Pearl Nash
Being a spiritually sensitive person is not a bad thing!
Although they can be more sensitive to the world around them, spiritually sensitive people have a lot to offer others.
But what even is a spiritually sensitive person? These 10 things are the defining qualities.
1) They hold space for others
Spiritually sensitive people have a way of drawing things out of people.
Simply put, people tell them things that they wouldn’t otherwise express!
This is because they hold a level of space for people that others don’t…
…And they make people feel incredibly safe to share what’s going on for them.
It’s often the case that spiritually sensitive people actually work as healers and coaches because of their natural abilities.
My friend is a spiritual healer (and she’s incredibly spiritually sensitive!), and I find myself telling her things that I just would not tell anyone else.
I share my innermost secrets that I wouldn’t consider sharing with anyone else because it feels so right around her.
You see, she just has an amazing way of naturally drawing out things from people because of the space she holds.
For example, I never feel rushed or judged by her.
She just asks me a question and waits to hear what I have to say, before coming back to me with her objective thoughts on the matter.
2) They can be more introverted
Spiritually sensitive people can have a heightened sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Very quickly, the spiritually sensitive person can find themselves feeling like they need to retreat inwards and get away from a situation because it’s ‘too much’.
This might be anything from feeling like there are too many people talking to them at a social event or just being on public transport for the afternoon.
In other words, while we can all find ourselves feeling overwhelmed by social stimulation and interaction, they can find themselves being far more overwhelmed than the average person.
As a result, the spiritually sensitive person might not go to social events because they have a fear of interacting with others or they might not do any activities that require them to use public transport.
You see, all of the energies around them and conversation can feel incredibly draining on their resources and it can take them a long time to recover.
I personally believe that I am spiritually sensitive in many ways too…
…Just recently I went to a meditation class in the city by train, and I found myself almost wanting to curl up in a ball on the way back because I was so overwhelmed by the amount of people around me.
I had opened myself up a vulnerable state in the meditation class and found it just far too overwhelming to be surrounded by people afterwards.
3) They’re always seeking
Sometimes ‘seeking’ is seen as a bad thing…
…As in, it suggests that someone is lost!
But this is not the case for spiritually sensitive people, who are constantly seeking to understand the world around them and the mysteries of the universe.
They are endlessly seeking to understand their purpose and why they are here!
For the spiritually sensitive person, myself included, you can feel like you’re on a never ending quest to try and understand life around you.
It can feel like the questions will never end, nor will the thirst for knowledge!
As I say, this is most definitely not a bad thing.
The spiritually sensitive person wants to understand the things that they can’t see, and they want to take the time to understand other people’s belief systems.
It helps them with their place in the world, and their ability to make sense of this life.
What’s more, the spiritually sensitive person might struggle to understand how other people don’t have as many questions and as much curiosity as them.
4) They are stressed by time pressure
Now, time pressure is just something we all have to deal with in life.
Whether we work for a company or work for ourselves, there will be a point where we have deadlines and things to do by a specific time period.
It’s just a part of life!
Deadlines help give us structure and order, and without any time pressure we just would never get around to doing anything.
But unlike your average person, spiritually sensitive people have real anxiety with time pressure.
The stress of deadlines is so intense.
I can tell you from experience that I cannot leave something to the last minute.
In my experience, I can feel so physically and mentally unwell from stress if I don’t leave myself enough time to do something…
It might sound dramatic, but feeling like I’m not able to do my best because I don’t have enough time can make me feel very anxious.
So what happens?
Well, I ensure I leave so much time to do something well.
For example, if I know I have a deadline in a week, I will ensure my work is done in good time with not only hours but days to spare.
You see, leaving something to the last minute just isn’t worth it for how sensitive I am.
5) They can feel emotionally exhausted
You might be wondering how this one works, as I mentioned that many spiritually sensitive people work as healers and coaches.
Simply put, even though many people like this are able to hold space and offer support for others, they can also find themselves feeling exhausted from absorbing others’ emotions.
It’s because they’re so open to the energies around them!
