It is essential to perform grounding, centering, and shielding prior to every type of magick or energy working. Your state of mind is elemental to the success of all spells. Grounding and centering gives the clarity and confidence necessary to complete any magickal work. By grounding and centering, you focus your energy and direct it properly to what you want. If you are scattered, you won't be able to direct this energy to where it needs to go. Shielding ensures that only positive energies aid you and keeps negative energies from invading your energy field.

Grounding

Grounding is the act of connecting your energy to Earth's through visualization and meditation. This allows the energy in your body to balance and stabilize. By exchanging your energy with Earth's energy, you can cleanse yourself of negativity and excess energies. An overabundance of energy not channeled properly can cause problems. Grounding keeps you balanced with a continuous exchange. Ground any time you feel spacey or disconnected.

Think of grounding like a plant. Grow roots and become stabilized by the nutrients of Earth's energy. Recognize what it feels like to be connected to Earth's energies. Some people feel a light swaying while others feel a noticeable pull on the feet or spine. When you feel stable and connected, you are grounded.

Grounding Exercise

Find a place where you can sit quietly and comfortably with your back straight. Imagine yourself as a tree. See yourself, glorious in wisdom and stability, beautiful with branches and leaves. Become aware of your legs and how they feel. Focus on your feet. See your feet grow roots. Let your roots grow and search thirstily through the earth for its center. Reach down through the dirt and rock, down through the water table. See your roots reach the center of the earth. There, in the center, she is alive and pulsing with all her power and spirit.

See this now. See the spirit of the earth glowing in radiance and love, welcoming you to join with it. See this glowing orb of crystalline purity. Allow your roots to reach around and grab hold of the crystalline orb. Secure yourself and become stable. Feel your roots adhere with the crystalline orb. Draw upon its energy. Bring it up through the tips of your roots. Drink in the energy from your roots up through the levels of the earth. Feel the energy surge back into your body and all your appendages. Let yourself become purified and stabilized, free from all the negativity that clogs your heart. Feel rooted and grounded now. You are stable and secure.

Centering

Centering is the act of finding that quiet place in your heart and mind. It is being able to calm yourself despite your surroundings and daily misgivings. It is a focusing of heart, soul, and mind. Centering will allow you to empty your heart, soul, and mind of excess burdens.

Centering Exercise

Find a place where you can sit quietly and comfortably with your back straight. Relax. Focus on clearing your mind. It is natural for stray thoughts to pop into your head, but with practice you will learn to banish these errant messages. Centering will become easier each time you do it.

Visualize the color black first to “black out” the noise and confusion. Once you feel the quiet, fade the black out. Focus on the beating of your heart. See the whole heavenly space. Know that it extends beyond all time and space. Visualize yourself existing in this space. Hear your heart beat; calm and steady. Enjoy the silence and sanctity of this infinite space.

Visualize an infinity symbol over yourself. Start it at the top of your head and let it go to the bottom of your feet. Allow it to surround you and bring together your mind, heart, and soul. Say to yourself, “I am balanced, I am centered.” Begin to fade back to consciousness while retaining that clear and quiet mind.

Shielding

Shielding is the act of giving your personal space protection from negative energies that drain and feed off of your energy field. This negativity is called psychic attack or psychic debris. Psychic attack and debris cause your energy field to deplete, resulting in headaches, fatigue, and other ailments.

It is recommended that you use shielding throughout your daily life. Shielding also helps in the upkeep of the first two exercises as a way for the energy you have just balanced and gained to sustain itself for longer periods of time.

There are many good visuals for shielding when you want to charge up your aura with protection. You can visualize a suit of armor, a crystalline egg, or a bubble of light. Intention is everything, and it must stem from love. Whatever method you use to shield yourself, keep your mind focused and clear to properly shield.

Shielding Exercise

In this exercise, call upon the help of Archangel Michael, the angel of protection, and combine prayer with visualization.

Start the shielding exercise by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Recite the following prayer to ask for Archangel Michael's help and protection.

Visualize beaming blue energy streaming down from the heavens, surrounding you in a beautiful ball of light. Feel protected and shielded from any negative force. Feel only love in your heart and love around you.

Use this visualization technique at any time you feel the need for protection from negativity or psychic attack. Once you feel comfortable enough with shielding, feel free to play and experiment with different visuals and see what works best for you.