Got My First Tarot Deck A Few Days Ago! Universal Waite Tarot Was Definitely The Right Choice—I Love

Introduction to Shielding

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

So what is shielding?

Shielding is a manipulation of energy, used to create a barrier between yourself and unwanted, usually negative or malicious energies. It’s a basic aspect of spellwork that everyone, beginner or experienced, should use to keep themselves safe.

What can I use shielding for?

Some beginner-level uses for shielding are 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 more malicious energies involved. Personally, I use shielding as often as possible, for instance when I do tarot readings, spells, spirit work, shadow work, and especially cursing. It gives that extra guarantee that you won't flood your personal space with unwanted energies.

Other uses include shielding against real-life dangers, to a certain degree. I often shield when I am walking through town at night for extra protection. But please remember to take other measures too! Call someone, pretend to be on the phone, plan your route, and even carry pepper spray if it's legal where you are.

An easy shielding method:

The easiest way to explain this is to think of your energy as a physical manifestation. Think how power attacks are shown in anime or cartoons - a streak of colour or light, or an element. Make it personable to you: fire signs (Leo/Aries/Sagittarius) might visualise fire, or a red energy or light etc.

Firstly, some people prefer to cleanse before shielding. I don't think its all that necessary but the choice is yours.

Begin by easing yourself into meditation. Get comfortable, and use whichever technique works for you. I have various methods for this in my visualisation lessons if you are struggling.

Attempt to visualise 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. Maybe try to see it held within your hand.

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

You can also layer shields, so if you are working with a particularly malicious energy you might want to have multiple shapes surrounding you, all within each other. You can also work with deities or spirits to ask them to shield you too.

Shielding Incantation

When I am shielding, I recite a spell as well as using visualisation techniques.

The shield of protection, I carry it strong, No ill wishes or trouble shall come along, You cannot harm me, or weaken my soul, My light is my weapon, and peace is my goal.

Try it out for yourself and let me know in the comments how it went! Thank you as always for reading. Please message for requests.

I don't know who needs to hear this but YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES IN YOUR PAGANISM AND WITCHCRAFT. We all do, to whatever degrees. Especially at younger ages or newer in our practice!

You will treat deities like Pokémon cards, or appropriate native practices, or lie about signs, or argue over things you are deeply incorrect on, or think every deity is calling out to you, or that you are personally gifted beyond anyone else, or think your dreams are all past lives, or think you can transport back in time, or ffs that youre carrying a gods child, or even beleive you have telekenisis.

You are not broken or incapable, you are learning and cringe and confused (and often a child!) Thats being human. Let go of your mistakes, delete those posts, don't grip on and defend them and kick and claw. You can let it go. Please do.

Internet witches please learn your stuff before you recommend consuming or putting onto skin things that can potentially kill somebody, difficulty level very much impossible, apparently.

to rewild your witchcraft

walk barefoot on stones in shallow streams.

talk to the wind and let it carry away your regrets.

forage for wildflowers to place on your altar, press in thrifted books, or give to loved ones —be careful when identifying

watch sunrises and sunsets. wake up before the sun. bare witness to the painted sky.

spend hours in the woods among the wild. take long long walks or sit still and watch the world.

talk to plants and listen to them. make friends.

get field guides to trees, plants, birds, etc. that are native to your area. learn which are which. bookmark pages that you recognize or want to find.

sing back to the robins. caw back to the crows.

journal by firelight and feel the flame burn your worries away.

gather snow and bring a bowl inside. talk to it and tell it your worries. your fears. let it melt, transmuting your stress and worries into healing nourishment. bring it outside and water the soil. see how things can be changed.

dance. run. move your body to sweat, if this is something you can do

collect stones from the river and try to find the best ones. keep them in your pocket. hold onto them to remember that you’re an animal.

go to a lake and float. feel the water carry you. lifting you from your stress. bring a vial and collect some for spellwork.

make a necklace out of an acorn and thread.

stand in the rain. dance in it. lay down in the grass and let it pour. let it wash fears away, transform doubt to hope. start anew.

𖤣.𖥧.𖡼.⚘

(wild winter witchcraft here)

Oh my god, guys.

Are we just going to ignore the fact that bay trees and laurel trees—the laurel trees, used for Roman victory wreaths—are the same?? Why is witchblr sitting on this??

And why are bay leaved associated with prosperity? It makes sense, but they should symbolise victory and glory! Success! Fame, winning, being lauded and recognised! Prosperity comes along with this but it's not central.

I only found this out yesterday, I'm shocked.

Hey babe that spell might not be working because your associations with an item may not be the same as another's and how you feel about an ingredient is what's going to impact how it influences your spell!

I didn't realize this needed to be said, but uhh

If you are a Nazi, you have no place in paganism.

(Or anywhere, actually 🙂)

And to clarify (since ya'll need that, apparently), that includes people who are transphobic, homophobic, pro-eugenics (i.e. social darwinism anti-vaxxer people), anti-immigrant, racist, etc.

Ya'll don't belong here, paganism is not a safe place for you, and I don't want you interacting with my blog.

No TERFS, no conservatives, none of it. Freedom and equality for all.

Would ye be interested in a digital grimoire about trees? Irish folklore, actual properties, how I use them in magic?

I can't believe in the year 2024 we are still having to remind people not to put essential oils on their skin without diluting it with a carrier oil first

How To Properly Disassemble A Spell Jar

Retrieving the Reusable Ingredients and Getting Rid of the Rest

Reusable ingredients include crystals, shells, rocks, bones, and anything else that can be used again. Cleanse them in smoke or water and reuse them in your next jar.

Trash

Throw the contents into the trash or a dumpster, if you don’t want it near you.

Burying:

This is a more respectful way to dispose of materials, as long as it's safe to do so. Dig a hole at least half a foot, place the herbs that were used in the jar inside, and bury it in the ground. Make sure it's biodegradable and safe for animals before doing this!

Burning It:

Put the offering in a fire safe container (a pot, cauldron, etc) and safely light it. Make sure it's completely burned (don't let it out of your sight until the fire's out!) and then spread the ashes on the ground away from your house.

Releasing:

Release the materials into a body of water. Keep in mind that not all organic matters are safe for the water or for fish, so look it up beforehand

tip jar