8 Subtle Ways To Tell You’re An Earth Empath (And Why That’s A Good Thing)
If nature soothes your soul and other people's pain feels like your own, you might be an Earth empath.
knape | Canva There are subtle ways to tell you’re an earth empath and if you are one, it’s actually a really beautiful thing. An empath is highly sensitive and tends to absorb other people's emotional and physical energy into their bodies. But there are many different types of empaths, and earth empaths have a very specific connection to the planet itself.
If you’re an earth empath, you feel most at home in nature, and you’re probably more affected by the state of the natural world than you even realize. If you are an earth empath, at your core, you feel everything the earth does. You know every rock and every tree has a name and a soul. You know when the Earth is happy and can feel its pain. Your mood will even depend on this. The weather, the seasons, and even things like wildfires, storms, or pollution can impact your emotional well-being in powerful ways. Earth empaths are tuned in on a level that can feel overwhelming, but it’s also a gift. Because when you understand what your sensitivity is trying to tell you, it becomes something that grounds you instead of something that drains you.
Here are the subtle ways to tell you’re an earth empath, and why that’s a good thing:
1. You have an intimate connection with nature
Earth empaths are a special type of empath who is keenly attuned to the natural world and all of the earth’s changes.
They have an intimate connection with nature, including the earth, plants, and animals. The majestic waterfall can recharge and energize these empaths, but toxic air pollutants can make them feel depressed, exhausted, and even sick.
2. You're highly sensitive to changes in your body
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Sensually and energetically, you can feel the power of a thunderstorm, the moon's loveliness, and the sun's warmth on your shoulders. What happens to the earth is intimately connected to your body. The beauty and health of the earth nourish and sustain you.
The ocean, tides, and moon phases affect everyone, but especially you. The moon and the tide regulate menstrual cycles in women and sleep-wake cycles for all genders.
3. The earth, its elements, and the universe feel like family
The moon and stars have always been my companions. Since childhood, I’ve looked up at the heavens and felt that my true home was there.
But interestingly, I’ve found that empaths who have a hard time adjusting to being on this planet need to connect to the earth’s energy so that we can more fully inhabit our bodies. Learning how to do this (and not fighting it) is part of our healing.
The Earth loves you. You can feel it. If you’re an earth empath, that’s why you get so hurt, anxious, or have health problems when she is harmed or destroyed. Your body is intimately connected to the earth. You experience her changes as if they were happening to you.
When the Earth is happy, you are happy. When the Earth is in pain, you are too.
4. You may have premonitions about natural disasters or feel them intensely as they occur
One patient told me, “I frequently wake up just before earthquakes. Then boom, it hits.” Another said, “Before earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, my body begins to shake. I feel ‘off,’ not on solid ground.”
Another told me, “During the last tsunami, I awoke from a deep sleep in a state of agitation and dread.” An empathic friend said, “I felt like I was hemorrhaging” as a response to a catastrophic oil spill.
Similarly, try to be aware of how your body reacts during dramatic earth changes. Then, you can put your feelings in context and practice more self-care when they occur.
5. You're sensitive to solar flares
These magnetic storms on the sun affect the magnetic fields around the Earth and our bodies. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes appear to occur after intense solar activity.
During these periods, you may experience headaches, mood swings, anxiety, or heart palpitations. In 2018, researchers published the results of a long-term study examining the relationships between solar and magnetic factors on human heart rate variability. They confirmed that "daily autonomic nervous system activity responds to changes in geomagnetic and solar activity" during periods when the body is otherwise inactive.
Remember, the sun is responsible for life on Earth. When it goes through changes, we feel it even 93 million miles away. This experience is amplified for Earth empaths.
6. You frequently want to connect with the earth
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Spend time in forests, by the ocean, or in the mountains, where you can commune with the elements and feel at home.
To deepen your bond with the earth, eat clean, healthy, organic foods (even better, grow them yourself). A junk food diet separates you from the earth because you’re not ingesting its energy.
Regularly practice earthing: Lie flat on the earth to soak up her positivity and strength. Wade or swim in lakes, rivers, or the ocean. Gaze at the stars. Walk barefoot on the grass.
"Because the earth has a natural energy, when your body comes into contact with the ground, you are absorbing the earth's electrons and energy," explained wellness coach Ingrid DeHart. "And those electrical charges can affect your body in quite a positive way. The practice of earthing, or grounding, can be traced back to Indigenous practices, Chinese medicine, or Qi, and even 19th-century Europe."
To intentionally communicate with the earth, you can tune into her by asking, “What do you feel?” Then be open to any intuitions that come. Or you can use the earth as an oracle, directly asking her questions about yourself or others. She will answer you through your intuition. Then follow her guidance.
As empaths, you can connect with the earth by doing whatever you can to treasure our precious mother planet. This is part of your purpose, and a way for you to feel happy, healthy, and whole. Mother Earth is to be revered and cared for.
7. You can use your intuition to determine how the Earth feels
Earth empaths have one of the strongest intuitions; intuition simply comes to them naturally, and the earth helps guide them. You feel everything the earth feels, which makes it impossible to avoid the condition of the planet and not worry about it.
This intuition of yours will always tell you the Earth is in danger, and you will make it your mission to help save it. You may go to great lengths to use your gut instincts to become more sustainable and help others choose the correct path.
Not only will you help guide them, but you lead them down a path to save the planet, which is your core purpose. You will never rest until the earth is at peace.
8. You're very sensitive to weather changes
You're keenly aware of when the season changes from fall to winter to spring to summer — and you don't need allergies to prove it. You also feel when certain weather is approaching; for example, if rain is moving in, you feel it coming.
Your mood is extremely connected to changing weather, meaning you may be someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). You are sensitive to weather changes and the amount of daylight in a day.
2006 research advised that people "with seasonal affective disorder have episodes of major depression that tend to recur during specific times of the year, usually in winter. Like major depression, seasonal affective disorder probably is underdiagnosed."
If lack of sunlight and tremendous amounts of darkness bum you out severely, you may be an earth empath.
Judith Orloff, MD, is the author of "The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People." Dr. Orloff is a psychiatrist and empath who combines the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting-edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality.
