Inhale the energetic essence of the herbs, and exhale blue light around the bottle. When you feel that the bottle of herbs has been activated and is aligned to your energy, give deep thanks to the spirits and close the circle. Keep the bottle by your bedside or carry it with you when you need to ensure that your energy stays your own.
Empathy versus Psychicism and Other Traits
People defined as psychics have a strong amount of psychic ability, and people defined as empaths have a strong amount of empathic ability. Simply put, psychics are individuals who are keenly mentally perceptive and intuitive, while empaths are people who are more emotionally perceptive and intuitive. As we’ve examined, empaths not only tend to have knowledge about another person’s internal emotional state but also are prone to taking on or absorbing the other person’s state of being. Everyone has some amount of psychic ability and some amount of empathic ability, each to varying degrees. Many would say that the two abilities are complementary, just like the cognitive and affective processes of the brain operate together.
An empath may not demonstrate the level of intellectual discernment that a psychic would. For example, a psychic might look at somebody and objectively sense that they are struggling with a drug addiction. An empath, however, could only tell that the person is emotionally hurting. Someone who demonstrates both psychic and empathic qualities might sense a bit of both, but their impression wouldn’t be as strong either way as it would be if they were predominantly psychic or predominantly empathic.
Similarly, I remember an instance years ago when I met up with a couple of friends who greeted me very warmly and overexcitedly. Empathically, I absorbed the emotion of overjoy yet sensed that something was “off” that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Later, a third person told me that they had just been saying malicious things about me and were overcompensating in their behavior toward me; this is the sort of detail that I would have been able to sense if I were more psychic than empathic.
Some healers believe that a person who is experiencing extreme psychic overload should try to move their focus into the emotionally based empathic realm and that a person who is experiencing extreme empathic overload should try to move their focus into the mentally based psychic realm to help balance their perceptions, if only momentarily.
Some people like to use the term physical empathy if they are able to sense the physical pain or ailment of another person. Because empathy itself is an emotional experience, this physical transference is likely more related to medical intuition, which is a type of psychic ability used for sensing a person’s physical ailments or imbalances.
I am blessed to have a friend like Lisa Allen, also known as Calantirniel or Aartiana, who is an astrologer, herbalist, and co-founder of the Tië eldaliéva spiritual path based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Lisa is also someone who experiences physical transference. She told me, “I will get pain in my body that is not mine. For instance, if someone has wrist pain due to an injury and I give him or her a reading, if I don’t cleanse my energy, I can get wrist pain the next day. What I didn’t know until recently, however, is that when someone is under a lot of emotional or mental stress, and if I do not physically cleanse myself and/or the area, I will end up getting a physical pain representative of that stress. It takes a long time for these symptoms to leave, and sometimes just the acknowledgment of where the pain came from is not enough to process it out. Sometimes this will require physical treatment; sometimes I have to go to the store to buy metaphysical dynamite to blow that stuff out! What’s the advantage? I can manifest things fast!”
Some practitioners use the terms tele-empathy, telempathy, or telepathic empathy to refer to individuals who demonstrate both psychic and empathic skills to a high degree. A number of empaths I’ve talked to, on the other hand, disagree entirely, feeling that a person cannot be purely psychic and empathic simultaneously, and that the two can only coexist in different ratios. This view is understandable because both traditional psychicism and empathy are such precise skills focused on different things: one on the mental plane and the other on the emotional. If these skills were coexisting in full force, the result would be maddening; this is why I believe people tend to be either predominantly psychic or predominantly empathic, though additional metaphysical skills can certainly come into the mix. Also, though a person may be “mainly” this or that, one’s abilities can fluctuate day to day. There are some days when my empathy is turned waaay up, for example, and other days when my psychic ability is more prominent.
As we’ve explored, the intellectual, rational, cognitive mind is an ultimately incomplete device for fully understanding and processing life’s experiences. The same goes for the empathic, emotionally-centric portion of our constitution. Both must work in unison to form a perceptive, communicative whole. A healthy psychic has a decent empathic capacity, and a healthy empath has a decent amount of psychicism, so the two are never fully mutually exclusive. Someone may wake from a sound sleep and suddenly think that a place in the world is in pain, only to later read the newspaper and discover that the area they perceived just suffered a natural disaster. A family member or close friend might suddenly know that a person is experiencing deep sadness or high ecstasy, a perception that is both psychic and emotionally based. A person may be able to instantly sense when others are disapproving or angry with them, even if they’re not directly in the other person’s presence and with no prior indication hinting at their disapproval. These occurrences may also be considered examples of telempathy.
There are other times when the line between psychicism and empathy can blur. One of my spiritual elders recently reminded me that one palpable bridge between the psychic realm and the empathetic realm occurs with psychometry, which is a form of psychic retrocognition (as opposed to precognition). This entails a person holding an object and immediately receiving impressions about its history or emotional vibration trapped within the item. Psychometry and other psychic skills can sometimes bridge the gap between the mind (psyche) and the heart (emotive). One may also absorb residual emotional energy in a house or an area of land. One may practice abilities of mediumship, communicating with spirits of the deceased, and become overwhelmed by their projected emotion. A number of psychic arts have the tendency to hinge on the empathic realm, though empathy remains distinctive because of its emotional implication. Though empathy is its own unique entity, additional spiritual skills can intertwine, interconnect, and interrelate with it.
