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Sorry, it was the same old stuff going round, wanted to put something new out there.  Sorry if it's unwelcome.  I did post a brief intro by the way.

Short of setting things on fire ala "Firestarter," I do use the extra-sensory talents I've developed (an' am still developing) on a daily basis, by means of shielding others, distance-healing and the like.  I also use the planes and (well, I shouldn't say "use,") certain folk residing there for teaching me old mysteries, healing, many many things.  Ever been lucky enough to venture into a discussion with the Myrddyn?  He's an amazing man out there, and his efforts are still quite active in our physical plane today.  There are endless learning opportunities once projection becomes second nature to a person.  If you have a need here, an honest one, you can manifest the energies on the planes and direct them toward your physical needs.  It's how I kept a roof over my family's head when I was out of work for 5 months and how, so far, my daughter has stayed safe from her father's grip on her mind as he tries to turn her down a very dark path.  My work very rarely has anything to do with Witchcraft or "Magick," but with the manipulation of energies through the planes where those energies are free to move and build.

Also simply put, the reason the average adept cannot manifest PHYSICAL effects on the PHYSICAL plane (ie, lighting fires and hurling lawn furniture) is because the energy used to create those effects is immediately taken into the environment and into every solid thing that surrounds it.  Trying to move energy in the physical is like trying to walk through a muddy bog.  It gets trapped and stuck.  Everything around us, living and static, is made of energy and held together by energy and therefore "attracts" any energies which try to pass by or through it.  Most have not been able to open their mind enough and gain enough focus to bypass the physical objects enough to focus their energies onto one object and cause physical change to it.  I've seen it done personally, but with very little movement.  With a raucous pre-schooler, a hubby and a full time + job in the "big city," there's little opportunity for completely clearing the mind and maintaining the kind of focus that is needed for creating physical effects. 

Just my 2c, hope I haven't offended anyone.

Rev. Heather Noel

Here is another of my articles I'd like to place up for discussion.  Any person of any religious or spiritual path can use these techniques, despite the fact that echoes of my own may run through it. 

ELEMENTAL SHIELDS IN ASTRAL TRAVEL:
Avoiding the Astral Nasties
Rev. Heather Noel (C)2006

Being able to successfully project oneself into the astral planes and beyond can bring about life-changing experiences. Knowing that there are some dangers involved though, in moving one's astral body and consciousness into the planes, and knowing how to protect yourself against them, can ensure pleasant experiences every time you project. If you have ever come back from a meditation or projection which left you feeling shaken and unsure, or having had strange visions or thoughts come to you, then you have most likely experienced what has been not-so-affectionately termed "Astral Nasties." While a simple Cone of Power is exceptionally strong protection for us while working on the physical plane, when we leave this plane we encounter a whole new world of beings to which our rules do not apply.

Know Thine Enemy

In order to protect one's self against a negative entity, one must first understand what it is and where it comes from. While bringing spirit guides with you into your projections will provide a general level of protection, there will always be entities with the ability to attach themselves to you as you move through the planes. While many are mere annoyances, some can cause a person to have so scary an experience that it could hinder them from wanting to attempt projection again.

Of the seven planes of existence, the lower astral planes are where all negative thought processes, negative emotions, daemon and other "nasties" converge. The vibrations of the lower astral planes provide the perfect habitat for them to live and fester whereas they are unable to survive in areas of higher vibration.

For your reference, the following outline will provide a sort of "road map" to the seven known planes:

The Physical Plane of Three Dimensions: This is the lowest of the seven planes, where we spend our physical lives. The three lower sub planes are: solids, liquids and gasses. The four higher densities are called the etheric planes, at which level faeries and nature spirits would exist.

The Astral Plane of Four Dimensions: This is the place of out-of-body and near-death experiences, as well as where, according to some teachings, one waits for reincarnation. This is also where one finds the first Guardian Angels. It is also called the Emotional Plane. The energies on this plane compose feelings, desires and emotions. It is possible to travel through solid matter here, including the astral bodies' ability to pass through each other. The lower sub planes here can be considered the "hell" of the realm, where - as stated above - all the negative thought processes and entities which are created on the physical converge. The higher up we move through the Astral, the brighter and more pure the energies become (like the sludge on the bottom of a lake compared to the pure sunlight glinting off the surface).

The Mental Plane of Five Dimensions: The energies on this plane compose thought. Once one can successfully astral project, one may be able to mental project. On this level are true altruistic thoughts, free of desire or selfishness. Most angels and other spiritual beings are found here. The lower sub levels of this plane are made up of conscious thought while the higher sub levels are made up of abstract thought. The next higher level in the Mental Plane is what we think of as our soul.

