Practical Witchery: Making a Sand Trap for Harmful/Unwanted Energies.

 Dear Reader,

While it is the holiday season, there is a lot of envy, jealousy, spite, and just plain meanness going around. This kind of mindset powers what's known as the 'evil eye' and can lead to your luck turning a bit sour. It seems to be a bit worse with how fractious politically things are right now and just the bitterness that many have over this Covid-19 business. I was going to post something different this week, but my guides insisted that I really should share a passive defensive measure that one can take to stop these unwanted energies from disrupting their homes, which should be a sanctuary of peace, safety, and respite from the outside world.

For this spell, you will need a small jar, sand of two different colors, a small amount of pebbles, and a small amount of something sharp (thorns, broken pottery, shattered glass, or tacks all work well). Layer the sand with the pebbles and bits of sharp things between the layers of sand. As you work, focus on the sand and pebbles grounding the energy being thrown at you and your home. The sharp things are defensive measures that acts like a psychic hedge of spears around your home that will discourage those who would consider working against you or your family.

When the jar is full of these things, twist on the lid and put it somewhere that it can be seen from the outside of your home. Mine is sitting in a window that looks out on the entryway of the apartment building. This is one of those spells that you don't need to refresh. It acts as an energy sink and is constantly powered by the spite poured in your direction. The more energy thrown at it, the more effective it becomes at grounding, disbursing, and redirecting the energy into passive defense of your home.

(Note: This may be the second time I've posted this spell. The archives go back a bit on this blog and I am still trying to organize them.)

Practical Witchery: Using Elemental Weapons

 Dear Reader,

Call them 'tools' or 'weapons,' the items associated with the different Elements are powerful in their own right. The paten associated with Elemental Earth can also be a magical shield. The wand associated with Elemental Air can also be a fighting stave. The athame associated with Elemental Fire can also be a sword. The cup associated with Elemental Water can also be armor.

The use of the magical properties of the Elemental weapons in defensive or offensive magical practices varies from tradition to tradition. In general, a shield will allow you to turn away magical attacks. A stave or a sword will allow both defensive and offensive maneuvers. Armor, obviously, protects you from an attack. It is possible to combine the Elemental weapons to achieve something that is multifunctional. A shield with armor strengthens your defense against attack. A stave with a blade increases the range of the blade's effectiveness and still is effective in both offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Many people think of magical combat as a thing of fantasy stories. It is rare in today's world, but it does happen on occasion. One must be deliberate and careful in their actions if they choose to engage in magical combat. If they do so and are invoking the raw power of the Elementals, they will find their efforts have greater potency. They must also remember, the Elementals will demand a price for this manner of use of their power. Tapping in to the raw power of the Elementals and bargaining for a dollop of that power to use as you will requires negotiating terms with the Elementals and fulfilling your end of the bargain, lest your weapon turn on you.

Iron: It's uses in defensive magic and how to properly season cast iron.

 Dear Reader,

Iron has long been associated with protection magic. Defensive charms made of iron and steel have been found since humanity figured out how to make iron and steel. Now, it may sound silly, but cast iron is a really good defensive magical tool. It is heavy, which makes it a good energy sink and a good personal defense item in a pinch. It acts to neutralize most magical energy that it comes into contact with. Iron retains a very strong connection with the Earth's core (which is made up of, among other things, molten iron) which makes it a very good tool for grounding energy at large.

Traditionally, cast iron has been used for everything from fences (obvious defensive measures) to cookware. That cast iron fence outside probably could benefit from a coat of paint or anti-rust products, but this does not neutralize its effect. The reason why is because the thin layer of product on the iron helps to preserve the iron and keep it intact. It is not enough of a layer to act as a buffer unless intentionally ensorcelled to do so. A wrought iron fence takes energy and directs it immediately into the ground beneath it creating a magical barrier that extends about where it is place.