Similar Spiritual Abilities
Reading a person’s actions, words, body language, expressions, and microexpressions to discern what the person is thinking and feeling is a type of observational psychicism. Coupled with empathy, this creates a powerful blend of extrasensory perception. Some individuals are better able to read body language than others, which can lead to increased psychic abilities if the skill is honed with objectivity. This is especially true for people who have suffered abuse, who are hearing impaired (and thus good at reading body language), who are visually impaired (and thus good at reading vocal intonation), or who have been otherwise forced to be especially observant for the sake of personal or familial safety.
Psychic phenomena can also be nonvisible, as is the case with psychic visions, spirit communication, intuitive foresight about a person or situation, or oneiric skills such as prophetic dreaming and astral projection. Medical intuition—where a person is able to discern illnesses or issues simply by observing a client—may be a combination of observational and nonvisible psychicism and tends to utilize the psychic skills of clairvoyance, clairaudience, and/or clairsentience in diagnosis rather than empathy.
Psychological and neurological studies of empathy remind us that empathy is scientifically verifiable—something that psychics of all varieties have long struggled to demonstrate within their own arts. Empathy and other forms of psychicism are very much part of the human constitution. All sentient beings use some amount of empathy and psychicism in daily life, even though it’s not always recognized as such.
Many different metaphysical skills, abilities, and powers are recognized in the field of parapsychology, the psychology of paranormal phenomena as it relates to the mind. Though I have qualms with the terms paranormal and supernatural in reference to many of these natural and normal skills, I understand the need to differentiate these meta-skills from ordinary physical abilities that are studied in common science.
When examining empathy within a metaphysical framework, it’s a good idea to have some comparison between it and other skills. The spiritual abilities listed here are not directly related to empathy. As an empath, you may find yourself identifying with some of these spiritual skills but not others. You may find yourself identifying deeply with one skill but not at all with the others. You might find yourself exemplifying a mix of different skills in different degrees. You might find yourself in a state of confusion. At the end of the day, everyone has a bit of everything sprinkled in their character to one degree or another, all rolled up into one multitalented individual called the self.
For more information on clairvoyance, psychicism, astral projection, and related skills, I recommend checking out the comprehensive series of guidebooks co-written by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke and Joe H. Slate. There are many additional books on the market that explore these spiritual skills and others; simply hop online for knowledgeable suggestions and informed recommendations. The following list is provided to differentiate empathy from other skills that are commonly considered metaphysical and to give you, the reader, a better idea of your own unique skill set.
Astral Projection and Bilocation: Those who are prone to astral or bilocative work have the ability to project their etheric body outside of their physical frame. People prone to this work may be drawn to shamanism, etheric shapeshifting, spirit work, psychedelic spirituality, and multidimensional odysseys of the mind. When controlled, this ability can be immensely healing and can open the door to gaining wisdom from other planes of reality. As a general rule, those who have strong abilities in these realms are prone to removing their perception from their physical body throughout the day, and they feel safer and more secure in “disconnected” realms of existence, such as those that involve dreaming, deep meditation, or even gaming.
Clairaudience: This is a type of psychic phenomena concerned with hearing sounds, voices, or other audible messages pertaining to the past, present, or future. This supernormal form of hearing can appear to originate from spirit guides, angels, demons, ghosts, deities, or guardian entities.
Clairsentience: Clairsentience is a type of psychic phenomena concerned with intuitively feeling energies or receiving messages pertaining to the past, present, or future. The common ability of picking up on the vibes of a person, place, or thing is a type of clairsentience. This is the most common form of psychic ability. Clairfragrance (receiving intuitive smells) and clairgustus (receiving intuitive tastes) are part of clairsentience.
Clairvoyance: This is a type of psychic phenomena concerned with seeing significant events or images pertaining to the past, present, or future. This sight takes place in the form of receiving closed-eye visions or of visions received during divination or scrying.
Divination and Prophecy: Divination is the psychic ability of receiving significant messages pertaining to the past, present, or future by means of divining, scrying, or otherwise “reading the signs.” Divination is an art as old as humankind itself, and in metaphysical circles some of the most common forms of divination include the Tarot, runes, palmistry, mirror gazing, stone casting, bone casting, shell casting, tea leaf reading, spirit boards, and so on. Prophecy and oracular work, on the other hand, can be described as a spiritually inspired form of precognition.
