Making a Ritual Shield

The shield is the weapon of the Southern Gate -- of Earth and Goda. It is the weapon of ThisWorld. It is a defensive weapon, used to guard against and deflect the dangers and assaults of day-to-day reality. It also represents the ways in which the physical realm affords certain protections and defenses against the slings and attacks of the other magical realities.


A simple shield is very easy to make and really adds to the protective, defensive magic of your home and magical space. Once it is finished, place it in a prominent location to guard your home or altar. When laying the compass for ritual, the Shield would be placed in the South.

Building the Shield

Materials:

o    Wooden round (a pre-made table top works beautifully)
o    Heavy duty felt (available by the yard at fabric stores) – need enough to cover front of wooden piece
o    Leather – enough to cover the face of your shield plus have an extra two inches all around; buy it pre-dyed or dye it according to your tastes
o    Furniture tacks – to keep leather from slipping across the wood; also for creating a design; any style of furniture tacks works
o    Cabinet handle – one that you can screw/nail from the front side of the handle (counter-sinking a nail or screw from the back will be difficult before you buil the shield and impossible afterward)
o    Pencil
o    Scissors
o    Measuring tape or ruler
o    Hammer
o    Staple gun with staples

Steps:

1.    As with any magical crafting project, you should create the targe in sacred space. Wear your cords and call the Grove, complete with any Deities whose energy you would like to include in your shield.
2.    Place the leather face down on your worktable. Put the wooden round on top of the leather and trace the shape plus 2 inches all the way around. Cut the leather and set it aside.
3.    Do the same with the felt, except cut just shy of 2 inches. You’ll want the leather to cover the felt completely.
4.    Place the leather face down again on the worktable. Put the felt on top of it, followed by the wooden round.
5.    Fold the leather and felt over the wooden base at the top-most point of the circle. Staple it in place on the back of the shield. Do the same at the bottom, making sure that the fabric and leather are snug but not too tightly stretched.
6.    Repeat the folding and stapling at the two sides, and then work your way around the entire circle. Remember to staple one side and follow it up with its exact opposite. This will keep the leather and fabric even and smooth.
7.    You’ll end up with staples all around the backside of the shield, holding the leather in place.
8.    Next, use the furniture tacks to tack down the leather on the front of the shield. You can make a simple circle of tacks along the outer edge of the flat circle, or tacks the outer rim of the shield. Another option is to incorporate a personal design, using the tacks, on the face of the shield. Any of these options will serve the same primary function – keeping your leather snug and secure.
9.    Affix your handle onto the back of the shield in place that will be comfortable when you are holding it.
10.    Use a strap of leather (or fur, if you want) to create a strap for your forearm. This will help your shield wear comfortably when you have need to hold it.
11.    Finish by placing your sigil and/or bindrune on the back of the shield, if you have one.
12.    Dedicate it to magical use after the Shield is complete by cleansing and consecrating the shield using your preferred method. It would be wise to call on Goda, Horse, Swan, Apple Tree, and the Southern Gate to empower this weapon.



Incorporating a Design

It isn’t entirely necessary to fashion a design onto your shield, though it certainly adds to the personal connection between Witch and Weapon. You can draw the design in pencil onto the leather, or use a paper pattern that you nail onto the shield and then remove once the design is complete.

If you do put a design on the shield with tacks, do it at Step 8.

You may also paint a design onto the leather, but be sure to do two things in this case. First, be sure to use some tacks around the edges to secure the leather. And second, use a sealant to preserve the painted design. It will flake off of the leather, otherwise.

Meditation: Visiting the White Goddess at Lammas , Goda

Our tradition uses guided meditation to help impress certain symbols on our members' consciousness. Below is our Lammas meditation. It takes place at the Southern Gate of the compass, the place of earth and noontide .  It is the home of the White Goddess, whom we know as Goda. To use this meditation let yourself relax comfortably and picture yourself drifting downward and inward to the third realm, the lower realm. The third realm is a place of darkness and mystery.  Let yourself sink down into the third realm and rest there peacefully.