The Buddhic Plane of Six Dimensions: Upon reaching this plane, we leave individualized personality. This is the plane of true spiritual insight (not to be confused with psychic feeling, which is an astral manifestation). An accessible echo of the Akashic Records is found here, and has its origination on the Atmic Plane.

The Atmic Plane of Seven Dimensions: This is the plane of consciousness and of life itself. Here we find the great spiritual masters, as well as anyone who has achieved true conscious enlightenment. The higher dragons of the world have also taken up residence here, to avoid being hunted by those on the astral and lower who seek to eliminate them. Christ also resides on this plane, on the Mind's Idol in the Middle Atmic, with his Bride.

The Monadic Plane: This plane is beyond any type of matter, dimension or evolution as we know it. It is the plane of will where the ultimate divine spiritual sparks in all living things express themselves and evolve and create on the lower planes ("as above, so below") . When reaching the Monadic Plane, we leave all sense of space, time and self behind.

The Logoic Plane: This is the divine plane of God, the Source, or the One, which no human has been known to reach. It is free of any limiting concept. A "Logos" can be thought of as a vast deity which has the ability to create spiritual life from itself.

When attempting astral projection, it takes a bit of practice before one is able to avoid the lower planes altogether and begin one's travels in the middle to upper astral. Therefore, you will most likely spend a short time passing through the lower astral realms before you reach the areas where other travelers and entities walk freely. Imagine you own a vast mansion which only has one road leading up to it - that you know of. This can be compared to having to drive through a high-crime neighborhood in order to get to your mansion up the hill. This is why, especially in the beginning, shielding is so important.

Raising The Shields - One Is Not Enough

Just as one would raise a circle when preparing for ritual, so should one raise a shield before entering a meditative state. Remember first that entering into meditation tends to turn off the conscious defenses that we have up naturally. The best time to shield yourself would be just as you settle into a comfortable meditative position, before completely clearing your mind. The most effective way I have found to shield against various types of entities coming from various sources at once (possible in meditation and unavoidable in projection) is to use a multi-elemental shield. This means you will be using the energies of two or more elements to weave a matrix or web around yourself.

When choosing the elements to work with, first call upon the one that you are most closely attuned to. For example, my star sign is a fire sign - Sagittarius. I also work most easily with the element of fire in working candle magick, and cleanse, purify and bless with fire. Secondly, call upon your next highest attuned element. Mine, ironically in working with fire, is water. This comes to me as part of my Atlantean heritage. You may choose to work with just two, your favorite three or all four physical elements in creating this shield. The final element to be added every time is Spirit.

Call down your elements to surround and protect you on your journey. If you work with stones, you may find it useful to have stones with your chosen elemental associations in-hand during the shielding and meditation/projection. Visualize the energies of the elements reaching out to you in fine threads from all directions as you pull them from your surroundings: Earth from the ground beneath you, Air from the skies above, Fire from the Sun or the Stars, Water from the clouds, a nearby lake or seaside, or even the pipes in your home - wherever it is available. Also reach outward and call for Spirit to be present and bind the elements together in your shield, letting them surround you in a large sphere.

The importance of using Spirit with any combination of elements is that in the world of elementals, opposites do not attract - they counteract. By intertwining Spirit with your other elements in the "net," Spirit acts as a go-between for the physical elements, allowing them to flow through each other without causing interaction to the bearer. Do not fret about having to create a perfectly sewn net yourself. Once the elements are called down and are made aware of your intention, they will by all means know exactly how to proceed.

The effectiveness in this type of shield comes by means of the interactions caused when someone or something with impure intention attempts to come in contact with it. Lesser demons, as found on the lower astral planes, are notorious for having one elemental affiliation only, but each race has a different strength. Therefore where one may be immune to a fire-type shield, another will have trouble getting through it. Many etheric bodies who mean to harm have also found ways to get through Spirit alone. Using multiple elements ensures that nothing is going to get through to harm you as there will always be a part of this closely-knit shield that they can not touch without harming themselves. Once you feel the shield has crafted itself properly (and you should be able to reach out a short distance with your mind and feel it around you), you can feel safe that your travels will be smooth sailing. Also the energies your shields will be giving off will very likely act as a beacon to higher entities (light attracts light) who will feel safe in approaching and interacting with you.

This is somewhat of an advanced shielding technique but should be learned before attempting to spend any good amount of time on the planes.

Warmest greetings to all.  I have been perusing this forum for a little while now and wanted to share some information that I have not seen discussed much here.  This is an article I wrote for witchvox that may be of value to some members of AP.