Mediumship: Mediumship is the skill of receiving messages from spirits of the dead or from another invisible realm. The art of physical mediumship relies on the psychic opening him- or herself to the spirit realm to the point of invocation or possession; from there, the spirit addresses a living individual or group of people, such as in a séance. Those who perform mental or cognitive mediumship utilize clairvoyance, clairaudience, and/or clairsentience to receive and convey pertinent messages through their own personality. Automatic writing is a form of mediumship. The process of materialization—producing physical objects seemingly from thin air—is renowned for being practiced by a number of “gurus” in the East and is usually regarded as fraudulent. (This, of course, gives a bad rap to people who are honestly trying to help their clients by utilizing their natural gifts of spirit communication.) Mediumship and spirit work can give rise to an empathetic experience by way of the practitioner becoming overwhelmed with the emotional energy of a spirit or an environment.
Mentalism: This is a form of psychological manipulation rather than actual psychic ability. Mentalism is usually classified as a type of stage magic or illusion. Mentalists have the ability to observe and direct a person’s five physical senses to the point of convincing them that a sixth sense is being utilized. Some mentalists, however, are deeply interested in the psychic and paranormal arts and make use of these arts not for entertainment but for personal spiritual progression (see Clint Marsh’s book in the bibliography). In this case, mentalism can be viewed as a tool for personal psychic development, with an emphasis on the mind’s ability to interact with reality, rather than utilizing supernatural forces or deceiving gullible people for personal gain.
Physical Working: This is a form of work that is either energetic or physical, or both, and is focused specifically on healing or somehow altering physical reality. This is related to telekinesis (psychokinesis) because of the ability to manipulate the physical realm. Those who speak of “physical empathy”—the ability to personally feel the physical pain another person is feeling, and which is sometimes connected to medical intuition—may not be exclusively empathic (which is strictly emotional), but may have pronounced talent in physical healing and the manipulation of the manifest plane. Reiki and other forms of energy work are often appealing to those who inherently have skill at manipulating physical reality. Many work as doctors, nurses, veterinarians, physical therapists, massage therapists, herbalists, reflexologists, personal trainers, or acupuncturists or in similar fields. Physical body healing is said by some to have an effect on DNA or cellular structure.
Precognition and Retrocognition: These are a type of psychic phenomena concerned with having a supernormal knowledge of events taking place in the future (precognition) or the unknown past (retrocognition). Precognitives and retrocognitives generally receive their knowledge in the form of waking (or even dreaming) visions, which means that these abilities are manifestations of clairvoyance. The receiving of premonitions is precognitive, though premonitions generally manifest as instinctual feelings of discomfort rather than specific precognitive visions, relating the occurrence to clairsentience. Both past-life recall and clairtangency (also called psychometry, the ability to receive visions from an object simply by touching it) are considered expressions of retrocognition. However, when emotional impressions accompany precognition or retrocognition, the line between empathy and psychicism becomes noticeably blurred.
Psychic Vampirism: This is a type of energy manipulation in the form of receiving energy rather than giving energy, and has gotten a bad rap over time. This skill, however, can be used for both positive and negative means, and many people with this ability follow a strong code of personal ethics. The terms emotional vampire and sympathy vampire more appropriately describe the types of people who are frequently mislabeled as psychic vampires. If a person isn’t aware of their vampiric disposition, then the energy exchange can often go uncontrolled or be dangerously one-sided, potentially turning the person into an emotional vampire or sympathy vampire. Psi-vamps, as they may be called, have the inherent need to absorb human energy (or energy through blood if the vampire identifies as Sanguinarian) to sustain their own prana or qi (personal energy), but this does not necessarily make them bad, evil, or unethical. This “need to feed” is frequently a result of traumatic childhood experiences or near-death experiences; however, trauma of any sort can also induce increased psychic ability, increased mediumship ability, increased astral ability, increased empathic ability, and so on. Many true psychic vampires are much more prone to absorb subtle ambient energy (the unused energy of a crowd, for example) or find a willing donor of blood or energy than they are to knowingly drain a random person’s life force. If a person is aware of their vampiric needs, they are much more able to exercise control and awareness of their disposition—the same goes for empathy! For more information on this fascinating ability, please see Michelle Belanger’s books in the bibliography.
Psychokinesis and Telekinesis: These skills involve the manipulation of physical reality by utilizing the power of the mind or by supernormal means. Psychokinesis can be described as the ability to suddenly physically move objects or people by using the powers of the mind alone. If the movement is unintentional, it is called telekinesis or teleportation. If the person can somehow start fires with their mind, they are considered pyrokinetic, though I have trouble believing any actual evidence exists for such an occurrence. The famous art of spoon-bending is a form of psychokinesis. These forms of physical-reality manipulation have understandably fallen under much scrutiny and skepticism.
Telepathy: This is a type of psychic phenomena concerned with the mind-to-mind communication of images, feelings, colors, or sensations. Virtually anything can be communicated telepathically. Telepathy is an aspect of clairvoyance.
IN PRACTICE
Find Your Metaphysical Elemental Alignment
Tossing aside elemental indications from your astrological birth chart, try “finding your element” based on the variety of spiritual powers. While everything in reality is indeed a fluid spectrum, people are nonetheless naturally inclined toward certain preferences, interests, and abilities in life.
