Is it OK to be Sensitive

Once I was told by someone that she had become too sensitive to people and situations that were perceived as negative and they impacted her in a way that she had to avoid those situations and people. “She couldn’t handle it”. So she was being subject to these situations and persons in such a way that her own state of individuality and equanimity, peace and joy was easily impacted in a negative way. So I asked her if she thought it was good to be that “sensitive”.  She seemed surprised as though the question had an obvious answer and the answer should be yes, it is good to be that sensitive.  But nothing is further from the truth.

When you are “sensitive” that means you are being negatively impacted by a situation or an individual who is seemingly having a negative experience.  This means that your inner being and your sense of self cannot withstand the energetic challenge or the opposition to what is happening in that moment, creating turmoil within you thus disturbing your sense of peace, joy and equanimity.  And in a sense you are allowing it to penetrate your sense of self and energetic field. In Ayurveda this can be as one of the signs of having low Ojas.

So then she asked me; “if we can’t be sensitive what should we be when around people’s negative energies?” The answer is quiet simple I said. To know and be aware of such people, one who has “clarity” is simply observing with awareness.  If we are correct in our assessment of the situation or person’s energy as negative then our clarity and awareness is coming from a place of strength and we are empowered to make a choice to either stay in that space or situation or move on. Our wellbeing would not be so fragile to be damaged by the energy of the person or situation as such.

So instead of being sensitive we must be aware and clear. To be sensitive is to allow the negative energy to impact your wellbeing negatively. When you have awareness and clarity, you are no longer impacted that way but observe and recognize what is and thereby are empowered not diminished.

Clarity is only possible when we cultivate the light of the divine within and at the same time cultivate a sense of compassion for others as well as for ourselves. We realize that our true nature is divine and this is true for everyone and that on this physical plane there are stages of growth and evolution and not all are on the same level of vibration. Thus not with judgment but with compassion we can choose the situations we want to be in…..
And one thing that is crucial is to build Ojas so we are not so easily penetrated by the negative impacts of lower energetic vibrations or what we perceive as negative.