Is being an empath a real thing

How Do You Know If You Are a Real Empath?

An empath feels what you feel and can connect deeply with you without having much information. Research on this type of person is limited, making many people wonder if empaths are real.

Does everyone seem to come to you with their problems? Do you sense when others are upset, even before they do? If so, according to popular conceptions, you might be an empath.

But the line between a person with empathy and a full-on empath can be difficult to draw. In short, the first may be able to understand someone else’s situation compassionately, while the latter may feel the pain as their own.

To date, research on the concept of empaths is inconclusive at best.

It doesn’t mean empaths aren’t real — or that someone’s experience as an empath isn’t valid. It just means that there’s little to no scientific proof behind the concept, and experts may not yet fully understand this phenomenon empirically.

An empath is extremely sensitive to the emotions and energy of people, animals, and elements in the environment, says Talia Bombola, a licensed psychotherapist in Newport Beach, California.

“They often take great joy in being able to connect to others and understand them in a special way that no one else can,” she says.

The specific qualifiers of an “empath” are highly debated, and there’s a lot of overlap among the different schools of thought. Is an empath someone who’s good at the skill of empathy, or is it someone who has extraordinary skills and perceptions?

In general, when referring to an empath, researchers have identified two main qualities:

Empathy: a skill you can develop to tune in to how others feel. It can be an adaptation arising from early trauma or an unpredictable environment. Some may hyper-attune to those around them to stay safe.
Sensitivity: an innate personality trait related to sensory processing ability. Heightened sensitivity can change how you experience the world around you.

Dr. Judith Orloff’s work on empaths

The term “empath” was popularized by psychiatrist Dr. Judith Orloff, author of the bestselling book, “The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, Thriving as an Empath, and Emotional Freedom.”

According to Orloff’s work, some signs of someone being an empath may include:

absorbing other people’s emotions or stress
getting easily overwhelmed by stimuli and multi-tasking
getting anxious or physically ill when people yell
preference for small groups (or towns over cities)
accurately picking up on subtle changes in tone, facial expression, or body language in other people
requiring lots of alone time to replenish

The discovery of mirror neurons in the brain may be one biological explanation for this, says Bombola.

“Research shows mirror neurons may help us mimic or mirror the emotions of those we come in contact with,” she explains. “There are certain people who have either more, or more active, mirror neurons than others, which could be a case for empaths. ”

In rare cases, being an empath may refer to intensely heightened perceptions. Roughly 1% to 2% of people can feel sensations on their skin while watching someone else be touched, a phenomenon linked to empathy and known as mirror-touch synesthesia.

Dr. Elaine Aron’s work on empaths

Psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron estimates that roughly 20% of the population may fit the bill for being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept often linked to empaths.

Research suggests that high sensitivity isn’t a trait exclusive to humans and may offer an evolutionary advantage for several species.

Some signs of an HSP may include:

feeling emotions deeply
strongly moved by art and music
triggered by loud noises
often called “sensitive” or “shy”
overwhelmed by large crowds
possessing a rich inner world
sensitivity to lights, sounds, textures, caffeine, or medication
staying away from violent media

“Overstimulation or overarousal of the nervous system are hallmark indicators of an HSP because their system is hypersensitive and responds to stimuli, including stimuli others may not detect or be able to tune out,” says Bombola.

Empath or highly sensitive person?

Semantics don’t necessarily matter, says Kaylee Friedman, a licensed counselor in Los Angeles.

“It’s perfectly beautiful if identifying yourself as an empath or a highly sensitive person makes you feel seen and self-accepting, and helps you care for yourself and work with yourself in a way that’s supportive. In that case, those labels are absolutely great,” she says.

“If we are using the labels of empath or highly sensitive person to not work on the things that cause us pain, then I don’t know that that’s so helpful,” she adds.

If you’re highly sensitive or consider yourself an empath, you may feel that being so deeply connected to the world around you has benefits and drawbacks.