Just for a little background on me, I am a Certified Master/Teacher in Celtic Reiki and teach courses related to Astral Projection and Shielding in the Oestara Seminary of Magick.  I've also been a practising Druid for 25 years and act as a Spiritual Guide for those dealing with projection and other etheric entity issues.

Hope you enjoy the article

Candle Meditations for Astral Growth
Rev. Heather Noel (C)2006

The Usefulness of Candle Exercises -

Candle exercises promote and strengthen concentration in meditation as well as open a doorway into astral projection. The practices described here require nothing but a small candle (and we all have at least one around!) and a dark, draft-free room. To improve psychic clarity, I use a purple or violet candle in a shallow blue glass dish. The most difficult thing to acquire that is needed here will indeed be, for some of us, the quiet time, free from distraction and outside influences.

It is suggested that these exercises be practiced either in the moments just before the sun rises, or just before it sets. This suggestion of times draws on ancient Druid teachings which provide that dawn and dusk are the two times of the day when the other-worlds are most easily accessible from the physical world. Midnight would be your second best choice, followed by high noon in order of the "thickness" of the veil between the worlds. Of course these are only suggestions, and who would you be to stop yourself from getting in a good meditation at any time of the day that is available to you? Quiet moments can be precious few and hard to come by so if it is impractical to use these times, by all means, do what feels right to you.

Let It All Go

Easier said than done, you say with a chuckle. I agree with you completely. Frustration is your worst enemy when trying to strengthen your mind. By far the greatest source of frustration when trying to meditate is the background noise we encounter that tends to snap our minds back into the here and now, usually just as we've begun to reach a state of peace but are still present enough in our conscious mind to allow ourselves to react.

Countless meditation techniques exist and are readily available via book, web or teacher. Here I will present you with one that I have taught over the years that actually makes use of background noises and distractions. It has worked well for those who can lock themselves up in a room for time enough to meditate, but can't seem to escape the drone of children playing, traffic outside the window, air conditioners, televisions and the like.

What you can do is find yourself an alone place. Personally, when the house is full, I tend to lock myself in the bathroom for five or ten minutes. Close your eyes and take three very slow, deep breaths, in and out, slowing yourself down in preparation for meditation. Try not to pause between breaths, rather let them flow with a circular motion. Upon your fourth breath in, let your ears become acutely aware of all the noises around you. See that each sound has a life of its own. Feel the sounds flowing around you.

Visualize now yourself perched on a large rock in the middle of a stream. You sit dry and comfortable on the rock while the stream babbles and flows around you. The background noises are the stream. Using your conscious mind, move the individual sounds around you down and into the water, letting them all converge into one flowing motion. Let all the sounds flow together into one multi-tonal drone and acknowledge their magickal voice. State to the stream, "I need peace now." The stream will begin to slow and quiet.

The human mind loves to take advantage of silence so that it can speak up for itself and be heard. As your surroundings begin to take on the calm of the slowing stream, random thoughts will likely pop into you head... "Did I mail that bill?" "Does the cat have water?" "What am I going to wear tomorrow?" "I can't believe so-and-so said that about me..." Take now each thought that arises and place it gently into the stream, letting it be carried off behind you until you can no longer hear it. When your mind has settled, speak once more to the stream as it flows toward you, "Go now, and give me my rest." The waters carrying the sounds around you start to lower as they flow away from you, eventually becoming dry, leaving you sitting alone in a dry – and silent – creek bed. Now is the time to light the flame.

For the following exercises, you will need to be in a place that is free from the drafts of an air conditioner, doors and windows that do not seal well. You need to be able to sit comfortably with an open flame roughly 12 to 18 inches in front of you. The candle should be one wide enough to burn without using a holder, or one that can be set in a shallow dish. You will be placing your hands very close to both sides of the flame as you face it, so it should have nothing in its way. A new small votive on a shallow dish will work well, as will a 4" chime candle in a small holder. Your area should also be dim, if not completely dark, to promote visual focus only on the flame itself. Please do not become frustrated if you cannot achieve these exercises on the first try. I have had some students get it the first time and completely amaze themselves while other practiced it for months before coming to me excitedly with, "I did it! It turned blue! How did I do that?!" We all have different strengths and grow at different paces. The most important thing, as with anything, is to keep at it.

