In almost every case where there is no real health issue, I have been able to psychically pick up on instances and evidence of psychic ability, and pinpoint with accuracy when they started experiencing psychic phenomenon. In almost every case, these people have trouble being out in public. They find themselves sicker when they are out in public. Many clients come to realize through their session with me that they are empathic. By pinpointing a few public empathic episodes, they come to realize they are feeling the physical and / or emotional pain of others.
So, how does an empath learn to control this? How does one with empathic abilities learn to cope with the rest of the world? The answers are actually simple.
First off, we are all spiritual energy. Some of us have innate ability to take in the energy of others. I do not believe this is something we have full control over, but it does happen. Those who take a lot of the energy of others in, need to take time for them self. Meditation, solitude, alone time is crucial. This meditative time is very needed to keep one in balance for the work God has set out for them. Through meditation, they may come to understand why they feel so much from others and take so much of others in.
The second thing to always keep in mind when this pain comes up while out in public is that it is not your pain, and you do not have to take it all in. When you are out somewhere and start to feel this, remind yourself with this simple mantra, "This is NOT my pain. I do not have to feel this. This is NOT my pain." This should help you to block out some of this pain which is not yours to begin with. If the mantra does not work and you are a more visual person, then visualize yourself in a protective bubble created to block out the pain of others specifically.
The third and most important thing to keep in mind is that God does not let us feel the pain of others as a form of punishment. Those who can feel the pain of others are in fact, not just empathic, but also natural healers. If you are with someone and feel their pain, and they are comfortable enough to allow it, perhaps laying hands on them, in the place you feel the pain is called for. Ask God to heal them of their pain and / or anguish as you do this. You may find that they feel better from your help, whether the pain dissipates permanently or temporarily.
I also would highly suggest that anyone who is experiencing the trials of empathic ability check into learning a healing modality. There are many forms and modalities to choose from, such as Reiki, Pranic Healing, and Shamanic Touch to name a few. All modalities have the same basic principles in their early teachings, and will help anyone with empathic struggles to start to understand, harness, and transform an ability that seemed like a curse into a precious gift.
With so many people feeling the trials of empathic ability, I can not help but to think that if more people became aware, we could have enough healers to heal the whole world. Imagine the possibilities!