A Basic Protection Spell

This is my favorite protection spell, both because of its simplicity and its effectiveness. It does not require anything to perform except your abilities and willpower. The Ground, Center, Shield spell is very powerful, but it relies on your being able to visualize correctly. If you are not familiar with visualization, you should take a moment to study my Visualization page.

While the Ground, Center, Shield Protection Spell is somewhat complex to explain, it is simple to execute. It consists of three parts: Grounding, Centering and Shielding. Each part can be practiced and performed separately, but, of course, they are most powerful when combined.

Grounding connects your energy with the world around you so that you are more focused. It allows you to become a more effective channel for energy you raise during spells or rituals. Grounding will also help keep you from getting mentally scattered, flighty or uneasy. Grounding will also carry away excess energies after spells and rituals are over. Without this, excess energies can create issues for you, including hyperactivity and/or severe headaches.

Centering balances your mind, body, and spirit or emotional state. Unlike Grounding, which prevents internal distractions, Centering prevents you from being distracted by outside forces. While Grounding and Shielding are both relatively simple acts of visualization, Centering requires a little more work and thought.

Centering requires that you know who you are, devoid of outside influence. If you define yourself by your family, you job, your house, or your possessions, you cannot be fully centered. Make sure you take some time to meditate and consider who and what you are, what you believe, and what is truly important in your world. Do this at least once a week for the best results.

Shielding creates an energy barrier which protects you from the negativity and unwanted energy of others. Your shields will keep others from being too readily able to "read" you. Additionally, they will prevent anyone from doing anything with your personal energy without your knowledge and permission. You will erect these shields with the power of your mind.

The exercises below will teach you how to perform the three parts of the Ground, Center, Shield Protection Spell. At the end of the page, I have included a few additional Protection Spell techniques to supplement these exercises.

Grounding and Centering Exercise

Grounding and Centering will form a strong, solid, stable foundation, both for shielding yourself and for using magical energy. Properly Grounded, you will be better able to draw on both your own energy and energy from the world around you. This will enable you to manifest more effectively, no only during your Protection Spell, but in any other spell or ritual you perform.

• Picture yourself standing or lying in a beautiful, green forest. Engage all of your senses:
  • See the tall pines and oaks around you
  • smell the moss, soil and loam beneath you
  • Feel the dappled sunlight filtering down through the trees to touch your face with warmth
  • Breathe in the fresh air and feel the life all around you
• Now imagine yourself becoming a part of the forest. Your feet, legs and arms begin to grow roots and seek the soil below. Feel your roots pushing through the leaves and moss on the surface, down into the dark, rich soil of Mother Earth.
• Feel you roots getting bigger and stronger as they dig deeper to be nourished by the rich earth and draw strength from it.
  • Push you roots down as far as they can go
  • Grab onto rocks and boulders far beneath the surface
  • Take a strong hold on the earth with your roots
  • Know that you are as solid as the rock, stable as the oaks and pines, yet as flexible as the willow that dances in the wind.
• Feel the earth's energy coursing up through your roots into your legs, through your hips, abdomen and chest to your hands and head. The energy fills every crevice of your body. This energy has always been there; now you know how to find it easily.
  • You have found balance
  • Draw energy from the earth to find new strength
  • Feel how well rooted and connected to the earth you have become.
  • You are balanced and strong.
  • Nothing outside you can disturb these roots or your strength.
  • You are as steadfast as a mountain.
  • Take a moment and feel how strong you truly are.
• When you are ready, open your eyes and return to the world around your physical body, knowing that you are now Grounded and Centered. Remember: nothing and no one can change this but you.
  • You will probably lose this grounding fairly quickly the first few times. Keep trying, and you will soon be able to maintain your grounding for weeks at a time.
  • As you become more adept at grounding, you will find you can leave off more of the imagery in emergency situations. I often use a "quick grounding", just visualizing the roots growing into the Earth. This will keep you steady until you can do the full meditation.

