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Hezekiah
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Member Since: Apr 2021
Location: California
Posts: 4
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#1
I suspect many of us participating in these forums suffer an empathy deficit. Like an emergency room doctor suffering compassion fatigue, those of us who struggle to empathize have lost the ability due to trauma. Many of us began to associate empathy with injury during our formative years. I can still remember a time, as a small child, when I was filled with emotion and communion with humankind. I remember when I would cry during movies. When I deeply cared. But now as I slip away into the depths of time I am beginning to forget. Please help me remember what it is like to care. Life cares. Caring is what it means to be alive. Death has no care.
Grace and peace, Hezekiah Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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mote.of.soul
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MsLady
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Member Since: Mar 2020
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,143
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#2
"Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. ... When you see another person suffering, you might be able to instantly envision yourself in the other person's place and feel sympathy for what they are going through."
The answer to this question would vary on circumstances. |
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mote.of.soul, RoxanneToto
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Mad Walker
mote.of.soul
Act not the goat
Member Since: Jan 2018
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 13,041
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#3
When I empathise with people I basically feel sorry for them that life has struck them a cruel blow. Everyone suffers and all wish to be happy. Even the animals.
__________________ "A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."- Dōgen
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Grand Poohbah
RoxanneToto
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Member Since: Aug 2020
Location: England
Posts: 1,692
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#4
I hope I don’t come across as fake when I’m empathetic. I struggle to see things from other people’s POV sometimes, but I try to be kind/helpful.
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mote.of.soul
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catches the flowers
*Beth*
is practicing healthy breathing for brain, mind,
body, spirit.
Member Since: Jul 2019
Location: Downtown Vibes, California
Posts: 15,701
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#5
I survived (so far) an abusive childhood; I believe trauma made me more empathetic, not less. What passes through my mind when I empathize is the sensation that I'm, or my energy is, temporarily inside the other person's body or space. As if I'm feeling exactly how they feel, as they feel it. At my age (58) I'm having to learn how to set firm boundaries so I can take care of myself and not get lost in the other's pain, which has caused problems for me at times in my life.
As for people I meet online (such as on this forum), empathizing is a little more difficult because of the obvious limitations of being online, but I still empathize with others here. I couldn't be here otherwise. __________________ |
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mote.of.soul, RoxanneToto
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RoxanneToto
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Mad Walker
mote.of.soul
Act not the goat
Member Since: Jan 2018
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 13,041
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#6
Another thing about being able to empathise with people's struggles is that you can also empathise with their happiness and joyous times as well. I think I'm quite empathetic and hearing a child or a baby laughing is one of the happiest sounds to me, but hearing them crying - and I may not even be able to see or know the child/baby - can nearly bring me to tears. Poor little souls.
__________________ "A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."- Dōgen
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*Beth*, RoxanneToto
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*Beth*
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