Shielding
The Empress: This androgenous archetype represents the principles of Intuition, Self-Trust and Self-Resourcefulness. The Empress emulates the independence that comes from consciously balancing the masculine and feminine energies that we all embody.
“We are not to sacrifice our strength for our softness or our softness for our strength.” The Tarot Handbook, by Angeles Arrien
Have you ever felt emotionally drained after spending time with another person? Has your sense of safety been shaken by the feeling that someone was pulling on your energy, your essence? There are many ways that you can consciously protect your energetic field by “Shielding.”
I learned about Shielding fifteen years ago when I was searching for a meaningful career where I could contribute to people and the natural world. I was drawn to consult a psychic, Paula Vaughan. I will never forget my first session with Paula. After answering her inquiries for over 2 hours, she declared, “Well, I don’t know if you would be interested in this or not; however, you would be a powerful intuitive animal communicator, and I would be happy to show what you already know.”
I have always loved every creature in the natural world, and to have the capacity to speak to them and for them on a deeper level was a dream come true! Paula and I worked together for two years, and to this day, I implement the teachings, practices, and exercises that she shared with me.
After several months of practicing intuitive animal communication, I came to Paula with a challenge that I did not know how to manage. Due to my sensitive, empathic nature, when I had a session with an animal that was suffering physical pain and/or nearing death, I would cry. My emotionality was alarming the guardians of the animals.
“In order to do this intuitive animal communication work with professionalism, I have to find a way to control my emotions,” I declared to Paula.
“Well, you need to learn how to shield your energetic field.” Paula replied.
I had no idea what she was talking about. Paula went on to explain that we can intuitively protect our electromagnetic field by using our imagination to create a barrier between our field and others.
“Imagine that you have a big bubble that is folded up on the top of your head. Take a big, conscious breath, and with your exhale, unfurl your bubble and let it encircle your whole body and field. No one can see this bubble shield except you. Design your bubble however you like. It can be a certain color, or many colors. You can install a panel that allows you to raise or lower the volume of sounds that may activate you, as well as visual controls. When you are in your protective bubble, you can offer your energies, such as love, compassion, and sympathy; however no one can take your energy without your conscious consent.”
After practicing this intuitive exercise many times in neutral places, like the grocery store, where I was not emotionally connected to others, I was able to discern when I was allowing my energy to leak out, or be pulled on by other people, animals, or circumstances. I could then go into challenging situations without emotional distress. However, the protective bubble was not strong enough when I was in the presence of aggressive family members.
When I shared this challenge with Paula, she replied, “Well, for those situations you need the bomb shelter. It is made of titanium, and the only opening is a small slit where you can look out; you can even close this slit if necessary.”
The next time I visited family, I used the bomb shelter, and people literally bounced off of me. It was all I could do to not burst out into laughter. Amazing stuff!
There is great power in using your creative imagination and intuition to manage your electromagnetic field. These exercises symbolize a conscious choice to be sovereign, the creator of your reality. This enables you to navigate life’s challenges with confidence, a sense of strength, safety, and independence.
With love,