#fanglessons

If you haven't already, check out my lessons on visualisation for the basic knowledge you'll need to practice shielding.

So what is shielding anyway?

Shielding is a manipulation of energy, in order to create a barrier between yourself and negative or malicious energies. It's a basic aspect of witchcraft that every witch, beginner or experienced, should use to keep themselves safe during spells.

What can I use shielding for?

I'm glad you asked! Typically, you can use shielding for practices such as drawing a circle, or casting a spell. A more experienced individual might use shielding in astral travel or spirit work, where there are a lot of malicious energies about. Personally, I use shielding as often as possible. Mostly for when I do tarot readings or spirit work.

An easy shielding method:

For any Marvel fans, shielding isn't too different to the way it is in Doctor Strange. Except, you can't see the energy you're manipulating. But you might feel it. All you need is a visualisation technique.

Start off by meditating so you can focus only on visualising. Attempt to picture the energies surrounding you in your mind. It might be a swirling colour of light, almost like a cloud of dust. It could be flames, it could be water. Try to see it held within your hand.

Now, attempt to shape this energy around you. You might want to start with a bubble or a cube surrounding your entire body. See this structure and know it will protect you. Visualise negative energies being held back by it.

You can also layer shields, so if I'm working with a particularly malicious energy I might have multiple shapes surrounding me, all within each other. Then, I know I'm protected from these energies.

Visualisation is incredibly useful in witchcraft as it is the base of energy work. From this, you can do all kinds of practices.

You can use visualisation for meditation, astral travel, sending energy into objects and many other things. These will all be covered in the future.

So, how do I start?

Here’s a basic exercise for you to practice. It's very simple and many of you will probably be able to pick it up easily if you’ve already done visualition techniques!

1.  You’ll need a very quiet area where you'll be comfortable. Even lying in bed and putting white noise in your headphones is useful. Get rid of all distractions, put your phone on silent etc.

2.  Close your eyes and empty your mind. Your mind might feel like a blank sheet of paper, and you're going to create something in there.

3.  Picture an apple, any old apple. Zoom in and see its shape,  it's colour. Does it have leaves, more than one colour? Look at every tiny detail of the apple you've created.

4.  Next, take a knife and cut this apple in half. Focus on the detail inside:  the colour, how many seeds there are etc. The more detail, the better.

5.  Now you use your senses. What the apple feels like, smells like. Bite into it and taste it. You’re using visualisation to not only see the apple but understand everything about it.

There are truly incredibly easy ways to connect to both deities and the craft, even when you feel like there is no time in the world for these.

The trick? Incorporating your craft into your daily routine. Here are some examples:

If having a shower/bath, visualise the water rinsing your body and spirit of negative energies and toxic interactions during that day.

If you cook yourself a meal, whether from scratch or making a microwave meal, dedicate a little of it to your gods/godesses and any spirits inhabiting your space.

Stir drinks clockwise to promote positivity and bring something into fruition. Or, anticlockwise to lessen the effects of something.

Use the time you use to clean up to clean your soul too. Throw out things you've been dwelling on, and make progress.

Try practicing meditation when you wake up or before you sleep.

I wouldn't advise using a spirit board alone because of entities that can drain your energy! Usually, you need a couple of people at least to deal with the exhaustion of energy.