Shielding

[WebenBanu]

Dr. Arcane

The problem we may be seeing here is that in a lot of areas, what books that are available to the beginner are 1) rare, 2) they tend to be of poor/sensationalist quality, and 3) most beginners are out there on their own, with no way to accurately judge the validity of a book or web-site( or for that matter, the advice of their spooky friend).

This is a major problem in the Kemetic tradition, as well- there are a lot of books out there on Egypt, but the field of Egyptology develops quickly, book stores don't always keep up with it, and those books which are addressed toward people who continue ancient Egyptian practices are frequently written by people who have more interest in ancient Egypt than actual knowledge about it- having assumed that their past life experiences will provide enough and suitably accurate recollections about it for a complete theological exploration of/credentials for teaching(!) the system.^_^' That's why many Kemetic temples have begun listing recommended reading sources, and I have been reviewing books on my LiveJournal account. The recommended reading sections which will go with the guild's Library entries will be very important and helpful.

Dr. Arcane

The general problem is worsened with the popular press. Two words, as an example: Silver Ravenwolf ( please pardon while I turn my head to spit, and make a warding gesture).

Well don't just sugar-coat it, dear- tell us how you really feel.^_~ I understand the sentiment, though- I get a similar cringing feeling when Kemetics start referencing Budge. Sir Budge, while a prolific and dedicated author of his time, is incredibly out of date nowadays- his publications of actual hieroglyphic texts (as opposed to simply transliterations and/or translations), however, are still useful for an extremely advanced practitioner who has taken the time to learn how to read hieroglyphs... but they aren't usually the ones trying to buy his books. Usually it's the newbies, and after a while they get so sick of people telling them how bad of a source Budge is that they close down and stop listening to us "mean people" who won't leave the "poor guy" alone. *sighs*

Dr. Arcane

Thank you for listening; I do get worked up. Time now for a little lie-down smile

Oh, and next time I will Be even more on topic.

LOL! We are getting a bit off-topic, though I think the discussion is both important and interesting, and surely someone will eventually post something to get us back to the original subject. *nudge nudge wink wink*

So how about that library?^_^ I noticed the A aisle come up recently in the threads, and it took me a while to figure out what it was.^_^' Will we be linking from the library entries to threads like this on key subjects, or do people need to supply a special condensed version of the discussion along with the recommended reading and off-site links? Also, I noticed that in the K section we have Kemetic Orthodoxy listed.^_^ I could try to write up a short description of that sect- I'm not a member of their temple, but I have been interacting with their community for a while, and my initial exposure to the Kemetic community was through their group. Will we be including other sects of the Kemetic community as well? Or would we prefer to give a description of Kemetic religion in general, and simply mention that there are a few major temple divisions within?  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

WebenBanu

LOL! We are getting a bit off-topic, though I think the discussion is both important and interesting, and surely someone will eventually post something to get us back to the original subject. *nudge nudge wink wink*

Is that supposed to be directed at me? Well, I'll mentoin some pointers that are good for shielding.

1. Be careful when using elemental energies. They have a mind of their own. (Honestly, whenever I try to put an air attribute to my shield, it allways drifts away really fast...)

2. Layers are good. If you get an idea of something to add to the shield, try it out. If you don't like it, reabsorb it. If you do like it, integrate it with what you allready have.

3. Don't make it to hostile. For example, please don't create a shield visualized as hell-fire, with coiling serpents with black eyes, and barbed spikes radiating off of it. You might hurt someone.

4. Look a gift-horse in the mouth. If an entity gives you a gift of energy, you can usualy incorporate it into your shield. Just make sure it's a nice entity, and nice energy.

5. Make sure your energy remains pure. Energy is like water, while moving, it stays clean and pure. Slow it down, and it can stagnate, like a swamp, and become all icky. IMPORTANT!!!!  

[WebenBanu]

Nihilistic Seraph

1. Be careful when using elemental energies. They have a mind of their own. (Honestly, whenever I try to put an air attribute to my shield, it allways drifts away really fast...)

ROFLOL! OMG, I just got this mental picture of Seraph trying to tamp a wind spirit down onto a shield, and it just keeps drifting up and hanging around in front of him as he grabs it and tries to nail it down again, "@($%! spirit!!!! D@mn!!!" *laughs until she cries*

Nihilistic Seraph

3. Don't make it to hostile. For example, please don't create a shield visualized as hell-fire, with coiling serpents with black eyes, and barbed spikes radiating off of it. You might hurt someone.

Wow. Just, wow... lol- but some folks would probably do just that.^_^' Be careful where you're pointing the spikey things, everybody.^_^' It's like running with scissors.

Nihilistic Seraph

4. Look a gift-horse in the mouth. If an entity gives you a gift of energy, you can usualy incorporate it into your shield. Just make sure it's a nice entity, and nice energy.