Shielding Protection Spell

• Begin by Grounding and Centering as you did above.
• Begin drawing energy into your body. Let it begin to build in your Chi, or abdominal area. This is where your energy and strength begin to build.
• Form a ball of pure light, energy and strength at the core of your body.
  • Slowly let the ball expand, with your Chi at its center
  • As the ball expands, begin to see it as a bubble or hollow sphere with you on the inside
  • Let the energy from the earth flow through you and into the shield as it expands.
• Let the sphere penetrate the ground beneath you, cover the air above and to all sides of you. You are protected in the center of this bubble. The bubble is incredibly strong. Your roots should either be growing through or from the shield.
• The energy and strength you felt when you Grounded and Centered can now be used as an inexhaustible source of power for your shield. You can keep your shield up as long as you like without much effort. You are protected and safe.
  • If your shields grow from your shield, visualize the unwanted energies flowing around the shield and down through the roots into the Earth.
  • If your roots grow through the shield, you must allow the energies of your shield to constantly flow:
    • Energies should flow around the shield and down the outside of the roots.
    • The roots should disperse the negative energy outward from the lower edges of the roots into the Earth
    • Positive energy should flow up from the earth into the tip of the root, away from where the negative energy is being dispersed
    • The positive energy will rise up into your body to replace the energies you are putting into your shield
• Make your shield personal.
  • Make the bubble any material or color you want.
  • Your shield can be as thick or thin as you desire.
  • It can be solid like a wall, or it can constantly flow like water.
  • With practice, when you feel the need to raise your shields, you will be able to do so almost instantly.
  • Your shield should seldom be static. A well balanced shield will be in constant motion, taking negativity to your roots and guiding it into the earth.

While shielding is a good measure to use whenever it feels you are likely to be in a threatening or negative situation, it is not always necessary or desirable to keep shielded at all times. In order to interact intimately with another, it is sometimes necessary to drop your shields in part (or completely). The important thing is to know that you can raise your shields in an instant if you feel the need. The power and control are yours.

Additional Protections

Certain stones and symbols have the ability to enhance Protection Spell power above and beyond what your personal energies can raise. You should not use these items if they don't "speak" to you; the power of magic has as much to do with you as with the items you use. When choosing stones, symbols, or other magical enhancements, you should always trust your own intuition about whether or not it will work. A few of the items that I use in my Protection Spells are listed below; you can use any one of them by themselves or combine them in any way that feels right to you. This list is not exhaustive; there are hundreds of things you can use. Feel free to experiment if you like.

Hematite

Hematite is one form of iron ore. The natural properties of iron make this a powerful stone, both for grounding and as a protection spell. Hematite absorbs negative energy, keeping it away from you while you are wearing it. It is important to cleanse your hematite nightly by storing it in salt or under running water.

Obsidian

Obsidian is a natural glass created by volcanic activity. It is as powerful a grounding stone as hematite. Like hematite, it absorbs negativity and should be cleansed nightly. It is rare that someone will be equally drawn to both hematite and obsidian; you should probably try "feeling" both to decide which is best for you.

Rose Quartz

While it doesn't help much with grounding, rose quartz is a powerful aid in centering and shielding. Rose quartz doesn't so much create shielding as it attracts positive energy.

Citrine

Citrine is the most powerful crystals for enhancing happiness and banishing depression. It will help you get to a more productive mindset for grounding and shielding.

Black Stones

Any black stone, crystal or otherwise, can aid in the construction of a Protection Spell. You can create a shield centered on the stone. This can be used not only for personal protection, but also for your vehicle, home, or workplace.

The Chokurei

The Chokurei is a symbol used in Reiki healing. The Chokurei (or Cho Ku Rei) is the first symbol given in Reiki attunements, as is a means of releasing the power within yourself. This symbol can be used to enhance the power of any other magical tool.

Totem Animals

Although most often associated with Native American cultures, totemic animals were common to all cultures at one time or another. The city of Rome is said to have been founded by twins raised by a wolf. Norse believed that you could absorb the power of bears. Celts associated certain goddesses with ravens and owls.

Every totem animal carries several different powers, but two of the strongest to use in a protection spell are the turtle and the armadillo, both armored creatures. Aside from their "traditional" associations, your personal totem animal is a source of great power. No matter what it is, your totem will always provide you with protection.

A Final Note

Remember that while you can supplement the Ground, Center, Shield Protection Spell with stones and symbols, the core of the spell is your visualization.

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