Are you an empath? In other words, are you profoundly sensitive and open to the emotions of others, and possibly even to the emotions connected to objects, areas, or buildings? Hey, me too! And that’s great! Because the world needs us: a single empath can improve the vibration in a room, enhance the harmony in a group, and soothe the heartache of a friend. But only when we’re energetically clear and vibrant. And because there is so much in the world that can drain us (from seeing violence in the news to witnessing the swatting of a fly), we absolutely must take the time to recharge.
Indeed, when we’re charged up and glowing with radiant energy, we can appreciate all the blessings of being an empath – such as an open heart and a deep current of joy and belonging – without feeling buffeted about by all the pain and challenges in the world. While we can still feel even subtle currents of emotion, we become beacons of healing . We counterbalance the world’s suffering, rather than letting it overwhelm us and drain us of our gifts.
That’s why I’ve compiled my 8 best recharging strategies for empaths (in no particular order) below.
Sea salt baths. Just a couple of handfuls of plain sea salt dissolved in a warm bath is a reliable prescription for clearing and recharging the energy field. Preferably, soak for at least 30 minutes by candlelight, and say a quick blessing over the water before you get in. Keep a generous supply of drinking water on hand as well, and bless that too! You might direct your palms toward the water and say, “Divine Presence, thank you for filling this water with vibrations of healing, purification, and love.”
Eating and drinking green veggies & fruits. A healthy heart chakra – a vital power center for empaths – vibrates at the frequency of a lush emerald green. Consuming foods and beverages densely packed with chlorophyll – i.e. green veggies and green veggie juice – brings this vibration into our field and recharges the heart with precisely the energy it needs. Green fruits, like kiwis and avocados, can be great for the purpose too. Plus, this stuff is obviously all super healthy!
Crystals. Considering how sensitive to energy you are, you may have noticed that crystals are like little energy batteries. As such, carrying, wearing, or sleeping near a crystal can help restore and recalibrate your energy field, especially when you choose a crystal that feels particularly healing and balancing to you. There are countless that could be employed for this purpose, but a few ideas include tourmaline, aventurine, spirit quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, kunzite, fluorite, and white quartz. (Make sure to cleanse your crystals regularly in sea salt, sunlight, sage smoke, or running water.)
Nature. While every single human will benefit immensely from spending time outdoors in a natural setting (or even a backyard), it’s a particular necessity for empaths. Absolutely nothing works precisely like nature to instantly balance and recharge us. And tons of extra credit points if you walk barefoot: it’s a panacea for all forms of energetic burnout.
Being alone. My dear fellow empaths, we absolutely must must must have regular doses of alone time. We can shield ourselves in light and carry crystals all day long, but when there’s another human around, we will not fail to be influenced by his or her vibrations. And while that isn’t a problem much of the time, when we never have a moment to be solely present with our own personal vibrations, we can become very frazzled empaths indeed.
Laughing until you cry. If you don’t already have a standby movie, cartoon, youtube clip, or book that you know never fails to make you laugh until you cry, make finding one – at least one! – an absolute priority. (Of course, friends and family members who reliably make you laugh until you cry are even better, but they are sometimes busy.) This is because laughing – especially super hard – transmutes stuck pain into flowing joy: hence the tears. It also breaks down the unhealthy defenses that we can sometimes erect as a survival strategy, so that we can once again connect with ourselves and the world in a way that feels nourishing to us.
Fresh flowers. Spending time with flowers or bringing fresh flowers into your space – especially flowers that you feel drawn to for the purpose – provides an instant and robust inflow of energetic refreshment. Flowers have the added benefit of working on the level of the emotions to repair and reboot.
Deep breathing exercises. Any kind of deep breathing exercise – even the simple act of breathing deeply and slowly for a couple of minutes – is an indispensible tool for the self-nurturing empath. Old feelings can become lodged in one’s body and energetic field, and deep breathing can help us dislodge these feelings and move them out. At the same time, breathing deeply floods us with freshness and cleansing energy, while we simultaneously receive divine information and healing wisdom encoded in the air.
…And, of course, we must also remember to clear and shield our energy daily!
Thank you for this post. It’s very timely for me. I don’t like to admit I ‘m an empath. It feels like a weakness. But all these things should help!
Hi Judy! Being an empath is a strength for sure! Glad to hear the suggestions are helpful. Thank you for reading and connecting.
Hi, I’m sorry but I can’t seem to get any of these. My chest starts to beat so fast and than like that I’m drained again. I’d say I probably have to recharge almost all day. And the worst is I’m depressed, do you know which one I should really stick to? Have you heard this before?
Ruben, that sounds very challenging! I suggest doing this meditation or one like it every day: https://tesswhitehurst.com/quick-thorough-aura-cleansing-meditation/
Love this. Thank you
Happy to hear it, Heather! Thanks for reading. 🙂
Thank you very much for this. I naturally do alot of these suggestions but I never knew why I craved salads or needed to walk in the woods alone. I’ve recently discovered that I was the one that my mother’s psychic kept telling her about many, many years ago. I’m still learning and will continue to learn and grow. Thank you again!
