Topic: Centering, Grounding, Shielding
Presenter: Cat
Date: 11/3/11
Centering, Grounding, Shielding
Centering
Centering is the practice of bringing yourself into yourself. This can be done physical, mentally, spiritually and is most effective in a combination of the three.
not allow external factors, no matter how benign they may seem, to influence you here.
Grounding
Grounding is the practice of taking your center and rooting it in the physical or the Earth. Ritual work, ecstatic work, divination, and many other Pagan spiritual acts can be very energetic in nature. We all need somewhere to put this excess energy, or somewhere to keep ourselves rooted into the Here-and-Now. Grounding does this.
One popular technique of grounding is the Tree Method. In this technique, you imagine your center expelling a root or tendril down toward the Earth from your feet. Once it meets the Earth, you can imagine the Earth sending back a tendril or more to stabilize you. From your head or hands, imagine doing the same for the Sky/Heavens/etc. and receiving the same. Once you feel stable, you are grounded.
Shielding
Shielding is arguably the most important of the three techniques here. It keeps your center, Self, etc. from being infiltrated or accosted by external forces, or simply keeps your inner-self from going every which way about this and other planes.
To shield, you may choose a variety of things. First, think of what makes you feel safe. This can be a hug, a bubble, a locked door, walls, virtually anything. If, for example, you choose locked doors, picture yourself in a room with a door. Close the door and lock it, but make sure to put Will into it. You are now shielded. For more flexibility, picture a bubble expanding around you. This bubble is impenetrable, unless you decide to lower it or break it.
Things to Note
It is important to remember that you do what works for you. My personal methods of centering, grounding, and shielding are variations on each of these, and those also vary depending on what I need at the time. You should figure out what works best for you and do that, not simply mimic what others tell you. Magic, even in basic forms such as these, is heavily personal. Simply keep this in mind when you go about this:
Centering- personal energy
Grounding- stabilization
Shielding- protection
These key words will help guide you through your methods of centering, grounding, and shielding.
Centering is the practice of bringing yourself into yourself. This can be done physical, mentally, spiritually and is most effective in a combination of the three.
- Physically: Choose a position that is comfortable to you, makes you aware of yourself, but you will not fall asleep in. This can be standing with feet shoulder-width apart (this is good for a public or group ritual) or sitting cross-legged (best for personal ritual, meditation, other solitary acts). You may also decide to do a yoga position instead.
Close your eyes and begin to breathe steadily. You may choose to breathe in, hold your breath, and then exhale after a few moments. Some people choose to do this in counts of three, or simply focus on the normal pattern of their breath.
- Mentally: There are a few options here. In the first, you should picture a place that calms you. Imagine breathing in the good things about that place, and exhaling all your inner stresses, worries, and negativity. Do this until you feel calm.
The other option is to picture yourself as a silhouette. As you breathe in, imagine breathing in white light; as you breathe out, imagine exhaling shadow. As before, do this until you feel calm. - Spiritually: This varies from person to person, but upon being centered physically and mentally, you may choose to spiritually center yourself. This, like with the mental techniques, can be done by inhaling spiritual force, divinity, or whatever else you connect with on the spiritual plane. If you so choose, and it works for you, you may also call in a god or goddess for calm, sincerity, and/or peace.
not allow external factors, no matter how benign they may seem, to influence you here.
Grounding
Grounding is the practice of taking your center and rooting it in the physical or the Earth. Ritual work, ecstatic work, divination, and many other Pagan spiritual acts can be very energetic in nature. We all need somewhere to put this excess energy, or somewhere to keep ourselves rooted into the Here-and-Now. Grounding does this.
One popular technique of grounding is the Tree Method. In this technique, you imagine your center expelling a root or tendril down toward the Earth from your feet. Once it meets the Earth, you can imagine the Earth sending back a tendril or more to stabilize you. From your head or hands, imagine doing the same for the Sky/Heavens/etc. and receiving the same. Once you feel stable, you are grounded.
Shielding
Shielding is arguably the most important of the three techniques here. It keeps your center, Self, etc. from being infiltrated or accosted by external forces, or simply keeps your inner-self from going every which way about this and other planes.
To shield, you may choose a variety of things. First, think of what makes you feel safe. This can be a hug, a bubble, a locked door, walls, virtually anything. If, for example, you choose locked doors, picture yourself in a room with a door. Close the door and lock it, but make sure to put Will into it. You are now shielded. For more flexibility, picture a bubble expanding around you. This bubble is impenetrable, unless you decide to lower it or break it.
Things to Note
It is important to remember that you do what works for you. My personal methods of centering, grounding, and shielding are variations on each of these, and those also vary depending on what I need at the time. You should figure out what works best for you and do that, not simply mimic what others tell you. Magic, even in basic forms such as these, is heavily personal. Simply keep this in mind when you go about this:
Centering- personal energy
Grounding- stabilization
Shielding- protection
These key words will help guide you through your methods of centering, grounding, and shielding.
