Whether or not you’re a witch, shielding is an important concept that helps you take control of your personal space — and it also gives you some peace of mind. What shielding is, exactly, may vary from witch to witch, but in the context of the following post, I’m going to address it as another form of protection magic.

What is shielding?
Essentially, its a barrier of protective energy that some believe prevents outside forces from affecting them — whether it be physical or energy. Think of a sort of magical force-field. Got it? Good. You don’t have to believe that a literal force-field is protecting you from physical and magical harm. After all, it would be silly to believe that you could stop bullets or a speeding vehicle. On the other hand, you could attribute any unusual ability to avoid tragedy to shielding, if you choose to believe.

Do you need to shield?
In a word: Yes. Shielding is as necessary as any other protection magic, especially if you’re someone who casts spells frequently or if you socialize with other witches frequently. It’s also, at the least, very helpful if you’re someone who has to deal with the general public on a regular basis. Have you ever wished you were either invisible or otherwise unapproachable to certain types of people? That’s where shielding comes to play. If you become adept at shielding, then negative people and situations will seem to simply avoid you.

Meditation is necessary
With shielding, a spell isn’t mandatory. Instead, meditation should be your conduit through achieving your goal. Give yourself at least 30 minutes, in a quiet room free of distractions. If you can get to nature, that’s even better. Get in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Visualize a literal shield of energy surrounding your body, creating a force-field of protective light. Visualize this in any way that comes naturally to you. While you visualize your energy shield, take note of any unique features (i.e., color, movement etc). Take your time and focus on this field of energy being an impervious shield, which is protecting you from any forces outside of its parameters.

Pick a ‘magic word’
Once you feel that you’ve adequately meditated on your protective shield, you need to select a “magic word” or phrase, which will serve as a sort of trigger whenever your shield is needed. There are some who believe that their shields are always active — and while that may be true, there are times that you may feel the need to quickly recharge or reaffirm the presence of your shield. To find your own personal trigger, focus your intent on your meditative shield of energy. What colors, textures, scents or feelings do you associate with it? What words do you associate with the protective symbolism of your shield?

During your meditation, allow your trigger word or phrase to come to you organically. It may be an unremarkable phrase, or it may be a unique word that you don’t ordinarily hear or use in daily conversation. A good, solid example phrase to use as your trigger is simply “You don’t see me,” or “Out of sight, out of mind.” Ultimately, it’s up to you what phrase or word you use to trigger your protective shield.