I've been reading all of your posts for 5 years now. It's been a wealth of information that has pulled me through the dark times and keep me from permanently leaving society. I thank you all for your wisdom and guidance.
I moved out of a very small town where I stayed hidden for 20 years. For the last 5 years I've been living on the outskirts of a fairly large city. This gives me the ability to pick and choose who I interact with. I find myself drawn to activities I would never do on my own, but end up being a form of therapy. I consider these empathic practices.
Any time an unspoken bond is created with a group of people I like to be in the middle of it. I get to listen to them and they seem to hear me (some do). We exchange impressions which increases commuication. One of these practices seems to be singing in choir. So for the last 2 years I've been a member of a Baptist church choir! For a 45 year old metal head like myself it's fairly crazy.
Before you start making any kind of judgment, let me explain. First off, I am not a baptist. I went to this church because I was led to it. I thought it a great way to get over my animosity against the church. I felt strongly this was something I needed to do anyway. It wasn't reason I went. I'm reluctant to say that God told me the answers to my questions would be there, but that was my perception of events. I found the people to be very open and genuine. I was accepted by them and started singing with them.
I didn't know these songs they sing, yet I always do. I know the words and the notes right before we sing them. I don't need to practice the music because these people have been in choir most of their lives and know the music well. I simply visualized my circle of power expanding out to cover the choir loft and I sing without thinking. I can't read music so I don't bother looking at it.
These people have a deep bond with each other, yet they don't seem to be aware of that unspoken communication that I am, more or less, eavesdropping into. I will never be able to explain to them what I sense going on because they are not open to the idea. That doesn't seem to matter. These people are practicing empathy! I have found by mingling with different groups at the church that they are doing the same thing in many different ways. It's not just singing and worship service. They have a way of leading these different groups into lowering their defensive walls and triggering emotions that they share. What I feel from it, at times, is being enveloped in perfect love. It's like visiting heaven.
I would love some incite into this, as well as, other groups of people you see growing in this empathic awareness that seems to be spreading.
updated by @zacharias: 11/10/17 04:05:42PM