Re: Re: Telepathy vs Empathy

Itemizing to make sure I don’t miss anything. Too much good stuff to respond to. Quotes are in quotation marks. It's so very good to be itemizing for a rational discussion rather than a debate. Thank you!

“Hello. My sympathies. I am experiencing what appears to be at least similar, if not the same phenomenon myself, though about a year further down the line if this is recent for you.”

The Telepathy is relatively recent as a noticeable factor, and even more recent as a /useful/ factor.

“I *was* primarily an empath. I could not say for sure whether the change came about from my own extensive experimenting, its a natural (to be expected?) thing, or a result of frequent contact with telepaths.”

I’ve had very regular contact with a telepath and while my telepathy has grown my empathy has not diminished, then again I have a passive range measured in multiple miles so I’m not sure how that fits on the scale of what you are discussing.

“I am at a place now, that I hope you don't reach, and mostly like won't if you don't attempt some of the truly bizarre stunts I have. I find myself flipping back and forth from empath to telepathy dominance and vice versa fairly quickly, and without discernible warning. And though quick, there is a "between" state that is fairly uncomfortable, and different than another similar aspect of empathy.”

I find that interesting. I have not discovered Empathy and Telepathy warring for “dominance” for me. I am a much, much stronger empathy, currently, than I am a telepath, but they seem to augment one another most of the time rather than conflict. Then again I have 18 years of experience dealing with the Empathy so that probably helps. I don’t know what your full background is, could you elaborate on this point? I’ve had my own share of empathic headaches... given that most of the time I was a practicing empathy I didn’t know how to shield effectively (completely self taught for the first 16 of those years. Still mostly self taught.) How does this compare to the typical problems of consistent long term overload or is there no comparison?

“It all began with a change in empathic perception. For most of my life I was able to read the emotion of another, in general terms, picking up the dominant one, maybe a mix of one or two more underlying the top one. It was there, I could usually tell the persons general emotional state and reactions. Then I began feeling them. After a few overloads, and experiencing emotions that had nothing to do with me, I decided I REALLY didn't like this development and set about various 'fixes'. I tried filtering, layered shielding, blocking, even went so far as a complete shutdown. The only thing that had significant results was layered shielding, which takes effort to maintain. The most effective method I've found to date is to shield yourself and have two others layer a shield over the top. The mechanics of why it works are unknown to me, I only know its effective.”

We can discuss the mechanics of some shields in PM or chat if you like. I’ve found several quite effective. I have a multi-layered/Merged shield that I currently use. I can give you the general theory on that, though I would prefer not to give specifics on my own. I’ve been having issues with certain individuals trying to mess with my shields, and I’m not entirely certain they’ve given up so I am being cautious.

What you’re describing seems pretty normal for a macro-empath (unofficial term), that is someone with a range beyond just the person or group they are directly dealing with/line of site. I’m not sure when I hit that point... I’ve just always been there as far as I can remember, so I don’t remember that transition. How did this lead into your development as a Telepath as well? Or do you know?

“The between state could be a normal state that many rest in, perceiving both, and ignoring it, or a sloppy transition from one dominance to the other. I don't know. “

You’ve mentioned dominance of one over the other. Does this mean you can only use one OR the other? Or does one simply become more easy to perceive?

”Once dominance of one or the other is achieved, without enough input to be a nuisance, its fairly clear. Though for me, the telepathic input has changed in how it occurs over the last few months. I no longer pick up fragments or single thoughts. I now get a full concept. I get a rush of visuals too fast to interpret, and a min or two later I have a concept. Such as "you went on a date with a new person, and enjoyed it" In the short time it takes to process the incoming information, I feel like a proverbial deer in the headlights.”

I haven’t gotten to that point telepathically, at least not with any reliability. I tend to be cautious about assuming whether what I am perceiving is actually coming from Telepathy or just my own fool imagination. I tend to prefer to err on the side of imagination, so when I do claim to have picked up something from telepathy I /know/ I have. Again something I’d like to compare notes on you from.

“Physical distance seems to have no relevance in my experience. It's my belief that reception depends more on the strength and sensitivity of the sender and receiver.”

Physical distance has an impact on passive ranges. When you’re just lounging around you’re not picking up the emotions or thoughts of everyone on the planet all at once. That would be instant overload of unprecedented levels. Now what I can send/receive to specific individuals does not appear to be related to distance, or at least not on a large enough scale to measure at the current time. Their ability to receive is another story. I’ve got one acquaintance who is the psionic equivalent of a brick wall when it comes to Empathy.

“Your analogies and metaphors, btw, are quite good. I recognized the description of what is often referred to as "the wall of noise" when an empath overloads.”

Thank you. I’ve had a lot of practice making them comprehensible.

