"Seeing" people's energy

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

wavebreaker	04 Oct 2002
Lately, I feel like I'm beginning to "see" people's energy in their faces. I sometimes look at someone, even complete strangers, and then I think: wow, this person must be very embittered, or this person has a lot of anger in them, even if they are not acting embittered or angry at the time. Also, when thinking back of a person I met last year, whom I trusted, but who ended up betraying me, I realise now I knew that all along, but I just didn't want to see it at the time. It was his eyes, there was something about them that told me, subconsciously, that I shouldn't trust him, but unfortunately I didn't listen to that feeling at the time... It's not like I feel the energy, it's more like the faces are telling me something, showing me the energy. Does this make sense?? ;)

Roja	04 Oct 2002
Tarotlady... You are "seeing" them in your mind? With your third eye?

Sulis	04 Oct 2002
Do you think that you may be seeing their auras? Since I did my 1st reiki attunement a few weeks ago I can occasionally see someone`s aura. I get an impression of emotion, similar to what you`re describing as well. Crystalmynx xx

Diana	04 Oct 2002
People's faces are open books to those who know how to read them. And the more intuititive one becomes, the more one can see on them. Sometimes I see someone looking at me, and I know that they have seen all my sorrows and all my joys. (This doesn't happen very often.) I normally give them a little smile to tell them that I know that they have seen through me. I remember the first time I realised one can see people's pasts in their faces, was when I was chatting to a new acquaintance and said to her something like "well, of course, it was tough on you because you never knew your father, did you?". She asked me how I knew. I said "it's written on the lines under your eyes." But I try to avoid looking too hard. I don't think it's my business to know other people's lives. I prefer to respect people's secret gardens.

Ravenswing	04 Oct 2002
tarotlady-- this makes sense. perhaps you are just becoming sensitive enough to pick up very subtle signals-- a body language. seems to me that a person with pent-up anger will be tenser, etc. raven

wavebreaker	04 Oct 2002
No, I don't see them in my mind and I don't see auras either. I don't think body language has anything to do with it either, it's just the face that I'm "reading". I think it's more what Diana describes: our faces are open books and I'm beginning to read them... I don't see details like their past, just, well, emotions, feelings. I certainly think reiki has something to do with this, I'm experiences all sorts of things like this since I got my second reiki attunement last July. It certainly has made me more intuitive.

ChrisTheObscure	04 Oct 2002
I can't see anyone's energy, per se, but I've always been somewhat empathic and since working with Tarot, that's increased tenfold. I'll be sitting on the bus or in a coffeehouse or something and someone will sit down and I'll immediately get a sense of how they're feeling or what they're about, regardless of facial expressions, mannerisms, etc. C.

joya250	04 Oct 2002
hey tarotlady. :) how are yah? I know exactly what you mean. I have become more attuned to people's appearances/face/eyes as a reflection of their energy/spirit. I don't see auras (yet!... one can still hope!) or see through my third eye (yet! haha)... although I do feel this is correlated with my third eye gradually being activated/opened. I live in the city -- and am constantly walking/wandering around (haha, unemployment will do that to yah) ---- recently I've been able to let my "self" go and open up to the mulitude of energy bustling by me at any given moment. A person can walk by, and I will know or at least get a sense of the energy they are emitting and emotions that are in the "field." though I never go any farther than that (don't want to, nor can I, since it's all in passing.) it's also funny that in different sections of the city, the entire energy of the area shifts. it can be pretty dramatic -- and I know exactly on what block(s) this occurs. interesting stuff. but I can only do so much -- until I feel completely tired and I just want a nap. but, so far it's been a fun, non-obtrusive way to practice "tapping in" to other energies. anyway. just thought I'd share. - joy

sparrowspirit	04 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Diana I remember the first time I realised one can see people's pasts in their faces, was when I was chatting to a new acquaintance and said to her something like "well, of course, it was tough on you because you never knew your father, did you?". She asked me how I knew. I said "it's written on the lines under your eyes." Wow, that is amazing! I have absolutely no insight this way. I work in a doctor's office and come in close contact (alone in a room for 10 minutes or more) with 20 or more people in a day, and I have learned that I cannot trust my impressions. There are times when a person comes in and I feel a negativity, from them and it turns out that they are just very hard of hearing. Once I figure that out, and start talking louder to them, I find out that they are actually very sweet. Sometimes I bring someone back who seems to be pretty positive and they turn out to be, one of the most difficult patients of the day. So I have learned to be open to the interaction for a longer period of time and not to trust my first impression. Diana and Tarotlady: How much time are you with a person when you start to see these things? Is it immediate? Is there any way to develope this sense? Sparrow

Strega	04 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by tarotlady Lately, I feel like I'm beginning to "see" people's energy in their faces. *snipped* It's not like I feel the energy, it's more like the faces are telling me something, showing me the energy. The interpretation of outward appearance (especially the features of the face) to discover a person's predominant temper and character is called physiognomy. :) It has also been used as a kind of divination.