If you wish to create such a barrier and can't afford wrought iron, there's the dirt cheap and kinda nasty way of doing it. That is burying steel nails around your property line. If you put them point up, potential trespassers are likely going to need a tetanus shot after stepping on them, depending on how deeply your bury your nails. To create a barrier at thresholds and similar liminal places of entry, a small steel finishing nail can be driven into the lintel about the doorway that will act as a barrier for unwelcome spiritual beings from entering.

Then we come to cast iron cookware. The cauldrons of old that were used for everyday cooking were also used for magical practice. They were, for the most part, iron. The iron worked like a magic circle to contain the energy of the spell craft being cast until the caster decided it was time to let it magic loose to do its work. Today, we don't use cast iron as much for cooking. If you are using cast iron for cooking it requires special care.

First, take your cast iron pot and scrub it well. I like using the steel wool pads because they don't impart too much soap in the process and they do a good job of getting burnt on material off. You don't want to use a lot of water or soap here because you want to retain the patina over the pot/pan you're working with. It is the patina that gives good cast iron cookware something of a non-stick quality. After you have scrubbed your pot and rinsed all the soap out, take a moment to dry it with a paper towel.

Your next step is to get out your cooking oil and another paper towel. Put a dab of cooking oil on the paper towel and massage this into your pan. You want to work the oil in across all of the cooking surface and the outside of the pan. Use a third (possibly fourth, depending on how much excess oil there is) paper towel to wipe the excess oil off of your pan. Then you want to place your pan into your oven on low heat until things begin to smell toasty. It is a good idea to put a baking sheet under your pan incase there are any oil drippings that come down from spots you possibly missed. Allow the pan to cool off at the same time as your oven. 

If you haven't used too much oil, your pan will have a smooth surface on the cooking surface. It will feel smooth to the touch (when it is cooled off) and it will work beautifully for cooking up pancakes because it will be nonstick. If you used too much oil, you will have to go back to step one in the process and re-season the pan. If too much oil is used, the pan will be sticky to the touch when it has cooled and things will tend to burn to the bottom of your pan. 

Important thing to remember, if you are heating your cast iron in the oven, make sure that it has a handle that can tolerate heat. Usually, cast iron pots have a cast iron handle. Some, however, have a wooden handle on them. For those pots, heat them on the stove top until they smell toasty and then allow them to cool off slowly. Do not thrust your hot cast iron pan into cold water in an effort to cool it. This will damage your pan and make it more brittle. Do not let your cast iron pan sit in water for an extended period of time because it will rust. And don't let it sit for an extended period of time on stainless steel because it will leave a rust mark on your steel that you'll have to scrub off with a good amount of effort.

Basic sigil for general protection.

 This is a very basic sigil for protection that I developed about seventeen years ago. It's worked relatively well for me. It can be combined with other elements to evoke specific forms of protection. The design elements of the sigil are rather simple. The diamond represents a shield. The cross is a sword. The diagonal lines are the manifestation of harm being directed around and away from the person who is being protected.

Intermediate Witchcraft: Psychic Safety Lessons

Here is a link to the posts on psychic safety. I will be posting on psychic safety in the future something like a series of lectures on how the mechanics of some of this stuff works. Because if you know how your equipment works, it is easier to service and use it properly. I'll be getting into some weird topics like egregores eventually. I'm going to start out with the nuts and bolts level of basic magical 'machines'.

If we were talking about actual machines, this would be my showing you how hammers, saws, and levers work. The previous posts are simple exercises using those proverbial hammers, saws, and levers. Egregores^* and related topics would be the simple computers of magical construction. Now, just as tools can be used for various purposes beyond what they were originally intended and in the hands of a creative and properly motivated person anything can be a weapon, I know that these lessons can be taken in directions beyond what I am promoting.

Anything you do with this information is on you. Caveat emptor. I am the writer who produces the spell book. You are the one who decides if it is a coffee table book or a tool. And what you do with said tool is your karmic and moral responsibility.

