The term "gaslighting" has a very specific meaning in today's terms - it is the act of hypnotizing someone into accepting an illusion or into seeing things through a different lens. A classic example is when a person is driving down the road and notices a truck coming up on them that they would not notice if they were not gaslighters. The objective of a gaslighter is to create an impression in the subject's subconscious mind that they are not noticing the truck. This technique can be very effective at convincing people that you know more about them than they do.
In order to successfully practice gaslighting you must first become a master of your craft. One way to do this is to become a skilled and efficient empathizer. There are two types of paths - awakened and de-railed.
An awakened path is very proficient at reading other people's emotions and is able to tap into their energy to gain insight. As a result, awakened paths are very insightful. Unfortunately, this insight also means that the person practicing this skill often has a great deal of trouble understanding other people's emotions because their emotions are so deeply seated within themselves.
The second type of empath is the opposite of the awakened one. The de-railed empath cannot read other people's emotions because they are too un-railed. De-railed empaths use their feelings to find the truth without the use of logic. Because of their insensitivity, de-railed people are often the target of the gaslighting tactics of the gaslighters.
So how do you know whether or not you are being slighted? If you are being presented with an emotional question or situation and the response you receive is one of confusion or hurt feelings, then most likely you are being gaged. One way to differentiate between confusion and hurt emotions is if someone offers you another opinion in the same conversation. For instance, if a person asks you, "Are you being slighted?" and your response is "No", then that is a good sign that your emotional state is confusion and that the giver does not want you to come to a deeper level of understanding.
Yet, if you respond with, "Yes" when your emotional depth is explained, then the giver is indeed trying to teach you something. The underlying truth is that the only way to truly understand another person is through emotional depth. Therefore, if you are being offered an interpretation or clarification on a situation, then it is a good idea to follow the advice.
If, on the other hand, you are being presented with an explanation or clarification based on emotional depth alone, then chances are you have been subjected to a sustained pattern of manipulation. This is most often done through emotional manipulation of the manipulative manipulator. If you know what I mean, then you have been "gaslighted." Learn how to recognize it and stop it by staying clear of the no-contact rule while you work through your emotional depth.
Are you being slighted? If you think about it, most people do not think about this question; they just try to get along in the present period and avoid controversy and confrontation. When that fails, then they resort to emotional manipulation and the gaslighting tactics to cover up their mistakes and confusion. Being clear on the issue or two before starting off will help avoid this.
You cannot be sure if you are being slighted but there is a good chance you have been subjected to at least one such tactic. There are many ways to be psychologically disarmed. For instance, you can start focusing more on the positive aspects in life instead of dwelling on the negative. Look for the good and leave all the bad and destructive issues aside. By doing this, you are opening yourself to the emotional depth manipulation and you will become more able to defend yourself against it.
In addition to the above tip, you can also start examining your relationship with alcohol or drugs. Are you emotionally involved with these substances or not? Do you need them to feel good or do you feel nothing without them? These things are very important insights into your psychology. Without knowing them, you cannot truly understand whether you are emotionally deep or not.
If you want to know, you should try some of these techniques. Just by doing so, you will find that you are not being gaslighted anymore. At the same time, you will also discover how to defend yourself against it. Remember, you cannot always be sure what other people are trying to do to you even if they claim that they are just trying to help you. Sometimes, what they are really trying to do is to manipulate and abuse you emotionally. And if you don't have a firm grasp on emotional depth manipulation, then you may be vulnerable to their tricks.