wavebreaker	04 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by sparrowspirit Diana and Tarotlady: How much time are you with a person when you start to see these things? Is it immediate? Is there any way to develope this sense? For me it's pretty much immediate. I don't have it with all people though, just some people that, I assume, have very strong energy, either positive or negative. And like I said: I seem to be developing it since I started reiki, and especially since my second attunement. My Reiki Master confirmed that it's very common for people to become more intuitive, more sensitive through reiki.

wavebreaker	04 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Strega The interpretation of outward appearance (especially the features of the face) to discover a person's predominant temper and character is called physiognomy . :) As far as I understand it, physiognomy is about intentionally analyzing someone's facial features to determine their character, but that's not what I'm doing. I don't study these people or anything, I see them and it just "comes to me", so to speak. That's why I termed it "seeing their energy", for lack of a better description.

the hermit	04 Oct 2002
tarotlady... i believe i know exactly what you mean. you aren’t “interpreting” their body language or facial expression. you turn... or someone turns toward you you see their face... and their "state" becomes more or less instantaneously apparent to you. not everyone, but enough... sometimes too many. i think you see their "surface" emotions or feelings. what is "on their mind" when you see them. at least that's what i think happens. yes, to me too. sometimes i go for days or weeks without it happening. then it's happening... and continues to happen off and on for days or weeks... and then it's gone again for a while, especially if i try to “make it happen”. when i've breached the subject with someone, i've found that most often the something is bothering them and they were thinking heavily about it at that moment OR they were very happy about something and thinking about that. twice now in the last year someone i've known was pregnant, knew it, hadn't told anyone else yet, and was going to surprise someone with the news. both times i asked them (but only because i was sure they already knew and wanted to confirm my own “thoughts”) and they were surprised that i could tell.

wavebreaker	05 Oct 2002
Yes, that's exactly it, Hermit. I can't "make it happen" either, it just happens.

divinerguy	05 Oct 2002
I think it exists as a phenomeneon, but requires a personal discipline to see them, and to learn what they mean. You need to stay on task, or the images fade almost immediately.

the hermit	05 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by divinerguy I think it exists as a phenomeneon, but requires a personal discipline to see them, and to learn what they mean. You need to stay on task, or the images fade almost immediately. i agree DG and i also feel that as i've gotten older the phenomenon has become more predictable. as i've learned to control my desire to "make it happen" i believe that it comes more often and stays longer. if i don't think about it... it happens.

XLCR	10 Oct 2002
I've actually begun to see "thought energy" around peoples heads. A former friend of mine called me over one day and while standing in her doorway talking to her I could see the dark clouds of negative enegy forming around her head. It was as if smoke were leaking from her mind only thicker. The energy "felt" like envy and jealousy. Helped me to understand why talking to her left me feeling drained and headachy.

ladycj	12 Oct 2002
I wonder if what you are doing, is seeing in these new people things you have encountered in the past. You know, you're beginning to recognize the patterns, even though you havn't really studied it that closely.

XLCR	18 Oct 2002
I babysit the 8 year old son of a friend. Initially I had reservations about him coming to play with my son - he hits and calls names and likes to pretend as though he is shooting others with fake guns which I am strongly against- but after telling him the rules of my house he has followed them so I allow him to continue to come and play. One day while reading to him and my son I looked at him and saw what appeared to be a "shadow" over his face. The impression I got from this was so strong it made me frown at him - though I didn't intend to. A friend of mine who has been able to see auras all her life won't allow him in her home and reffers to him as a "future juvenile delinquent". I've been noticeing that most people respond to him in a very negative manner - have seen them go from smiling at my son - to frowing and speaking more harshly to this child. I have a problem with seeing children as "dark" would prefer to think that it is an enviornmental reaction- but this kid is really hard to like. One day while running up to get something I'd forgotten I turned around to see him chasing two other children with a toy that "shot" out a card board disc- it wasn't intended to be used as a weapon - it was something my son had gotten from McDonalds. As I stood and watched he chased the the two children who looked really frightened as they ran from him - he would shoot the disc pause to pick it up and shoot again. Standing there watching it was like a movie running and I thought this kid is gonna be trouble. I know this is long but I am seriously considering not babysitting him any longer I have suggested to my friend that perhaps he needs to spend more time with his dad who is in another state but she is upset about child support. Anyone have an opinion can children come here "dark"?

Mystica	19 Oct 2002
XLCR, I would like to hear some opinions about this myself. Are some souls just "dark" from the beginning? This is an interesting thread. I think with the right focus and direction we can all develop these types of "reading" abilities to some extent.

The "Seeing" people's energy thread was originally posted on 04 Oct 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.