Reflecting on the following divisions can orient you in your unique skill set and can give you an idea of the metaphysical areas you could benefit from working with magically. I have found that the easiest way to contemplate these divisions is by mapping them out on a chart aligned with the common Neopagan directional associations.
In your journal or on a large piece of construction paper, draw a large circle with an equal-armed cross in the center. Label the directions (N, S, W, E) and jot down notes from the following list. For example, write “astral projection” in the southeast part of the circle, write “mentalism” in the southwest, and so on. Once you have constructed the diagram to your liking, objectively reflect on your current personal abilities versus those that you would like to cultivate over time.
East (Air People): Analytical, problem-solving, intellectual, academic, thinking constantly. Enhanced awareness of the mental plane. Powers of psychicism and intuition.
Southeast: Powers of astral projection, bilocation, mediumship, channeling, and precognition.
South (Fire People): Adaptive, easily inspired, communicative, energetic, passionate. Enhanced awareness of the astral plane. Powers of energy manipulation and social activism.
Southwest: Powers of psychic vampirism, mentalism, persuasion.
West (Water People): Emotional, generous, open, relates easily to others, sensitive. Enhanced awareness of the emotional plane. Powers of empathy, sympathy, and psychotherapy.
Northwest: Powers of divination, prophecy, oracular work, and prophetic dreaming.
North (Earth People): Grounded, stable, rational, loyal, centered, contemplative. Enhanced awareness of the physical plane. Powers of body healing and physical medicine.
Northeast: Powers of medical intuition, physical empathy, and retrocognition.
Additionally, if you have room on the chart you created, you may also choose to write down extra correspondences on the lines of the equal-armed cross. Following these elemental examples, you may note the following skills directly on the central lines:
North-to-South: Powers of energy medicine (i.e., Reiki), physical working (i.e., massage therapy, acupuncture, martial arts, etc.), and telekinesis.
West-to-East: Powers of telempathy, clairsentience, clairaudience, clairvoyance, and telepathy.
Once you have discovered your “base” direction or element, think about the other skills and abilities listed near the location of your primary abilities. Do you wish to cultivate these skills and powers more deeply in your life, or do you feel comfortable working within your current paradigm? Record your thoughts and findings in your journal or Book of Shadows.
Receptive and Projective Empathy
When many people think of empathy as a spiritual power, their mind instantly goes to the overwhelming experience of absorbing the emotions that are present in one’s sphere. However, I believe there is another level to the empathic experience. For those readers who consider themselves strong empaths, maybe you have noticed those times when you yourself have the ability to influence other people’s moods when you’re feeling either really good or really bad. I would argue that empaths not only are influenced, but are actually influencers. Rather than simply acting as emotionally absorptive sponges, empaths can project and influence other people’s emotional realities, unconsciously and consciously.
Empathy is so interesting because it can be turned into a projective mode at the flick of a switch. This little empathic secret is not explored very often because high levels of empathy usually make the experience appear to be one-sided. Luckily, we can consciously choose to direct that swirling whirlpool of emotional energy into a motion that radiates outward from us rather than inward toward us. Through conscious redirection, we can shake off social energies that are spiraling into us. If we go into a social situation demonstrating a pessimistic attitude, our dark cloud will rain on everyone’s parade whether or not we intend it. If we are honest with others about how we’re feeling in that sort of scenario and are open to social communion and positive change, we can conduct those negativities into points of optimism.
If we feel balanced and as though there’s an equal give and take between our own energy and the energy of those around us, we then have the option of cycling emotional energy outward. The absorptive and projective sides of empathic energy are constantly flowing simultaneously, but it’s a matter of which one is carrying more force at any given time. Though at times it may feel like we are just absorbing the energies around us, we have the capability to transmute and redirect those vibes, and this is one way that empathic healing and magick can be successful. The more projective, inspirational, and uplifting we are, the more positive an influence we will have on those around us, and the less affected by external energies we’ll be in the process.
Gaining Directive Control
The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by an empathic experience, keep in mind that the flow of empathic energy actually works in two ways: absorptive and projective. Many mystical systems believe that the left side of the body is receptive or passive, while the right side is projective or active. In this sense, the left side of the body also represents a person’s past, while the right side represents a person’s future. It is reasonable to think that the human energy body works similarly for everyone, just like any other piece of our anatomy. This is especially pertinent for those who are right-handed, but for those who are left-handed or ambidextrous, the manner in which they can conduct energy is naturally more variable.
There are times when we highly empathic folks haven’t taken enough social precautions. There are times when unpredictable situations occur and when we absorb more emotional energy than we feel we can handle in conjunction with our own emotional wells. Sometimes the best way to relieve a distressing emotional buildup is to cry. But we must weep productively, allowing the tears to be deeply cleansing and not debilitating. By allowing emotions to process in a temporary release of tears, we can choose to fill that empty space with awareness, acceptance, and an inspiration for change.
