If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Empathic Theory document in the MISC unit before this one.
So you wish to know how to actually start off with empathy? Well there are many ways, but I will base this on the linking method for it.
First off, make sure you already know how to link to someone else, 3.1 - Links & Scanning
Now then that you have that done if you didn't already, move on to the method...
You want to start off by linking to the target you wish to use empathy with, (Feeling emotions in this case), now that you have linked I want you to do one specific thing... Open your heart, as in, feel your emotions open up to outside influences, (Basically so you can feel others emotions), this is more so a mental state that is required, but once you do actually get it down... do the following.
Connect the link to your "emotions" after you have opened them up, and then begin to will your emotions to match your targets, if you are successful, you should begin to feel there emotions. It might take a few tries though.

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Telepathy is similar to empathy in the way it is transmitting something between two people, in this case it would be thoughts between two people, while it can also be developed into other skills, such as mental manipulation, persuasion, mind hacking, etc.
But the question is, exactly what telepathy is beyond that? Well it is the linking of two minds, and then the transmission of thoughts between them at the most basic level, thoughts as in images, words, intent, etc.
Method 1:
The first method of telepathy that I will suggest you learning is for you to focus on the target you would like to "talk" to via telepathy, and then focus your words on to them in your head, and imagine them being "absorbed" into there head. Don't expect this method to work on the first try or anything such as that, etc.
Method 2:
The next method is the linking method. For this one you will create a energetic link (Lesson 3.1) between your head and the targets head, or minds, and then you will transmit the thoughts down the link with the intent of pushing it in.
Method 3:
This method is for rather, to receive the thoughts, create the link just as usual, but instead open up your mind and then envision "thoughts" coming down the link and going into your mind. The focus method could also work with this, do not expect to be accurate or have this work the first few times.
Method 4:
This next method is a bit odd, as in you need to "project" into the mental plane of the target, (A bit more advanced then this), and then begin to "speaK" and or "listen" to their thoughts in there.