The Flame That Breathes

This beginning exercise will help with concentration, focus, breathing and will help connect you with the element of Fire. When in your quiet place, light your candle 12 to 18 inches in front of you. It should have very little movement to it, if any. If it is dancing around, try trimming the wick down to ¼ inch and make sure it is not in a light draft. Begin breathing very slowly through your nose, as deeply as you can, and as far out as you can. Use a circular breath, meaning there are no pauses between your in/out/in. After several breaths, focus your eyes on the flame. Continue your breathing technique while focusing on the flame. As you breathe in, visualize the flame growing slightly higher or larger, then shrinking back down as you breathe out. It may take several minutes to completely connect with the flame in this way, but this still, dark, intimate atmosphere will help you make that connection. After a few moments, the candle should be growing as you breathe in, shrinking as you breathe out.

The Flame That Moves

The next step in the candle exercises is bending the flame. This step will help open your energy flow and help teach you to control it, especially helpful for Healers and Energy Workers. While most teachings provide that we have a receptive hand (the hand we don't write with) and a projective hand (the hand we write with) , these exercises will temporarily remove those limits and will teach you to use your entire being as both the drawer and the sender.

Meditate on the flame for several minutes until you feel you have established a connection with the element. Slowly, so as not to disturb the atmosphere around it, place your left hand about four inches to the side of the flame and will the flame to bend toward your hand by drawing in its energy through your hand. A cupped hand works best to focus the energy's movement into your palm. At first this may take up to a minute to will the flame toward your palm. When this is achieved, withdraw your left hand and repeat the movement with your right hand.

Once you have successfully moved the flame toward each hand separately, cup both hands around the flame. Try to draw the flame into your left palm, then your right, until it is swaying rhythmically back and forth between your hands. If needed, you can give the flame an extra little push by sending energy back through the hand it leans toward to move it toward the opposite hand.

A fun alternative to this exercise can be done with a partner as you practice working your energies together. For this, you and a partner will sit facing each other with the candle between you. With your left hands position a few inches from either side of the flame, each of you will try to will the flame to bend toward your hand. My partner and I make a fun little "tug-of-war" competition out of this to both strengthen energy flow and work on our rhythms as the flame waves back and forth between us.

Elemental Effects On The Flame

With the flame still burning strong and still in front of you and in your mind, imagine a light breeze it blowing in from your left side. Feel the breeze on your skin. When you feel it, notice how the flame reacts to the breeze, dancing in an erratic way. Keeping your mind focused on the flame without losing the image can become a bit difficult here but this will challenge your mind to stay focused during the slight distraction of the breeze. Now calm the breeze from the left and imagine one coming in from the right, then from behind you and then in front of you. Keeping your mind focused on something this long will be a challenge that will take a lot of mental discipline and training but as your mind becomes stronger, so do you, and so does your magick.

If you feel you have been successful and are ready to move into a more advanced practice, call upon the breezes and gradually build their strength with the intention of actually blowing out the flame (and no cheating!) . When you've worked with the element of Wind to dowse the flame, next move to the element of Water, reaching your consciousness up to the clouds in the sky and bringing them down to surround the flame. Watch the flame grow smaller as the water element surrounds and puts it out. Finally, try this using the energies of the element of Earth. Calling upon and channeling the element of Spirit into the flame will tend to make it grow higher and glow brighter.

The Aura Of The Flame

This is a very cleansing practice that combines meditative and energy work practices with Fire energies as purification. Focus still on the flame, from the bright white-yellow of its center, to the darker yellows and oranges as it moves toward the edges. Take the blue color from the center of the flame and move it outward so that the entire flame glows blue. Repeat the process with the colors green, yellow, orange, red, then back to blue. Next, add a second light to the flame, a white light that represents your energy and yourself. With your consciousness, reach out to the flame and engulf it, bringing it into you. Once you have made the two energies one, visualize yourself around them with the energies forming a sphere of light inside you, at your solar plexus. This is your spirit energy. Allow this glowing light to grow and move throughout your body, down to both feet and out to both hands. The white light and the flame purify your system. Now you may move yourself back into the flame and into the next exercise.

Move Into The Doorway

When you have rejoined the flame and your two energies are one, you are ready to move your consciousness, your mind and all that is within you into the flame. Gaze into the flame now for a few moments and close your eyes. Do you still see the flame burned into your vision? Keep this picture with you and move the light within you into the flame. See it growing as it fills with your essence. Allow it to grow into a light large enough for you to step through. When your spirit light has filled the flame, your subconscious mind will follow. All that remains is for you to convince your conscious mind to join the walk through the doorway and you are well on your way to a successful astral projection!

Each of the exercises presented within this article can be used individually when there is little time to spend in meditation. They can also be used in a one-hour (give or take) meditative venture in the order of their presentation. Together, these practices will strengthen your focus and concentration, your ability to impose your will on an object (not on a person!) , they will help you attune to all the elements and will help in the mastery of your own energy flow. When frustration creeps in, remember the Three P's: Practice, Practice, Practice!