Perception is reality I suppose? Maybe some people do feel these things and react in these ways to energies and feelings. It’s real to them.

Yes, I'm empathic and HSP. The HSP trait was documented by Dr. Elaine Aron in the mid-90's. What makes someone a HSP is a finely-tuned nervous system that picks up more subtleties in their environment. No woo-woo here.

I have no problem with the statement that some people are highly empathetic - even to the point of detriment to themselves. I might have even unknowingly met some. However, as soon as concepts like shakti and chakras are thrown into the mix, I have a hard time taking the discussion seriously

I don't follow any of that Eastern philosophy, religion, but yes I'm extremely sensitive to the well being or not of those around me that I love.
There have been incidents that were so common it became a joke around the house.

At the very least if someone or one of our animals isn't doing well it weighs heavily on my mind.
When it comes to my daughter there are some bizarre physical manifestations, I even asked a professional if there was a name for what was going on. While I've a pretty decent vocabulary, didn't know at the time what an empath was, but that's the closest thing that fits.

I don't know what being an atheist has to do with preventing someone from being highly attuned to those around them or not.

From a scientific view, empaths are people where their neurons for social mimicry are more active than others. Everyone has them, whenever you observe someone, neurons fire inside your brain that mimic that actions and emotions of other humans. If you're watching someone throw a ball while you're sitting down, neurons activate that would be similar as to if you were the one throwing the ball. If you observe someone being sad, neurons fire as if you were sad. Really depends on how connected someone is to their own ego. A strong connection will overpower the mimicry while a weak connection will allow one to "listen" to their mirror neurons.

As for the idea of empaths sensing energies and auras and chakras and ESP and all that stuff, that's a bunch of horse shit.

I know that there are people who are more empathetic than I am. But I don't think they possess any kind of supernatural ability to "absorb energy" that is somehow emitted from people or things.

There have been times when I've been profoundly emotionally moved: a powerful speech, a tale of a heroic act, witnessing nature's majesty, etc., but I don't believe there was any kind of "energy" exchange.

I used to think I was one. Now I realise it was my depression and anxiety causing physical reactions to what people demonstrated and, moreover, what my own brain thought they were feeling. I was really psychologically raw and tender and reacted to everything.. Now that I've been away from my abusive parents, my social stress levels have dropped significantly (though not as far as I'd like) and I no longer have these reactions.

if being good at listening and picking up on non verbal queues is to be called anything sure empath its not some low level magical talent bollocks its like psychics doing cold readings fine if you want to but don't try and charge for it or tell me you can feel my pain

Being empathic is quite possibly down to the individual being receptive to the clues that are being given out. Not in a sneaky way but in an accepting of input way (if that makes any sense) I think it's also probably true that good listeners are more empathic that the 'What others are saying impaired' amongst us.

I don't think it's mumbo jumbo, or a gift, or science, it's just a result of listening, processing and learning

I am sensitive and empathetic. The challenge is not to let people's negative energy drag me down. I choose to surround myself with positive people.

Reading the energy of a group helped me facilitate group problem-solving sessions.

"I'm the Greek Chorus now, like in a Shakespeare drama," I said, standing on a chair. "My job is to comment on what I see happening in the group."

"I get the impression that some of you feel this session is a waste of time because the manager is not here. How can we make this session useful anyway?"

That worked.

Doing Tai Chi barefoot outdoors, I feel the energy of the trees and the Earth flowing up through the soles of my feet. It's a wonderful feeling that fills me with energy.

If you can't measure this emprically then it is false. Evidence based truth rules!

I am an empath. Gobly Guk me all you want

Are we discussing Diana Troi?