In things Shaman as well as similar and like arenas, the ultimate definition of the term White Light Shield refers to:
"A protective shield manifested from the innate universal energies focused through the power of the Shaman to encompass himself and the immediate environment in order to ward off predatory inorganic and other negatives."
However, the term is forever being misinterpeted by nearly everybody, including new-agers and core shamanists, to mean any number of things, usually higher in their meaning but actually much less in reality. As Gloria Feman Orenstein writes in The Woman Shaman and Shamanism:
"Moreover, it is to trivialize the spirit world, to demean and negate its authenticity, to think that if you concentrate on manifesting a White Light Shield, that what you get will be beneficent. This is so naive as to be sheer folly. You must have enough power to call upon enough White Light to protect you."
As Orenstein writes, and she is quite right about this: YOU MUST HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CALL UPON! White Light Shields, to perform their intended function, are only viable at shielding no matter at what level, as the person's ability is putting them into motion, and sometimes manifestly weaker because of the power-use-of-power powering the use. No power, no shield. In other words, depending on the level of ability of the purveyor to focus the power, it can be either stronger in its presentation; or, in its use at the initiating source there can be a steady power drain or degradation from the level of the actual power through to the actual implementation of the power; or the shielding can be met by a stronger repelling or absorbing force without adverse impact on the receiving end thus rendering the shield ineffective, with any and all outcomes largely dictated through the overall blanket of the natural order of things.
Throughout the history of man's so-called advancement, a continuing stream of lay-people and wise men, observing over-and-over certain repeating phenomenon rendering the same results in the natural order of things, have wrapped words around those phenomenon which in turn some have come to be thought of as "Laws," the Law of Gravity for example or the Law of Thermodynamics as another.
The opening quote at the top of the page referring to the definition of White Light Shields says that it depends on "innate universal energies" that are in turn "focused through the power of the Shaman." Innate universal energies, to wit:
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; the total quantity of energy in the universe stays the same. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that as energy is transferred or transformed, more and more of it is wasted. The Second Law also states that there is a natural tendency of any isolated system to degenerate into a more disordered state.
It boils down to the individual or the individual Shaman's ability to focus the power. The stronger the ability to focus, the stronger the power.
"With the real or true Shaman the Shaman and the power are ONE --- the physical manifestation or phenomenon of that integrated power or force is actually a longer reach or extension of the Shaman, focused through his own abilities or level of expertise. That level of expertise can vary from being very minuscule and tiny to beyond scope --- with the results depending on the abilities, will, and intent of the individual. It can be like the sun focused to a pinpoint on your skin using a magnifying glass and how quickly and powerful the burning sensation is, to that of the power of ocean waves. You may be able to stand against a mild wave or two, but even giant mountains are eventually turned to nothing but sand or even less over time by their power."
So saying, it is not to say that because of the power of the purveyor that a White Light Shield would be invincible as it CAN meet its match, to wit the following from the source so cited:
"An Obeahman can use ANY system and fuel it with the power of Obeah without the danger of disrespect FOR the gods, but, depending on circumstances, not necessarily without repercussions FROM the gods. Even White Light Shields can and do weaken, collapse, or be rendered impotent, buckling under to another's stronger power when pitted against each other in tests of strength. Spoken from experience."
Before moving on, a quick clarification as to the meaning of the word "white" in reference to White Light. It is not white say as in the white of a white sheet of typing paper, it is closer to the meaning of "white" like in the light radiated from a white light bulb. The light bulb is white, but the light coming from it is not tinted by the white like one might see radiating from a red or blue bulb, but is instead, "transparent."
Also, a quick clarification as to the word "light" as well and how it differs from the White Light we are talking about as used in relation to the power of the Shaman.
What is called "light" is another term for electromagnetic radiation. White light is the combination of ALL of the frequencies within the visible light spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. Black is the lack or absence of those frequencies. What is confusing is, with a physical object, a green plant for example, even though it may appear green, it is not actually green but a combination of all the colors BUT green...that is, the only light frequency NOT being absorbed by the plant is the frequency we see as green. It is actually being reflected BACK to our eyes so we see the plant as green. On the other hand, when we see an object as the "color" black it is the absorption of all colors, while white reflects back all colors.
All conditions being equal a white surface would be "cooler" than a black surface because the white surface is not aborbing energy while the black surface is, hence, with the additional engery, it would be warmer. Not only does white have the energy come to it's surface, it also radiates basically the same energy back. So not keeping it, relatively speaking there is TWICE as much energy AROUND the white surface than on it.