When you experience strong empathy in a social setting (or even the residual emotional energy of a difficult environment, like in a hospital or memorial site), try to see how it enters your personal sphere of energy. Use your senses to feel the emotional point of entry. From personal experience, it seems to me that external energy enters a person through the left side of the body, in a widdershins (counterclockwise) fashion. This spiral of energy enters the body of the empath by swirling around the left side and then entering the empath’s body either at the mind (ajna chakra), heart (anahata chakra), or solar plexus (manipura chakra). Everybody is wired a bit differently, but these points of entry seem to be the most common. Personally, I perceive interpersonal energies spiraling around my head and neck area.
The empath has the ability to instantly transmute external energy when it enters. The energy can be visualized as exiting the feet so that Mother Nature can take it in. Some empaths like to visualize excessive energy exiting the right hand so it can be directed elsewhere. This energy work is especially beneficial in challenging social settings because it helps the empath invoke a bit of projective energy instead of simply accumulating it all within—which, as you probably know, can be dangerously overwhelming! By seeing and sensing the energies around you radiating outward from your body in a clockwise fashion, the otherwise strong influx of counterclockwise absorption can be lessened. This sort of visualization can occur in a moment of absorptive stress or can become incorporated into a larger meditation or personal ceremony.
You’ve got to take the energetic reins, cowboy! Empaths must strike a balance between energy coming in and going out. Too much focus directed outward or inward leads to an imbalance and potential energetic exhaustion. Many practitioners of energy healing and Reiki actively draw unseen energy into the left hand and conduct it through the right, acting as conduits for forces greater than themselves. Magickal practitioners do the same when conducting the energy of certain cosmic or terrestrial forces. Projection is the key to empathetic magick. In the course of daily conversation, notice how your energy exits your sphere from the right side of the body and enters others through their left. Indeed, we all have the ability to mindfully conduct the energy in our sphere, both coming and going.
This energetic influence holds true both privately and in group settings. Because this happens on an unconscious energetic level, it can even occur despite the emotional walls that less sensitive people construct around themselves. The next time you’re sitting down to tea (or whatnot) with other people, quietly observe if your own mood matches the mood of those around you. If you’re insecure, do other sensitive people around you become insecure? If you’re feeling chipper, do other sensitive people around you act similarly? By observing our own social influence—instead of only feeling influenced by those around us—we can more easily hone the direction our energy flows in any given situation.
We can transform other people’s emotional energies through conversation and through our immediate presence. Alongside a simple visualization of a clockwise projective spiral, sometimes all it takes to redirect social energy in the moment is to speak one little ol’ sentence. Even something as basic as a slightly audible exhalation or an “mmm hmm” can instantly redirect empathic energy from the inside to the outside. By intentionally shifting the dance of energies from absorptive to projective—which is very easy to do—we in turn influence those around us and can help shift perspectives. The more we actively try switching the energetic flow from passive to active, from absorptive to projective, the easier social interactions can become. Practice makes perfect. Empaths are not merely victims of emotional influx; we are transformers … and I’m not talking about Optimus Prime!
In addition to visualizing our personal energy becoming more radiant, we can also choose to use words of encouragement and kindness in our daily lives. We can also modify our body language and tone of voice to become “bigger,” which helps establish our presence in a situation where we’d otherwise be inclined to curl up in a fetal position. Larger body movements and vocalizations are tools for projecting empathic energy, thereby easing social anxiety and invoking a bit of self-confidence.
An empath’s words are often very powerful, even commanding, and this can have a big impact on others, to a much greater degree than the empath may realize. The same is true for strong psychics and those who are regularly tapped into nonphysical levels. This also holds true for people who are in positions of power or leadership or whom others look up to for guidance. Words are magickal; they change the perspectives and perceptions of those around us. Even by saying the smallest encouraging statement to someone or by offering a bit of positive feedback, a great echo of influence is created. This perspective shifts the other person’s perspective, sometimes influencing their own behavior and choices, which itself causes the echo to reverberate further throughout the world, influencing the realities of other beings—all because of you!
Personally, throughout my twenties, I was careless and lackadaisical with how I would communicate, not really considering the impact of each word. This is a lesson I am so thankful to have learned over time. The significant impact of our words gives us an obligation of responsibility when we communicate in everyday life. We must choose our words and energetic projections very wisely. Empaths and psychics are very influential types of people, and we have the potential to be overly forceful without even realizing it! Through a mere sentence, even a single word, we can easily and instantaneously push people away or bring them closer together, fill them with self-doubt, or inspire them with encouragement. While it’s not advisable to practice neurotic self-censorship, it truly is essential for us to choose our words wisely and realize how our reality is constantly influencing other people. As Don Miguel Ruiz writes in his book The Four Agreements, “Be impeccable with your word.”
Projection as Manipulation
While it’s true that untrained empaths can easily be persuaded or manipulated, the flip side is that once an empath learns these modes of communication, they themselves can become manipulators. Because empaths can pick up on subtle signs and gestures, we have the ability to modify our own behavior in an effort to influence others. If we can observe someone observing our own body language and mannerisms, we can alter these to sway a person’s perception of us or of a situation.
