Difference between being an empath and being a spiritual healer

“And those in the world of Spirit, with joy in their hearts, come to glorify God in Man and Woman, that the creative energies may be given freely, and that all who would be healed and comforted might find counsel.

“We have come to you bearing the gifts you have struggled so long to find within yourselves. We seek your commitment as well.

“This Vigil, once placed upon the distant shores, incorporates itself with Spirit and Man, rekindling.

“Let this be a Vigil of mercy and love and understanding. As it is born into the First Spiritual Temple, let it be born also into all those who are in need.

“So let it be written, so let it be done. Godspeed to all of those who journey through these pages, whose names shall glisten by this Light. For you do not linger upon its pages; you are a part of its Light.”
~Excerpt from The Vigil’s Healing Book

A spiritual healer is someone who becomes a channel for the flow of healing light and energy. Spiritual healers are often empaths but not all empaths are spiritual healers.

The basic list of the “Traits of an Empath” that has been circulating the internet for a few years now is fairly straightforward, however, you will see crossover with other areas such as Lightworkers, Indigos, HSPs (Highly Sensitive People or Highly Sensitive Persons), Psychics, Mediums and even aspects that are levels of ascension.

Since all these are going on at the same time, it’s understandable but still frustrating since not all traits point to the same thing.

The long and short of being an empath is “feeling the emotions of others as if they were your own”.

The following list is the one that can be found in some form or another everytime you google “Traits of an Empath”
Keep in mind that once an empath has learned control of their gift, these “traits” aren’t there any more. We can (mostly) handle the bad aspects (including health issues) and we just utilize our gift(s) to help others. Therefore, if you are just now looking at the list of empath traits, but are in control of your gift, try to remember what it was like before you learned that control.

1. Feeling others emotions as if they were your own
2. Overwhelmed in public places
3. Watching violence, cruelty or tragedy on the TV is unbearable
4. You know when someone is not being honest
5. Digestive disorders and lower back problems
6. Always looking out for the underdog
7. Others will want to offload their problems on you, even strangers
8. Constant fatigue
9. Addictive personality
10. Drawn to healing, holistic therapies and all things metaphysical
11. Creative
12. Love of nature and animals
13. Need for solitude
14. Gets bored or distracted easily if not stimulated
15. Finds it impossible to do things they don’t enjoy
16. Strives for the truth
17. Always looking for the answers and knowledge
18. Likes adventure, freedom and travel
19. Abhors clutter
20. Loves to daydream
21. Finds routine, rules or control, imprisoning
22. Prone to carry weight without necessarily overeating
23. Excellent listener
24. Intolerance to narcissism
25. The ability to feel the days of the week
26. Will not choose to buy antiques, vintage or second-hand
27. Sense the energy of food
28. Can appear moody, shy, aloof, disconnected

I’m writing this blog because the traits of an empath are different than the listed traits of a spiritual healer. As I stated earlier, there are some similarities, but the attempt to categorize an empath as always being a healer is wrong. Not all empaths are healers and not all spiritual healers are empaths, although I believe most are .

1. You are highly sensitive to energy.
2. You feel other people’s emotions as your own (empath).
3. You feel other people’s ailments as your own.
4. You are intuitive and can read others very easily.
5. You are a “big picture” thinker (and don’t concern yourself too much with the details).
6. You have gone through bouts of existential depression.
7. You have felt like an outcast for most of your life.
8. You think differently from others.
9. You get overwhelmed in public easily.
10. You have struggled with anxiety or panic before.
11. You are the natural peacemaker between people.
12. You are the confidant that people turn to in times of need.
13. You experience digestive issues, lower back pain or gain weight around the stomach (solar plexus chakra disorders).
14. You feel drained after spending too much time around people
15. Sensitive beings like animals and children gravitate towards you.
16. Other people tend to “dump” their emotional baggage onto you to deal with.
17. You think in shades of grey rather than in black and white.
18. You are very aware of the interconnectedness of life and deeply respect it.
19. You believe in synchronicity more than coincidences.
20. You have a history of healers in the family, e.g. nurses, psychologists, massage therapists
21. 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.
22. You’ve gone through a spiritual awakening.
23. You’ve experienced the dark night of the soul.
24. You tend to use the right side thinker more than a left side thinker.
25. You experience chronic pain in your body or an autoimmune disease (energetic blockages).
26. You are EMF sensitive (electromagnetic hypersensitivity).
27. You tend to attract people who need “fixing” but often get trapped in self-sacrificing roles.
28. You’re an excellent and compassionate listener.
29. You are naturally drawn towards healing professions that help others experience balance and wholeness.
30. You can feel, distinguish between and alter the energy within and without yourself.
31. You have had numerous mystical experiences.

As you can see, there are definitive differences, but one of the listed traits of a Spiritual Healer is actually being an empath. If you are a healer, it is quite likely you will need training. If you are a healer and know of any training, please comment on this blog so that we may guide other spiritual healers because the world really needs you right now!

(Spiritual healer trait list source:
http://educateinspirechange.org/spirituality/youve-experienced-30-signs-born-spiritual-healer/