That is the secret to White Light, the twice as much energy AROUND the object. So said, however, that is NOT to confuse the "power" of White Light with electromagnetic radiation. Although it is possible to draw and analogy between the two in a verbal sense, they are not equivalent per se' in the actual sense.
What follows regarding White Light Shields is from the works of Robert Bruce. Bruce is pretty much considered the gold standard when it comes to a clear definition of White Light Shields. What is presented is found starting on page 504 of his tome The Collected Online Works of Robert Bruce as cited:
WHITE LIGHT SHIELDS
Now, on to the White Light question: if by 'white light' 'visualized white light,' [which is a popular visualization technique used---visualization being more accurately described as imagination---to visualize white light as in surrounding yourself as a protective measure] is meant, then the end result of that is that you are in fact, surrounding an imaginary version of yourself with imaginary white light within your mind's eye...with all the connotations implied by the word 'imaginary'. You are not actually 'calling down' any kind of magical force or energy powerful enough to protect you from negative invasion. If you believe you have succeeded at doing this, I suggest the supposed results were coincidental with perceived outcomes; as hard experience tells me otherwise. To my way of thinking the visualized white light self-defense method is more placebo than anything else. This is much like how children ease their fear of darkness by hiding under their bed covers: it doesn't make their room any lighter, but it makes them feel better anyway.
The White Light refered to in the title, the White Light Shield, most definitely does exist. But this is generally only perceived after long term spiritual development. And while this light does begin to surround you (in a sense) in the astral once you attain a certain level of development, it is not a force, per se, that can be 'called down' or used or manipulated in any direct way. It can though, manifest more strongly (albeit temporarily) during mystical experiences, if you can connect strongly enough with your higher-self. This in effect raises your vibrations to a higher level, a level where the White Light can be perceived as a tangible and visible force.
Under this circumstance White Light will most definitely offer an effective defensive shield: totally impenetrable. It can be said when the White light is perceived within your mind's eye as flooding down from above, that your vibrations have been raised to a level where negatives cannot directly affect you; with there being way too much positive energy surrounding and permeating your being to offer any exposed portion that can be taken advantage of by negative inorganic beings of any caliber.
The difficulty here, of course, is with holding a vibrational / mystical state of purity strongly enough, and for long enough, to be effective. In most cases once your guard drops the attack simply begins anew. And if the negatives cannot get at you directly, they will try and get at you through all the people around you. They will use them to cause upset and disharmony in your life until they pull you down off your high horse (your vibrational level) to a point where you are once more exposed to the unkind ministrations of the negatives.
And to make matters even more difficult, the more pure and spiritually developed a person is (especially if they are actively working towards real spiritual advancement) the more attention they will attract from the negatives to pull them down (Mara). In other words, the potential of any aspirant generates their level of negative opposition, plus their level of positive assistance, as set by Karmic Law. This is the natural way of things, and is part of the reason why real long-term spiritual development is so difficult. And this is also why those that achieve any significant level of spiritual / psychic development usually live fairly difficult lives, or have a painful past.
Purity of spirit on its own does not offer any realistic measure of defense. Purity in an adult, however (an extremely rare thing indeed) does offer some measure of defense as it raises certain Belief System Shields that denies the existence of negative inorganic beings. Purity also raises the vibrations of adults, making it even more difficult for the negatives to gain access to them. In a nutshell: purity of body, mind and spirit in individuals does not provide the negatives with any significant amount of raw material to work with, psychologically speaking. Purity and spiritual development does not provide any internal 'shadows' that negatives can use to attach, hide and exist within a person's mind.
In a similar fashion, total ignorance and disbelief of all things metaphysical will offer a reasonable belief system type of defense, effectively working against (or unmaking) negative energies as they try and manifest. This is why more scientific, skeptical types of people tend to experience far less by way of paranormal manifestations than do more open minded believers.
Both the above types of defensive aspects (ignorance and purity), however, offer only limited defense against direct incursions by low order negatives and their manifestations, i.e., the more brutal and unsophisticated types of inorganic beings. More intelligent negative types, however, get around these fairly easily if the intelligence and metaphysical knowledge of victims are not combined with at least some measure of spiritual purity; developed or natural.