Very easily, spiritually sensitive people can pick up on the heaviness around them.
What’s more, they will likely pick up on minute things that other people just wouldn’t even clock.
It can be things from facial expressions to little comments people make.
But here’s the thing:
People who work as spiritual healers have their own tools and ways of processing energies around them and restoring their balance, so they can continue to go out in the world and help others.
It’s not to say that energies don’t affect them; instead, they know how to deal with them!
6) They’re deep thinkers
Similar to being ‘seekers’ and looking for answers, spiritually sensitive people are among the most deep thinkers out there.
They love nothing more than diving into topics, like philosophy, and thinking critically and deeply about the world around them.
Sure, they can chat about everyday things and other people (like all of us can), but they would much rather be contemplating life’s big questions with other deep thinkers.
In my experience, I’m much more stimulated and satisfied when I’m speaking deeply and openly with people that meet me in the same place.
I can often find it quite hard when people are just talking about trivia and not going deep…
…Which is the experience of many spiritually sensitive people.
Truth is, we’d rather be contemplating existence!
7) They’re sensitive to noise
I spoke about the sensory stimulation overload that spiritually sensitive people can experience when at social events…
…But this isn’t the only sensory overload they can experience.
Sounds can also be really overwhelming.
Now, it could be anything from a car going past to a coffee machine in a cafe.
The sounds around a spiritually sensitive person can make them feel really on edge and jumpy, and it might cause them to want to retreat inwards and to seek safety.
You see, they would rather be in the quiet of their own home with some relaxing music on to calm their nervous system.
This is when they feel most at peace and grounded in themselves.
I can tell you from experience that I’m much happier when I have complete silence!
Not only does silence allow me to think and create, but I feel much safer and calmer when things around me are quiet.
I can literally feel like I’m fighting for my life when there’s so much noise around me!
8) Their inner world is vivid
Now, we all have the ability to use our imagination and to drift off into dreamstates!
But some people have incredibly vivid inner worlds and rich imaginations…
…You guessed it: these people are spiritually sensitive!
It’s likely that they not only have very vivid dreams that they can recall, but they daydream a lot and, as children, they might even have had imaginary friends.
You see, this is because of their ability to process deeply.
It’s often the case that these folks find being in this state really stimulating…
…In my experience, I can find a lot of satisfaction in daydreaming and connecting to how I would like things to be in the future.
However, I do like to ensure that I’m anchored in reality and not picking up toxic spiritual traits like always wishing for something better.
These are thoughts that I started thinking about a lot when I watched this free video created by the shaman Rudá Iandé.
He talks about the idea that many of us can end up picking up toxic spirituality traits without actually realizing…
…And, for that reason, we need to reflect on our belief systems!
9) Change can feel really intense
Change is a part of life…
…And just like deadlines and things to do, it can’t be avoided!
But, while some people can deal with change quite well, highly sensitive people can find change totally overwhelming and intense.
It can feel like it’s just far too much to process, so they try to avoid change at all costs.
Often, spiritually sensitive people like to keep things just as they are and they enjoy having a sense of routine.
Even change that can be positive – such as a job promotion – can stir up a lot of intense emotions.
In my experience, it can feel scary and unsettling… and intense!
In other words, spiritually sensitive people can feel stressed and overwhelmed by good news, as much as they can be happy about it.
This is because change creates such a sensory overload, and there’s so much to process as a result!
10) They’re so moved by beauty
Spiritually sensitive people are brought to tears very easily by beauty.
I can tell you that I’ve cried over trees, the sunset and poetry.
You see, spiritually sensitive people have a heightened awareness and sensitivity to the things around them…
…And it can almost feel like the only way to process what they’re seeing is through expressing emotion.
In my experience, when I’ve felt totally overcome with awe and felt so amazed at how beautiful the world is, I’ve found myself crying.
I’m not talking about dramatic wailing, but I’ve found myself shedding a tear and welling up at the sheer beauty of things.
Simply put, it’s a way of processing emotions for spiritually sensitive people.