Here are some that you may relate to:

Pros

deep and strong relationships
great intuition and lie detection
heightened life experiences
people regard you as a good listener
compassion and regard for other people and living creatures

Cons

difficulty setting emotional boundaries
often feeling drained or exhausted, particularly after interactions
leaning toward isolation (to recover)
people may tend to trauma dump on you

It’s not uncommon for empaths to feel overwhelmed much of the time.

In her own experience, Freidman came to discover that much of what she labeled as being an empath was an anxious attachment style, trauma response, and signs of codependency, she explains. With some healing work, she now has a different way of connecting with others.

“I’m still empathic, but I don’t feel out of control or like I don’t have a choice in my own experience,” she explains. “I can stay in my own experience while being with someone who’s having a difficult time, without taking on their feelings and problems as my feelings and problems.”

Working with a therapist can help you cope with the drawbacks of being an empath.

Empaths vs. introverts

Empaths and introverts may enjoy alone time to recharge. Still, introverts may not be able to “feel” other people’s emotions as their own or may not be necessarily skillful when it comes to empathy.

Research suggests that a dark empath is a personality type that combines the skill of cognitive empathy with “dark triad” traits, including:

narcissism
Machiavellianism
psychopathy

A dark empath may be able to “read” you but may use this skill to achieve a means to an end. For example, they could use cognitive empathy to study you and match your desires, then take advantage of your vulnerability for resources, money, or social connections.

There’s no scientific evidence that empaths are real. However, if you’re a highly sensitive person or feel you may easily tune into other people’s emotions, you may identify with the term.

There is still some debate about what the concept of an empath means, but it may involve a highly developed skill of empathy and the trait of sensitivity.

If being highly sensitive or deeply insightful overwhelms you at times, you may want to seek the support of a mental health professional.

“If you find […] unhelpful coping mechanisms, you may want support [to] work toward being in healthier balance with those parts of yourself, bringing your skills into balance so that they’re supportive rather than harmful to you,” Friedman explains.

How Do You Know If You Are a Real Empath?

An empath feels what you feel and can connect deeply with you without having much information. Research on this type of person is limited, making many people wonder if empaths are real.

Does everyone seem to come to you with their problems? Do you sense when others are upset, even before they do? If so, according to popular conceptions, you might be an empath.

To date, research on the concept of empaths is inconclusive at best.

An empath is extremely sensitive to the emotions and energy of people, animals, and elements in the environment, says Talia Bombola, a licensed psychotherapist in Newport Beach, California.

“They often take great joy in being able to connect to others and understand them in a special way that no one else can,” she says.

In general, when referring to an empath, researchers have identified two main qualities:

Empathy: a skill you can develop to tune in to how others feel. It can be an adaptation arising from early trauma or an unpredictable environment. Some may hyper-attune to those around them to stay safe.
Sensitivity: an innate personality trait related to sensory processing ability. Heightened sensitivity can change how you experience the world around you.

Dr. Judith Orloff’s work on empaths

According to Orloff’s work, some signs of someone being an empath may include:

absorbing other people’s emotions or stress
getting easily overwhelmed by stimuli and multi-tasking
getting anxious or physically ill when people yell
preference for small groups (or towns over cities)
accurately picking up on subtle changes in tone, facial expression, or body language in other people
requiring lots of alone time to replenish

The discovery of mirror neurons in the brain may be one biological explanation for this, says Bombola.

Dr. Elaine Aron’s work on empaths

Psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron estimates that roughly 20% of the population may fit the bill for being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept often linked to empaths.

Research suggests that high sensitivity isn’t a trait exclusive to humans and may offer an evolutionary advantage for several species.

Some signs of an HSP may include:

feeling emotions deeply
strongly moved by art and music
triggered by loud noises
often called “sensitive” or “shy”
overwhelmed by large crowds
possessing a rich inner world
sensitivity to lights, sounds, textures, caffeine, or medication
staying away from violent media

Empath or highly sensitive person?

Semantics don’t necessarily matter, says Kaylee Friedman, a licensed counselor in Los Angeles.

“If we are using the labels of empath or highly sensitive person to not work on the things that cause us pain, then I don’t know that that’s so helpful,” she adds.

If you’re highly sensitive or consider yourself an empath, you may feel that being so deeply connected to the world around you has benefits and drawbacks.

