Empath, Lightworker, or Spiritual Healer.... Which path am I on?!
Do you know the difference between being an empath, lightworker and spiritual healer?
As we journey through this life, discovering our gifts, talents, callings and such, it can often be very confusing, to know which path we are on and how we can best express them. On the other hand, many of us have already begun to discover and unlock our gifts and have begun sharing them with the world. No matter where you are along your journey, know that you are a wonderful and precious gift to this planet!
Along many of our individual journey’s we come across very familiar terms such as empath, lightworker, indigo, crystal, and rainbow children, and spiritual healers, and to be honest it can be very frustrating to make heads or tails of it all.
Well in this article, i have done my best to research and demonstrate the key similarities and differences between these paths of healing and life. Traditionally since each path ultimately aids in uplifting and healing the planet, these paths are often seen as one in the same. However these paths are very distinct callings, which happen to share similar traits. A person is generally aligns more closely with one category of traits, whether that is an empath, a lightworker, or a spiritual healer. Not all empaths are light workers or spiritual healers or vice versa across the board, however there are those of us who are the combination of 2 or even all 3 types and paths. So without further ado...
As a quick rundown, empaths focus more on interpersonal relationships and healing the emotions of others, while lightworkers focus on uplifting the planet, and a spiritual healer is someone who becomes a channel for the flow of healing light and energy. A person who shows traits in any or all combination would find their charge in 2 or more of these areas, however you will express these gifts according to your own uniqueness.
And now the nitty gritty….
Empaths - are people who can absorb and truly feel the emotions of others. Being an empath means that you feel other people’s emotions as your own. For example, if someone around you is very stressed you might start to feel very stressed even though there is no direct reason for you to feel this way. With this particular gift, observing another person’s emotional state activates parts of the neural network involved in processing that same state within yourself, whether it is disgust, touch, fear or even pain (think of sympathy pains during pregnancy or trauma) . Empaths have the ability to scan another’s energy for thoughts, feelings and possibly for past, present, and future life occurrences. The hallmark of an empath is that they feel and absorb other people’s emotions and/or physical symptoms because of their high sensitivities. They filter the world through their intuition and have a difficult time intellectualizing their feelings. Empaths are unique, highly sensitive people who see and react to the world differently than most. Empathic people process sensory information much more intensely and deeply; making them extremely compassionate and understanding.
This sensitivity usually leads Empaths to a sincere and strong desire to help people; so driven by it they often sacrifice their own well-being, without realizing they are doing so. Empaths are the sensitive types who are drawn to making the interpersonal world a better place; they are generally kind, loving and understanding in ways friends and family cannot imagine being. Empaths are often drawn to work that is meaningful on a very personal level and that makes a positive difference in the lives of others closest to them.
Doreen Virtue has this to say about LightWorkers
“Lightworkers are those who volunteered, before birth, to help the planet and its population heal from the effects of fear. Each lightworker is here for a sacred purpose. Very often, however, life on earth with its material focus creates a form of amnesia in lightworkers. They then forget their divine and perfect identities, and also their abilities to miraculously help the earth and all living creatures. When lightworkers forget their true identity and purpose, they feel lost and afraid.”
Lightworkers make a contract before entering this world and Have a global mission of reaching, uplifting and healing the planet.
Of course each person has a personal soul mission in life—something that you agreed to learn during this lifetime. Whether that is patience, forgiveness, compassion, balance, self-care, integrity, etc. the point is everyone is working on a soul-growth lesson in their lifetime.
In addition to their personal missions, some individuals agreed to take on “global missions,” which involve helping large numbers of people and communities, animals, the environment, or a cause other than themselves. It is important to note that not everyone has a global mission, as some people on Earth are here to work only on living their own personal soul growth (which is vital in raising the vibration of the planet.)
Those who have global missions are known as lightworkers. This is a term that I use and feel encompasses other similar terms such as Indigo, Crystal, Rainbow and Earth Angel. You know you’re a lightworker if you feel compelled to help others, and deeply care about the world. You attract people who need help, and you’re sensitive to the needs of those around you. In fact, you sometimes feel that you’re a bit too sensitive, as you absorb energies from others’ moods.
