We must be wary…we must always guard against “Emotional Vampires”. What is an emotional vampires? Emotional Vampirism is the act of manipulating another into an intense desired emotional state; such as love, passion, anger, in order to absorb the resulting emotional energy.
We all do this to each other in some way or form never really realizing we do it.
We may not intend to do it but it happens a lot in the course of a given day. There are those we know and love, we care for when they are sad and down in which this might happen.
- Children to do this to their parents.
Lovers to do this to lovers.
Friends will do this to friends.
Then there are others that are out there; others that engage in interaction with us for the intent of initiating this practice. These are people that purposefully engage in this practice which is dangerous, extremely dangerous to our path and well being.
We as Jedi consider the circle a most important and sacred symbol. The circle represents full and complete wholeness and when two or more are dwell within the circle for mutual benefit, this is what Master Kenobi called “the symbiotic circle” which is the natural circle of interaction between ALL things living or inanimate. These people that manipulate us in such a way that we produce energy so that they might feed upon it, feasting on our portion of the Force is nothing short of a parasite to a host. They are essentially feeding on us!
We must extend our awareness and be mindful in all dialog and interaction. We must immediately spot the signs of Emotional Vampirism so that we can break the connection. If we do not do this the we become drained emotional, mentally and physically. This is fertile ground for the agents of evil. The shadows of the Dark Side will flourish on this most fertile ground.
An emotional vampire will share and will sympathize/empathize; we will offer understanding, wellness and peace, they will feed off of it dragging more energy from you. As the exchange continues with no positive resolution, you think you must work harder to sense, feel and understand their pain and hurt when the only purpose is to draw more energy out of you so that they might gorge themselves. Their insatiable appetite can not be satisfied. They hunger and consume and consume some more.
Soon you become tired and irritable and impatient. You begin to become sad as you experience both their suffering and depletion of your own fortitude and will. You become angry but not just for them, but because of them and when the connection is broken your standing square in the center of valley of the Darkness and despair. There is now sadness; doubt, fear, anger, aggression and despair are now in the place where peace, harmony and serenity once was and why? Because an emotional vampire drained your light and replaced it with darkness.
I’ve been meaning to discuss this topic for sometime. I actually found some interesting tell signs of the common personality traits that are synonymous with Emotional Vampirism. - Jedi Master Thompson
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The Narcissistic Vampire Checklist
True or false? Score one point for each true answer.
1. THIS PERSON HAS ACHIEVED MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE HIS OR HER AGE.
2. THIS PERSON IS FIRMLY CONVINCED THAT HE OR SHE IS BETTER, SMARTER, OR MORE TALENTED THAN OTHER PEOPLE.
3. THIS PERSON LOVES COMPETITION, BUT IS A POOR LOSER.
4. THIS PERSON HAS FANTASIES OF DOING SOMETHING GREAT OR BEING FAMOUS, AND OFTEN EXPECTS TO BE TREATED AS IF THESE FANTASIES HAD ALREADY COME TRUE.
5. THIS PERSON HAS VERY LITTLE INTEREST IN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE THINKING OR FEELING, UNLESS HE OR SHE WANTS SOMETHING FROM THEM.
6. THIS PERSON IS A NAME DROPPER.
7. TO THIS PERSON IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LIVE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND ASSOCIATE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
8. THIS PERSON TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OTHER PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE HIS OR HER OWN GOALS.
9. THIS PERSON USUALLY MANAGES TO BE IN A CATEGORY BY HIM OR HERSELF.
10. THIS PERSON OFTEN FEELS PUT UPON WHEN ASKED TO TAKE CARE OF HIS OR HER RESPONSIBILITIES TO FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR WORK GROUP.
11. THIS PERSON REGULARLY DISREGARDS RULES OR EXPECTS THEM TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS IN SOME WAY SPECIAL.
12. THIS PERSON BECOMES IRRITATED WHEN OTHER PEOPLE DON’T AUTOMATICALLY DO WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS THEM TO DO, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE A GOOD REASON FOR NOT COMPLYING.
13. THIS PERSON REVIEWS SPORTS, ART, AND LITERATURE BY TELLING YOU WHAT HE OR SHE WOULD HAVE DONE INSTEAD.
14. THIS PERSON THINKS MOST CRITICISMS OF HIM OR HER ARE MOTIVATED BY JEALOUSY.
15. THIS PERSON REGARDS ANYTHING SHORT OF WORSHIP TO BE REJECTION.
16. THIS PERSON SUFFERS FROM A CONGENITAL INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE HIS OR HER OWN MISTAKES. ON THE RARE OCCASIONS THAT THIS PERSON DOES RECOGNIZE A MISTAKE, EVEN THE SLIGHTEST ERROR CAN PRECIPITATE A MAJOR DEPRESSION.
17. THIS PERSON OFTEN EXPLAINS WHY PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER KNOWN THAN HE OR SHE IS NOT REALLY ALL THAT GREAT.
18. THIS PERSON OFTEN COMPLAINS OF BEING MISTREATED OR MISUNDERSTOOD.
19. PEOPLE EITHER LOVE OR HATE THIS PERSON.
20. DESPITE THIS PERSON’S OVERLY HIGH OPINION OF HIM OR HERSELF, HE OR SHE IS REALLY QUITE INTELLIGENT AND TALENTED.
Scoring: Five or more true answers qualifies the person as a Narcissistic Emotional Vampire, though not necessarily for a diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality. If the person scores higher than ten, and is not a member of the royal family, be careful that you aren’t mistaken for one of the servants.
By ALBERT J. BERNSTEIN, Ph.D.
The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder are: (don’t try this at home, folks):
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy, as indicated by at least five of the following:
1. a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is “special” and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favourable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy and is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes
Source Material: http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/narcissi … klist.html