Long-term psychological conditioning is the general method employed by negatives, although an experienced negative can make a great deal of headway (conditioning a new subject/victim) in a very short time indeed, by directly implanting control devices in their mind. Controlled ego and purity (the very best you can do and can be) plus knowledge and intuition, when combined, offer formidable barriers. This is, of course, as long as persons concerned were not previously conditioned by negatives during their childhood. In a way, once persons have been cracked open and invaded by negatives, instructions on how to gain access to that person are tagged onto their aura; for any interested negative to read. This last does not prohibit personal security nor the use of effective self-defense measures: it just makes things a little more difficult.
By large, if victims lack experience and knowledge, attacks by negatives must be weathered and endured until they run out of steam; which they usually do after a few weeks. Although with wisdom gained most attacks can be fought and their duration significantly shortened; until enough experience and knowledge is gained to offer more effective shielding. There are some effective ways to defend yourself which are not commonly known today. And weathering attacks also causes forced bio-energetic development; which in a way grows etheric callouses around one. Experience also promotes the development of wisdom, through necessity, which can lead you to the gleaning of inspirational occult knowledge from within.
All knowledge rests within us, not without. You only have to look within and ask the right questions and the answers will be given. This is providing that all things are equal, and that an aspirant's foundation belief system will allow the internal manifestation of the necessary occult knowledge. Unfortunately, it is my observation that most people today blind themselves to this inner wisdom by constructing overly-elaborate foundation belief systems that are not based on personal experience, logic and reason.
THE COLLECTED WORKS OF ROBERT BRUCE (scroll down to page 504 of 811)
In closing, Sheridan Hill, writing of Suzanne Segal and what happened to her in relation to her Awakening experience, offers in essence, something similar to the following:
"Several things must be put in place to protect our own spirit being: we must ask for a Shield of Light to protect that makes it clear to other spirit beings that even though we are traveling in spirit realms, we remain the 'owner' of our bodies. I know this will strike some people as just too fantastic, but imagine my surprise when I discovered that there are spirit beings all around us all the time."
Sheridan Hill
Carlos Castaneda apprenticed under a Shaman-sorcerer named Don Juan Matus who himself had studied under a Diablero, a sorcerer said to have evil powers and the ability to shape shift. In Castaneda's first book, THE TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge (1968), he speaks of a Shaman having what he calls an Ally, ascribing in a sense an entity of sorts around the power of the White Light Shield:
The idea that a man of knowledge has an ally is the most important of the
Seven Component Themes, for it is the only one that is indispensable to explaining what a man of knowledge is. In my classificatory scheme a man of knowledge has an ally, whereas the average man does not, and having an ally is what makes him different from ordinary men.An ally is a power capable of transporting a man beyond the boundaries of himself; that is to say, an ally is a power which allows one to transcend the realm of ordinary reality. Consequently, to have an ally implies having power; and the fact that a man of knowledge has an ally is by itself proof that the operational goal of the teaching is being fulfilled.
THE CURANDERO AND THE MAGIC OF THE DESERT CREOSOTE RING
DZIBILCHATUN; SEVEN MAYAN DOLLS AND THE EQUINOX
TALON AND SCRATCH MARKS OF THE GIANT BIRD
POWER OF THE SHAMAN:
Where Does It Come From, How Does It Work?
THE MAYA SHAMAM AND CHICXULUB
TRAVELS IN THE YUCATAN
ASTEROIDS, SHAMANS, AND HIDDEN MAGIC OF MAYA TEMPLES
SHAMANS AND SHAMANISM
INCIDENT AT SUPAI
A SHAMANIC JOURNEY OUTSIDE THE TRADITION
YAMIL LU'UM
SHAMANISM
OBEAH
MARA
WE DO NOT HAVE SHAMANS
The Case Against "Shamans" In the
North American Indigenous Cultures
THE BEST OF
---CARLOS CASTANEDA---
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The included paragraphs by Robert Bruce are under Copyright by Robert Bruce This is a general copyright notice for all online articles and tutorials carrying the name of 'Robert Bruce' as the author. All rights are most definitely reserved. However, the author gives permission for people to freely copy any of his online articles and tutorials for their personal use, and for them to to store these on their personal computers, and for them to display these on their public websites, and for them to share these in electronic magazines, providing the author's name and website url are attached to every article, i.e., written by Robert Bruce, date written, including the following URL so linked. Further to this, short excerpts from the author's online articles and tutorials may be used by authors in other works, following the rules of 'fair usage' as long as these excerpts and quotes are properly referenced and attributed to the author.
