Shielding

A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace, battle axe or similar weapon to the side of the shield-bearer.

 

Shielding is a similar way of protecting yourself.  It can protect you from psychic, mental or magical attack - it's basically a way of creating an energy barrier around yourself that other people can't penetrate.  Think about the Star Trek series, when the Enterprise would activate its cloaking device, the magical shield works much the same way.

You erect these shields with the power of your mind.  Shielding creates an energy barrier which protects you from the negativity and unwanted energy of others.  Your shields will keep others from being too readily able to "read" you.  Additionally, they will prevent anyone from doing anything with your personal energy without your knowledge and permission. 

When you shield, you envelope yourself with energy.  Focus on your energy core, and expand it outward so that it covers your entire body.  Ideally, you'll want it to extend past the surface of your body, so that it's almost as though you're walking around in a bubble.  People who can see auras often recognize shielding in others - attend a metaphysical event and you may hear someone say, "Your aura is huge!"  It's because people who attend these events have often learned how to shield themselves from those would drain them of energy.

When you're forming your energy shield, it's a good idea to visualize the surface of it as being reflective.  This not only protects you from negative influences and energy, it can repel them back to the original sender.  Another way of looking at it is like the tinted windows on your car - it's just enough to let in sunlight and good things, but keeps all the negative away.

Try also to surround yourself with colored light as a shielding technique.  White is often associated with the sun, the moon and in some traditions as death.  A white light can push anything else out of the way, yet it is sometimes too harsh (think of a police spotlight).  Blue is the color of the sky and it’s less astringent than white light.  An infusion of blue light can offer protection without being overwhelming.  Soft yellow light can be healing.  Statues of Buddha are usually painted metallic gold, are made of the metal gold or have gold plating.  It is the light of the sun and spiritual light shining from the sun, the force of the universe and a symbol of honor, reputation and power in all realms.

Certain stones and symbols have the ability to enhance protection power above and beyond what your personal energies can raise.  You should not use these items if they don't 'speak' to you; the power of magic has as much to do with you as with the items you use.  When choosing stones, symbols or other magical enhancements, you should always trust your own intuition about whether or not it will work.  There are hundreds of things you can use.  Feel free to experiment if you like.

Some examples could be: Citrine is the most powerful crystals for enhancing happiness and banishing depression.  It will help you get to a more productive mindset for grounding and shielding.  Or: The Chokurei is a symbol used in Reiki healing.  This symbol can be used to enhance the power of any other magical tool.  Or: Norse believed that you could absorb the power of bears.  The bear is the symbol of maternal protection, strength, healing and solitude.  Try a few things and use what works.  A basic start is...

 

Bear in mind that shielding without grounding may allow negative energy to "cling" to the shield.  You should ground energy so that it cannot harm you.

Begin drawing energy into your body.  Let it begin to build in your abdominal area.  This is where your energy and strength begin to build.  Visualize (picture in your mind) a ball of pure light, energy and strength at the core of your body.

Slowly let the ball expand, with your abdominal at its center.  As the ball expands, begin to see it as a bubble or hollow sphere with you on the inside.  Make the bubble any material or color you want.  It can be solid like a wall or it can constantly flow like water.  Let the energy from the Earth flow through you and into the shield as it expands.

Let the sphere penetrate the ground beneath you, cover the air above and to all sides of you.  You are protected in the center of this bubble.  The bubble is incredibly strong.

You can keep your shield up as long as you like without much effort.  The positive energy will rise up into your body to replace the energies you are putting into your shield.  Relax and let yourself come back to normal awareness.   You are protected and safe. 

 

With practice, when you feel the need to raise your shields, you will be able to do so almost instantly.  Sometimes it can also be used to shield a car, bed or entire living space.  This can take some people months and some people years to master.  Shields are always getting better if they are worked with and there are always new ways to improve on them.

 

The breath of life
And the light of my mind
Creates an enchantment
Of protection and comfort
As the air I breathe is purified
I surround myself with an orb of gold
This golden haze
Is constantly purified
And separated from any negativity
May my space be protected.

 

Centering

Grounding

Meditation

Prayer

Visualization