Introduction to Magick: Lesson III Psychic Hygiene and Shielding
When one follows the path of the Wiccae, they can open themselves to the magick of the universe and all the energies therein. The path is indeed filled with wonder and awe but the road can become hazardous if one is not careful and wary. For along the path, many hidden enemies can lurk in the shadows craving energy from your divine light. Therefore, before any novice Witch can attempt spellcrafting they must first master the most important lesson they will ever learn- psychic hygiene and psychic shielding.
Also known as Grounding, psychic hygiene is the process by which an individual cleanses energies from both their physical and spiritual body (also called light body). Psychic shielding is the process by which an individual creates a strong boundary around their spiritual/light body that will prevent external energies from affecting them. There are multiple forms of psychic shields and each one will serve a specific purpose.
Psychic hygiene is extremely important for a multitude of reasons. First, it prevents energy from becoming trapped within your physical and light body. In Lesson II, we discussed how during spellcraft work, our bodies become the generators and transmitters of energy. If we have an energetic “block” within, it can become impossible to generate and transmit energy properly.
When one conducts and successfully completes a spell one will have a fair amount of excess energy coursing through their physical and light bodies. Through psychic hygiene we are able to release this excess energy. Doing so is very important because our physical bodies were not designed to vibrate at such frequencies all the time. If one carries too much excess energy one may at times become nauseous, off-balance, light headed or may develop a headache. Over a period of time, having too much excess energy can lead to serious physical illnesses and overactive chakras.
Excellent psychic hygiene will become an absolute necessity when performing magic on others. When we work with others, we open ourselves to their energy and an energy transfer will happen. Should you choose to perform a spell with and on behalf of another you do not want to keep any of their energy lingering in your aura.
Psychic shielding is equally important for a multitude of reasons. One being that it strengthens your own aura and keeps it healthy. A healthy light body is paramount for all energy workers. As discussed above, we cannot properly work with energies if we carry unwanted trapped energy within our own.
Another reason psychic shielding is important is because sometimes we can pick up energy from other people without even realizing it. Similar to a person carrying a virus that can spread across a room, so too, can humans carry and spread toxic energies and emotions. Without a psychic shield one may begin to feel tired, sad, depressed, or even angry- and not even know where the feelings are coming from.
Psychic shielding will also protect you from negative thoughts or energies directed towards you from others. Sometimes people do this unintentionally through their thought process and/or negative emotions. However in some situations people may do this intentionally. In either case, psychic shielding will protect you from negative energy and whether intentional or unintentional- it cannot harm you.
Yet another incredibly important reason for a strong psychic shield is the presence of negative entities. Within a parallel plane, there exist negative entities with the only purpose of wreaking chaos over humankind. Some are parasitic with the means to drain life energy and may attach themselves to properties and/or individuals with weak auras. Regardless of the type of negative entity, all desire nothing less than to dim all light from existence. At some point along your Wiccan path, you may be asked to banish such an entity and to do so- you must be strong and have the knowledge to protect yourself.
There are many types of psychic shields and the one you choose will be dependent on the circumstances. However, for the majority of situations you’ll want to have a fairly “open” shield. This shield will only block harmful energy in your environment and the unconsciously sent “poison arrows” while remaining open to the flow of positive energy. This prevents you from blocking out the energy of love and blessings that flow from the universe as you go about your daily life.
When you know that you’re in conflict with another person you will want to program your shield to specifically keep that person’s energy from affecting you. When someone knows and speaks your name, the poison arrows of negative energy sent in your direction will be stronger. When battling and banishing entities, you’ll want your shield to be completely impenetrable. But to maintain a shield at that strength takes a great deal of energy. You wouldn’t want to leave such a shield in place for too long as it will exhaust you.
Some practicing Wiccans and Witches will program a shield to send negative energy back to its originator. However a true Wiccan does not believe in inflicting harm upon others and therefore will program their shield to transmute negative energy to be grounded as love and light into the earth.
Like any ability, good psychic hygiene and shielding comes with practice. How much you progress depends solely on you. If possible, you should practice grounding and shielding everyday (preferably at the same time each day). Consistency is the key and the more you practice the stronger you will become.
When you first begin to practice grounding and shielding, you may want to add some “batteries” to your environment. Candles, crystals, and incense will emit energy into your space and aid you in your exercises. Also, these exercises focus heavily on visualization, so if you already practice a form of meditation and have done the exercises in Lesson II, grounding and shielding will be fairly easier for you.
Before you begin, you’ll want to choose a grounding exercise (there are a multitude of guided meditations available on YouTube). Some grounding exercises use the visualization of roots growing deep into Mother Earth. Others may visualize flowing water or a lake. Some will visualize a ball of white light filling their body and aura. Experiment with a few options and choose the one you feel more comfortable with.
Begin by getting into a comfortable position and relax by focusing on your breathing. When you’ve reached your meditative state, visualize the cleansing and grounding exercise of your choice. Once this is complete you’ll be ready to create and program your psychic shield.
In your mind, set your intentions for what type of shield you wish to create and state your affirmation out loud. Then visualize a ball of pure white light appearing behind your belly button. This is your spark of divinity, your Goddess seed within. Imagine the ball of light expanding until it envelops three to five feet around your entire body. Visualize a shell developing around the ball of light. Give the shell strength and affirm your intentions for your shield. Ground out any excess energy. You may do this by placing both palms flat on the ground and visualizing the release of energy transcending back into the earth. Or you may step outside and place your hands directly on the ground as you visualize releasing all excess energy into the earth. You may then close out your meditation.
Magick is a muscle that will grow stronger the more you use it and grounding and shielding are the strongest muscles a practicing Witch will need. With these new set of skills in your arsenal, you will be ready to walk the magickal path of the Wiccae protected from all harm and fear!
– The Goddess Kingdom© 2022