5. Make sure your energy remains pure. Energy is like water, while moving, it stays clean and pure. Slow it down, and it can stagnate, like a swamp, and become all icky. IMPORTANT!!!!

Both good points. *nods soberly* That's not something that would have occured to me when writing a guide on the subject. So what can a person do to encourage their energy to keep moving while shielding?  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Seraph=guy xp

Anyway, you'd be surprised about the entire hostile shield thing. Someone might do it completely by accident. For example, I once thought, 'Hmm, what if I made an energy ball out of sarcasm?' I did. It made my hand hurt to hold it. I showed it to my friend. It bit her. I ain't making a shield out of that.


How could you keep the energy in a shield pure? Carefull attention. It's like keeping your charkra system clean. Just mentally polish it, or something, some visualization that makes you think of purity and health.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

WebenBanu

ROFLOL! OMG, I just got this mental picture of Seraph trying to tamp a wind spirit down onto a shield, and it just keeps drifting up and hanging around in front of him as he grabs it and tries to nail it down again, "@($%! spirit!!!! D@mn!!!" *laughs until she cries*

You have no idea hw annoying it gets. Kinda like, I reinformce it, then half an hour I check it, and the wind has dimmed down from gusting wind, to gentle little breeze. "WTF??!? I just reinforced you damnit!!"

Oh, and it is possible to hurt your own shield. For example, I had gotten a shield gift from a plant in my friends room. It made a nice covering of leaves over the jade of my shield. So I'm walking around, and there's a really strong wind blowing about, and I decide toc hanel it into my shield. So I do. And I keep on doing it. Then, I notice one of the leaves go flying. Then another, and another, until I pretty much shove all the wind out of my shield. Now I'm left with a fair amount, but nothing compared to the virtual carpet I had before.  

[Kabuki Doll]

Hey Nihl.
I tried using visualization as you'd suggested when I PMed you about not being able to produce a strong sheild, insisting that I tried the best possible ways to create one.

Well. Vizualization...It worked. redface  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Kabuki Doll

Hey Nihl.
I tried using visualization as you'd suggested when I PMed you about not being able to produce a strong sheild, insisting that I tried the best possible ways to create one.

Well. Vizualization...It worked. redface

Yay! Score for hack newbie pagans who experiment!!  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

I'm the newbie by the way, compared to witch families...  

[Kabuki Doll]

Nihilistic Seraph

I'm the newbie by the way, compared to witch families...

Actually I've been practicing Wicca since birth, really...My family's technically of Celtic Paganism...But we reformed with Wicca when it was introduced in 1951...But there's major Celtic influence.

I'm a newbie when it comes to certain skills though sweatdrop It's more than likely because my family set the destiny for me to have accelerated skills in divination.

I'm terrible when it comes down to healing and protecting.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Kabuki Doll

Nihilistic Seraph

I'm the newbie by the way, compared to witch families...

Actually I've been practicing Wicca since birth, really...My family's technically of Celtic Paganism...But we reformed with Wicca when it was introduced in 1951...But there's major Celtic influence.

I'm a newbie when it comes to certain skills though sweatdrop It's more than likely because my family set the destiny for me to have accelerated skills in divination.

I'm terrible when it comes down to healing and protecting.

Protecting I'm ok at. healing, I have no clue whatsoever.  

[Kabuki Doll]

Nihilistic Seraph

Kabuki Doll

Nihilistic Seraph

I'm the newbie by the way, compared to witch families...

Actually I've been practicing Wicca since birth, really...My family's technically of Celtic Paganism...But we reformed with Wicca when it was introduced in 1951...But there's major Celtic influence.

I'm a newbie when it comes to certain skills though sweatdrop It's more than likely because my family set the destiny for me to have accelerated skills in divination.

I'm terrible when it comes down to healing and protecting.

Protecting I'm ok at. healing, I have no clue whatsoever.

It's really stressful.
Especially if you're trying to heal emotionally.

I usually don't bother with it.
Sometimes it's necessary to feel certain emotions, regardless of how intense they are.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

If anyone offered to forever cure me of bouts of melancholy, I'd probably smack them xd  

[Kabuki Doll]

Nihilistic Seraph

If anyone offered to forever cure me of bouts of melancholy, I'd probably smack them xd

Haha. I know what you mean.
You total badass.

Though I'm severely bipolar, so no one can really handle me when I get intensely emotional except for, well, me. neutral  

[Jameta]

Kabuki Doll

Nihilistic Seraph

If anyone offered to forever cure me of bouts of melancholy, I'd probably smack them xd

Haha. I know what you mean.
You total badass.

Though I'm severely bipolar, so no one can really handle me when I get intensely emotional except for, well, me. neutral

If anyone tried "curing" me, I'd probably smack them and tell them I was insulted, for there actions would mean they feel I am inept to deal with my own problems.

...I'm bitchy like that sometimes. sweatdrop  

[Jameta]

*Poke of Relevant Currency*