“While empathy and telepathy seem to be separate, and one usually dominates the other, I am not convinced they are truly separate. It has occurred to me that the subconscious may be blocking one at any given time, as a form of self-defense. When caught between dominance of the two, the amount of input for me is too much, from too many sources, to interpret. Logically, I think I would block one, enabling me to be able to make some sense of at least some of the incoming. And that is pure speculation. As to whether I switch dominance or revert back, when in the midline area, I cannot predict, and have done both. “

Yet, I can use both at will, though with varying degrees of strength. I choose which one I use, and shutting off my passive range with either is not an option. (Tried that, failed miserably... Someone else tried it, didn’t manage it all the way and it still almost ‘suffocated’ me.) Are your biceps and your triceps the same muscles? No, but they are very much related. Your biceps and your latismis(sp?) dorsi are also not the same muscle, nor are they completely dependant upon one another except when you’re trying to move your shoulder joint.

“I would be greatly interested in any ideas/theories as to what causes the dominance change. After many months of notes, I still have no idea, and no way to predict the switch.”

I’m still not entirely sure how you’re using Dominance in this instance. I definitely look forward to your replies. Though I think we may scare some of the folk on this site if we keep this up!

~The Devil’s Advocate


Sorry for the delay in responding, life intervenes.

"I don’t know what your full background is, could you elaborate on this point?"

I’m a natural telepath. A natural/normal state of being as far as I’m concerned. Somewhere in my late thirties I became predominantly empathic. I began researching information about it on the web about four years ago. As far as I have been able to determine, the use of psi is so integrated into my life, that the line between psi/nonpsi functioning is not a line I can draw definitively. It’s always been there.

"We can discuss the mechanics of some shields in PM or chat if you like. I’ve found several quite effective. I have a multi-layered/Merged shield that I currently use. I can give you the general theory on that, though I would prefer not to give specifics on my own."

I would be interested in that. Of course I don’t reveal the finer points of my shielding either.

"What you’re describing seems pretty normal for a macro-empath (unofficial term), that is someone with a range beyond just the person or group they are directly dealing with/line of site. I’m not sure when I hit that point... I’ve just always been there as far as I can remember, so I don’t remember that transition. How did this lead into your development as a Telepath as well? Or do you know?"

I’m a wide-band (slang) psi. Meaning that linear distance is of no real consequence. I actually receive better from those at a distance. Maybe because of less ambient noise, I havent given it much thought. As far as I can remember my development as a telepath came first. As a child I thought everyone was. I suppressed it to a great extent for several years, noticing heightened empathy later. My memory isnt really clear on it, its always been there, sort of thing. I didn’t pay much attention to it until my sensitivity level became uncomfortable.

"You’ve mentioned dominance of one over the other. Does this mean you can only use one OR the other? Or does one simply become more easy to perceive?"

I can use both, though that tends to be a muddled mess for me. Since I began actively attempting to control psi input/output, I usually suppress empathy. Suppression of one or the other does seem to make for clearer perception. When not attempting to control the input, one usually overrides the other. There have been times when neither was clear, both were noticably in use. Those were not happy times.

"I haven’t gotten to that point telepathically, at least not with any reliability. I tend to be cautious about assuming whether what I am perceiving is actually coming from Telepathy or just my own fool imagination. I tend to prefer to err on the side of imagination, so when I do claim to have picked up something from telepathy I /know/ I have. Again something I’d like to compare notes on you from."

To be honest, I frequently don’t examine how I “know” something. The knowledge/impression is there. Unless it’s something I am certain I didn’t learn from conversation, reading, etc. I would be hesitant to label it psi input. Too much of life is predictable to assume anything more than vague memory, a reasonable guess, or the most likely probability. Even scanning for information, analytical overlay must be factored in.

"Physical distance has an impact on passive ranges. When you’re just lounging around you’re not picking up the emotions or thoughts of everyone on the planet all at once. That would be instant overload of unprecedented levels."

Agreed. I’ve never investigated my passive range. Learning to shield has been a phenomenal help. I’ve been told several times that I tend to hold an overly large number of links at any given time. I have learned not to automatically tune in to everyone in my surrounding area. The few contacts I am comfortable with identifing as passive listening, without being linked, and are consistent, are at a distance of eight and ten floors above my floor. (yes, I am the master of overloading)


“I would be greatly interested in any ideas/theories as to what causes the dominance change. After many months of notes, I still have no idea, and no way to predict the switch.”

"I’m still not entirely sure how you’re using Dominance in this instance. I definitely look forward to your replies. Though I think we may scare some of the folk on this site if we keep this up!"

By dominance, I mean that one ability becomes significantly more apparent/functional than the other. I can attempt it purposefully, but of late it seems to change without warning or easily discernable cause.