Basic Psychic Protection

Basic psychic protection acts as an energy that wraps around us. The purpose of this energy is ultimately to block out all intrusive or malicious vibrations that come from other sources. As one begins to practice magic or any psychic art their awareness of the worlds energies increases greatly. With this newfound sensitivity comes exposure to a new realm of distractions. You know how when your smoke alarm's battery runs low and it makes that little beep noise every minute or two. Most people don't notice the annoying little reminder right away. It'll beep for weeks until a friend points it out or you simply start to hear it one night while you're trying to fall asleep. Once it creeps into your range of hearing it's hard to ignore it. Even though it may have beeped for weeks without you noticing, it suddenly becomes impossible to ignore. This comparison isn't entirely suitable since your awareness of energy will most often be a positive and exciting development, and not an annoyance. It's when you begin to pick up others dark emotions or any outside negative vibes that you will want to practice psychic protection.

Bubble Technique

The most basic technique for protecting oneself magically is to simply imagine yourself inside a ball of white light that turns away any energy before it can touch you. When you visualize this ball of light around you, you want to make sure it appears opaque and solid in your minds eye. This bubble should probably extend about a foot above your head, and at least 6 inches below your feet. It doesn't have to be a perfect sphere; just make it fit around your body in whatever shape seems most comfortable or appropriate. You want to enforce the energy in the areas above and below you to be just as strong as the area in front and behind you. Rest assured that even after you come out of your concentrated state, this bubble will move with you without problem. Any vibrations that touch it will simply pass over and around your shield like the wind moving over your car. In the rare circumstance that your shield comes up against someone else's, it will bend to compensate, but not break. Much like two balloons pressing together. You need to hold the image of an impenetrable force field in your mind for at least a good solid minute or two, before returning to your everyday life.

Mummy Technique

The visualizing of specific shapes forming around your body piece by piece adds focus and resolve to your protection magic, and this is the basis of the mummy technique. Begin by creating the image of a ball of white light glowing just above your head, where the crown chakra or higher-self psychic center is located. Focus on the energy here, increasing its intensity as you focus on it. Visualize white light sweeping down from this powerful sphere in the shape of a wide ribbon that begins to wrap around your head. You may want to leave some space between the energy ribbons and your physical body, perhaps 3-4 inches. Have the ribbon continue to wrap around your head, overlapping itself and creating a solid sheet that surrounds your head in protective energy. Don't stop at the head though. Let the ribbon continue to spin around your shoulders, torso, hips, legs all the way down to the feet, making sure to cover every spot so that you are entirely and safely wrapped. When you work your way down to your feet have it wrap underneath them completing the blanket surrounding you. When you are completely wrapped, hold the image of what you just did in your mind for a few moments before opening your eyes. This exercise is a great way to improve your skills with energy manipulation while benefiting yourself.

Burning Flame

The Burning Flame is best used in situations that may be dangerous or that you require a great amount of protection over a short period of time. If you are entering a place/meeting/situation with a terrible amount of negativity you can perform this technique. Some people visualize their shields as a fire surrounding them at all times which is fine, although the method presented here is geared toward an emergency situation or on a temporary basis since it uses high amounts of energy.

Stand perfectly upright with your legs together and your arms flat against your side. Go deep inside yourself to the center of your being. Approach all of this with a confident intensity, your mind focused on your need for protection. Find your center and know that in your center is an intense source of energy, the very energy that all your magical abilities come from. With your consciousness in this core of your being, create an eruption of energy within yourself. Like a volcano building up pressure, cause your energy to rise and expand from your center out. As the energy reaches the outside of your body have it burst into a blue flame that surrounds your body. The curved base of the flame should be at your feet and the tip of the flame above your head. The intense energy flame will burn any outside vibrations before they can reach you. This flame won't harm you physically since it's a spiritual flame, but it will stop any other spirit or energy from touching you. Once the flames surround you, try to keep part of your mind focused on it as you proceed through the situation you felt required extra protection. Imagine more energy fanning the flames stronger and higher as you exhale.

As with any of these techniques, practicing first in a safe place is highly recommended.

Chakra Spin Protection

This powerful technique unites the chakras to create a shield fully embedded with all aspect of your will and energy. Begin by visualizing performing the Psychic Center Visualization as detailed in the Energy Techniques document. A quick rehash: Charge the crown chakra, and draw a line down to the 3rd eye chakra. Charge the 3rd eye before drawing a line to the throat. Charge and continue to the heart, charge this chakra and draw a line of white light to the solar plexus chakra. After charging the solar plexus you move to the sex chakra, charge it and then onto the root chakra. As mentioned before, this is an adaptation of the traditional chakra system to have a center between the two feet so draw one more line to the ground center and charge this area. Create two lines of light from this center that swoop to each side of you in an upward curve before connecting with the crown chakra above your head. Begin cycling your energy through the lines through breathing.

Instead of stopping at this point continue cycling but move your focus to the curved lines at your side. We want to move these two line simultaneously clockwise so that they being to spin around the body. Let them put of energy as they continue to move faster and faster until their light forms a solid wall of energy that surrounds you. Spin this wall of energy around you for a few moments. When you feel ready, let the image of the chakras fade from your mind, and let the spinning motion end, but hold onto the image of all the energy the chakras surrounded you with.

How often and how long?

You should practice shielding techniques at least once a day until your body picks up the habit and begins to naturally reinforce your shields with energy. After a month or two you should be proficient enough that you only need to revisualization your shields once a week. If you find yourself in a particularly nasty situation where you need an extra amount of protection, feel free to shield yourself again even if you had done so earlier in the day. As you become more comfortable and skilled at these techniques you will find it possible to reinforce your shield with a little concentration and even while you body is in motion or otherwise distracted.

Colors in Protection

Everyone likes to add a little color to his or her magic. When you give your energy it's own color, you are personalizing it and making it easier for you to relate to. Some people are very firm in the belief that white energy is the purest and therefore is most powerful. Generally white and blue are the most commonly used colors for protection. There may be something to this, but it's always best to listen to your gut. If you feel an urge to have a green shield than go with it. You can always experiment by changing your shields color every week. If you find one shade or tone to be more effective than others, then stick with it. There are some generally accepted associations with each color that I'll post on the Temple of Manannan at a later date.

Complex combinations of color can be used to create very strong protection. In example you could make a shield that started as red at the top of your head and then slowly graduated to orange, yellow, green, blue and then purple when it finally reached your feet. Visualizing such a shield takes strong focus, and holding it this image in your minds eye as the day goes by can be challenging. Since the appearance of this shield requires much more effort, it is strongly empowered by your will. Unusual patterns in shields can also aid you in psychic defense. Integrating a religious design or an occult symbol that represents protection can add extra strength and power.