Shields Up Meditation

Shields Up Meditation. One of my most popular live meditations. This “sensualisation” creates a bubble of protective energy around you, helping protect from negative news, opinions, conversations and social media.
With a little practice, and use of the phrase “Shields Up”, the protection can be almost instantaneous.

This protection doesn’t mean you don’t care about the subject or the person, it means that you are not being damaged by it.

22 Mins, no background music.

Transcript

Taking some time now to sit or lie down and make sure that you're comfortable.

Taking a slightly deeper breath in and out and closing down the eyes.

Taking your awareness down into the feet.

If you're seated,

Noticing the connection your feet have with the floor.

Just resting your awareness in the feet.

Noticing what you notice.

Moving up through the ankles.

Into the calves.

Not really changing anything in this moment,

Just noticing what happens.

As you move your awareness up through the legs.

Through the knees now into the thighs.

Into the hips.

Noticing the connection your hips have with the chair or the bed.

Moving up into the stomach now and into the chest.

And stopping here to notice the breath.

Returning home to the breath now.

Following the ins and the outs.

The ups and the downs.

The movement of your chest or your stomach.

Perhaps both.

And we'll return to the breath in a few moments.

Moving your awareness down and round into the lower back.

And up into the wider muscles of the upper back.

Moving up into the shoulders.

And noticing what you notice with your awareness there in the shoulders.

Moving down through the arms.

Down through the elbows.

Again,

Not needing to change anything,

Just noticing.

Down through the forearms.

Down into the wrists.

Down into the hands,

The thumbs.

And each individual finger.

Resting your awareness in the hands,

The fingers and the thumbs.

And just noticing what you notice.

There are no rights or wrongs,

Just your experience.

Move up into the neck.

Into the jaw.

The mouth and the tongue.

Moving into the cheeks,

The temples,

The eyes.

Moving into the forehead and into the scalp.

Just noticing what you notice.

And take your awareness into the nostrils.

Noticing once again the flow of the breath.

Perhaps noticing the contrast in temperature between the freshness of the in-breath and the warmth of the out-breath.

And following the breath in and down into the movement of the stomach and the chest.

Immersing yourself in the breath.

And paying particular attention now to the out-breath.

And that gentle release and softening that happens as you exhale.

Noticing each exhalation now.

Noticing a little natural sense of release,

Of relaxation.

This happens naturally as we breathe out.

But we do have a little extra aspect we can bring in.

Our wonderful imagination.

Connecting your imagination to the out-breath.

And imagining that as you breathe out,

There's a deeper sense of release.

Of softening.

Spend a few moments,

Here and now,

With the out-breath.

Simply letting go.

Letting go.

Letting go.

What do you notice within your body?

What do you notice as you drift a little deeper within?

Perhaps the appearance of heaviness.

Perhaps you're noticing the slight sensation of heaviness in the feet.

Or perhaps where the hands are connected to the lap.

Perhaps the heaviness is in your body.

Sinking down into the chair or the bed.

Just noticing what you notice.

If you're holding any physical discomfort or unease,

Rest your awareness there.

This is not about drifting off into analysis or judgement.

Or off into stories of how and why and when that discomfort appeared.

Stay in this moment with the breath.

And guiding your out-breath with your imagination into that area or areas of discomfort.

Let's spend a few moments releasing and relaxing any areas of discomfort or unease with the out-breath.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Good.

Now notice if you're holding any unneeded negative emotions or energy.

Anything that no longer serves you.

Once again,

No need for judgement or analysis or drifting into stories.

Just notice,

And in this moment,

Connecting your imagination to your out-breath.

Taking your exhalations into those unnecessary,

Unneeded emotions or energy blockages.

And spending a few moments dissolving and dispersing with the out-breath.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Letting go.

We find ourselves at a time in history where we're being bombarded with information.

A great deal of change and uncertainty.

It's nice to have some tools to protect us from external negative influences.

Whether it's the news on the radio or the television.

Whether it's social media or whether it's in person with friends and family and colleagues.

Often times we find ourselves taking on too much of other people's opinions.

Being influenced by other people's viewpoints or negativity.

I'd like you to take part in a little thought experiment.

A visualisation.

A centralisation of putting shields up.

I would imagine that you're familiar with science fiction,

Television programmes or movies.

Where the ship projects a bubble of energy.

A force field around itself.

Invisible to everybody.

But strong enough to stop attacks.

Very much like that science fiction.

We as energetic beings can project a force field around ourselves.

Imagine it now.

Imagine that with the instructions,

Shields up.

You're projecting a bubble of energy around you.

Protecting yourself from negative influences.

See it and feel it and sense it.

Hear it.

Perhaps there's a little vibration.

Perhaps for you it has a colour.

Notice the point in your body that's projecting this energy outwards.

Projecting this bubble,

This shield all around you.

This shield is yours to command and control.

With a little gentle practice.

With a little repetition.

And with the thought,

Shields up.

You can project that bubble around yourself.

