Hello. My name is Malia. I am energy/aura reader, empath, channel & practitioner of energy healing.
What does it mean to be an empath? It is one thing to discover you are an empath, having the ability feel others feelings and even physical sensations, but it’s an entirely different journey to learn then what that means for you, how (or whether) to interpret the information, and how to bring yourself to a healthy and centered place again and again. And, it is entirely possible, even probable, that you arrived here, in this life, having forgotten your power, who you truly are, what your gifts are and how to use/focus them. In recent years, I have been offered ongoing guidance to assist fellow empaths in exploring their gifts and learning to ground, and as a result, have a more peaceful life experience. For the purpose of this article, I am sharing guidance regarding adrenal fatigue, grounding, and my perspective, as an empath, on both.
What is adrenal fatigue? This is not a widely recognized condition, but then neither is the conscious understanding that the emotional body and the physical body are indeed connected and interacting as one body. From the viewpoint of my own guidance, the adrenals are responsible for processing our stress response, and when operating properly, we are able to discern what “should” provoke a fear response, versus the common pattern of many with weak adrenal function, where fear is a constant and so much so that a fight-or-flight response is elicited even under otherwise safe conditions.
This is not to be confused with a soul-level, triggered response by what is commonly referred to as a soul mate or twin flame interaction. (The guidance I receive does not label soul mates or twin flames, but these labels are used in this article only for the purpose of communicating a concept.) These soul-level interactions bring up fear responses that are out of proportion to the seen or “real” situation being experienced and can be incredibly disorienting and confusing. Of course, fear is not the complete experience; there is much more; but a consistently-experienced fear response can lead to adrenal fatigue over time.
Adrenal fatigue or the over processing of emotional information (from the empath’s perspective) presents itself in the physical body as chronic physical fatigue, chronic nervousness, chronic irritability, emotional lability, inability to lose weight, loss of interest in normal activities, and so forth. Defined by http://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-adrenal-glands: “The adrenal glands have a multi-functional role in the endocrine system. The two very different parts of these glands, the medulla and cortex, regulate and maintain many of your internal processes—from metabolism to the fight-or-flight response.” At the following link, you can take a short quiz and get a better sense of whether what you are experiencing is adrenal fatigue. https://www.adrenalfatigue.org/take-the-adrenal-fatigue-quiz
Now that we have a better sense of what adrenal fatigue is and how to recognize it, how then do we prevent it or bring ourselves back into balance after it is occuring? We ground. As conscious empaths, the understanding of grounding is fairly straightforward because the conscious empath does understand energy conceptually. To the unconscious empath (one who has yet to recognize their gift in this lifetime), this understanding will come with time. What does it mean to be grounded or not grounded? According to my guides, grounding is simply “staying put in your own body and your own experience” and the understanding that if you are experiencing joy and vibrancy or really any depthful or enlivened emotion, you are indeed in the moment and in your body. The key may be understood as consistent grounding resulting in a more centered approach to enlivened emotion, where the emotions can be seen for what they are, moving through us rather than who we are and controlling our reflected experience. According to Google (for the sake of a more mainstream definition), being grounded is being well balanced and sensible or prohibited or prevented from flying. The logic that follows would indeed be that if we are always frustrated, fatigued and otherwise unhappy in our body, we are also not grounded or as grounded as we could be. The very process of grounding actually serves us so well that it allows a strong and clear sense of empowerment.
So, it can be accurately stated that consistent, frequent grounding practices serve to assist the adrenals and heal the body and the emotional experience so the we are not, as empaths, hyper-vigilant and hyper-reactive to all that is felt emotionally, or living life like a raw, open nerve with no off switch. Without regular grounding, empaths are often lacking boundaries, finding themselves constantly poking around in the emotional experience of those around them, becoming overly critical, fatigued, losing track of items, succumbing to the urge to leave clutter in their environment, indulging in sweets, alcohol, nicotine and other quick fixes to relieve anxiety and even pain.
Which leads us to the final piece of the puzzle. How do we then ground and assist our adrenals so that we are functional and empowered empaths? The answer is fairly simple, straightforward and most often free.