Here are some that you may relate to:

Pros

deep and strong relationships
great intuition and lie detection
heightened life experiences
people regard you as a good listener
compassion and regard for other people and living creatures

Cons

difficulty setting emotional boundaries
often feeling drained or exhausted, particularly after interactions
leaning toward isolation (to recover)
people may tend to trauma dump on you

It’s not uncommon for empaths to feel overwhelmed much of the time.

Working with a therapist can help you cope with the drawbacks of being an empath.

Empaths vs. introverts

Research suggests that a dark empath is a personality type that combines the skill of cognitive empathy with “dark triad” traits, including:

narcissism
Machiavellianism
psychopathy

There’s no scientific evidence that empaths are real. However, if you’re a highly sensitive person or feel you may easily tune into other people’s emotions, you may identify with the term.

There is still some debate about what the concept of an empath means, but it may involve a highly developed skill of empathy and the trait of sensitivity.

If being highly sensitive or deeply insightful overwhelms you at times, you may want to seek the support of a mental health professional.

Empath: who is it, signs, what are

It is believed that someone else's soul is darkness. For empaths, this is not the case: they understand perfectly what other people are going through. We tell you who empaths are and how to understand that you are one of them

Content:

How to become an empath
How to Know You're an Empath
Types of empathy
Advantages and disadvantages
How an empath can protect himself

Who is an empath

An empath is a person who is good at distinguishing and understanding the emotions of others. The word is derived from the noun "empathy". In psychology, this term is given different definitions, depending on schools and approaches. But most often empathy is called two things. First, a guided process of empathy with other people. Secondly, the very ability to recognize the feelings and experiences of other people, even if these emotions are not explicitly expressed [1].

The word "empathy" is relatively new - it was first used by psychologist Edward Bradford Titchener a little over a hundred years ago. At 19In 09, he published the book Experimental Psychology of Thinking Processes, where he described the process of empathy using the German word "Einfuhlung" - "feeling", and then translated it into Greek (em - "in" and pathos - "passion, strong feeling, suffering ").

Empathy is distinct from sympathy, although both terms describe an emotional response to another person's condition. The difference is that when we sympathize, we experience our own emotions - pity, a desire to take care or comfort [2]. And empathy involves immersion in the emotion of the interlocutor. In other words, empathy is looking at a person's problem from our own point of view, and empathy is from his. Thus, Lauren Wispé, in the monograph "The Psychology of Sympathy" notes: "The goal of empathy is understanding, the goal of sympathy is the well-being of the other." And below she writes: “Empathy is a way of knowing, sympathy is a way of relating” [3].

In 2013, scientists from Goldsmith’s University of London concluded that only 1–2% of the world’s population are empaths [4]. During the study, they found that empaths have hypersensitive mirror neurons. It is these brain cells that are responsible for the emergence of feelings such as compassion and love.

How do empaths differ from highly sensitive people? It denotes people who react very emotionally to events in the external environment or their own inner life.

The difference is that an empath recognizes other people's emotions, while highly sensitive people themselves react vividly to what is happening. They immerse themselves in their own feelings. Thus, a highly sensitive person is not always an empath, and an empath is not always brightly reacting to what is happening in his life.

How people become empaths

According to a study by American psychologist Carl Ransom Rogers, the ability to empathize is formed through childhood experience [5]. Thus, a person is more likely to be capable of empathy if in childhood he [6]:

Felt empathy from others. When a parent empathizes with the child, enters into his position, he contributes to the formation of empathy in the character of the child.
Lived situations in which he was taught to understand and be aware of his emotions. It is important that the child learns to control his feelings. This can be helped by a parent through patient clarifying conversations. If mom leaves home and says: “Don't cry! It's okay, I'll be back soon, ”this will not help the child become more empathic. And the explanatory phrase: “Are you sad that I'm leaving? Me too. But this is very important, because…” will help the child to realize what is happening and understand the parent.
Discussed other people's feelings. It is important to talk with the child as much as possible and discuss various life situations, draw his attention to the feelings and sensations of others.