And watch how other people's opinions.

The news.

So called negative influences.

Simply don't have the same effect on you.

They're bouncing off.

You feel a sense of freedom.

An inbuilt sense of positivity,

Of confidence.

Remaining grounded and centred and balanced.

And yet protected.

Now just because you have shields up.

Doesn't mean that you don't care about the situation.

What it does mean.

Especially with friends and family and colleagues.

Is that as they express their opinions.

Their take on the news.

That you are not taking it on board.

Their opinions,

Their judgement.

Their take on the news is bouncing off the shields.

And because you're not taking it on board.

Because you have your shields up.

You're able to choose your reaction to what they're saying.

You're able to reply.

Holding an intention of love,

Of caring.

Being able to express your opinion.

Or your viewpoint if you wish.

Without adding fuel to the fire.

Shields up is a wonderful technique to use in any situation.

I'd like you to drift back in time now.

Maybe a couple of hours or a couple of days or a couple of weeks.

Drift back to a memory of you being influenced.

Negatively influenced by someone's comments.

Or the news or social media.

Something that happened to you from an external source.

That changed the way you felt in a negative way.

See it and feel it and sense it.

Perhaps it's like a little movie.

And now,

Replay that movie.

But just before that negative influence.

Put your shields up.

With the instruction,

Shields up.

See and feel and sense that bubble of protection.

Expanding around you.

And notice the difference.

Notice how you remain a little calmer.

A little more relaxed.

A little more in control.

Perhaps in this moment you can feel the difference of having your shields up.

This technique is another tool for your self-care toolbox.

The more you practice it,

The more inbuilt it becomes.

The more integrated it becomes.

And you'll find with gentle repetition.

That perhaps,

On occasion,

That your shields automatically go up.

Without you even consciously thinking about it.

And you feel so much more in control.

Life seems simpler and easier and safer.

Happier and healthier.

You're feeling more content.

And it feels as if a weight has been lifted from you.

As if a burden has been removed.

Allowing you to live your life in a way that is so much happier,

Healthier and positive.

And so we return to the day now.

Bringing back this new tool.

This new experience.

This new technique.

This template.

Bringing back clarity of thought.

Peace of mind.

Strong and steady nerves.

Positivity.

Intuition.

Creativity.

And well-being.

So noticing your feet once again.

But this time bringing in some movement.

Bringing in a stretch.

Noticing your hands and thumbs and fingers again.

But this time bringing in some movement.

Bringing in a stretch.

Taking a deep awakening breath in.

And out.

And you can gently open your eyes.

And come back to the day.

And be gentle with yourself.

And others.

Reviews

Andrew you bring so much joy and support! Thank you for this much needed meditation 🩷

Thank you, Andrew. I shall practise this meditation every day. 🙏🏻

Thankyou - excellent advice, "shields up" what a great tool as we do the gentle tap dance in life (avoiding reactions to negativity) 🛡️✨🤍

A new way to pause, with discernment, to external words and events, love this image! Let it hit my shield, look at it, and decide if I want to let it in! Thank you, Andrew

Wonderful, will be returning to this often. Thank you ❤️

Lovely! And so very helpful.
Thank you, Andrew. 🙏🌷🌟

Such a wonderful, relaxing, safe meditation. Learning how to buffer myself from stressful situations. Always remembering my out breath. Thank you so much Andrew! 🤗🙏🏼✌🏼💠💖

Thank you Andrew , very relaxing and calming, I will certainly listen to this one again.

That was beautiful and powerful. Thank you, Andrew.

Thank you Andrew. Besides a very relaxing meditation the shields up visualization is a wonderful tool to cope.

Lovely meditation, helps to ground and balance. Give perspective and protection from external influences that could lead to stress and negative thoughts.

Thank you, A.J.
I haven't done this one for awhile.
I always seem to miss the middle of the medis when I meditate. I hear the beginning & the ending. I guess my mind wanders in the middle. Haha 🙂
But, I loved it of couse, as I do your other medis.
You are a treasure Andrew, and you will ALWAYS be a huge influence in my life!
Thank you for all that you do, from the bottom of my ❤!

😊😁😇 🙏🏻💕🙏🏻 🌟💫🌟

Putting up a protective shield at times should be extremely helpful, especially to empaths and highly sensitive people. Thank you. 🙏❤️

New technique, new insights for me! I will return to this meditation 😊 Thanks for this 🙏

Thanks Andrew! That was helpful. I appreciate your work, it’s special. The strong, calm guidance really woks for me.

Voice soothing. Nice to not have to filter out background music Best explanation of shielding i have come across

The best voice on this platform. I feel comfort from it.

This is exactly the tool I have been looking for. Thank you for your insight and guidance Andrew. I find your meditations so powerful. 🙏 ❤

Just what I needed 🫧 Thank you Andrew Johnson 🪷🙏🌱

Wonderful, simple aid to help us with difficult situations. I plan to use it on a regular basis.
Thank you.
Namaste