The Basics

[TeaDidikai]

riku4245

What would a projection visualization be like? I've never heard of it before.
I hardly ever use any kind of rituals found in books, but out of curiousity, what is that one like?

In Embracing the Moon, Yasmine talks about visualizing herself in a dress of garnets. She puts on this energetic visualization and instead of drawing it close- it flows outward.  

[queertastrophy]

What about charging crystals, gemstones, etc.? Is the technique similar to that of warding?  

[TeaDidikai]

Before we go into charging, let's look at Cleansing.

For the most part, I find Grounding to be enough.

Cleansing can take several forms depending on what is being cleansed.

Some of the most common is to anoint or smudge with a substance that is known to have a cleansing effect.

In such situations- it is often best to awaken the substance in question if you are an animist. If not, "will in" intent.

Depending on the substance and style, one might anoint "energy centers".
Myself, I usually anoint my wrists and forehead. Often I will rinse my mouth as well.

Smudging usually is performed over the whole body. I was taught to smudge starting at the crown and working one's way down, pausing to go under the arms, between the legs (if the person isn't wearing a long skirt or dress) and under the feet.  

[TheDisreputableDog]

I should go through Embracing the Moon again, I've been so busy and haven't picked it up in awhile.

I am going to try your shield recommendations, because I'm okay at centering and grounding (and my extension of the latter) but can't shield at all--unless I'm doing it automatically and don't know it by just being the quiet mousy kid.

Can anyone else place their awareness at any point of their body? I can put myself in the perspective of my fingers or my stomach or my knee, etc. I don't really know how else to describe it. Does that make sense?  

[TeaDidikai]

TheDisreputableDog

Can anyone else place their awareness at any point of their body? I can put myself in the perspective of my fingers or my stomach or my knee, etc. I don't really know how else to describe it. Does that make sense?

Deo mentioned that she does such.

I can- but I tend not to except for very certain situations.  

[Pelta]

TheDisreputableDog

I am going to try your shield recommendations, because I'm okay at centering and grounding (and my extension of the latter) but can't shield at all--unless I'm doing it automatically and don't know it by just being the quiet mousy kid.

Have you thought about the possibility that you're just trying too hard?

One of the greatest blockages I've come across with this kind of work is self-denial. You try really hard to do something, it doesn't seem to work, you get upset/worked up about it, try even harder and it will continue not to work. You then convince yourself it's really hard and you just can't do it. It's a vicious cycle. I've gone through whole months of not being able to do anything simply because I was trying too hard and worrying about it.

A lot of these exercises are much simpler than a lot of people expect. A key to getting anything done is simply to relax. Especially in this sort of thing, when emotions and getting worked up about it have a huge effect on the final outcome, relaxation and control are absolutely essential. If you find yourself worrying about the fact that it's not working... stop worrying.

That of course is so much easier said than done. Hell, every time I tell myself to relax I get more wound up. This is why centering and grounding are so important - they help teach you control.  

[queertastrophy]

I've been noticing that when I center, the parts of my body that I'm focusing on actually feel more weighted. I'm not sure if this is part of my envisioning my energy coming back to me, or if I'm going kind of nutty.

Either way, it seems to be working. Yay!  

[patch99329]

I tried the 'reducing energy to make yourself less noticible' thing last week.
It certainly worked, but it had a detrimental effect one me also.
I pulled my energy in and gave out less of it, like turning down a gas hob.

I naturally give out energy in multiple directions and whatnot, very irregular.
By 'turning my energy levels down'. I felt ill and tired, and my arms and legs felt detatched from my body. Usually, when I sit still I can feel my body 'buzzing' as it were. I didn't feel that when I tried this.

Needles to say I wont be trying it again any time soon xd  

[TeaDidikai]

BlueRoseTorn

I've been noticing that when I center, the parts of my body that I'm focusing on actually feel more weighted. I'm not sure if this is part of my envisioning my energy coming back to me, or if I'm going kind of nutty.

Either way, it seems to be working. Yay!

Actually, "heaviness" is a sensation I have heard of before.

Remind me next time we get together to go over some of the A.R.E. techniques I picked up.

Patch>> When you feel like trying again, see what happens when you ground the excess.  

[Maze]

I think I pull in too far, and then it feels like I can move my arms inside of my arms. And then it gets itchy. I think I need more practice in having it settle at the border, hehe.  

[TeaDidikai]

Maze

I think I pull in too far, and then it feels like I can move my arms inside of my arms. And then it gets itchy. I think I need more practice in having it settle at the border, hehe.

Yeah- it's supposed to be at your body, not completely inside.

I'm going to knock out some charging styles in a bit.  

[TeaDidikai]

I keep trying to think of how you go about "charging" something- and I'm hitting a bit of a brick wall because some of the stuff doesn't translate across traditions well.

Nor would it apply to every situation.

Blue- you've been asking about it, give me an example and I'll toss something out.  

[Autumnal Light]

I think I might have figured out an interesting shielding technique. I was trying to sleep last night, but couldn't relax. I was feeling anxious, like something was pushing in on me. So, I imagined myself in a glass box like the one Snow White was in when they thought she was dead. It worked really well. It felt like I was keeping out whatever it was that had been pressing on me, and I was able to relax. I don't know why that particular imagery popped into my head, but if it works, it works.  

[TeaDidikai]

mute_coyote

I think I might have figured out an interesting shielding technique. I was trying to sleep last night, but couldn't relax. I was feeling anxious, like something was pushing in on me. So, I imagined myself in a glass box like the one Snow White was in when they thought she was dead. It worked really well. It felt like I was keeping out whatever it was that had been pressing on me, and I was able to relax. I don't know why that particular imagery popped into my head, but if it works, it works.

That's very good imagery.
Glad it worked for you.  

[Maze]

Ah, here it is. biggrin

*kicks it back to the front page*

I've been practicing this far too infrequently, but I've noticed that, when I wake up with a frozen foot/am having a Raynaud attack already (if you can call it that, anyway - symptoms of frostbite and pretty related colours, HUZZAH), and I initiate some centering to try and counter it, I can't get my awareness extended completely.

So if my foot is acting up, for instance, I can't center my foot. My awareness won't go further than, say, my ankle. I don't know whether this is because my energy can't actually get to my foot, or because I can't feel it because my blood vessels are cramping up.

The second strikes me as more likely, since I don't have blood vessels outside of my body and I can still focus my energy there. But I'm just basing that on an educated guess, admittedly. XD;

(Thoughts, comments, criticism or applause here, please. cool )

Either way, this is kind of a nuisance. *puffs up a cheek* Hm. I'll be continuing to try and get it to go into my foot when I have an 'attack'. Since the cramping up technically means the blood vessels aren't relaxed. Or so I understand the condition.

Who knows! This might actually be useful in reducing it. biggrin I'm still going to be keeping up with the hot and cold baths, though, hehe..

I'll also be trying it when I'm not having an 'attack' of course, since it seems a bit silly to waste practice time waiting on something you don't like to have to begin with.