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* Somewhere, I know, there is a ceremonial magician ready to pull their hair out right now. Homonculi, egregores, and tulpa are on one level more complicated than computers and at the same time, they're very simple. So, I apologize to the ceremonial magicians who are probably just this side of a meltdown over this eventually coming up. You're not the only keepers of this knowledge and I assure you that my path to it is different from yours.

Psychic Self Defense 101: Counter-curses

In my previous post, I introduced the topic of counter-curses. A counter-curse is not something to be taken lightly. Using one for minor psychic attacks is the magical equivalent of using a howitzer to kill a fly. It is gratuitous and wasteful. It is also not guaranteed the precision necessary to eliminate that fly. It will, however, hit everything around it and cause significant damage.

Counter-curses requires a significant investment of energy, resources, and time. While they can be developed on the fly, it takes some experience to craft an effective one. In the past twenty years, the number of times I had to use a counter-curse I can count on one hand and have fingers left over. It is rare to need one but a valuable skill to have when it is necessary. The magical ability to 'return fire' is useful not only in instances of psychic or magical attack by another person. It is also something that builds the practitioner's defensive skill set that can be employed on the astral plane[1].

When casting a counter-curse, it is helpful to have props. While a person can do magic with out any physical tools, it is easier to employ ritual tools because it assists the practitioner in focusing their spiritual energy upon the goal of their spell casting with less need to focus upon the incidental matters of establishing ritual space, entering the correct mental state for magical work, or wrangling elemental energy. It is also helpful to use materials that can be disposed of easily and in an ecologically sound fashion. Disposing of the used materials from casting a curse helps to limit how much of the energy pushed back hits you.

There are two ways to cast a curse. One is to infuse it with one's anger, hatred, and other negative emotions. The high energies that come with these emotions serves to power the spell and give it a little extra kick. There is a reason why curses have been traditionally associated with these emotions, because this is what is most frequently used. It is an easy way to access spiritual energy and to take steps to resolve the emotions[2]. The other method of casting a curse is to do it 'cold' with out much emotion involved in it. Casting spells that draw upon the magical reserves that can be accessed at all times results in a longer lasting spell and one that builds gradually over time, where as the emotion based spell has its greatest effect at the time of initial contact.

Curses are one of the times where I recommend the use of a poppet or similar focus. This helps the caster to focus their spell on the target. Precision in casting curses is important. An improperly cast curse has the potential to rebound and hit the caster with the full force of it. Because it is the caster's own personal energy behind the spell, it penetrates the caster's shields very well. Also, an imprecise curse can hit someone other than the target if it does not rebound. The backwards push of magical energy along the thread connecting the caster and the target will be difficult to predict because of the unknown nature of the person receiving the curse[3].

The simplest counter-curse is to give the attacker ill luck and general misfortune. Assembling a counter-curse is much the same as assembling any other curse. A magical focus is required. Tools to establish magical space are necessary. Invoking spiritual allies and deities is a very good idea in this case. I personally use candle magic for these sorts of spells because when your candle burns completely, there will be a substantial reduction of material.

It is possible to tie the spell's action to the burning of the candle. If a fast burning candle, such as a birthday cake candle, is used, it can make the spell have effects rapidly when the manifestation of the spell is tied to it. It is also possible to use a small candle that will burn completely to carry the curse to completion. It is most effective when the curse involves the removal of something from the target's life. As the candle 'disappears' the spell will receive additional strength in removing things.

Counter-curses are curses. They are martial magical that is being used for defensive purposes. All curses carry the risk of negative effects upon the caster. Thus, they should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary.

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1. The astral plane is also known as the spirit world. It is the aspect of reality wherein magic unfolds and spiritual beings exist, primarily. It is also the aspect of reality that one can enter into via dreamwalking.

2. A curse must not substitute for the caster's work to resolve emotional problems. If there is difficulty with integrating and resolving unpleasant/negative emotions, seek out professional assistance.