1. Breathe. Moreover, learn to breathe correctly, deeply and deliberately.
2. Sleep and plenty of it. I tend to require at least 9 hours, often 10 to 12, of sleep. As an empath, I am actually processing more emotional information than just my own, and the more Light that is held within the cells (the more an empath evolves and allows more energy to flow in and out) the more emotional information can move through. Thus, more rest and repair is needed for the physical body to function at its peak. Allowing plenty of sleep can actually end up being the one change that is most needed for most empaths. This is often impaired by worry, which can be simply addressed by herbs or supplements (#9 below).
3. Sunshine. The power of the sun can be summed up by sayings that are so common, “You radiate good health.” “You are simply glowing.” These sayings speak to the power of Light as our fuel and source of vibrancy. The more I develop as an empath, and the more mature I become as a soul, the more drawn I find myself to the sun, and the more clear it is to me that I am brought back into balance every time I allow myself to bask in its glow.
4. Earthing. One of the seemingly newer and yet ancient ideas related to healing and balance is earthing. Earthing is simply putting ones bare feet to the Earth. Even concrete is a conduit for energy and can be used in your Earthing practice. Earthing “is” allowing the energy of the earth to move through the body. In modern days, we tend to wear insulating materials as shoes, keeping us “from” our very natural process of Earthing and thus healing.
5. Clean, fresh water. Water is one of the single best conduits of energy. I will often take a salt bath when I need to return to balance and find that I feel the frequencies of healing (energy work) much more clearly as a result.
6. Yoga. I have found in my own self development that the movements of Yoga when practiced regularly bring about a state of ease that is unmatched in nearly any other physical exercise. This practice teaches the mind deliberate movement, focus and centeredness. Yoga is practiced worldwide in many variations that can accommodate nearly anyone, at any fitness level.
7. Hugs. Physical affection is medicinal. There are many studies now showing the positive effects of regular physical contact, particularly with people you love.
8. Any of life’s amazing pleasures enjoyed in moderation and without self criticism can be considered grounding. For example, amazing tastes/food, smells; sounds/music that sooth or enliven; affection/tactile information; even evoking the feeling of empathy will stimulate and tone the vagus nerve and ground us.
9. Herbs and other supplements. Theanine Serene is a branded supplement that easily assists the adrenals, allowing a state of balance and relaxation. This supplement is one I use myself and can be used with coffee (if you are a coffee lover like I am) to assist in clear, centered focus. There are many others that help alleviate anxiety and bring balance such as: GABA, Eleutherococcus, Rhodiola, Ginseng, and Ashwaganda. I recommend visiting a local naturopathic doctor for recommendations that are best suited to your needs. Ask about adaptogens. Most naturopaths are not only aware of adrenal fatigue but have valuable insight into its reversal. Furthermore, if getting to sleep is your biggest struggle, this may be the best place to begin – with supplementation.
It is my hope that this will begin to solve the riddle of adrenal fatigue and the empath. For the last few years, my guides have offered a strong focus on grounding practices. As a result, my life and the lives of my clients are experienced in a stronger body with more vibrance. A regular grounding practice is essential and foundational to the empowered empath, and dare I say, will shift the conscious empath’s experience from one of feeling like a victim, or at the mercy of those around them, to that of the empowered empath, who is living through the eyes of magnetized energy, bringing to them that which is desired and holding a steady space of consistent centeredness. Of course, this journey is not black and white, and will bloom in greater and greater degrees to favor the empowered experience.
Until next time,
Espavo (Thank you for taking your power!)
Malia Shields is a natural psychic, empath, intuitive, practitioner of energy medicine, the 111 & 222 Activation & the Vagus Nerve Activation as well as creator of “Finding Your Intuitive Yes!” an interactive group session designed to assist in remembering and practicing intuitive communication.
She is available for sessions on various websites and in her private practice at www.Empath-Malia.com.
If you’d like to see if I am currently available for a private session, just select the “chat” box here, send me an email, or schedule a session at your convenience at Empath-Malia. Feel free to use the contact form below if you prefer.
I am also an intuitive contemporary artist, and I invite you to view my work at Studio Malia or peruse my new home goods line on Etsy @ StudioMalia. Enjoy! 🙂
This article first appeared on my website: Empath-Malia.com
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