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Article on Shields
TO FINE MAGICKAL SHIELDS
written by Frater Umbilicus
key entry by Dark Star
taken from The Cincinnati Journal Of Ceremonial Magick
The theme of Magickal conflict is never complete without a discussion of
shielding methods. The startling thing found when one searches for decent
shielding methods is that one encounters shields that either appeal to one
deity or another or rely on the basic "goodness" of the individual for
efficacy.
The true Thelemic Magickian need not hide behind another be he god or man. Nor
need he define his position as "good". It is sufficient that it is his position
and his alone.
What, then, may the student do to develop a shield in keeping with Thelemic
philosophy?
Firstly, define "shield". My arcane and trustworthy Webster's states that a
shield is "any person or thing that guards, protects, etc." Note that it does
not neccessarily oppose or confront any energies directed against one. It
merely protects one from those energies.
To protect one, a shield may effect one of three areas;
1.) the attacking force (opposition)
2.) the defending object (evasion)
3.) the intervening space between force and object (interposition)
To oppose a force effectively, one must use a force of equal or superior
energy, potential or kinetic.(That is, energy that is at rest or in motion).
This is the most risky of all shields as one never knows if one is being
attacked by a single person or a group or how large the group may be or how
strong the attacker is. No matter how strong you are, there is someone
somewhere stronger.
Thus an opposing shield can be smashed or the shielder can be worn down, as in
a siege, until he drops the shield in exhaustion.
To evade a force is very good if one is capable of it. However, magickal force
makes no distinctions between "here" and "there" so physical distance or
location is no evasion at all. Astral evasion is only effective against the
most elementary attacks such as the science-fiction/fantasy inspired "magical
bolt".
Effective evasion, while the finest magickal defense I have ever come across,
is not easily available to the student, for it involves removing oneself from
the attacker's world. One must become completely aware of the reality that
projects outward from one by Will.
At the risk of boring the Adept, I feel that a clear understanding of what is
meant by Will is needed here to protect the student from assuming too much.
Will, as is meant here, is the ever-present force that holds reality together.
There can be no existence without Will. No existent thing controls Will, but
rather Will controls all existent things. You do not have Will; Will has you.
The definition is at best tenuous due to the uselessness of symbols in
describing the equation 0=2. Failure to understand the definition entirely is
an indication that this shield system is not yet for you. The ultimate test is
that if you use it and it doesn't work then you didn't understand the concept.
Don't flatter yourself into an early grave.
If you are acquainted with this state of mind (or consciousness or reality)
then you can easily see that no attack on you can occur because there is
nothing that is not you. Or, conversely, there is Nothing that is you. How
might an existent thing affect a non-existent thing?
However, most practitioners have not gone this far and aren't familiar with
non-symbolic thinking. As such, the best (and most popular) form of shield is
the interposing type.
Familiars are often used as interpositional shields, taking the blow for their
magickian-owners. This can get expensive and demoralizing when attacks take
place as the Familiar often cannot live through the experience.
Abstract shields, experience has shown, are more durable and more easily
strengthened or recharged. They have the added feature of being non-living and
thus less messy.
A good visual conception of mathematics can lead to a fine shield that borders
on evasion but allows a "bubble" of ego-inhabited universe to exist. Language
problems again. This shield is based on the concept of an unreachable
mathematical limit.
Consider the statment 1/x. As x grows increasingly larger, the fraction 1/x
grows increasingly smaller. Thus the limit of the statment 1/x as x approaches
infinity is 0. As the denominator becomes larger the fraction brcomes smaller.
However, 1/x will never reach 0; it will always remain an eternally dwindling
fraction.
Applied to distance, a limit could be defined by covering half the distance
between two points, then covering half the remaining distance, and so on
infinitely. You will find that you never arrive at a given point thinking this
way.
What has this to do with a shield? Visualize this concept of limit within the
shell of a hollow sphere around oneself. Imagine the shell as being one inch
thick (an example, any thickness will do) with an infinite limit from the
outside edge to the inside edge. No force or thought form can ever make it
through that shield. Instead it will find itself traveling forever to cover one
inch of shield.
To build this shield with minimum of figure-flipping, visualize infinite
space, or if done ritually, invoke Nu. Use Saturnian force, or intelligence to
compress the concept of space to an inch thick hollow sphere of predetermined
size surrounding you. Recharge as often as your confidence in it wanes.
The shields described here have the advantage of not particularly needing
ritualistic construction or formalized rigid symbology. They are simple and
quickly activated and are extremely dependable and adaptable from tradition to
tradition.
It is my hope that these methods find some use in a few magickal repetoire.
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