3. All spells cast create an energetic tie between the caster and the target. Energy can flow in both directions along this tie. Also, all energy sent in a given direction will have some return along the path it has gone. It is much the same as basic kinetic motion. If ball A strikes wall B, some of the energy of ball A's energy will be absorbed by wall B and some of it will be returned to ball A in the form of motion that makes ball A bounce off the wall. Precision spell casting ensures the greatest amount of ball A's energy is absorbed by wall B.

Psychic Self Defense 101: Active Defense Techniques II

In the first part of this collection of posts, we discussed how to turn an attacker's assault back upon them. In some cases, however, this will not be sufficient. Thus, just as a person learning physical hand to hand self defense skills must learn to strike back, so too must we discuss this. Before I get in to details on how to do so, let me explain a little about why it works and why these techniques are used. In cases of persistent and repeated psychic assault from one or many individuals, simply turning the attack aside will not work to stop the assault. It may possibly lead to an increased intensity of assaults, actually.

A psychic encounter involves a connection between the sender and the receiver. In the instance of psychic assault, the sender is engaged in consensual contact. The receiver has a few different options on how to respond. One is to keep their shield up and let the attack strike it. Another is to deflect the attack, preferably back at the attacker. The third is to step into the attack and counter attack. Stepping into a psychic attack is much like stepping into a physical attack. There is a greater risk of the strike hitting you but it also give you the chance to stop the attack cold.

If the sender has contact and can send malevolent psychic energy at you, this means YOU have contact and can turn away the energy, turning back on the sender, or push through it and throw back the sender. Pushing through the psychic energy directed at you does two things. First, you deflect and to some extent scatter the energy projected at you. Secondly, it puts you in a position where you can respond to the attack before they can adapt their assault to what you are doing. The act of 'stepping into' an attack does raise the chances of the attack successfully landing on you if your shield is not solid.

When counter attacking, you have several options. The first is to mirror the attack they are making on you. You can also project malaise and discomfort onto them. And, aside from those options, you can also just throw raw energy at them with the intent of overwhelming them and 'burning out' their attack. The risk with throwing raw psychic energy at your attacker, however, is that they will take that energy and turn it upon you. Finally, you also have the option of drawing off their psychic energy.

Of the four options for counter attack, the one with the greatest risk of going awry is sending raw energy at them. The least problematic is the act of sucking energy off of your attacker. Still, if you are drawing off energy from them, there is the risk of acquiring what ever unhealthy psychic details that they have going on. It can range from picking up misama to the equivalent of contracting a spiritual illness. Generally, the act of making a psychic counter attack is one that should be held in reserve unless the defender is confident that they can shut down the attack quickly and manage to keep themselves free of entanglement in the attacker's energy. It is this entanglement that allows the transfer of miasma and other psychic/spiritual problems.

Counter attack, however, is not the only option for active defense that a person undergoing psychic attack has. In the next post, I will discuss talismans and rituals that are used for defensive purposes. I will also have links to a few defensive spells that I have posted on my other blog.

Psychic Self Defense 101: Shields (Part 3 of 3)

The creation of a psychic defensive fortification is the apex of shielding and when done properly can insulate a practitioner from most any form of magical and psychic assault encountered. At its simplest, a set of nested psychic shields functions as a defensive fortification. Within the safety of the shields, one finds themselves free of the distractions of psychic noise from their environment, hostile encounters, and able to experiment with psychic constructs with out interference from 'external' pressures. The nested psychic shields present a smaller 'space' wherein one might operate. As such, the visualization of the nested psychic shields limits the range of psychic constructs that can be developed within them.

With the addition of mental space between the shields and in the inner area, one creates a psychic construct that allows them greater range of constructs that can be developed and manipulated. This arrangement of shields with mental space between them is known in some circles as a castle. This can be visualized as a series of spheres around the psychic or it can be visualized as a brick and mortar castle with outer bulwarks and a moat. The psychic castle draws off of the skills of hardening one's outer aura and developing an inner space wherein a psychic person might operate.