How to understand that you are an empath

Psychologist Elizaveta Muratova says that the main marker of being an empath is the ability to understand what another person is going through, to put yourself in his place. The peculiarity of empaths is that they understand the feelings of other people, even if they themselves have not experienced such emotions:

“On the one hand, people do have similar experiences. We have all experienced joy, sadness, disappointment. However, each person's experience is different. If one is not particularly upset about the loss of a wallet, the other may experience a lot of negative emotions. This is fine. Here, some people experience breaks in empathy - situations where a person cannot get in touch with the experience of another, cannot understand his experiences. This happens when a person himself did not live like this. The highest level of empathy can be called a situation in which a person can understand the feelings of another, even if he himself did not live them.

Here are some more signs that you are an empath [7]:

you unconsciously imitate the movements of the interlocutor;
quickly "infect" with the emotions of others;
feel another person's pain;
easily recognize emotions by facial expressions;
it's easier for you to try new things if you see that the other person enjoyed it;
you tend to help people;
you are not prone to aggression.

Types of empathy

Psychologist Paul Ekman (Paul Ekman) and after him science journalist Daniel Goleman (Daniel Goleman) identified three types of empathy [8].

Cognitive empathy

The ability to understand what another person is feeling or thinking. It is based on intellectual processes: comparison, analogy and others. This kind of empathy is very useful in business: for example, a manager with a strong ability for cognitive empathy will be good at negotiations and management.

At the same time, a cognitive empath can remain a cold person. That is, an intellectual understanding of what is happening with another person is not enough to help him. Moreover, some people may use cognitive empathy to harm others. That is why a person needs not only cognitive, but also other types of empathy.

Emotional (affective) empathy

A person with this property is emotionally involved in the problem of another. Such “infection” with someone else’s emotion largely occurs under the influence of mirror neurons – brain cells that are excited when we perform an action or notice how other people perform it [9]. When they are activated, the brain imitates this action - as if trying it on for itself.

Emotional empathy "connects" us to the inner world of another person. This is useful in many professions, from sales to medicine. Not to mention that this skill is essential to building any meaningful relationship in life.

But affective empathy also has its drawbacks. So, if a person is immersed in affective empathy, it is difficult for him to manage his own negative emotions. And this can lead to psychological exhaustion. Therefore, for example, many doctors face the problem of burnout: in order to avoid emotional pain, they distance themselves from the pain of others, and with it, from the problems of their patients.

Behavioral (compassionate)

It manifests itself through specific actions towards another person. This type of empathy suggests that we not only understand the other person's feelings, but also have a desire to help. Compassionate empathy is the final ingredient needed to solve the complex problems facing humanity together. Psychologists call this the desire for constructive interaction. Paul Ekman attributes the emergence of compassionate empathy to the realization that "we are all united."

Dark Empathy

In 2002, researchers Delroy Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams coined the term "Dark Triad" [10]. It refers to a group of personality traits that includes psychopathy [11] (emotional coldness, ruthlessness, impulsiveness), narcissism [12] (vanity, a sense of superiority) and Machiavellianism [13] (manipulativeness, intrigue and lack of morality). Dark empaths have all three of these personality traits [14]. They use the ability to recognize and understand the feelings of others for manipulative purposes. The very definition of a “dark empath” is more of a pop psychology thing. In everyday life, such people are often compared with energy vampires.

Dark empaths have a high level of cognitive empathy [15]. They are able to understand other people's emotions and, perhaps, anticipate them. Ordinary empaths have higher affective empathy, the ability to feel and experience someone's emotions. Some of the main markers of a dark empath include guilt, manipulativeness, and narcissism.

British psychologists Nadja Heym and Alexander Sumich came to the conclusion that dark empaths have a poorly developed ability to feel other people's emotions, unlike ordinary empaths [16]. The Dark Ones, according to the study, are less aggressive than narcissists or psychopaths, but they are more likely to show cruelty in a non-obvious form - through manipulation, rumors and gossip, cruel jokes, provoking guilt and organizing boycotts. A developed capacity for empathy limits their aggression, but does not completely eliminate it. It manifests itself in other, hidden forms.

