“I just felt like a weak failure,” I told a friend recently. “I have trouble crying because I don’t want to show weakness. I’m afraid of showing weakness.”

Have you heard someone tell you, “You have to have a thick skin”?

People say that one is too sensitive to criticism. So, supposedly, having a “thick skin” is like being courageous. You’re supposed to do more and do better.

But wait a damn minute. What about those “energy vampires” who consciously cut us down? It’s not about having a thick skin. It’s about someone draining our energy.

Without enough energy, you don’t have the capacity to stand strong.
I’ve seen myself, because of depression symptoms, being stuck. Paralyzed to do something simple. Why? No energy.

Do you relate to this?

I have three insights for you.

1. Keep your shield strong so they can’t take your energy.

Here is a process so you can keep your shield strong.

The Tree of Life Meditation/Cosmic Egg Shield

Meditation Exercise – “The Tree of Life”

Slowly breathe in and out. Breathe in the energy of love and peace (envision this as white energy). Breathe out all stress and negativity (envision this as black smoke). Keep taking deep breaths in and out. Concentrate on the white energy being breathed in and filling up your body with loving energy. Then let go and breathe out the negative energy you see as black smoke. As you do this, release the stresses of the day. Repeat this breathing cycle at least three times until you are comfortable and relaxed.

As your body and mind begin to relax, continue deep breathing and focus on this image:

Envision roots made up of energy sprouting from the bottoms of your feet. With each breath, extend the roots farther and farther down toward Mother Earth.

Extend them down through the floor, down past the plumbing of the house, and down, down deep into Mother Earth’s body. Go down to her core, to the center of her heart.

Once there, with each breath in, pull up the energy from Mother Earth. Breathe out the stress and breathe in the blue-green energy of Mother Earth.

Pull the energy up through your roots, up past the plumbing of the house, past the floor, and into your feet. The energy feels clean and refreshing.

Breathe in deeply. Pull the blue-green energy up into your legs and past your knees. Pull it up, up into your Root Chakra at the base of your spine. Let it fill your body, going up, up into your Sacral Chakra, and continuing to your Solar Plexus Chakra. Breathing in deeply, draw the energy up into your Heart Chakra. Let the energy flow down your arms and into your hands. Feel your body relax as the energy fills it.

Breathing in, draw the energy up into your Throat Chakra.

Concentrate on the blue-green energy filling your body. When you are ready, with another breath in, breathe the energy up into your Third Eye Chakra.

Using your breath, draw the energy up into your Crown Chakra. Feel the energy flow throughout your body.

With another breath in, pull the energy up and out of your head. The energy forms like branches toward the Sky above you. Continue and let the branches flow up to the universe and out into the cosmos.

Draw down the golden energy of the Sky and universe into you. Continue to let the Sky energy intermingle and mix with the Earth energy that is already there. Pull it down through your body and into your arms.

Continue breathing deeply, mixing and pulling the energies down to your Heart Chakra.

Breathe in again, pulling the energy of the universe down into your Solar Plexus Chakra.

Continue pulling in the energy. Let it flow into you. Pull it into your Root Chakra. Breathing deeply, pull it down your legs and down to your feet.

Feel the energy from both the Earth Mother and the Sky Father that is within you.

Now focus on pulling this mixed energy out from the top of your head once more. But this time let it cascade down all around you like a waterfall until it completely surrounds you.

With a deep breath in, take the energy and push it out in all directions into an egg shape around you. This is the Cosmic Egg of Protection.

Keep breathing and as you do so, push out more and more energy into your egg.

Your egg gets stronger and stronger.

And when you are satisfied with the strength of your egg stop and relax.

In a moment or two, slowly start to pull your branches back within you, pulling them in with each breath.

Let any extra energy dissipate through the roots that you had placed into the Earth from your feet, keeping the egg intact.

Now breathe the roots up, and back into your body just like the branches that were above you. Give yourself over to the total relaxation you now feel.

In a moment or two—and when you are ready—open your eyes.

[Please know that you can record the above meditation and then listen to it later. Or you could invite a friend to read above script and guide you through the meditation.]

You have now made the Cosmic Egg Shield. This shield will protect you from absorbing negative energy. It will repel any baneful energy thrown at you.

Just remember to reinforce your egg.

The Second Form of Shield—The Cosmic Egg as Mirror Shield

Create the Cosmic Egg first as you learned with the process above. This time though, imagine the outer skin of the Cosmic Egg to be a mirror. This mirror will repel the energy thrown at you by energy vampires. Instead of being able to feed on your energy, the energy vampires’ attempt will backfire, and the energy vampires will feed on themselves.

2. Realize: “I have to value your opinion before your judgments mean anything.”

We, witches, know that several groups set themselves up to think they are our opponents. You probably have noticed that they “don’t know what they’re talking about.” Really? Do they think all witches are the witch-character from The Wizard of Oz?

My friend, Cheryl, once told me of a situation in which her sister said a particularly mean comment. She could feel herself on the brink of spiraling down. Then, she told herself. “Stop. I don’t care what Trisha said. Because she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. And she doesn’t care. So, there’s nothing for me to say to her!”

That’s part of protecting yourself from an energy vampire. You choose your next thought. The first thought that bothers you can be replaced (at times).

Who says mean words to you? Perhaps, you want to tell yourself something like, “Stop. I don’t CARE what Joe said. Joe, you have no power.”

3. Ask Goddess to strengthen you to withstand the storms.

You can use a prayer like this:

Goddess,
Give me your protection,
From the vampires of life.
Help me strengthen my healthy boundaries.
So Mote It Be

May these insights support your path.

Blessed Be,
Moonwater