The development of psychic inner space is commonly encountered with guided visualizations where one is instructed to explore some sort of location within themselves. We have unlimited capacity for developing psychic inner space. This could be argued to be a function of the 'As above, so below' maxim which presents the psychic as a miniature version of the cosmos. With intense concentration and strong visualization skills, it is possible for one to create an entire world within themselves. (It can be argued that authors do this on a regular basis.) World building within, however, can draw away the focus and concentration required to maintain one's psychic defenses. This is why such exercises are done in psychically neutral locations that have protective barriers in place, such as a ritual circle.

The psychic defenses used to construct the castle varies. It is possible to use elemental energies to great success. It is also possible to build one on the basis of pure will. In using elemental energies, the psychic taps the thought forms of the elemental energies and draws power for their shield primarily from them. A will based psychic defense draws upon the creator's willpower and mental energy. Will based psychic defenses are good for short term defense but can prove exhausting to the psychic utilizing them.

A combination of shields with space between them is also useful for defensive measures that act as passive resistance to psychic assault. Charging the space between shields with unpleasant emotions or seeding them with ties to painful experiences is an effective way to push back against the person psychically assaulting you. This works upon the principle that if they can send information when there is contact with you, then you can send information back. Thus, the person attempting to push through your psychic shields will not only encounter the resistance of the shields themselves but the effects of what you have placed between them. This can range from sensations of mental discomfort to sensations of physical discomfort. It can also include vivid experiences of negative memories or thought forms that the defender has experienced, depending upon the force of the experience attached to the space and the receiver's attunement to the sender.

Part of the appeal of a psychic castle defense comes from the simple fact that its function is to protect the psyche of the defender. Another reason why psychic castles are used is to create a 'safe space' where the person who has developed their castle can take refuge from environmental influences. This 'safe space' functions on multiple levels. It serves as a location where the psychic in question is insulated from external psychic stimuli. It is also a mental location where one can take refuge from distressing mental stimuli, such as a traumatic memory.

Psychic Self Defense 101: Shields (Part 2 of 3)

From Wikipedia

In my previous post, I discussed the basics of how a shield is formed and how it functions. The simple shield that I described in that post is the foundation of other more complicated and specialized shields. A large part of making a good psychic shield rests in effective visualization techniques[1]. With proper visualization and focus, one can produce a shield that is highly effective for general protection or for protection from specialized psychic assaults.

Like the physical shields used since antiquity, psychic shields can be manufactured from different 'materials'. The most common materials used in psychic shields of modern magicians[2] correspond to the classical four elements that are referenced in alchemical texts from the late Medieval and Renaissance periods of European history, which are in turn rooted in the texts of antiquity from the Roman and Greek cultures. The use of these materials is one that is common for two reasons. They are easiest for practitioners to access due to the relatively unbroken line of connection to them through out Western culture and they are based in things that are easily accessible to our understanding and therefore more 'real' to us than other psychic materials that can be used.

The easiest of the four elements that we can access is that of Earth. In all places about the globe where people live, they live upon the Earth. The solidity of the Earth and the strength of how it is perceived varies to some degree from region to region based upon the geological conditions. In a region where sand is the dominant land form, the element of Earth is more fluid than it is in a region where the dominant land forms are rocky, such as in a mountainous region. In both places, however, the element of Earth tends to be more fixed than the other three elements. A shield which is constructed drawing upon the energies of Earth will be solid and less porous than a shield constructed from the other elemental energies. It will, however, be such that the caster must apply greater effort to manipulate the shield after it has been established. Also, shields that are based strictly in Earth energy can be worn down eventually through the application of magic that is based in the Water element.

The element of Water is the second densest of energies. Almost as prevalent as Earth, Water energy is highly mutable and varies widely in how it can be applied, where as Earth is generally a fixed element. Just as the water that is physically upon the globe has different depths and qualities, the Water elemental energy can range from a shallow highly permeable type of energy form to a depthless and fearsomely powerful energy form to a brittle solid energy form that is not permeable to most any other energy forms. A shield constructed from Water's elemental energy is effective against magic based in Earth elemental energy and of mixed results with magic that is based in Air energy. Fire energy is extremely effective against Water and depending upon the 'depth' of your shield, it can nullify the Water energy's protective effect fairly quickly.

