The Universal Empath 101 website was originally created in 1998 by Christel Broederlow, the author of ‘The Empath Reports 101‘ and ‘30 Traits of An Empath‘, to shed light and understanding towards empathy and to serve as a resource for all interested. This website is universal in that Empathy is inclusive of all beliefs, cultures and of humanity and creation itself. It serves as a hub of information to help promote understanding and appreciation towards this widely misunderstood innate (natural) ability.
Empathy affects every relationship we have and will ever have, it is evident both within and all around us by how we respond or react to outside influences. Our lives are determined by our awareness and application of empathy therefore it is crucial that we embrace its teachings wholeheartedly as the future of humanity is dependent upon us doing so.
Empathy: n. 1. The ability to sense and/or understand emotion(s) from another person, animal, inanimate objects incorporating stimulation to any and or all of the senses (including the 6th Sense) without verbally being told and/or without obvious visual clues. 2. The ability to be sensitive and receptive to outside emotional stimuli. – adj. empathic or empathetic., v. to empathize
Empath: n. 1. A person who has the ability to experience empathy towards another person, and/or animate/inanimate objects, in part or from all of the above definition. 2. A person who is sensitive to the emotions in others.
We can define empathy in so many ways, yet we cannot define the person, for each and every journey is an individual one that is shaped by the totality and combined energies of our life experiences and the emotions that spring forth from them and the perceptions that ultimately follow, we cannot have one without the other. It is what we consciously choose to do with it that will determine outcomes as every aspect of self is governed by empathy, every single relationship we have, to life and to our goals, dreams and aspirations. We are an ever evolving species if we allow ourselves to come into bloom and welcome what empathy has to teach us – and reach our full magnificent potential.
Fantasy or Fiction? Charmed (1998) and Heroes (2006) are a couple of series that made being an Empath very popular, however in reality empathy is far from fantasy or fiction and has its place firmly embedded in science, especially in the areas of psychology and neurosciences and is evident within spirituality, religion, politics and throughout every community across the globe with 98% of humanity experiencing varying degrees of empathy. Empathy does not just occur in people as certain animals are known to display empathy such as cats, dogs, dolphins, whales and monkeys.
Some people however display stronger levels of empathy whereas their entire lives are dictated or guided by the power of empathy and are capable of not only sensing emotional energy in others but are adept at describing exactly what that person is feeling, they seem to have an uncanny ability to relate on a deep and meaningful level to what others are experiencing and can relay this with compassion and understanding and without judgment or bias.
EMPATHY IS INNATE; it is inherent within our DNA and is naturally of us as we are born with empathy. Many factors can determine the level of development, from whom we descend (our family tree) to how we are nurtured and raised, the culture and traditions imparted to us, education, society, communities and even the country we live in and the people who influence us throughout our lifetime such as our family, friends, colleagues and even strangers, any or all of which or whom can have some bearing on how our empathy develops (or not).
Almost every relationship can be altered or enhanced through empathy and is determined by the level of understanding and awareness to what exactly is going on and just as many relationships can suffer when empathy is misunderstood and its true teachings aren’t harnessed. In these moderns times where increasing demands are placed upon us, very few (people) will be raised from birth and throughout with the knowledge of empathy being passed down, nor is it part of the curriculum in the majority of schools (bar a select few globally), or in general. And yet in some indigenous cultures empathy is a natural part of life and is as evidently strong as it is today as it was hundreds of years ago.
Great leaders are those who have charisma and compassion, authenticity, humility and integrity, vision, tolerance and gratitude, who effortlessly inspire and motivate and instill in others a sense of hope, self-worth and confidence to believe in their dreams and speak with sincere authority, wisdom, truth and honesty but most importantly, the greatest leaders…
Being an empath doesn’t however guarantee that one has a great understanding of how empathy actually works, it can be quite the contrary and life can bring numerous hurdles in which to overcome especially where one is considered to be ‘highly sensitive’, or overly emotional.