Some individuals who are less empathically inclined, and who have become masters of manipulation for personal gain, can take advantage of this ability by changing their facial expressions and altering their body language in order to produce a desired outcome from another person or group of people. This sort of manipulation is a type of mentalism that relies on persuasion and chicanery and is a pattern that some empaths may fall into if they are feeling especially victimized or overcome by trauma or by strong empathetic experiences in daily life. Though it may seem like an effective response for the sake of self-preservation, it’s actually a perversion of the empathic ability because it sidesteps the compassion that normally accompanies the empathetic experience; it replaces honesty with unhealthy self-servitude. It’s a cop-out pain response that has a lot in common with sociopathy.
Luckily, it’s rare that an empathic person would actually want to manipulate others, because it’s dishonesty used for personal advancement. Strong empaths have an unshakable, unbreakable core of compassion that will carry them through their lives, even during those times when it feels like turning it all off would be a good solution. Empaths do not advocate exploitation of any sort, no matter how deep our own emotional wounds may be. We ourselves don’t want to be manipulated, so why would we want to manipulate others? It’s true that we have the ability to get into a person’s head, and it’s true that we can modify our vocal tone and microexpressions, and it’s true that we can use this ability to persuade others on subtle levels, but come on—that sort of behavior is almost always immoral and is not the behavior of a wise or empowered empath. When a person begins engaging in this type of behavior, their otherwise compassionate nature becomes shrouded in a cloak of dishonesty. Unless a highly empathic person feels severely threatened, they are not likely to engage in this behavior. Still, this uncommon response to empathic ability deserves to be mentioned because it does occur for some individuals.
Spiritual empaths strive to influence other people’s realities in a progressive manner, so it’s essential that we be mindful of our own emotional state at any given time. The more we work on ourselves, the more effective our spiritual service and our magick become. Even the smallest interactions carry emotional weight and can influence a person’s entire day. By choosing to insert humor and positivity into daily interactions, we are utilizing the projective aspect of empathy in a way that is both karmically and spiritually responsible.
Energetic awareness won’t solve all of an empath’s problems, but it sure makes the daily grind easier. It also connects us to the unseen planes in ways we wouldn’t experience if we just went with the flow of life. We have the inherent ability to conduct emotional energy through our body and mind, so why not use it for the greater good?
IN PRACTICE
Exploring Empathic Energy with a Partner
If you’d like to experiment with a consensual partner, you can explore projective empathy by energetically traveling into each other’s aura, chakras, physical body, or energy field. This sort of empathic surrender to another person requires an established relationship of trust, so it should be practiced with someone close to you who is also open to energetic exploration.
In a comfortable and quiet space, sit in a comfortable cross-legged position on the ground or in chairs that face each other. Close your eyes and perform deep breathing techniques. Meditate for a few minutes while you both enter a sacred frame of mind.
You and your partner should keep your eyes only slightly open for the duration of the exercise in order to allow your third eye to open with greater ease. First, stretch your hands toward each other with about a foot or two of space between you and your partner. Ensure that your arms are positioned in a manner that will not allow your elbows to become strained. Be sure you are comfortable, knowing that you can hold this position for at least a few minutes.
Repeat the lines of a common nursery rhyme that you and your partner have previously agreed upon and have rehearsed. You should rotate speaking these lines one at a time. For example, you might say, “Mary had a little lamb,” followed by your partner saying, “Its fleece was white as snow.” Depending on the length of the nursery rhyme, repeat it a few times while you observe the exchange of energy. Once giggles have subsided, observe the projective energy exiting your right hand and the right side of your body while you speak. When your partner speaks, observe their energy entering your left hand and the left side of your body.
After you’ve played with the rhymes, take turns being the silent projector or receiver to see how sensitive you are to your partner’s energy and how sensitive they are to yours. If you are the projector, silently focus your energy through your right hand. Imagine energy entering your head from the cosmos while you channel it in pulsating bursts into your partner’s left hand. Switch and allow them to do the same with you. This exchange of energy should form a lemniscate (an inifinity loop or figure eight) between you and your partner.
When you’ve finished, discuss the experience and think about how this sort of energetic exchange influences you on a daily basis—and how you influence it!
EMPATHIC CONTEMPLATION
Types of Empaths
Rose Rosetree’s resourceful book Empowered by Empathy: 25 Ways to Fly in Spirit was one of the first metaphysical books written specifically for empaths. In it, the author identifies various “types” of empaths, such as emotional empaths, medical empaths, intellectual empaths, physical empaths, crystal empaths, and so on. I have heard others use terms such as nature empaths, cosmic empaths, animal empaths, mental empaths, and a number of other mystical variations.
My take is this: there is only one type of empath. I believe that there are only emotional empaths; the very term empathy implies emotion by necessity. Because empathy is not a supernatural power (and neither are psychic skills), I don’t think we need to “supernaturalize” these abilities for the sake of convenience; I think this does a disservice to human empathy by marginalizing it into a power that only a handful of people have. But, just the same, because I’m an empath I can understand and even celebrate interpretations of empathic skills that are different from my own—diversity is beauty! I don’t feel that empathy needs to be subcategorized, though I most certainly understand that different people are sensitive, both psychically and empathically, to different, specific things such as the physical body, the cosmos, the mental plane, the animal realm, the plant realm, the mineral realm, the spirit realm, and so on.