Advantages and disadvantages of empaths

Advantages

Empathy contributes to a kinder and gentler society, writes University of Melbourne researcher Liliana L. Bove. She highlights the following advantages of empathic people [17]:

the ability to provide emotional support to other people;
the ability to understand people and understand how they suit you;
the ability to appreciate relationships and connections;
the ability to enter into the position of a person, to put oneself in his place;
ability to work productively in a team.

In work

Psychologist Elizaveta Muratova claims that empathy is a great social advantage, it is easier to develop with it in a career in fields of activity where you need to communicate with people. So, empathy is called the main leadership quality.

Researchers from the non-profit American organization Catalyst interviewed about a thousand people, some of whom work under the guidance of empaths [18]. Catalyst found that teams led by an empathic leader were more efficient. Empath-led people: 9, according to survey0003

offered new ideas;
were involved in the work, despite the unstable situation in the world;
noted the balance between work and the rest of life. People have time to go in for sports, go to visit and pay attention to their personal lives;
women stated that they do not think about leaving or changing jobs precisely because the management shows empathy.

Disadvantages

Despite significant advantages, empaths are often very vulnerable. Due to the fact that a large amount of internal resources is spent on living and understanding other people's emotions, empaths often forget about themselves. Researcher Teyhou Smyth writes in detail about the shortcomings of empathic people [19]. Among them:

frequent feeling of emotional exhaustion;
difficulty maintaining personal boundaries;
increased anxiety about news and other media content;
excessive habit of reflection and introspection;
self-neglect due to lack of resources.

How an empath can protect himself

Empathy is needed both in personal life and in work. The unwise and thoughtless use of this skill can lead to emotional burnout and neglect of one's own feelings. Elizaveta Muratova recommends asking yourself questions and noting what emotions, feelings, states of other people we can be in contact with without destroying ourselves. Many people can empathically experience and feel grief reactions. It is necessary to keep track of what happens to you when you encounter different emotions of others. To protect yourself as an empath, follow these steps:

Rebuild personal boundaries.
Learn to distinguish your own emotions from those of others.
Learn to understand what other people's emotions you want to get in touch with and what you don't. Learn to manage this process.
Ask yourself why you come into contact with people in a state of vivid experience. What do you want to get out of it? What is your own problem? Empathy can be one of the tools for realizing one's own goals. We can have personal value - be useful in society. Then empathy is a tool to realize this value.

The power of an empath — Voyage Magazine

The ability to listen and empathize, the ability to be attentive and considerate to the feelings of other people. Without violating your own peace of mind, be responsive and sensitive. These human qualities have always been highly valued, and in modern realities have become even more relevant. Maxim Rapoport is an empath, yogi, author of the book “The Power of an Empath. Experience and practice of revealing individuality ”shares his thoughts and answers our questions.

Voyage: As a travel magazine, we usually ask the first question about travel. But after reading your book, we have a new aspect of the question: how to love travel?

Maxim Rapoport: An interesting question. Of course, I immediately have a counter: what, are there people who do not like to travel? Although, of course, I understand that they exist... It seems to me that travel provides a unique opportunity to reboot, change the picture, get some new information that is different from the one we are used to. Any journey brings more air into life, allows you to look at yourself in different circumstances, in a different energy sound of the world. Expand your self-image, understand how you fit into the context of this place. All these places and time periods that we find ourselves in thanks to the happy circumstances of life expand our views and boundaries. In the end, in life there are many events - joyful and not very. We quickly forget about some of them, it is unpleasant for us to remember something. But travel remains in our memory for a long time, if not forever. Therefore, you can fall in love with a journey once you go on it - deliberately or spontaneously. To plunge into new events, emotions and feelings, because we need it so much.

Voyage: You travel a lot and communicate with different people. How different are the reactions of thoughts, feelings of people depending on the region? Or is it certain universals?