An empath can take on-board the emotions of others without being conscious of doing so and mixed with their own emotions, life can become extremely confusing, overwhelming and burdensome (weighted down with emotions), it can lead to withdrawal, anxiety and addictions and be the catalyst in manifesting illnesses, diseases and mental and emotional disorders.
Learning how to harness ones empathy and the perception towards this is life-changing, liberating, healing and empowering.
As an example of what you will find:
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Have you ever wondered what is empathy?
What is the difference between empathy & sympathy?
Who is an empath?
What is the world like through the eyes of an empath?
Is empathy a physical occurrence or something spiritual, or perhaps a mentality, a state of mind and/or being?
Why do some consider empathy a blessing and yet others a curse?
What affect does empathy have on a person?
Does everyone have empathy?
Why are people with empathy considered highly sensitive or emotional?
These are just examples of questions that you can find answered throughout this website starting with…
The Empath Reports 101 which have been circulating since 1998 and read several million times the world over and is referred to for education, sporting clubs, martial arts, self-empowerment and well-being seminars, to management and business training etc., as well as used as a reference in varying books and websites.
In the workplace it is now believed that 50% of staff turnover occurs at the management level where the lack of empathy is now known to be the major contributing factor. When team leadership is methodically measured and driven to attain outcomes and push for KPI’s being consistently met, more often than not it is due to a total disregard and lack of appreciation to how vital it is to show empathy towards ones team.
The cost to businesses is substantial when staff leave in droves because management, team leaders and business owners do not empathize with the most important asset of their organization – its people, (employees, staff, team members), the most undervalued asset of them all. If you want your organization to be successful in all areas, it is critical that empathy training be provided to all team leaders, including the hierarchy and acknowledging that EMPATHY is the most essential of all management skills.
The reality is, people like to feel valued and appreciated, and it doesn’t cost a small fortune to feel like this yet how many team leaders actually take the time to give sincere praise and acknowledge their team for their efforts, long hours and commitment to achieving results? The times are changing, and building strong relationships based upon empathy will determine the longevity, profitability and success of a business as people become more aware of what job satisfaction actually means to them and are actively seeking to be employed in a healthy workplace environment where employee/employer relationships are high in their values.
We all have the ability to be sensitive to people and the things they say and do (or lack thereof) and to our environment, not just our immediate surroundings but also on a global scale for what occurs internationally can have a direct impact on our own livelihoods such as a global economic crisis. Any manner of these can affect our emotions, thoughts and actions and dictate outcomes.
Empathy is a key player in our survival skills, as we harness the power of empathy and adapt to its teachings with awareness our life’s can be transformed in remarkable ways which can have a flow on effect to the individual, to family and friends, in the workplace and every other area of our lives.
Empathy gives us the truest sense of being connected on a deeper meaningful level with more than just ourselves. It instills a sense of community spirit, and makes us feel a part of the whole and allows us to build and participate in sincere and purposeful relationships and within the societies in which we live. On the individual level empathy teaches us about the energy of emotions and how it can empower and transform our very existence when we embrace its intricate teachings.
Christel Broederlow is a natural born empath and author of numerous articles about empathy through personal experience and continual research. Born and raised in Aotearoa (New Zealand) Christel descends from the Ngati Paoa & Ngati Maniapoto/Tainui Iwi (tribes indigenous to NZ) from her mother’s side and German/Polish from her father, she has been living on the Gold Coast of Australia with her family since 1997.
The Universal Empath 101 was founded in 1998 to provide understanding towards this highly misunderstood innate ability and to provide a platform towards the ongoing research and development of empathy. This website is based on real life and personal experiences of one who lives with empathy every day.
The popular and widely distributed articles written by Christel titled ‘The Empath Report 101′ and ’30 Traits of An Empathy’ which became the entry point to The Universal Empath 101 and hub to what would quickly become one of the fastest growing informative websites in regards to the topic on innate empathy. They continue to be two of the most well read articles about empathy and are featured on world renown websites, social media platforms, e-zines, newsletters and referenced in numerous published books.