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noiriste 's review for:
Essential Tools for Empaths: A Survival Guide for Sensitive People
by Judith Orloff
Orloff's books are tough for me because she manages the rare feat of 1) dispensing some excellent observations and advice for her targeted audience, of which I am one, and 2) sounding like an airy fairy New Age auntie. Most pop psychology books are either one or the other. I think it's a mistake to entirely discount Orloff's work, though other books out there may explain the phenomena of being a sensitive person in a more scientific manner, if it matters to you.
This book is very similar to "The Empath's Survival Guide" but contained far less weirdness. No mention of feeling food energy and plant energy. The few New Agey bits I tuned out, and the rest was very helpful in reminding myself I easily take on other people's negativity, I am easily hurt by the meanness and selfishness of others, most other people are not considerate of the feelings of others as I am, that I am prone to be targeted by certain toxic people like narcissists, and that I have to constantly practice self-care to not let these behaviors affect me.
I don't dismiss New Agey ish just to sound cool or be judgmental. I've been around a few New Age shaman/seer/psychic types: every single one of them either had Narcissistic Personality Disorder (which is ironically a type that Orloff warns empaths they may fall victim to, and rightly so), or suffered from serious mental illnesses (ex. schizophrenia, bipolar) and were not medicating for one reason or another (more often than not, they didn't believe the science that got them the diagnosis). Every single one of them hurt the people around them and took their money without shame. One woman I briefly knew almost killed herself because the psychic told her to go off her bipolar medication.
Some parts of Orloff's books brought back memories of the people I've known hurt by this nonsense: the psychic who almost caused this woman to suicide "channeled Quan Yin", who Orloff mentions in this book, and talked about opening third eyes, which Orloff does as well.
If you are someone who is highly sensitive, easily hurt by the everyday cruelties of the world, or who is overwhelmed by being around stimulating environments, I highly encourage you to take up yoga, other forms of meditation, and find a good professional, especially one who specializes in these matters, who can give you tools and explanations as to why you feel the way you do. Orloff's books are best read as supplementary.
This book is very similar to "The Empath's Survival Guide" but contained far less weirdness. No mention of feeling food energy and plant energy. The few New Agey bits I tuned out, and the rest was very helpful in reminding myself I easily take on other people's negativity, I am easily hurt by the meanness and selfishness of others, most other people are not considerate of the feelings of others as I am, that I am prone to be targeted by certain toxic people like narcissists, and that I have to constantly practice self-care to not let these behaviors affect me.
I don't dismiss New Agey ish just to sound cool or be judgmental. I've been around a few New Age shaman/seer/psychic types: every single one of them either had Narcissistic Personality Disorder (which is ironically a type that Orloff warns empaths they may fall victim to, and rightly so), or suffered from serious mental illnesses (ex. schizophrenia, bipolar) and were not medicating for one reason or another (more often than not, they didn't believe the science that got them the diagnosis). Every single one of them hurt the people around them and took their money without shame. One woman I briefly knew almost killed herself because the psychic told her to go off her bipolar medication.
Some parts of Orloff's books brought back memories of the people I've known hurt by this nonsense: the psychic who almost caused this woman to suicide "channeled Quan Yin", who Orloff mentions in this book, and talked about opening third eyes, which Orloff does as well.
If you are someone who is highly sensitive, easily hurt by the everyday cruelties of the world, or who is overwhelmed by being around stimulating environments, I highly encourage you to take up yoga, other forms of meditation, and find a good professional, especially one who specializes in these matters, who can give you tools and explanations as to why you feel the way you do. Orloff's books are best read as supplementary.