Maksim Rapoport: All people, of course, are brothers and sisters, but, nevertheless, we all have a very different understanding of the human structure. Of course, the mentality is of great importance. And the attitude of this or that person to the situation may not coincide with your attitude to it. We are all different and everyone has the right to be themselves. And what is surprising is how differently, looking at the same canvas, people can interpret it. Sometimes a blinkered eye does not allow us to objectively and broadly look at certain things. And the look of another person, from another point on the Earth, makes it possible not only to look at the world differently, but also to better understand oneself. Perhaps someone you meet along the way, without knowing it, will push you to change, to discover yourself! It seems to me that this is really cool when we come across incomprehensible confessions, with amazing views on life for us, with a different culture. It's great that we have the opportunity to come into contact with each other. And to know the world through each other.

Voyage: Your life and work are very closely connected with people. Does empathy help or hinder communication? What is empathy for the common man? When communicating with a person, you probably feel his potential for empathy?

Maksim Rapoport: An empath is, to a greater or lesser extent, any person. As for how much of an empath he is, this is a question for a specialist. Surely, there is some kind of test to determine empathy. For a very long time I don’t say anything to people if they don’t ask me about it, I don’t express my point of view if we don’t touch on a specific topic in a conversation, and even more so, I don’t give unsolicited advice. Having empathy allows us to feel a person. At the same time, empathy is a tool for developing self-control, which helps to understand: the most important person in this life is you. Compassion, mercy, the ability to share the pain of another person are natural human manifestations. The whole question is how deep you are ready to go into it, into the feeling of another person. And how can you save yourself. Putting your whole life on the altar of feeling other people is a bold act, but it is unlikely to make you happy ...

Voyage: Can you name the five most human-oriented countries/cultures where empathy is considered the norm and standard of communication?

Maxim Rapoport: All representatives of the animal world respond with empathy to empathy. National Geographic, films about travel to the underwater world - are proof of this. And here the culture, the location factor, probably do not play a role. Therefore, it is perhaps impossible to single out the most empathic country. It's all a matter of culture, environment, gene keys that are passed down from generation to generation. Empathic people live where empathy is present and welcomed in society. There are places in the world that are in tune with you, that accept you, and that you accept. Relations with such countries, cities, you develop - you feel comfortable and good there. There are also places that, to put it mildly, are incomprehensible to you, they do not correspond to your cultural ideas and even just everyday norms. And then it seems to you that there are some incomprehensible enemies around you. In fact, it all depends on your willingness to accept others as they are. And the more warmth you give away, the warmer other people treat you. Therefore, there is no specific answer here. Every culture and every country has its own customs. And there is no point in entering someone else's monastery with your own standards and your empathy.

Voyage: Do you think empathy can be learned or is it an innate built-in mechanism?

Maxim Rapoport: There are people with a certain gift of empathy who come into this world already possessing it. And there are those who need to explain, to tell, to show by example that each other must be treated with respect and as a human being. Empathy is cultivated with a certain upbringing, when adults give the child the opportunity to immerse themselves in their own feelings, when these feelings are not blocked, emotions are not prohibited. And these same feelings, emotions, you need to be able to dispose of, correctly interpret them. This is a direct path to an ecological, healthy mental state. There are people who are hyper-empathic, hyper-sensitive. Of course, they must learn to control their feelings, to be able to clearly delineate their boundaries, their contours. It is very important to understand where your feelings are, and where others are, to share them. Empathy is an unconditional gift, but it is for strong people who are ready to defend, first of all, their interests. And it’s not about egocentrism at all, but about the correct attitude towards oneself. In a word, you may not be an empath, but you must be a person. Probably so.

"Voyage": Where would you advise to go to discover empathy in yourself?
Maxim Rapoport: There is one amazing place for the most inspiring and farthest journey… To do this, you need to go inside yourself. Such a journey to yourself is necessary in order to better understand your feelings, emotions and desires. After all, inside each of us is the sea. And in order to fully immerse yourself in your feelings, you need to travel along and across yourself. Then there is every chance to gain an idea of who you are, what you are and why you live in this world. Having answered at least some of these questions, a person will already understand where he should strive, which country in the world to buy a ticket to. Any place on Earth, if it is bright, if it is colored by some amazing sound of the new, gives us a unique opportunity to expand our horizons, to establish a new vector in knowing ourselves. Wherever we go - to the desert, to the ocean or to a monastery high in the mountains - the most important thing is our attitude towards ourselves. Because you can't run from yourself. Blocked feelings and emotions will not allow you to realize the full extent of your happiness, no matter where you are in the world. If we are as open as possible, if we accept ourselves as a whole, we will be able to accept the world around us. Completely. And this allows us to be inspired on trips, gain strength and sound to the maximum.

