I have long believed, and with good reason from my perspective, that I am slightly empathic. From my experience, a lot of Theatre People are. It's just a sensitivity to other people's emotions, not like devil worship so please don't anybody start that in this thread. Anyhow, when I'm particularly receptive to it, I get this weird varity of sensations on this band that encircles my head where my forehead is and going all around. Different emotions produce different sensations, and I was starting to figure out what emotions were triggering what feeling.

Anyhow, a lot of people have told me they "don't believe in that kind of stuff." I was thinking about this a few weeks ago, and I started thinking of things I could use as examples. Here's a few that I came up with that show that people are, even if they don't recognize it, sensitive to (for lack of a better term) the energy produced by people:

*Those weeks where it feels like it's Wednesday or Thursday but it's really only Monday. Ever notice how when you say that everybody agrees?
*Those days that go by too fast or too slow, people tend to all feel that way
*Those inexplicable days where a bunch of people all wind up wearing similar/identical clothes

I know of others, like that nervous laughter, that could be construed either way, but because of the ambiguity I'll leave them out of this list.

Have you ever experienced a connection like that with a person/group of people? If so, tell the tale if you're so inclined.

You're not looney. A lot of people experience natural empathy to differing degrees. It gets so bad for me sometimes that I can't stand to be in a public or crowded place. I wouldn't say it's a supernatural thing, really. Maybe entirely natural. Perhaps we all have a sense that most don't bother paying any attention to.

I agree that it's entirely natural. Merely not ubiquidously (sp?) so.

Yeah, when I went to see "The Mothman Prophecies" (wow, what a bad movie), the audience got so jumpy and tense that my whole left side, from my toes to my face, was tingling with energy.

I think many people confuse natural empathy (being able to judge peoples actions, reactions, and just how they 'seem' for something paranormal.

I do feel there are times/examples of paranormal empathy, but I think most of it is more natural perception.

Everyone has the potential ability to tap into the universal subconsicious mind. Thus we all have the potential to connect with others.

Originally posted by Snouter
Everyone has the potential ability to tap into the universal subconsicious mind. Thus we all have the potential to connect with others.

Ahh, to be Jung and in New York in the Spring...

</obscure philosophy reference>

I have a belief that we have a web of sorts that connects us spiritually to other people. Have you ever been thinking about someone and had them call right then? I believe the connection is grows in strength as your emotions grow for that person. My connections with say, Tam would not be that strong as I have never met him in person, whereas my connections with my sisters would be very strong. I know it sounds a little nutty, but this belief goes back to the beginning of time.

I feel this quite often with people I am very close to. I can usually sense something about them, even when they are not present.

I believe we all give off energy and if you know how to tune into it...well, these things happen. :)

Or something like that...I'll shut up now. :|:o

I totally know what you mean. Me and my friend get our period at the same time every month! It's freaky!

So none of you are familiar with Jungian philosophy and the collective unconscious? Yikes! Check out Alex Grey (http://www.alexgrey.com)'s website. He's a painter that deals with a lot of spiritualistic themes.

Here's a good example of some of his stuff as it relates to the collective unconscious:

http://www.alexgrey.com/images/Theologue_poster.jpg

In case any of you don't know, those little glowing points on the body are the Chakras. Seems to be one missing, tho. There's one on top of the head that theoretically links the body to the heavens.

Right, Stage Monster. :)

Guitarophile - thanks for the link! I had that bookmarked awhile back and mistakenly deleted it. :(

Empathy is an essential component of human being. Those who lack empathy lack humanity and are known as "sociopaths" and worse.

I don't speak of that kind of empathy. I'm referring to the inate power to sense another's emotions so strongly that they are identifiable, that they create physical manifesations in the empath, et cetera. It's like a psychic power: most everybody's got it to some degree, I'm talking about those who have it to more than SOME degree, those who have it to a great degree.

Originally posted by Stage Monster
In case any of you don't know, those little glowing points on the body are the Chakras. Seems to be one missing, tho. There's one on top of the head that theoretically links the body to the heavens.

The illuminated chakra in the subject's forehead is the Ajna chakra, which corresponds to the brain's pineal gland. The pineal gland makes dimethyltryptamine, a neurotransmitter. When the alkaloid form of dimethyltryptamine(DMT (http://www.discussanything.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13453)) is smoked, the resultant state, known popularly as "hyperspace" to psychonauts or the "astral plane" to meditation purists, resembles the landscape in this painting. It's real and it's there for anybody who's made it that far out.

Cool. Thanks. Hey, do you know any websites with info on the Chakras?

Originally posted by Stage Monster
Cool. Thanks. Hey, do you know any websites with info on the Chakras?

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?lastnode_id=1028838&node_id=82372

Everything2 is always a good reference.

Guitaro- that would have been the 'web' I was referring to. We sort of form a spider web of connections.

say ":bs:" to ppl who say empathy isn't real. Honestly, everyone experiences it, but to different degrees. Trust me on that one.

Stage Monster,
I'm so glad you brought this up. I've had some experiences too. I just had no idea what it was. I believe we all are connected in someway or another, because of these very experiences. I mean why do we feel them?

Another one I've always wondered about, when a saying or trend comes out, it seems that everyone knows of it very quickly. It's everywhere or everyone is saying it.

I've done the long day or short day thing too and anyone I talk to also thinks it Sunday instead of Saturday. In fact does anyone feel like it's Sunday now, I do!?



Guitarophile,
I have read a little on chakra. Thank you for posting that link.
Those painting are just amazing.

hmm... I feel some redundance coming on... I responded to the "windows to the soul" thread with much of what I'd have to say here. Yes, I feel it, and I feel it VERY strongly. Sometimes to the point where it's overwhelming. I usually can't bring myself to go to large social events... for that reason. I get too many... ( I don't want to say "vibes" because that's not quite what they are.) feelings. (you who get it know what I mean....)
anyway... it exists. No doubt in my mind.
(P.S. Zach.. this is going back a bit, but it's ubiquitous.)

peace
~meredith

Originally posted by salach leine
I usually can't bring myself to go to large social events... for that reason. I get too many... ( I don't want to say "vibes" because that's not quite what they are.) feelings. (you who get it know what I mean....)

peace
~meredith

I try to explain this very thing to my friends, and I get blank looks. I've found that drinking dulls my sensitivity in that respect. Another good one is to stay away from the mentally unstable. I always seem to pick up whatever's wrong with them and it's with me for days after!

yeah, my curse is the ability to see down to the cause of people's problems, but to either be unable to tell them or to have them not believe me. I just watch, it's the way I am, but by watching and listening I oftentimes get an insight into why a person is having the problems they're having...and yet I can't fix it.

But...um...yeah...lost train of thought...