Introduction What is Magickal Protection? Magickal Protection is exactly what the words imply - using magick to protect yourself and your surroundings. To be a bit more specific, it is the molding of universal forces according to one's own will resulting in an "etheric" shield being placed around an area. Magickal protection is very much the same as putting burglar bars on your windows and doors, security and surveillance systems around your home. Your magickal defenses will warn you of approaching danger, allow you to identify it and will keep the danger out. Magickal Protection can take many forms: purely mental/auric, ritualistic, physical or any combinations of these. Each form of protection has advantages and disadvantages along with different time requirements. These forms mentioned herein are only a few possibilities that you have to choose from. This introduction is a selection of writings on Magickal Protection which is used as supplement in The Mystic Gryphon's class on protection. In addition, it is part of a larger work which will eventually become an entire book as soon as the author gets finished putting everything on paper.   Why do we need to do this? Magickal Protection is essential for anyone who aspires to the Craft or subjects relating to the Craft. A Witch, or any practioner of magick, as a servant of the Light, has the potential to attract negative influences which will try to stop your work or progress. Also, a Witch, or practioner of magick, has the potential to have negative energy directed at her/him by more unscrupulous entities. We also have the potential to walk into a negatively charged area. Poverty stricken areas usually have a higher concentration of people putting off negative emotions such as worry and fear. Negative emotions or energy attract a certain form of creature which feeds off the negative energy and tries to promote the conditions or feelings which create it. Negativity build up can occur anywhere, a home where there is a lot of fighting, around prisons, etc. It is imperative that you know how to shield yourself from the influence of such negative forces. The potential for exposure to negativity is not limited to a Witch or a practioner of magick but to everyone. It seems, however, that as you become more advanced, stronger if you will, that the potential for these happenings increase. I propose the reason for this is that as you become more in tune with the universe and energy surrounding you, you begin to vibrate at higher levels. On the etheric level, your astral form will begin to "glow" more brightly and thus the potential for attracting attention increases. This is not to say that anyone will definitely attract unwanted attention but the possibility does exist. As we move along the magickal path, we will meet many entities and forces. These forces can be broken into three categories of intent: good (positive), neutral, bad (negative). By far, you will meet more good and neutral forces than bad. This is the same as everyday life, you meet people who are good, neutral or bad. Since there is a possibility for meeting a bad or negative force, should we be worried? Yes and no. Be worried to the point of being aware that something can happen is good - it means that you know that something could happen and are that much more prepared to handle such an encounter. If you spend all of your time looking for ambushes and traps with every step you take then this might be a little extreme or bad. Forewarned is forearmed. During our workings and travels, we learn to recognize these classes of forces, how to find them and how to avoid them. When meeting any force you have several options: talk to them, ignore them and walk away, take an aggressive stance if you feel threatened, try to reason with a more unsavory force, etc. Whatever you do will return three fold, do unto others as you would have them do undo you. These are statements of truth. For the most part, meeting and being friendly is the best choice but unfortunately it does not always result in a friendly response. As with meeting people on the physical level your options for encounters are the same on the Magickal levels. Magickal Protection can be thought of as a martial art. Learning such an art provides you with a means to defend yourself (defense) if needed and if all else fails, an offensive form which you can use to defend yourself. The techniques presented here will help to keep negative forces away from you and teach you how to get rid of them.