“Sensitivity is your superpower.”
I said this to a client a few months ago and she wept. Her whole life she had “struggled” with being sensitive. Those around her had convinced her it was a weakness, something to overcome. She had to learn to “toughen up” and not feel so much. And yet, it felt like a sacred part of her, which . . .for decades. . . she had condemned and tried (without much success) to disown.
Navigating the world as a sensitive person isn’t always easy. If you’ve listened to my private podcast on empathy (it’s available for free here), we discuss the challenge of “empathy overload.” And many sensitive people experience this often or at certain points in their lives. I know I have. Empathy overload is when we unconsciously take on too much, or absorb the suffering or pain of those around us. It can become heavy and paralysing.
An essential part of navigating the world as a sensitive person is having rituals or practices of cleansing and releasing, and to do these on a regular basis.
If you study ancient or aboriginal cultures, they have many powerful rituals to help them “release” negative or unpleasant emotions that they may have absorbed from others or the environment around them. It’s important for us to adapt this idea and I wanted to share three of my favourite rituals with you here.
1. Bathing in the sea or taking a salt-bath.
Salt water is known for having cleansing properties, both physically and energetically.
If I have access to the sea, of course I prefer this. But living in Rome, this isn’t always easy. So, running a bath and putting a few handfuls of salt works also!
The key is your intention. As you immerse your body in the water, you ask or form the intention for all of the negative or unpleasant energies that you may have absorbed to be cleansed, released and disposed of properly.
2. Grounding into Earth.
Nature is incredibly healing and in modern day life, most of us live far more disconnected from the natural world than we are meant to be.
When I feel empathetic overload or overwhelm, I make it a point to get out into Nature. I find a quiet and secluded place. I take off my shoes and put bare feet and bare hands to Earth.
I form the intention that any negative energies, any heaviness or pain or suffering of others that I may have taken on get released and disposed of properly into Mother Earth. After, I usually spend a few minutes in silence, doing intentional deep breathing to restore my system.
3. The Green Waterfall Meditation.
I love this technique and use it often. It is a simple and very powerful visualisation.
Sit in a quite place and close your eyes. Do some deep breaths to connect to your body and move to a more internally aware place. Then imagine yourself, you entire body under a beautiful, soft green waterfall.
Green, in many Eastern healing traditions, is known to be a cleansing and soothing colour. Imagine yourself, for some minutes, standing under a light green waterfall. See the green water passing through your whole body, your brain, your heart, the area surrounding your body. And form the intention of releasing any and all unpleasant, heavy, or negative energies and emotions that you may have absorbed. Take your time and allow yourself to feel more at ease and liberated after this practice.
In order to be of greater service to others and the world around us, we have to keep ourselves well and clear. Practices such as these, when done on a regular basis can be incredibly restorative. The key is to make them an integrated part of your life and not to over complicate things.
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