"Voyage": Do you have a country or region where you have not been yet, but would like to visit?

Maxim Rapoport: Japan is my unfulfilled dream. I really like Japanese aesthetics, designers, Japanese culture. And I would really like to get in touch with all this. Perhaps, in some of my reincarnations, I was Japanese - Japanese culture penetrates me so strongly, deeply and sensually. I like Japanese prints and food, I like cherry blossoms and kimonos. I would even like to live in Japan for a while to soak up the local attitude to life and to other people. And at the same time, and check this place for empathy. Yes, perhaps, Japan is the country that attracts me, excites my desires.

Voyage: Each book is a journey of the soul. You wrote a book « The Power of an Empath. Experience and practice of revealing individuality”, it was released in electronic and audio formats, and you voiced the audio yourself. After listening to it, you understand how much you “endured it, suffered, carried it through yourself”. How did you get the idea to write your book? And for whom is it, with what main message?

Maksim Rapoport: Writing the book The Power of an Empath is not a story about suffering, by any means. This is a matter of resonance and the desire to share my own experience, to talk about the part of my life that I have traveled. I wanted my book to serve as a support to other people. I don't think my experience is all that unique, but it certainly is individual. I get a lot of feedback from people who have also gone through similar situations, asking themselves important questions and looking for answers to them. Yes, the book is partly confessional. This is because I speak sincerely with the reader so that he understands that everything written is not some kind of textbook of spiritual guidance. In no case. In the book, I tell stories from my life - there is nothing invented, nothing superfluous. This is the personal experience that led me to understand myself. And when this process was felt by me, I decided to write it. And I did it because, because I created a school of empaths. This is a school for people who feel the world subtly and who need tools in order to live, enjoy and understand themselves. And of course, I voiced the book myself, because it was hard for me to imagine that someone else could convey my thoughts and feelings. When I wrote it down, I again plunged into memories, sometimes smiling, sometimes a little sad, realizing that certain events of the past still touch me. I wanted to share my feelings and emotions with those who need it. In the book, I describe the practice of traveling to myself. When you go to this or that moment of the past, when where you were scared and lonely. In a moment of despair. And this practice allows you to meet with yourself, to make it clear to yourself - the one who remained in the past - that you are not alone. And you will never be alone. The strength of your kind and your bright future are always with you. If you have yourself, that's a lot. This already gives you strength, understanding, development and the desire to comprehend. After all, the most important thing in life is harmony and the desire to comprehend. Including yourself.

Voyage: Do you think it will be difficult to translate your book into other languages? Or does the text need to be improved? Or are the concepts and methods that you reveal universal?

Maxim Rapoport: You know, I never even thought about translating the text into foreign languages. It seems to me that the language we speak is the language of emotions and feelings. Yes, in fact, feelings and emotions are understandable without language. But if suddenly I have a desire to translate the book into some other language, I will probably do it. After all, this is my first attempt at writing, the first attempt to convey my thoughts to a wide audience. As it will be, so it will be. I am one of those people who do something not for the end result, but, above all, for the sake of the process itself. Let's see. Maybe it really makes sense to translate it.

"Voyage": The book contains not only elements of true story (English: true story ), i. e. your personal real stories, experiences, feelings are described, but the book also contains a description of the main esoteric concepts , as a "guide", "vibration", "transition", as well as a generous set of meditations - do you consider your book as some kind of guide for beginner empaths?

Maxim Rapoport: I recommend my book not only to beginner empaths, but also to all people who ask themselves important questions, try to look at this world wider than the usual boundaries and frames allow. The book is about a journey inside ourselves, about the experience that we live every day. I do not think that this is some kind of manual or guide to action. But you can rely on my book. It states that we have the right to be who we are at our core. The original ones that we were created to be. And everything else will follow.

Your book has been published in an online format, which certainly makes it possible for maximum immersion in practice / meditation.

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