What’s more, I find myself wondering why it is that other people don’t see the world like this and don’t feel so moved by the little things that bring me to tears.
But here’s the thing: there’s a lot of people in this world, and we’re all very different!
How can I be more spiritually sensitive?
Being spiritually sensitive is something that can be cultivated.
Although it comes more naturally to some people, it can also be something that’s developed.
But how?
The Chopra Center has a few methods they suggest in a blog post about how to be more spiritually aware.
These include:
- Starting a daily meditation practice
- Cultivating emotional intelligence
- Practicing self-love
- Connecting more deeply with other people
- Cultivating a sense of gratitude
Let’s break these down.
In the post, they explain that meditation is necessary to connect you with yourself. They write:
“One of the most effective ways of becoming more spiritually aware is to have a daily meditation practice. Meditation is about slowing down, going within, and taking time to be silent and still. It disconnects you from the chaos happening in your life and lands you in the present moment—right here, right now.”
Now, you don’t need to meditate for hours a day to connect with yourself; it could just be for five minutes a day!
As a result of meditation, you might find that all sorts of emotions come up as a result. They explain:
“Be prepared to experience your emotions at some point during your mediation practice. Meditation will, 100 percent, bring up any emotions you’ve long-since buried. This is normal and it’s a good thing! Meditation takes you to the depths of who you are and as you traverse the many layers of your being, you’re likely to bump up against yourself.”
It’s therefore up to you to deal with the emotions that have come to the surface, and to process what’s been buried.
This is the cornerstone to cultivating emotional intelligence!
Meditation aside, practicing self-love will connect you to yourself and make you more spiritually sensitive and in tune.
It will ground you in your body, and give you a different perspective on the world around you. But what does this mean in practice?
“A big part of self-love is to just be YOU and to find ways to celebrate the unique talents, special gifts, and qualities in yourself that you (or others) admire. If you tend to focus on the negative aspects of yourself (you’re always your own worst critic), this is an opportunity to shift your focus to the positive. You’ve been taught to make everyone else happy in life, to the detriment of your own self-care and preservation. To start to overcome the need to put others first, practice being authentic and willing to speak your truth so you can honor your own needs,” they write.
In other words, make a list of all of your amazing qualities and celebrate yourself!
Instead of focusing on all of the things you don’t have or haven’t achieved, focus on all that you do have that’s worth celebrating.
Perspective is everything!
You should also focus on connecting deeply with others who are like-minded and on the same path as you.
This will fasttrack your spiritual transformation and you help each other grow and see the world more deeply!
“It’s important to point out that, as you progress along your spiritual journey and you begin to wake up, the type of people you previously surrounded yourself with may not necessarily vibe with you (or vice versa) as much anymore. This is normal and it can also be somewhat disconcerting. Know that it is one of the clearest ways to gauge your level of transformation, as uncomfortable and confusing as it may feel at first. In some cases, certain friendships may fall away entirely because you’re no longer vibrating on the same frequency. You may find yourself, at times, feeling lonelier but if you stay the course, it won’t be long before you begin attracting new people who are meant to walk alongside you in one way or another,” they add.
Finally, gratitude is such an essential tool when it comes to connecting to your spiritual side.
You see, gratitude allows us to connect to the things in our lives worth celebrating.
It helps us realize that we have so much already that’s completely magical!
Often we can overlook the amazing things in our lives because we’re so focused on all of the things we want and don’t yet have.
In order to not let this way of thinking govern yourself and cause you to be detached from all of the amazing things you already have, make a point of having a regular gratitude practice.
You could write a list of all of the things you’re grateful for and stick it next to your bed so you can see it each day; you could write it on your phone; you could affirm them outloud!
My dad even calls his shower his gratitude booth… He steps in and spends the duration of his time there giving thanks for all of the blessings in his life.
Simply put, you can do whatever works for you – just make a point of being grateful each and every day!
All in all, these practices will help you heighten your spiritual capabilities and you’ll feel much more spiritually intune and sensitive as a result.
