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Walking the Edge: My Journey as an Empath Learning to Protect, Heal, and Shine

For as long as I can remember, I’ve sensed things others couldn’t. Energies, presences, whispers from another realm—all mixed into the fabric of my everyday life. It wasn’t until much later that I understood why: I’m an empath. Being an empath means I absorb emotions and energies around me, sometimes to the point where it feels overwhelming. Negative energies, draining people—what I call “energy vampires” or “soul snatchers”—can knock me off balance if I’m not careful. For a long time, this sensitivity felt like a curse. But now, I see it as a gift—a calling. Encounters Beyond the Veil Throughout my life, I’ve had moments that defy logic. One night driving past a cemetery, I saw a pink orb-like form linger around my car. It felt playful and curious, not frightening—a gentle energy reaching out across the veil. But it wasn’t one of my guardian angels. I’ve felt their presence in other ways, and this orb was something else—something that just passed through, maybe just drawn to my l...

Walking the Edge: My Journey as an Empath Learning to Protect, Heal, and Shine

For as long as I can remember, I’ve sensed things others couldn’t. Energies, presences, whispers from another realm—all mixed into the fabric of my everyday life. It wasn’t until much later that I understood why: I’m an empath.

Being an empath means I absorb emotions and energies around me, sometimes to the point where it feels overwhelming. Negative energies, draining people—what I call “energy vampires” or “soul snatchers”—can knock me off balance if I’m not careful. For a long time, this sensitivity felt like a curse.

But now, I see it as a gift—a calling.


Encounters Beyond the Veil

Throughout my life, I’ve had moments that defy logic. One night driving past a cemetery, I saw a pink orb-like form linger around my car. It felt playful and curious, not frightening—a gentle energy reaching out across the veil. But it wasn’t one of my guardian angels. I’ve felt their presence in other ways, and this orb was something else—something that just passed through, maybe just drawn to my light or simply curious in a foreign place.

In Italy, living in an old farmhouse owned by a man with a volatile life, I saw a dark shadowy figure dart across the ceiling—an imp or trickster spirit, a reminder that not all energies around us are benevolent.

I’ve had dream visitations, like when one of the neighbors above me passed away, and he came to me in my dreams, seeking comfort or farewell.

And in a casita in Fallbrook, a persistent presence opened blinds and turned on lights, a residual energy tethered by trauma. I prayed for it, saged the room, but the spirit chose to remain until I moved my bedroom.

These experiences could be terrifying, but I’ve learned to trust my intuition, my feelings, and my boundaries.


A Legacy of Light and Shadow

My sensitivity isn’t just personal—it’s woven into my DNA. My mom practiced witchcraft and black magic, casting spells and working with energies that many fear. On my dad’s side, my great aunt was a psychic and tarot card reader, while my great uncle was a faith healer.

I come from a lineage that dabbled in both dark and light energies—generationally connected to the unseen realms in ways that both challenge and empower me.


The Presence of Angels and Spirit Guides

While I’ve had brushes with curious and even dark energies, I’ve always known I was protected. I’ve had guardian angels watching over me since I was a child. My great-aunt used to pray for me constantly, and I believe she sent angels to protect me—especially during my wildest, most reckless years.

When I lived in Italy and got myself into more than a few death-defying situations, I would somehow always come out unscathed. I should’ve been hurt—or worse—but I never was. I always felt like someone, something, was stepping in at the last moment.

For years, I even had “parking angels.” I’d ask for a parking spot and—boom—there it was. Over and over.

And I constantly see angel numbers: 444, 333, 111, even 911 and 1026. They show up on clocks, receipts, license plates—everywhere. I don’t see them as coincidence. I know they’re signs from my spirit guides, letting me know I’m on the right path, or that I’m being seen and supported.


Intuition and Predictive Gifts

Another gift I’ve come to recognize is my intuition and the ability to sense things before they happen. I can’t always give concrete examples, but many times I’ve felt certain events or shifts were coming—little things that show me how connected I am to the flow of energy around me.

This predictive ability is part of my empathic nature. It helps me prepare, navigate, and understand the invisible currents that shape our lives. Sometimes it feels like a whisper from the universe, guiding me through uncertainty.


Telepathic Connections and ESP

For years, I experienced what felt like a strong telepathic connection with people in my life. I could simply think of someone—and almost immediately, they would call me. It was like a magnetic pull, a wordless conversation across space. I’d laugh and say, “I knew you were going to call,” and they’d ask, “Why?” and I’d say, “Because I thought about you.”

This kind of extrasensory perception (ESP) felt like a gift that confirmed just how connected I was to the subtle energetic world. Interestingly, over the past few years, I’ve noticed this ability has diminished somewhat. But I understand now that psychic gifts often ebb and flow with our life circumstances, growth, and energetic state.

I cherish those moments as reminders of the unseen connections we all share and the profound ways energy flows between us.


Walking Through Shadows With Prayer and Protection

When I felt under attack from darkness, my dad taught me the power of Psalm 23—the one that says,

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”

This prayer became my armor, reminding me I’m never alone and that protection is always available.


The Struggle with Overwhelm and Numbing

For a long time, I didn’t have the tools to handle the flood of energy I absorbed daily. It was like an overload that my mind and body couldn’t process.

To cope, I turned to alcohol. Drinking became a way to numb the constant barrage—the emotions, the energies, the invisible weight pressing on me. It was my way of short-circuiting the overwhelm, even though I knew it wasn’t a true solution.

Looking back, I see this as a natural, if painful, response from a sensitive soul trying to survive in a world that often doesn’t understand or honor that kind of sensitivity.


Healing and Empowerment

Today, I’m learning to replace numbing with tools—energy shielding, prayer, meditation, and practices that help me stay grounded and clear. The work I’m doing now is as much about healing those old wounds as it is about protecting my energy and stepping into my full power.


Moving Forward With Light and Compassion

Being an empath means living on the edge of two worlds—the physical and the spiritual. It’s not always easy, but it’s deeply meaningful. I’m learning every day how to hold space for my own light and others’ light, to clear what no longer serves, and to walk fearlessly through the shadows.

If you resonate with this journey, know you’re not alone. Our sensitivity is a strength, and with the right tools, we can protect, heal, and shine.


Thank you for walking this path with me.

—Jean

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by energies that aren’t yours, struggling with energetic boundaries, or simply want to deepen your spiritual alignment, I invite you to explore energy healing and clearing sessions with me at ArtfulLivingCoaching.com.

Together, we can clear energetic blocks, strengthen your natural boundaries, and support your journey to greater peace, clarity, and personal power.

Feel free to reach out and start your healing journey today. You don’t have to walk this path alone.


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