Meditation: Visiting the White Goddess, Goda

You open your eyes to see bright sun glinting through a leafy canopy above you. The sun is high in sky, and the day is hot and humid. You hear a buzzing of insects at the verge of the forest where the treeline gives way to the verdant farmland. Birds and small animals of all sorts fill the day with a hum of life that you can feel all the way to your bones.

You rise and look to the south, across the deep green corn field that stands just outside of the little woods. The corn is high, but you can see a hillock some distance away, and you know you want to go there. Gathering yourself together for the walk through the corn, you set your feet into the fertile soil. It is loamy and almost black in its richness.

The corn is taller than you, now that you are trying to find a path between the stalks. The smell of the soil and the chlorophyll fills your nostrils as the sun warms your scalp. You fill your lungs with the warm, earthy scent of life and lift your face to the sky. Two swans fly overhead, honking as they go.

You continue through the cornfield, following the straight tracks of the plentiful land until you hear a plodding clip-clop coming from your right. Curious, you adjust your course until you are walking in a small lane. An unbridled horse stops in the path and looks over its shoulder at you. You approach the horse, speaking in a low, soft voice. It allows you to pet its side and neck. Then, surprisingly, it bows low for you to mount it, which you easily do.

Seated upon the horse, you can see ahead on the path much more clearly than you had even from the forest’s edge. You certainly see much more than you did amidst the cornstalks. The path you were taking would lead through a grove of trees before climbing the hillock that you had set as your destination. A glimmer of sparkling water told you there was a stream or pond near the hill, as well.

Riding this horse will bring you to your destination faster, but it also gives you more opportunity to revel in your senses while you make the journey. You take some time to touch the horse’s short, bristled hair and feel its massive muscles moving under your legs. You smell its sweat mixed with the perfume of summer field and the approaching orchard. You see the vibrant and varied shades of green, laid with a foundation of deep brown and accented with colorful flowers and birds in the distance.

Soon, you are within the boundary of the Apple orchard. The trees are old, thick and twisted. The branches are full of both fragrant blossoms and ripe fruit. The horse bites an apple from one of the trees, and you pluck one, as well. You bite into it. The skin is firm and the flesh is juicy and sweet.

The land slopes upward and the path spirals around the hill. The horse bows again, and you dismount. You walk the path together. The orchard hugs the base of the hill on one side, but as you come around to the other side of the small Tor, you see that a stream caresses that edge. The two swans you saw in flight earlier are now gliding on the glittering ribbon of blue water.

When you have almost reached the top of the hill, you see a curious gate – two large rock pillars. You must pass through these twin standing stones in order to reach the zenith of the hill. You can’t see beyond this strange gate, because of the shape of the land. You cannot walk around this door.  You must either go through it or turn back.

The horse whinnies and stamps one hoof into the ground, urging you to choose. The stones are carved with strange markings and symbols. Some are unfamiliar to you, but others have deep meaning in your mind. (Pause.) You see a pentagram carved into one of the rocks along with the Apple tree rune, a horse, and a swan.

A woman is singing and laughing somewhere beyond the two stones, and you step up and through. Once you are over the hump of the hill, you clearly see the woman whose voice you heard. She is voluptuous and beautiful, her body curving and ripe and delicious. She dances naked in the sunshine, her hair loose around her shoulders. Round wooden platter filled with fruits and grains surround her – some set on the ground, others on large rocks. A few round wooden discs are sitting on their sides, with heraldic designs and family emblems painted on them in vibrant colors. You recognize some of these symbolic devices.

The woman stops singing and dancing, but laughter is in her voice and the air around her seems to shimmer as she greets you. “You’ve had a taste of Elphame. Would you stay for the sacrificial feast?” She holds a red-handled blade toward you.

