Often times I am approached with questions on how to best defend or protect against negative energies, entities, and intentions of other people. So I've decided to make a post about so it may help any who look for it. I will first start with the less substantial forms of protection and move onto the more tangible forms. Here we go.
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Shielding is a term that is most often applied to the act of using ones own spiritual energy to block the harmful or negative energies exuded by or sent to ones self by another person. While I do not see this a practice that is needed actively or constantly, it could be useful in some situations.
This skill or practice can also be used when dealing with spirits, such as ghosts. It is a way to reinforce ones own confidence and determination. In a way this skill is simply an act of mentally steeling ones self for the task or moment they are dealing with.
It is beneficial to visualize (or imagine, the former is simply more professional sounding) ones own aura solidifying around them, or becoming radiant enough to ward of any unwanted foreign energy. This is a very general explanation. In a closer look, you could sit down, clear your mind, and simply will your own energy to become a sort of shield.
I know that is a vague explanation, but really, that's all there is to it. It get's complicated if you try to embellish.
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Sigils are a wonderful way to protect yourself, a space, or others. A sigil is essentially a self created symbol given both power and meaning by the creator of it (which is ideally yourself). You can take a piece of paper, scrawl some design on it, or doodle until you feel that the image is just good in some subconscious way. Think about the image, and what you want it to mean. Make mental connections to that sigil and the meaning you want it to take stronger than steel by mulling it over, meditating on it for extended periods of time, and just like you know a red octagon means 'stop' come to know that your sigil means whatever it is you want it to mean.
After creating a sigil you can draw them on other surfaces, such as paper, and leave them in the four corners or on the walls of a room you want to protect. This can be done for an entire house or individual rooms. You could even draw them on the walls if you really felt like it, but I don't suggest that unless you own the walls.
If you do not wish to leave physical representation of a sigil somewhere, you can spiritually imprint the sigil on a surface. Some say this does not work as well, but I suppose with a strong determination, you will be fine.
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Another form of protection is the use of physical, natural, substances. The most common of these in protection is water, salt, and quartz crystal.
The water is most often blessed (holy) or consecrated. I would not suggest using normal water as means of spiritual protection, as I'm not sure it would do you any good.
Holy water can be gotten from a Catholic church. I would tell you how to make it, but I'm not a Catcholic priest, and don't know how. I'm also very sure you must be a priest for it to be considered really blessed. However, I can tell you how to consecrate your own water.
Consecrated water is not much different than holy water. Imagine it like a witches version of holy water. It is cleansed by the four elements, and imbued with purity by the intentions and will of the caster. I consecrate water by taking the desired amount of liquid, and placing it in my cauldron (I use this for just about everything. Mine is a simple black stone bowl that I made in ceramics class). I cleanse the area in which I will be working by burning incense and lighting a white candle. I smudge the area with the incense smoke. Having gathered physical representation for each element, I place them around my cauldron. I sit in front of them and begin. I ask each element to cleanse the water, I pass each representation over my cauldron as I do so, in accordance with their respective elements. I call upon the cardinal directions, as each is associated with an element and ask them to imbue it with their energy. Once this is done, I pour my own intention of protection and cleansing into the water via energy.
After this is done, I thank the directions and the elements, and dismiss them (I know that sounds like I just casually wave them away, but I don't. Be respectful when you do this).
I then transfer the water to a glass bottle which I had previously cleansed both physicall and spiritually. I take the bottle outside, and leave it for 24 hours so that it can soak in energy from the world during both the night and day. Collect the bottle of water after the time is up, and you have consecrated water.
This water is used by wetting a surface you wish to be protected. For instance, if you want to protect a room, place a bit on each wall of the room. If you feel endangered, place a bit on your forehead or somewhere else. I also find it usefull to wet the mirrors in my house with this if I feel like a negative entitiy is passing through or hanging around.
Salt is used by leaving it around the space you desire to protect.
Quartz crystals can be used to set up what is known as a crystal grid. This is done by taking multiple of the crystals, and linking them together spiritually. Set them up in the corners of the room, and they will drive away or keep out negativity. This can be done for an enire house if you have the resources. Quartz crystals will also absorb the negativity and trap it if you spiritually program it to. You would be best advised to regularly cleanse them of this energy and not let it build up.
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Many practioners will call upon higher beings for protection. This could mean Angels, patron gods or goddesses, or a variety of other beings.
This is done in the way a prayer might be done. You can call upon an Angel by announcing their name and asking them to protect you, it's really raher simple. Like asking a friend for a favor. There is also the act of wearing the Angels sigil upon you as an amulet, or some form of jewelry. Scribe the sigil on an object you will carry on your person, associate that object with the Angel, and with protection, and it is done. Often times there are sigil for Angels already created. Use these, as they may carry the resonance effect by the others who utilize them. If you can not find one, make your own. But it is not hard to find them.
The asking of help from a diety is also very easy. Simply evoke their name, ask for their stalwart protection, guidance, and let them in. So to speak.
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Often times people will burn sage and white sage for cleansing and protection. This is done simply by the spiritual properties of the plant itself. You can bind long peices of sage together with twine or some string in order to make a smudge stick. This is used by burning it and wafting the smoke into each corner of each room in the house. You should be sure to get each of these, so that the energy you are driving out will not have any refuge.
Other herbs associate with healing are: agrimony, aloe, angelica, bay laurel (also just called bay), betony, bloodroot (can be planted near the door of your house in order for protection and drawng in happiness or affection), boneset (used to ward of spirits), juniper (also can be burned to enhance psychic abilities), st. john's wort, and majoram. There are obviously a lot more than that, but I'm not going to list them all.
And so my post concludes.
Danu Bless you all.
~Mael~
Note: I do NOT suggest you use the herbs I listed for anything but the magickal purposes unless you research the medicinal ramifications, both upsides and the downsides. Many herbs can have harsh negative efffects if used improperly in medical ways. So do your research and consult someone trained in their use. Such as a doctor.