I suspect that the empath “types” came about because different people harness their empathy in different ways. An empath who has great ecological concern will feel an overwhelming sense of empathy toward Mother Earth’s living vibrancy. Just the same, if a person has come to believe that humans are not emotionally safe to open up to, they may develop extreme empathy toward animals but will actively shut it off around other people. In this way, the original gift of empathy becomes compartmentalized through exclusivity. I would be more prone to use the term intuitive when referring to the empathic types; for example, I am an empath who is also intuitive with nature and with the animal realm. I feel that these strengths are extensions and expressions of empathy, not subtypes.
While I do believe that empathy and psychic powers and similar abilities are a mystical part of the human experience, they are very much natural and normal. Empathy is both physical and metaphysical. This is why I even struggle with the term empath in the first place; it is a normal part of the human experience. Just the same, calling oneself an empath (of any variety) can be a source of empowerment and emotional attunement. For me, it helped me understand myself and embrace my weirdness at a young, impressionable age. While I believe that strength can come from identity, titles are only labels; what’s actually important is the work we are doing and the person we are choosing to be on a daily basis.
CHAPTER MEDITATION
A Yesod Pathworking for Empathic Wisdom
Empaths have a natural connection to the moon. While the sun is the extroverted, life-giving star that graces the day, Luna softly observes the world at night, a mystical counterpart to the boisterous Sol. As the moon interacts with other planetary bodies, she influences the tides of the oceans and the tides of our internal landscape. She oversees the feminine mysteries through the cycle of menstruation and embodies a gentle yet powerful presence. With mythologies and spiritual legends greater than I can begin to explain, the moon is a cosmic embodiment of empathy and nurturing.
One of my favorite ways of accessing lunar energy, alongside Drawing Down the Moon with my coven and simply bathing in moonlight, is to reach Luna’s radiance through Qabalistic pathworking. Also called sphereworking, pathworking is a relatively recent term in esoteric Qabalah and refers to a meditational journey through the Tree of Life. Pathworking involves an alteration of consciousness to spiritually tap into the divine frequencies embodied in the sephira and their paths. Pathworking is mystical astral work generated by the magician’s intent, will, and focus.
For readers who may be unfamiliar with these concepts, never fear! The meditation I present here does not require a person to be deeply familiar with occult philosophy, but rather to have an open mind to the imagery and the experience. If you’d like to deepen your exploration into the esoteric aspects of Qabalah, please see the variety of books on the subject that I list in the bibliography—there is some amazing material out there, and we are lucky enough to live in a time when we have access to everything the world has to offer.
In short, the Qabalah (also spelled Kabbalah and Cabala) is a mystical system developed in Spain and northern France among Jewish communities, who had previously drawn on older Jewish mystical traditions such as Merkabah (“Chariot”) mysticism. Just as Sufism is the mystical side of Islam, Qabalah is the mystical side of Judaism. The Qabalah has seen numerous interpretations and variations through Christian, Hermetic, Gnostic, Pagan, and New Age schools of thought, and has become one of the most profoundly influential aspects of esotericism in the West.
It is from Sepher Yetzirah (The Book of Formation) that we get the idea of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. This divine tree can be seen as a map of God. The text includes descriptions of the sephira, which are the spheres on the Tree of Life (and are also called the fruits, emanations, or lights), and also includes descriptions of the mystical paths that connect each sphere. The twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet correspond to these paths. Classical planetary associations are aligned with each sephiroth (the singular form of sephira). There exists a seemingly endless number of correspondences to these sephira and paths, including mystical associations with Tarot cards, colors, scents, herbs, deities, stones, incenses, elements, materials, symbols, emotions, areas of the body, and much more. The esoteric approach to the Qabalah that we encounter in modern occult traditions was greatly influenced by the work of Eliphas Lévi and by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, both in the nineteenth century.
Please perform this Qabalistic pathworking on the night of a full moon. Be sure to be freshly bathed and prepared for magickal work; perhaps you have special clothing, robes, or jewelry that help you connect with spiritual forces. Cast a magick circle of protection if it’s your habit, and make plans to spend the remainder of the evening relaxing and unwinding. If you’d like, vocally record this meditation in a gentle, slow voice with plenty of interludes between steps, and then play it back to yourself as you meditate.
1. Situate yourself in a comfortable position and light a purple or violet candle. Burn jasmine incense and get as relaxed as you possibly can. Ensure that you won’t be disturbed and will experience quietude and comfort throughout the meditation. Draw attention to your breath. Take deep and meaningful breaths to calm and center your energy. Close your eyes.