“This place is Life Overflowing. Every living thing revels and quakes in the awesome rush that is this bounty. The beauty and love and life and joy that are here for all to claim with both hands are splendorous magics, and ones that are so easily overlooked and undervalued.” (Pause.) She holds one of the discs up as a shield. “Guard what is yours.” Taking another shield that is filled with food, she gestures for you to take what you want. “And be generous with the bounty of Love and Life and Beauty and Joy that are given to you.” She give you a round shield of your own, and a design appears on it. (Pause.)

“Life comes from Life. These bodies bring forth life while they live, and yet again when they perish and rot.” She smiles, lifting her arms. “There are deep Mysteries that lie hidden in their nakedness beneath the noon-time sun. Search them out.” She pulls you into an embrace and speaks a message just for you.  (Long pause.)

You thank her, and she releases you, turning back to her dance and song. Knowing that the time has come to leave, you turn and walk back to the stones.

You pass out of the standing stones and wind back down the Tor, led once more by the horse. You hear the swans leave their stream as you leave the orchard. You cross the cornfield and bid the horse farewell. Sitting down again in the warm forest floor, you close your eyes and breathe deeply, coming back to yourself.

The Elemental Weapons

Each of the four elemental gates is traditionally associated with a martial weapon.  The masculine elements of air and fire are represented by offensive weaponry: the staff (or spear) and the sword.  The feminine elements of earth and water are represented by defensive weaponry: the shield and helm.  These weapons have antecedents in the four suits of the Tarot: swords, staves, coins (shields), and cups (helms).  They are also representative of the four Celtic treasures of Nuada: sword, stone, spear, and cauldron.

The Sword

In the east, the gate of fire, is the forge of Tubal Cain.  Created on this primal forge is that most iconic of forged weapons, the sword.  The sword is a symbol of nobility and initiation.  It is the "sword bridge" we cross to enter the circle of initiation, just as Lancelot had to cross the sword bridge to enter the enchanted country of Melagant.  It is also the "sword that cuts both ways", demonstrating that both initiate and initiator are creating a solemn pact.  In Arthurian legend the sword Excalibur was drawn from a stone, but in the earliest forms of the myth the sword was drawn from an anvil.  In our tradition the "oath stone" of the coven is represented by an anvil in honor of Tubal Cain, Lord of the forge, and the fire of creation.  In the old song "Tubal Cain", we find this refrain:

“Hurra for Tubal Cain,
Our staunch good friend is he;
And for the ploughshare, and the plough,
To him our praise shall be.
But while oppression lifts its head,
Or a tyrant would be lord,
Though we may thank him for the plough,
We’ll not forget the sword.”

The Staff

The staff is the most personal tool of a witch.  It can be a stang, a distaff, a blackthorn blasting staff, a battle staff, a spear, or a simple walking stick.  The form matters far less than the function of the staff.  It is the weapon of the northern gate, sacred to the Black Goddess, who, in her crone aspect walks with a staff.  In her aspect as the spinner of Fate, she bears a distaff, and in her bloodthirsty warrior aspect she carries a spear.

The staff is a truly personal tool of a witch. It is not passed down as a kuthun to students or family.  It is best if the staff is destroyed upon a witch's passing, or that it is given back to earth, water, or fire with the witch's remains.

The Shield

The shield is both a physical and a metaphysical tool.  It can be a literal shield, like a targe, held as a piece of symbolic regalia upon which the symbols of the coven or the witch are emblazoned, or it can be a magical tool which we cultivate through visualization and discipline.  This shield is a semi-permeable barrier of etheric energy that we use for self-defense and cloaking magic.  The shield is a symbol of guardianship of the mysteries.  It is the weapon of the southern gate of earth, and is sacred to the White Goddess.  It is her shining white light which builds the etheric shield, and it is her seelie magic that weaves glamor and cloaking spells that depend on the shield.

