How to Handle Bad News When Opening Up Empathically

Hi Laura,
Recently I read the news report of a young man who was senselessly murdered by a classmate. I cannot begin to describe the pain I am feeling regarding this tragedy. I cannot simply seem to let it pass as a news story-even though I do not know this child at all I feel a deep sense of personal loss. In addition my heart cries for his family and friends who were close to him. Immediately upon hearing about his disappearance I seemed to know what happened to him-instinctively somehow. Now, I cannot let this go-do you think this young person somehow is reaching out to me from the other side? What does he want me to do? What can I do to ease my aching heart?
Thank you,
Shelly

Hello Shelly,

What you are feeling is normal…especially as the veil between the worlds thins. We are becoming desensitized to tragedy and suffering until a particular event pierces us and causes us to slow down and really take it in. Consider this a sign of your own expanding consciousness. Both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ come in as consciousness expands. There are things you can do so that the ‘bad’ does not close down your ‘circuit board’ and leave you feeling so immobilized. I help teach folks how to handle this regularly in private sessions. For starters, you need to stop reading all the negative news.

You asked if you alone are being singled out to assist this young man or if he was reaching out to you from The Other Side, the answer is no. When your consciousness is open, hearing of tragedy effects us differently and your soul goes out to those suffering. Empathy happens. Intuition can happen. If you want to send a general note of condolence and let the family know they are in your prayers, that may help ease your sense of helplessness that comes along with this feeling of awareness. Or you can decide to dedicate a few moments each day to send prayers thru the ethers to those in pain. You can do something locally to donate some time to furthering the cause of education and tolerance. The choices are more than the surface response, so search your heart for something honorable and not ego based and you will do fine.

In peace, Laura