Lightworkers are, by definition, sensitive. They’re receptive to the energies in any room they walk into, They are attuned to other people’s moods, feelings and to environmental factors such as chemicals, pollution, or noise, and also sensitive to the opinions of other people. This sensitivity is both a gift and a lifesaving instinct as your overall personality remains fairly constant throughout lifetimes. Once a lightworker, always a lightworker and you already are a spiritual teacher and healer. In fact you were born one, and you’ve been practicing your art for lifetimes.
A Spiritual Healer is someone who becomes a channel for the flow of healing light and energy. A healer has the ability to “see” the person as a whole that is greater than the sum of their individual parts. A healer’s job is to help remove blocks to an individual’s growth. It is now a widely accepted fact that all humans are electromagnetic beings, and that all illness and disease results from the lowering of body frequencies below that necessary to maintain homeostasis. By raising the frequencies and aligning the various bodies, all the fields come into coherence (alignment), and this is optimal health.
Energy Healing has been around forever and is one of the most ancient healing techniques you can use to keep your body in a balanced and healthy state. The ancients were aware of the psychological and physical effects we experience from our own thoughts, from other people, and from invisible forces from “out there.” Alternative energy healing includes these psychological and spiritual realms as well as the physical.
These traits will help you figure the path you resonate with most
Empath traits
Feeling others emotions as if they were your own
Overwhelmed in public places, which can lead to feeling or appearing moody, shy, aloof, or even disconnected
Watching certain violence, cruelty or tragedy on the TV or in movies is unbearable
You know when someone is not being honest
Digestive disorders, fibromyalgia, back problems, or prone to carry weight. (not necessarily due to overeating)
Always looking to champion the underdog
Excellent listener and others will want to offload their problems on you, even strangers
Under constant fatigue, with a need for solitude in order to recharge. A deep connection to nature
Prone to an addictive personality, Get easily bored or distracted easily if not stimulated
Creative,Drawn to healing, holistic therapies and all things metaphysical
Love of nature and animals
You Find it almost impossible to do things you don’t enjoy
Strive for the truth, and always looking for the answers and to acquire knowledge
Love of adventure,need for freedom and travel
Abhors clutter on many levels (emotional, physical, energetic)
Loves to daydream, with The ability to feel the days of the week
Finds routine, rules or control, imprisoning
Intolerance to narcissism
Sensitive to the energy of food, antique items, and house dwellings.
Lightworker Traits
A Sense Of Purpose - As a lightworker, you’ve always felt a sense of purpose, as if there’s something important that you’re destined to do in this lifetime. You may not know what this destiny entails, but you can feel it. All lightworkers do.
You are sensitive to energies or possibly even possess the empath gift as well
You may be a psychic medium
You feel strongly about environmentalism and the treatment of animals
You feel an affinity to the healing arts and have explored many healing modalities
You are very aware of your own fears and the fears of those around you
You experienced a strong spiritual awakening
You love being around people but also need your alone time to recharge
Feel called to heal others.
Want to resolve the world’s social and environmental problems.
Believe that spiritual methods can heal any situation.
Have had mystical experiences, such as psychic premonitions or angelic encounters.
Have endured harsh life experiences that eroded the knowledge of your Divine perfection.
Want to heal your own life as a first step in healing the world.
Feel compelled to write, teach, or counsel about your healing experiences.
Feel a sense of time urgency to fulfill your mission before you know that you are here for a higher purpose or even if you are unsure what it is or how to fulfill it.
You are aware of the power of your thoughts and your ability to manifest
Spiritual Healer Traits:
You are highly sensitive to energy.
You feel other people’s emotions as your own (empath).
You feel other people’s ailments as your own.
You are intuitive and can read others very easily.
You are a “big picture” thinker (and don’t concern yourself too much with the details).
You have gone through bouts of existential depression.
You have felt like an outcast for most of your life.
You think differently from others.
You get overwhelmed in public easily.
You have struggled with anxiety or panic before.
