After my career in journalism, I decided to start teaching (languages). First in Madrid, Spain, then in The Hague, The Netherlands. Apparently I can’t switch off my empathic gifts fully. I mean, as a teacher you have to interact with your student, and as an empath you tend to tune in whenever you are dealing with people. So I automatically did, when I was teaching this student of mine, at a renowned packaging company in Madrid. Not having any clue yet of what was coming.

Drained Energy

The student was a friendly middle-aged lady, who was working at the administration department. She was fortunate to have a private class, ’cause the group class that finished prior to hers, had a higher level. So she could learn and practise more. Anyway, during her first class something odd happened to me. After 40 minutes or so I felt as if my reservoir of energy was about to become totally empty. Like the fuel needle of your car would get into the red zone. And that was how it felt: my energy got drained, and I had to navigate this class somehow to the end of the hour – I couldn’t just stop and tell her: I am sorry, but I can’t teach anymore. No, I had to drive her home, as a figure of speech.

Back Pain

The next week I was worried, of course. So I put my protecting gemstone in my pocket, and I tried not to connect that much. Since we had a language class, she needed to practise her speaking anyway, so I asked her about work and her life in general. She told me that the job was tiring, and that she was having some back pain, for which she would see a fysiotherapist. Well, that explained a lot.

None of my Business

We had some more classes, and fortunately I felt good enough. She was also making a good effort, and I was glad that it worked out well in class. But after our Christmas break and some missed classes, I wondered if she was really ok. So I asked her about her back and the sessions with the fysiotherapist. Well, she told me she was feeling better, her back got better, but as an empath I had a different impression: it didn’t feel really good. Then again, it was none of my business, so I just stuck to the classes.

Burnout

The students of the group class were great, by the way. But quite soon they told me that their colleague, my private student, had to cancel the upcoming classes – due to a sick leave. And after some more weeks they told me that the company had arranged a dismissal, because of her situation: her burnout. I felt sorry for her, and unfortunately I was right.

Surrender

But it also left me with some positive feelings. When we connect with people – especially at a deeper level, and with the right intention – our energy, our light can nurture someone else’s energy. Even if that would mean that this person would need to let go of all the struggle and resistance, that could cause some disbalance. And that some surrender would come in. Maybe it was only a little push towards her, our brief connection, to let it all go. Who knows? But it was just too much for her – on the job, maybe privately too – and now she was forced (or able, depends on the perspective) to do so.

Source

No idea how those things exactly work, but I guess Source works through us in that way. Even more when you are highly sensitive. So we regularly tune in, connect, not knowing what we will feel or discover. And even though it has often felt like a burden and something disturbing, it feels like a real gift to me. So I embrace it fully – well, most of the times.