The Helm

The helm, upturned, is the cup or cauldron of the western gate of water.  It is the helkapp that Tubal Cain as the Lord of death wears to grant invisibility. The helm is also symbolic of the mask, which we use in transformational magics, and ecstatic ritual.  The helm protects the head, which the Celts perceived as the seat of the soul. Thus, just as the shield protects the physical body from harm, so does the helm, or mask, represent protection of the soul.  It is appropriate, then, that the helm be the weapon of the western gate, that place of rest, that realm of the dead, that healer of the soul.

The Witches' Shield

Each of the four elemental gates of our tradition is associated with a weapon. In the west, the gate of water, is the helm or mask. In the north, the gate of air, is the  staff or spear.  In the east, the gate of fire, is the sword.  In the south, the gate of earth which is associated with Lammas, is the targe or shield.

The shield can be a physical item that is placed at the southern gate, and it can also, more importantly, be a magical tool which we cultivate through visualization and discipline.  This shield is a semi-permeable barrier of etheric energy that we use for self-defense and cloaking magic.

Construction of the Magic Shield

The first thing to consider when building a magic shield is what you will be using it for.  You will want to create a barrier that allows your own energy through unimpeded while offering you strong protection from outside influence.  You may want to have a shield that surrounds you like a bubble (this is my personal space) or you may choose to have one that is tighter against your person, like armor. You will want your shield to be easy to "put on", so you may want to key it to a symbol that is easy to visualize.

One way to achieve this effect is through the use of pentagrams, triangles, and hexagrams (which are two triangles united).  Pentagrams are used in magic whenever a portal needs to be cut.  Pentagrams are charged with specific intent in order to let a certain energy or intelligence come through them.  Examples of this include the use of pentagrams to call in intelligences during the LBRP, or the tracing or a pentagram over the body of the Priestess during the ceremony of Drawing Down the Moon.  Pentagrams can be used in the visualization of your shield anywhere you would prefer to allow energy to pass through one-way.

A powerful protective bindrune.

Triangles are used in magic to bind and contain energy.  Examples of this include the use of the triangle to contain Goetic demons in Solomonic magic, and the use of the triangle on mojo hands to preserve the power contained therein.  Hexagrams are doubled interlocked triangles, adding to their power as a protective and binding sigil.  Hexagrams can be employed anywhere in your shield that you would like full impenetrable protection.  I like to visualize hexagrams densely united as my armor, as if I were wearing chain mail made of thousands of shining triangular links. For those that find the hexagram too ceremonial for their taste, bindrunes can also be used in this capacity.  Algiz, the rune that makes up the witch's foot, is very well-disposed for protective work and personal strength, and has a rich body of lore in witchcraft.

When you have decided how you want to construct your shield begin its construction by drawing up power.  Direct this power around you in the form and symbols you have decided to use.  Hold the image of charging your shield firmly in your mind for as long as you can focus.  With daily practice this will become easy to do.  You are working to build a shield that you are so familiar with that you can call it up easily, yet has been charged regularly enough that it is strong and capable of defending you.

Defending you against what, exactly?  Truthfully, it is a rare thing to do battle as a witch.  If you have the misfortune of being in the midst of a "witchwar" then having a good shield is among the least of your worries.  The shield is important when traveling astrally in flight, as you will sometimes encounter unsavory energies lurking about.  In the work of Carlo Ginsburg there is discussion of the "Night Battles", which are common to those who travel out regularly.  The Benedanti (witches and spirits working with the intent to bless) and the Maladanti (spirits working with the intent to harm) anciently do battle on the fields of the astral plane.  The weapons of the witch (shield, sword, mask, and staff/spear) assist the walker between the worlds should she find herself in the midst of one of these battles.

The witches' shield is an advanced form of magic, and its use can be seen as a challenge to do battle by denizens of the otherworld. Remember that the shield is considered a weapon, albeit a defensive one.  To put on your armor is a sign that you are looking for a fight.  I recommend that you charge and visualize your armor daily in this realm, and I hope that you never have need of it in another.