You are the natural peacemaker between people.
You are the confidant that people turn to in times of need.
You experience digestive issues, lower back pain or gain weight around the stomach (solar plexus chakra disorders).
You feel drained after spending too much time around people
Sensitive beings like animals and children gravitate towards you.
Other people tend to “dump” their emotional baggage onto you to deal with.
You think in shades of grey rather than in black and white.
You are very aware of the interconnectedness of life and deeply respect it.
You believe in synchronicity more than coincidences.
You have a history of healers in the family, e.g. nurses, psychologists, massage therapists
You’ve experienced a major trauma in your life, e.g. loss of your family, life-threatening illness, near death experience, physical/sexual/emotional abuse, war, mental illness.
You’ve gone through a spiritual awakening.
You’ve experienced the dark night of the soul.
You tend to use the right side thinker more than a left side thinker.
You experience chronic pain in your body or an autoimmune disease (energetic blockages).
You are EMF sensitive (electromagnetic hypersensitivity).
You tend to attract people who need “fixing” but often get trapped in self-sacrificing roles.
You’re an excellent and compassionate listener.
You are naturally drawn towards healing professions that help others experience balance and wholeness.
You can feel, distinguish between and alter the energy within and without yourself.
You have had numerous mystical experiences.
As you can see, there are definitive differences with each trait, but whether you are a Spiritual Healer, an empath, a lightworker or any combination of the three. It is a requisite that you will need training, in order to best harness, integrate and express these powerful gifts for maximum benefit and growth. Through meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, journaling, communing with nature and like minded soul family for nourishment and uplifting inspiration.
Your main earth purpose is to love, which is something you do naturally. You care about people; and deep down you wish that everyone could be happy, healthy, and well provided for.
You are a giver.
So, the form that your mission takes is secondary as long as you extend Divine love. In other words, when you think about a career as a spiritual healer or teacher, the type of work you do isn’t important. Whether you teach or practice Reiki, Angel Therapy, mediumship, or some other modality . . . if it’s done from a place of loving service, everything else is details.
With that in mind, there’s a practical consideration when deciding on a teaching or healing modality. You’re forming a long-term relationship with your chosen field, and the universal collective, so please make sure it’s an area that truly excites, interests you and ignites your eternal flame. It’s not smart to select one just because you’ve seen another person gain material success by that avenue.
Whatever type of healing or teaching you choose, please be certain that you love it.
Starseed Message:
Some of you have been gifted with healing talents; some of you are physical healers, others are mental and emotional healers, and some of you possess both talents. You may have one or many methods that you use as healing tools, including crystal healing, energetic healing, massage, acupuncture, light healing, intuitive healing (psychic/medium, Akashic readings, psychometry), empathic energetic absorption and transmutation, alchemy, horticulture, naturopathy, yoga, spiritual psychology, shamanic journeying and more.
Many of you are artists, delivering messages, inspiring others, and swaying emotions or offering healing through your medium of choice, be it writing, poetry, song lyrics, music, sculpture, canvas, photography, graphic, culinary, or any other craft, such as architecture, metal or stone work, soap making, oil and tincture craft… the list goes on and on.
So many more of you are teachers and coaches of so many different kinds, be they spiritual or academic, and your methods are many, including everything mentioned above and more.
Some of you are advocates and diplomats for peace, creating organizations to advocate for the poor and marginalized as well as endangered and abused species while others are challenging the corrupt systems that hold power and control over the human race.
And many of you identify as all, or more than one of these. Know that, in time, you will ALL be masters and victors in ALL of these roles as your light quotient intake increases. As Starseeds, you all have the ability to help Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants and resources heal, and you all have a variety of gifts and talents to help you do just that.
As a collective, your combined light and talents are amazingly powerful; now is the time for you to begin to combine your collective consciousness efforts by moving into self empowerment through forgiveness and unconditional self love. As you forgive (others and yourself) and move into the vibration of unconditional self love, all your fears fade away.
Namaste Soul Family
Be Well, Know you are never alone, and always Loved
Mercury Veritas/ Michael Gamble
