Re: banes
I surely agree that we have every right to protect ourselves and our
"own folk" from attack. But I do believe that shield and mirror workings
are more efficient, effective and elegant at accomplishing the gocal of
self-protection. Consider this - a mirror working is perfect justice. If
I am mistaken, either that psychic attact is being done at all or about
the perpetrator, a bane will jeapordize me karmically and (if psychic
attact truly is being done by somebody other than the one I suspect)
fail to protect me. A mirror sits there passively, ignores any mistaken
paranoia that I may occasionally get, does nothing at all until and
unless an attack happens, and then sends the bad energy directly back to
the exactly deserving person or group in exactly the proper amount and
kind. A mirror is perfect justice.
A grounding shield is perfect mercy, taking bad energy and
dissipating it harmlessly. I think I already said this but I recently
talked one of my students into using a grounding shield where she would
have been perfectly entitled to use a mirror. The situation is an
ongoing battle between my students lover and his former wife. While the
ex-wife did an entirely unjustifiable attack, and would fully deserve to
have it returned full force, all this would really accomplish would be
to perpetuate the craziness, hostility and tension in the situation -
and both the couples innocent children and my student are being hurt.
Better for all concerned to ignore justice and drain as much of the
tension as possible, to make room for the healing that all of them need.
A grounding shield is perfect mercy.
But banes and bindings, while they may give short term protection,
risk your own karma, are susceptible to mistake, and may, if
misdirected, even fail of their well-intended purpose. Sure youre
entitled to self-protection. This is just a lousy way to go about it. I
guess my kind of Warrior is Athena, the wise defender.
by Hugh Read
You have a gentle way. For myself, I love Minerva who I feel is a Being unto
Herself. The concept of the Grounding Shield is clear to me...would you care
to share the practice with me. Justice has little interest for me. That
takes care of itself in the process of time. We are all amply repayed for our
varies deeds simply by wearing this body of ours. Healing is far more to the
point. The word Justice makes me cringe a bit, though long ago I came to
peace with Justice. One of my more angry prayers is May he/she have perfect
Jusice, NOW! Instant karma, NOW...and I always add, and so may it be with me.
I remember telling this to a New Age teacher a few years ago. He turned pale
and promised me auto accidents, fire, theft and robbery if I did that. Well,
I am still bopping along with my share in the chancier aspects of life
affirming perfect Justice for my self and every now and then in those very
rare (!) moments of anger instant Karma for me and whoever. I love the idea
of a shield that will ground and disperse any nasties send grovelling in my
direction. Let Healing Be the Way! Tender bliss and explosive ecstacy be
yours as the days pass softly!
by Judy Harrow
Its visualization either way. For the grounding shield, it is velvety,
absorbtive black (Oops, I should say that MINE is - you may alter this to
whatever will convince your Younger Self). Every so often along its length,
for me every 2-3 yards, there is a post somewhat like a fince post that
extends deep into the ground and is conductive like a lightening rod. Trust
mother Earth to filter any kind of energy back into simple, pure,
undifferentiated energy and recycle it to wherever it is most needed. So the
shield catches incoming energy and channels it down through the purifying
rocks. I dont know exactly how to describe physically how the shield can be
semi-permeable, allowing in the well-wishes of your friends, but, as semi
permeable membranes exist in Nature, helping each cell maintain its water/salt
balance, so can this shield. Can you conceive of a substance both velvet and
mesh? Thats how it is with me.
On the justice end of the spectrum, my own Younger Self is a bit of a
literalist. A flat mirror will not work for me, since the angle of incidence
is complementary to the angle of reflection, which means that bad energy is
actually diverted from the sender and bounced onto innocent parties. My mirror
looks like a waffle, and is optically designed to send stuff back exactly
where it came from. Its also semi-permeable, and that is even harder to
explain. I guess Younger Self is not altogether consistent.
On the issue of choosing between the two modes. Justice is a tautology. It
will do no better - and no worse - than getting you back to where you began.
It protects and maintains, but does not allow for growth. Perhaps youve read
Diana Paxons wonderful book "Red Mare, White Stallion." At the beginning, the
women of the tribe have a ritual opportunity to make a wish for the coming
year. But the heroine does something even better. When her turn comes, she
tells the Goddess "Mother, You choose." Had she chosen, she could not possibly
have received anything more than she was capable of imagining. Taking the risk
of not choosing was opening herself to surprise and transformation.
Reading that was a mind-blow for me. Since then, I have tried to take
Dianas dare as much as possible, and not limit myself to tautology. I dont
do it all the time, but I stretch toward it. The mirror/shield question
resonates with that for me.
Minerva/Athena wears a shield and helmet, and carries a spear. My Sister
is a Warrior, but always in defense of the community and always for justice.
Never for greed or domination. It is worthy to protect what you have, and
worthy to reach beyond.
Credit: http://invocation-rituals.blogspot.com
