From: rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Subject: Re: Empathic question
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 08:04:19 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1992Sep2.121257.5400@samba.oit.unc.edu>, eddie@hermes.oit.unc.edu (Edward M. Averett) writes:

Guess I should clarify things a little...deleted what I thought didn't need
readdressing...if I screwed up the meaning by omission, it was an accident.

> 2) If two people are lovers, I would *hope* that they both had a "loose, 
> informal empathic link".  I would hope that with friends, family. ......
> If I was in this position, and couldn't read someone empathically, then I 
> would assume that one or more of us was limited in more than "average" ways. 

What I meant was an informal bond arising out of natural contact, affection,
whatever, as opposed to a more formal, deliberate link whose possible creation
has been discussed on this group.
 
> 3) Untrained empaths can do very little except in company which is equally 
> clueless.  Trained empaths can't do Anything against someone who is equally 
> trained.  Learning about *SHIELDS* ought to be one of the damn first things
> that anyone fooling with -- magick, empathy, PSI, neurotic and/or psychotic 
> individuals, television sets, or large animals -- ought to learn.  It takes
> about 10 minutes to do adequately and an hour to a week for even the most dense
> student to learn quite well.  

One of the parties involved--the "attacked," actually--is quite anti-magickal.
What we are discussing is a situation where one was slightly experienced and the
other untrained, and probably unwilling to *be* trained (I am not sure, not
having asked him about it yet). I suppose what the "attacker" needs is to learn
better control--would this also be accomplished through the use of shields?
 
> 4) In 90%+ of all the situations I have run into where a similar situation 
> has been described, it has involved people who are immature emotionally in 
> some respect (at least one participant, usually the complainer).  This 
> individual is generally at least neurotic, has generally been in some kind
> of therapy for something else (not 90%, but large), is overly sensitive to 
> their environment, knows little in general about anything magical (the point
> of this newsgroup, so one assumes they know *something*),

Bad assumption. The accuser does in fact know nothing. I don't think they're
neurotic either, and I *know* they're not sensitive to the environment (well,
they do recycle...:)

> 6)  I see this question come up time and time again, especially with the under
> 23 crowd, especially with people who have been in therapy, and a clear majority
> being female (ethnic and cultural backgrounds have not been adequately scanned
> for, sorry, I try NOT to associate with these kinds of people once I identify
> them).  I'd recommend that the complainer go talk to their therapist, or get
> one, leave the accused alone, that the accused drop any relationship with 
> this individual personally but NOT to drop out of organizations, other 
> friendships, etc because of this.  That action only tends to empower the 
> accusing individual.  Be yourself, maintain your identity, activate your 
> own shields.  Attempting to cure or defend yourself against a person like 
> this can be dangerous, thought I give litte and/or no credit to any dangerous
> capabilities expressed as above. 

Mmmm...in this case the accuser is male, not in therapy, and not the kind of
person I believe you are referring to (as I mentioned above, he is quite
materialistic--try going to alt.atheism and talking about this and you will get
a grasp of what the situation is. How the current situation came about, I don't
know). They are married, and both separation and therapy are out of the
question.

So I guess the question comes down to this:  what steps whould the accused
take? Is she the one being attacked, and should she protect herself magickally?
Or did she also perhaps attack? If so, what can she do to try to avoid this?
Any action is going to depend on her, as he is unlikely to be willing to take
steps to protect himself, and contact is definitely going to continue.

I apologize for questions for which I am sure the answer is patently obvious,
but I am myself unfamiliar with the topic. My knowledge of dealing with others
on an emotional level is quite basic, as I am highly introverted (interpersonal
relations? What's that?).
 
--Semhaza