Spirit seems to be of the opinion that protection and boundaries are becoming steadily more important, and that this autumn will be an especially good time to focus on those tools. The timing, from a Shamanic point of view isn’t all that surprising – as the shadows grow long, we become more introspective, quieter, more selective as to who we let in. So it’s time for a refresher on how to make that work.

The idea of psychic protection has a lot more to do with appropriate boundaries than one might think. In order to be energetically protected, we need three things:

1. We need to be grounded. When you are fully in your body, it is much harder for someone to sneak up on you, energetically or physically, and you can avoid being broadsided by issues. When grounded, it is also easier to hold your space, which means people will respect your boundaries. And you will think more clearly, which means you will be more aware of your boundaries.
2. We need to know what our boundaries are. If you don’t know what your boundaries are, how can you express them or hold them? See item #1.
3. We need to honor our own boundaries. If you aren’t sure you have a right to your boundaries, you’re not going to be able to hold them. If you waffle about your boundaries, you’re not going to voice them, and you’re not likely to give them enough oomph to do anything. Honoring one’s own boundaries means holding them sacrosanct.

Think for a moment about the last time your boundaries were violated, even a little. How did that feel in your body? What were the actual physical sensations? Where did you feel them? There’s a reasonably good chance you can’t answer that question easily. When we deal with boundary violations, without a decent amount of training, we bail. Our body may stay where it is, but our energy takes off. This actually makes it easier for people to violate your boundaries. On the other hand, practices like grounding and body awareness, done regularly (read: daily), start to counteract that reaction, and enable you to be more aware and proactive. You could even start with some general de-stressing practices.

Want more?

On October 14th, I’ll be offering a quick-and-dirty workshop on boundaries and protection at Pagan Pride in Long Beach. I will also be teaching a more in-depth class over five evenings this fall at La Luna Healing in Newhall.