Fire energy (which includes electrical energy via the Western four elements classification system) is considered highly active. Fire energy is a bit harder to access with out props (i.e. a candle, fire, etc.) because it is not as immediate before our eyes and senses. It tends to be the most challenging of elemental energies to control because it is extremely mutable and volatile. A shield based in Fire energy is susceptible to Water and Earth energies, as they will quench or smother the Fire energy. It is, however, the elemental energy that can be strengthened when another element is applied against it, Air. A Fire based shield is permeable to Earth energy and not well suited for defense against Water based elemental magic for reasons stated above. It is, however, excellent for defense against Air magic because the application of Air elemental magic will strengthen and add more 'power' to the shield.

The element of Air is the lightest of the energies in this system. Air is the second most accessible of the energy forms because it is present everywhere. Against Earth magic, the shield based in Air energy is useless. It is equally ineffective against Water magic. This is because it is the most permeable of the energies that a magician can use. It is possible to use a shield based in the element of Air against Fire magic, but only for a limited time because the Air energy will increase the potency of the Fire magic over time.

Constructing an elemental shield is a process that is virtually identical to that of the basic mirrored sphere shield. Simply envisioning one's outer aura surrounded by the element in as great or little of a thickness that you require serves to create this shield. Earth shields are effective for absorbing and grounding magical and psychic attacks directed against the defender. Water shields are effective for deflecting and grounding attacks. Fire shields absorb attacks and deflect them. Air shields deflect attacks and can function to obfuscate the defender from the attacker.

Each shield used alone is somewhat effective. They are most effective, however, when used in concert with each other. Generally, elemental shields are used as an outer layer to the mirrored sphere. A nested shield effect can be done by visualizing the shields stacked upon each other with a space between them. Shields that are paired with the ones they are most vulnerable are more effective because the outer shield serves as a filter for the energy they are vulnerable to. Thus, a magician may use a Fire shield as their outermost shield to absorb and filter out that element's energy to prevent it from damaging the Water shield beneath it.

The use of nested shields is a step towards creating a 'castle' with a 'moat' about it. This technique will be discussed in the next article.

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1. As with other forms of psychic exercise and spell craft, the ability to maintain concentration upon the goal of your exercise is paramount. It is this focused concentration and the ability to vividly visualize the end goal in a fashion that incorporates as many of the senses as possible that directs one's personal psychic energy into the 'structure' of the end result.

2. I am using the term magicians to encompass all people who engage in the magical arts, amongst which psychic ability is classed. Other authors may use the terms 'mage' or 'occultists.' I have in past articles and consider all three terms to be interchangeable. Do not confuse the term magician in this discussion with the stage magicians of the entertainment industry, they are only indirectly related.

Psychic Self Defense 101: Shields (Part 1 of 3)

A solid shield is a warrior's boon companion. It turns away life threatening blows and can, itself, be a weapon in trained hands. Just as a physical shield can be a formidable thing with proper training, a psychic shield is just as impressive. And, like a physical shield, it can be something simple and functional or something complicated and multifaceted. They are something that everyone has to some limited fashion but with training their shield becomes more solid and effective.

At its base level, a psychic shield is the hardening of one's bio-energetic envelope at its outermost layers. This bio-energetic envelope is known by various terms but the most commonly used one is that of aura. While auras are known for communicating information to those who have the ability to sense and read them, they also act like a 'skin' for our spiritual/psychic bodies. (They actually have many functions, but for the purpose of this series of articles, we're going to focus on this one.)