Love and Light,
Sherri
Awesome, Sherri! Great that you’ve been following your intuition about recharging. Thanks for reading!
Very helpful thank you, it’s definitely not easy at times being an empath. However I wouldn’t ever NOT want to be who and what I am. I am me, and I’m here for the world to see…
Hi Michael! Exactly. I feel the same way.
This is very helpful, thank you!
I had never heard of being an empath until a few days ago, when I saw the title of your article I had to read it. It all fits so well, I just didn’t have a name for it. I have craved or even done some of the things you have suggested without quite knowing why, it simply felt right.
I am a few weeks away of becoming a child psychologist. While I have been carrying for others ever since I was a child, this is the way I have chosen to continue that work as I move forward. And just as I am about to embark fully on this journey, I also chose to to live in the magnificent Canadian rocky mountains. Nature has always been my refuge and source of inspiration and strength, and now I am surrounded by it. Although I still have to drive to the city to work regularly, I get to recharge my energy in nature everyday and bring that forward to those around me.
Oh the mountains! I moved to the Colorado Rocky Mountain region in August and I’m LOVING it. Glad the post was helpful – thank you for connecting. 🙂
Being alone is essential. For me this is like a mandatory thing, being around groups of people no matter what types is draining for me. Solitude is like a deep connecting to an infinite power source. Also having orgonite and crystals around is very helpful as well. Changing the color of your clothes can help allot as well. Black color is absorbing so for an empath. Gray white or green work well.
Cool! Thanks for reading and sharing your recharging strategies, Erik!
I’m not sure if I’m a true empath. I’ve been told that I am a very powerful one, but my abilities manifest so rarely and on such a scale that I literally feel the emotions of others smothering my own that I find myself wondering if it’s all in my head. Any suggestions on what I should do? I want to access my empath abilities, if I really do have them, but I’m scared because of the rawness and strength of the power when it happens at random.
Hi Molly! It definitely sounds like you’re an empath. Do you regularly clear ands shield your energy? That should definitely help. Here’s a video post I did on the subject: https://tesswhitehurst.com/how-and-why-to-clear-and-shield-your-energy/. And here’s a guided meditation I recently published that also may help: https://tesswhitehurst.com/quick-thorough-aura-cleansing-meditation/
Hi Tess,
I just discovered that I am an empath. I recently went through divorce and I cannot stop thinking about him. I had a vision for our family, but he was not getting on board very well. Is there a way for me to attract my ex back into my life even if he is so completely closed off and wants nothing to do with me? Is there a way to clear all of my energy to clear my head, focus on work, school, and balance myself completely to remove all self limiting beliefs and start discovering who I truly am?
I would love to become an amazing mother some day and have an amazing relationship. Is there a way to heal my body, mind, soul, and start manifesting an incredible life? I am kind of having a hard time coming out of this…I haven’t been hung up on someone this much before and why doesn’t he feel the same way? He says I am ‘too emotional’ probably because I am an empath…any suggestions/guidance for me? Is there a way for me to attract an incredible life and feel a lot happier than I do now? I have tons of blessings, but I am getting dragged down by extremely negative thoughts and beliefs.
Hi there! I’m so sorry to hear about your heartbreak and other challenges. First, if you have any clutter anywhere, I recommend clearing it. I also recommend doing this meditation daily: https://tesswhitehurst.com/quick-thorough-aura-cleansing-meditation/. Here are two more blog posts I think might be beneficial for you right now: https://tesswhitehurst.com/5-spells-to-get-yourself-out-of-a-funk/ and https://tesswhitehurst.com/why-you-should-not-do-a-love-spell-on-a-specific-person/
So sorry you’re going through this. Love, relationships are so engrained in our psyche, our worth, our needs, that when they’re stripped from us, even if toxic they create a void. Often times your remnants of the good things are tied up in guilt, shame, anger and other emotions not able to be released. In many cases, when you haven’t created equal closure with your former partner, those unfinished feeling linger on, and on. For days, months and sometimes years.
I recommend doing cleansing rituals. First you must make peace with him. If at all possible let him know you want him to be happy and hope for the best. Negative energy breeds negativity. If that isn’t possible know the universe is trying to put things in proper alignment, even if it doesn’t feel that way. Create healing rituals. A bath with a bees wax candles, and bath salts. Aromatherapy. Lavender is a great essential oil.Self love. Acceptance. Walks. Crystals. Massages. Healing. And getting your positive energy out in the universe. Be open to love. Not necessarily to romantic love right away. But love of animals, people, and the universe. Meditate. Walk. Look at the stars in the sky and know love will come again in time. Volunteer. Exercise. Make new friends. Accept the past and let it go. It may not be easy, but take baby steps.
I would add to that scents – be it essential lavender oil or the smell of freshly tilled earth filtering through your hands.