Hi Jennaya, Sallie & Marije. Yes, the boundary issue is a big one for people with strong empathic qualities. What's the key here? I think what you said here Marije is quite illuminating...

For example, this week I had a meeting with a work colleague, with whom the interaction felt heavy. At some point I think I must have connected with his field and started feeling quite strange and unsettled inside, as if I could start shaking any time. These are the moments that I always get a little bit confused about what to do and how to deal with the energies I feel inside my body, and wish that my boundary could naturally retract from it.

The line that literally jumps off the page for me is, "I always get a bit confused about what to do and how to deal with the energies". Essentially, there are two separate aspects here that the consciousness has rolled into one. So the first thing to deal with is what to do? Often someone with strong empathic qualities will override the "to do" aspect because of the tendency to harmonise. I've noticed there's frequently the desire "not to offend" or "not to judge". I believe these become energetic 'fixations' - fixed behaviour patterns that then override the ray 1. The ray 1 might be saying, "get me the hell out of here!" But the tendency is to override that calling.

For me, the boundary naturally happens as a dance between the rays. I'd say the key is to always have a large percentage of attention inwardly orientated - at least 50% of your awareness. Also to keep allowing the natural spontaneity of the soul to take action. The active ray 1 will likely then cause you to avoid certain situations which aren't necessary to engage in. And even as you do feel to open up and begin to empathise, work on it being more progressive, rather than diving into the deep end. Maybe a visualisation would help help - perhaps seeing a lotus flower gently opening inside - but there are natural degrees of openness. Always watch for the arising of ray 1, which then might want to change the dynamic.

If I'm in this kind of middle way engagement, where I am opening to someone, but I sense it's not going to bear beneficial fruit, then the ray 1 is likely to come quite firmly in. It actually starts to shift my body language (without intention) that signals a pulling away or moving on - even someone not fully tuned into their soul will likely perceive that subconsciously.

So I would say to practice the opening up and closing down, including the spontaneity to shift. You'll likely have to overcome various levels of self-judgment about this - the sense that you might be being unkind. At this point, reflect on your greater purpose - that to the greater shift, not just an individual. Plus working the strengthen the ray 1 in these situations doesn't mean being rude. Just to be clear in yourself what your greater purpose is and to allow this to animate you more.

And remember, these qualities are like developing a muscle - you can't just hear it and wonder why it's not resolved - you actually have to practice and work it. 'Practice' in this case would mean working with awareness - being totally present in all of these challenging engagements, working to break down judgement (of yourself) and opening up for other rays of behavioural consciousness to come through (particularly the ray 1).

I would also suggest reading this Openhand article here below. It speaks particularly about what you might do if you do take on someone else's energy..
What Spiritual "Empaths" and "Catalysts" might Learn From Each Other

I wish you all well with the inquiry.

Open