The outermost part of our aura has a limited capacity by itself to repel energies that are not of itself. This limited capacity to repel energy is one that all people (and, honestly, all beings). For this reason, we are not continually ground down by the repeated input that comes from our environment. Add to this the fact that most people do not focus upon the psychic input that they receive, and you find many, many people in the world declaring that their aura is not much of a thing or even stating that it does not exist. When the situation is that the aura's outer envelope is performing its function and inhibiting excess information from coming in to our psychic senses and the person in question having limited capacity/ability for processing that information¹. These two things serve to insulate the person from the psychic input and what it may do to their mental state.

Problems arise when input has sufficient force to push through that natural barrier. This may be due to the person having a weaker psychic 'skin' than others. It may also be due to the person being especially sensitive to certain forms of psychic input. Additionally, there are conditions that can weaken one's psychic 'skin' and create their own set of problems. A miasmic situation, for example, makes a person vulnerable to psychic problems because it weakens one's psychic 'skin' and can lead to them becoming 'infected' with a psychic illness².

One of the things that lends itself to a healthy psychic 'skin' is being in good physical, mental, and emotional health³. This puts your psychic 'skin' in its optimal state of health. The other thing that lends itself to healthy psychic 'skin' is practicing proper psychic and magical hygiene. Like the physical body, the psychic/spiritual body functions better and is more able to adapt to the environmental situations when it is in proper health and well maintained. Part of this is exercising one's psychic abilities, because regular exercise is necessary for one's well being on all levels when done judiciously.

The most basic exercise for one's psychic 'skin' happens to be the most basic of shield techniques. It is a mentally based exercise, though if it is necessary to use external foci this is acceptable as well. Holding a picture of yourself in your mind (or holding a physical picture, this could mean a mirror providing an image for you) envision your aura about you. As you envision it, become aware of the sensations upon your skin. Focusing on your aura, you will begin to feel a tingling, warmth, or coolness upon your skin as you become aware of it. The aura envelops you in an oval figure approximately the same dimensions as your height and your extended arms length in both directional planes. Because this is a three dimensional figure, it is somewhat like a spheroid.

Focus your attention on the outer edges of this spheroid. As you focus upon this region of your aura, see it becoming increasingly solid. A mirrored surface is directed at the world about you, which reflects unwelcome and unhealthful psychic input away. The inner surface of this mirrored spheroid emits a soft white light. This light is the gathered healthful psychic input that touches your aura and permitted to pass through. Practice hardening this 'shell' so that the light emitted dims. Then practice on softening this shell so that the light becomes brighter.

Practicing this exercise on a frequent basis does two things. First, it makes you more aware of your shield, which is what this shell can be called. This makes the shield easier to envision/access when you feel threatened, unsafe, or unwell. Secondly, this exercise works to help you learn to control the strength of your shield. At it's hardest, your psychic shield will only allow in the psychic energies that you permit and what is hardwired into your environment. Thus, the psychic energy of the chair you are sitting in will be present but the residual energy of the previous occupant will not come through when your shield is at its hardest.

Awareness of your shield makes it easier for you to strengthen it. In part, it is strengthened when ever you feed additional energy to it (which happens when you think of it). It is also strengthened when you focus upon it and intentionally direct energy into it. When starting out with actively using your psychic shield, it may be good to have a reminder that your shield is present. Some people wear jewelery that reminds them of their shield⁴. (Yes, you can imitate Harry Dresden and have your own shield bracelet. It works, though not as dramatically as Dresden's does.) The jewelry becomes a focus point that helps you access the thoughtform of your shield.

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1. The ability to process psychic input is one that can be acquired through training and learning to 'listen' with those senses. I will discuss it at a later time.

2. Psychic illness will be discussed in greater detail after the holidays. There is some research currently underway to develop a concise method for assessing if one is suffering from some form of psychic illness and to assemble a partial list of illnesses that are common.

3. In the case of chronic conditions, the individual maintaining the highest state of health their condition allows is what maintains one's psychic 'skin'. There are exercises that can be used to maintain the health of their psychic body and decouple it, to a measurable extent, from the physical, mental, and emotional factors that power it.

4. Jewelry as a focus for your psychic shield is similar and related to the use of a talisman. I'll talk more about them in a later post.