2. Visualize yourself surrounded in the color brown. This is the rich, deep color of the brown earth. You physically exist here, in Malkuth (Hebrew: 
, meaning “kingdom”), the bottommost sephiroth on the Tree of Life. As you inhale, use discernment to smell the rich earthen elements around you, even if you are indoors. Merge with the deep, rich energy of the element of earth by bringing awareness to your own physical body and by contemplating the ground on which we walk, the physical items we use on a daily basis, and the material plane that sustains our existence.
3. Slowly bring to mind the other elements. Visualize how air sustains life, and bring to mind how it rustles through forests, mountains, and deserts alike. Visualize fire as the warm energy that becomes recycled through photosynthesis, feeding life across the food chain. Visualize water as the womb of the earth, a giver of life, and the element that empowers you as an empath.
4. You are fully immersed in Malkuth. See yourself standing in a darkened room. You catch whiffs of sweet pine and patchouli drifting in the air. Take some time to visualize a black-and-white checkerboard floor pattern beneath you. You are standing on this floor, facing forward, with a tall black pillar to your right and a tall white pillar to your left. The blacks are made of onyx and the whites are made of marble. Focus on the contrasting colors of the pillars and the floor; perhaps they morph and alter themselves before your mind’s eye. You also feel the strong, nurturing energy of the Mother Goddess permeating everything in this realm.
5. To affirm your presence as a creature of earth, visualize your astral body speaking the divine name Adonai Melekh ten times (precise pronunciation is not important). Next, visualize yourself chanting the name of Malkuth’s angelic ruler, Sandalphon, ten times. Wait to see if you observe any visions or receive any messages. When finished, take an astral bow and proceed forward.
6. You are now walking down a beautiful indigo-colored hall. This is the “path of dreams,” the 32nd path on the Tree of Life, and is ruled by the Hebrew letter Tav ( 
) and the Tarot card XXI: The World (also called the Universe in the Thoth deck). As you walk forward, the smell of sweet myrrh fills your senses, and you perceive the loving yet uncompromising presence of the planet Saturn.
7. You eventually come to a beautiful black lead gate that towers high above you; it feels strong yet versatile, heavy yet welcoming. You give the passcode Aima (Hebrew: 
, meaning “mother”) and the gates slowly open. You walk through.
8. You enter the realm of Yesod (Hebrew: 
, meaning “foundation”). The world before you is covered in glowing mist and subtle smoke. Purples, silvers, and grays of all shades surround you. You catch a whiff of the rich, floral smell of opium. Suddenly you begin to make out images through the fog; you’re not sure what they are, but kindly astral entities are coming and going around you, on all sides, going about their otherworldly business. The obscured moon above you is glowing through the foggy sky, and it seems that the moon is waning and waxing all at once. The daydreamy world around you continues to morph and fluctuate; nothing here is solid. This place feels like a gentle, hallucinatory lucid dream, and it’s clear that nothing is as it seems.
9. You see a figure moving out of the fog, slowly approaching you yet keeping a comfortable distance. Like the soft hue of the moon above, you can’t tell whether this figure is near you or far away. You perceive it as a beautiful, strong, naked young man. His body is smooth and silky, and his smile is warm and welcoming. He is clearly male yet appears androgynous. His figure appears to shift between masculine and feminine; you perceive that he is both male and female yet is simultaneously nongendered. His welcoming presence awaits your inquiry.
10. At this point, your astral communication should be entirely freeform. Spend as much time as you need telepathically communicating with this youthful entity. Because you are in the territory of the moon, this is the time to ask this figure about the mysteries of empathy. Humbly ask any questions that come to your mind, and use discernment to psychically perceive the responses you’re given, many of which will be symbolic, ephemeral, and cryptic. Why were you born an empath? How can these abilities serve you and those around you? What is the purpose of your emotional depth?
11. When you feel that successful communication has occurred, take an astral bow to this radiant, faerylike being, thanking him deeply for blessing you with his presence and insights. To affirm your presence in this realm of the moon, visualize your astral body speaking the divine name Shaddai El Chai nine times (precise pronunciation is not important). Next, visualize yourself chanting the name of the archangel Gabriel nine times.
12. Mentally communicate gratitude to the sphere of Yesod. Instead of continuing forward, slowly turn around and make your way back through the lead gates. Slowly walk down the violet hall and return to the checkerboard room. You see the black and white pillars facing you, with the black on the left and the white on the right. You slowly walk back through these pillars and transmit the energy of heartfelt gratitude. You declare that you’d like to return to your familiar body in your familiar time and space.
13. Slowly return to your body by wiggling your fingers and toes and by taking deep breaths. Dissolve any residual astral energies by sending them an energy of gratitude. Because the Tree of Life is interwoven with the individualistic creative unconscious, the insights and imagery received might seem simultaneously foreign and familiar. Know that you are safe and spiritually protected, even if some of your journey seemed enigmatic.
14. Spend the rest of the evening in a relaxed state of mind. Ensure that you log all of the visions and messages you receive in your journal or Book of Shadows. This is also a great time to work on creative projects, read a novel, or take a nice walk in nature.