The Witch's Shield: Protection Magick and Psychic Self-Defense [Paperback]

Christopher Penczak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 2004

Is it possible to gain spiritual enlightenment even in difficult or threatening situations? What is the nature of evil and the role of seemingly bad things in the universe? In this thorough and thoughtful protection magick handbook, you are urged to take responsibility for your own actions, ask what you might learn from any situation, and hold compassion for those you may view as doing harm.

Popular Wiccan author and teacher Christopher Penczak takes a threefold approach to protection magick in this guide for Witches, Pagans, shamans, and psychics. First, find out how to protect yourself using personal energy, will, and intent. Next, discover how to connect with your guardian spirits, angels, and patron deities. Finally, learn how to use traditional spellcraft and ritual for protection.

This comprehensive guide to psychic self-defense and protection magick also includes an audio CD of protection meditations read by the author.

Praise:
"A wise, helpful book for beginners and intermediate students of the Craft."—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

2005 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) 1st Runner Up in Magic/Magick category

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Penczak (The Inner Temple of Witchcraft; Gay Witchcraft, etc.) fills a niche need with this balanced daily approach to psychic wellness. This is a clear, accessible, and useful manual for those who wish to align their will regularly with nature's processes and elements for healthy living. Beginning with the premise that "ninety percent of all psychic attacks are not attacks, but self-created illusions," Penczak goes on to delineate the genuine need for protection from such forces as physical harm; harmful energy, judgments and projections; evil eyes; time traps; psychic vampires (drainers of energy, vitality and emotion); unenlightened gurus; past life energies and last but not least, oneself. Subsequent chapters discuss the symptoms of a person in need of psychic protection, then describe methods of diagnosis and physical, emotional and spiritual self-purification. Penczak identifies graphic protection symbols (designs, stones, etc.), as well as tools to evoke protective spirits. The book's real philosophical beauty is in the final chapter that addresses the dilemma of competitive magick. As Penczak sagely observes, "When we put our energies into fighting each other we forget we are of the same tree, same roots, nourished by the same spiritual source." This is a wise, helpful book for beginners and intermediate students of the craft.
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About the Author

Christopher Penczak is an award-winning author, teacher, and healing practitioner. He has studied extensively with witches, mystics, shamans, and healers in a variety of traditions from around the world to synthesize his own practice of magick and healing.

Formerly based in the music industry, Christopher was empowered by his spiritual experiences to live a magickal life, and began a full-time practice of teaching, writing, and seeing clients. He is the author of the award-winning Temple of Witchcraft series: The Inner Temple of Witchcraft, The Outer Temple of Witchcraft, The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, and The Living Temple of Witchcraft Volumes 1 and 2.

His other books include City Magick (Red Wheel/Weiser), Spirit Allies (Red Wheel/Weiser), Gay Witchcraft (Red Wheel/Weiser), Magick of Reiki, Sons of the Goddess, Ascension Magick, Instant Magick, The Mystic Foundation, The Witch's Shield, The Witch's Coin, and the forthcoming The Witch's Heart. Christopher Penczak resides in New Hampshire. Visit him online at http://www.christopherpenczak.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (July 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073870542X
• ISBN-13: 978-0738705422
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christopher Penczak is an author, teacher, and healing practitioner. Rooted firmly in the traditions of modern Witchcraft, he draws from the timeless wisdom of many cultures in the creation of new techniques and traditions.

Christopher is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning six-volume Temple of Witchcraft series (Llewellyn) and the Three Rays of Witchcraft (Copper Cauldron Publishing). Other works include Ascension Magick, Instant Magick, and the Witch's Shield (Llewellyn) and City Magick, Gay Witchcraft, and Spirit Allies (Red Wheel/Weiser). He has been a featured columnist for newWitch magazine and publications such as Genre, InnerSelf, and Kaleidoscope.

Christopher is a co-founder of the Temple of Witchcraft tradition and not-for-profit religious organization, and teaches and travels extensively teaching Witchcraft. He also offers a variety of online classes and lectures. For more visit www.christopherpenczak.com and www.templeofwitchcraft.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I never knew it was so important, December 30, 2004

By 

Elizabeth R. Walter (Wheatfield, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Witch's Shield: Protection Magick and Psychic Self-Defense (Paperback)

I am a witch, but until this book, I never really looked at the art of psychic self-defense. This book opened me up to a whole new world. It's fascinating and the techniques are so helpful, I wonder now how I managed to get along all these years without having this knowledge.

Mr. Penczak is a great teacher, and one of the few who writes with real honesty and simplicity. I never had questions; everything was explained in detail, and the bibliography can be used to further your knowledge on the subject.

The included CD is of excellent quality, the exercises, brilliant. I use them almost every day and I see such a difference in my life. It amazes me.

Mr. Penczak is truly a gifted person. I also highly recommend his Temple series.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!, October 6, 2005

By 

Brooke Hynch - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Witch's Shield: Protection Magick and Psychic Self-Defense (Paperback)

This book has truly been a revelation..having just started my spiritual journey after a life time of "visitation's" and having been too scared to deliberately seek guidance from my "visitors" I have found a way to explore my spiritual connections without feeling fear or intrepidation. This book explained so many things that I had personally experienced on my journey in such a matter of fact, down to earth way that it gave me the confidence to really stretch to my full potential...Thanks Christopher for going against convention and bringing the love and light of your experience out of the closet - great book for anyone who has experienced the dark ones during a meditation and been put off by the fear of their return...not only does Christopher give you a tool box of symbols, rituals, meditations and incantations he backs that up with a healthy wit and openness that I have found lacking in other books of the same genre..Christopher speaks of his experience whilst not allowing the door to close on how our own experiences may be interpretted...I would recommend this to anyone starting to experiment with spiritual journey's, seeking conversations with their spirit guides, wanting to know the protocols for a shamanic journey and many more traditionally secretive ceremonies...thanks for sharing the light :)

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT and necessary for everyone's occultic library., August 3, 2004

By 

Raven Digitalis (Missoula, MT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Witch's Shield: Protection Magick and Psychic Self-Defense (Paperback)

Christopher Penczak is both a good friend of mine and an extremely influential figure in my life. I do not give this book 5 stars because I know him personally, but because this book is worthy of the highest rating possible. The information included is absolutely wonderful. Very well-researched, well-written and easy to understand; all you have to do is be open to accepting the teachings. Some of the skills herein are more advanced, while some take on more of a basic-level, either making the reader say "Why didn't I think of that before?!" or jump-starting them on long-awaited self-protection practices (like me!).. I would recommend this book along with his "Temple" series. If you like Christopher's work, you would also like Kala Trobe and Dianne Sylvian to name a couple. As an Empath, this book has provided me with necessary practice procedures AND there is a FREE CD included! Chris' lovely voice guides the practices, which are extremely effective & wise. Thank you, Christopher, for another amazing publication. And it is such an honour to be included in the "Acknowledgements" section. Thanks for all the inspiration. You are truly amazing.
Live lightly, Live fully,
~Colin Smith / OakRaven Narcosius~