As a Death Witch, my practice is centered heavily around working with liminal space, in the astral realm, through dreams, and the nature of transitions. When working with the liminal in any form, it is incredibly important to understand the unknowns that come with the "in between"—which includes being open to the infinite possibilities of these portal-like spaces, while also being intentional to protect yourself.
Whether you're intentionally trying to astral project, frequently having intense dreams when sleeping, being woken up from nightmares or night terrors, or anything else pertaining to your ability to easily sleep, rest, and receive positive messages in your dreams, wards act as magical barriers that can keep certain energies OUT and welcome other energies IN.
This article will walk you through what astral and dream wards are and how to create these wards to protect yourself.
The Astral vs. Dreams
Many people, especially practitioners who are connected to the spirit realm may frequently dream or astral project without necessarily even trying.
Dreams, in a simple sense, are the subconscious mind's method for sorting and processing information. Dreams can be attempts at categorizing and understanding things we've experienced in our waking life, but they can also be ways that we receive messages from our spirit guides or the spirit realm to give us insights into our path.
Astral projection, on the other hand, is more like an out of body experience where the astral body explores other realms and places while the physical body is sleeping or meditating.
Though dreams and the astral are different, they are often experienced in a very similar manner and have the concept of "liminal space" in common as they're both "other" places different from the material world we experience when awake.
By nature of being liminal, anything can intrude into these places, both positive and negative. Not every place in the astral is safe or a welcoming place for explanation. Not every entity or person we encounter in a dream is well-intended, benevolent, or positive. The good thing, though, is that as spiritual practitioners, we can create wards for nearly anything in our craft or life.
Wards are energetic barriers that act as a magical protection. They work in multiple directions and can ward select energies IN and ward other energies OUT based on your intentions and goals.
The Nature of Wards
Wards are energetic barriers that act as a magical protection. They work in multiple directions and can ward select energies IN and ward other energies OUT based on your intentions and goals.
When astral projecting or dreaming, this gives you control over what types of messages, spirits, topics, energies, themes, places, etc., can be experienced or accessed. For example, if you're combating nightmares and night terrors, a dream ward can be used to prevent anything malicious, disturbing, malevolent, cruel, or harmful from having access to you while you sleep. You can ward OUT anything you do not wish to come through in your dreams. And you can simultaneously ward IN sweet dreams, restful sleep, peace, love, positive messages, energies or spirits that are protective and benevolent, topics and themes that are aligned with your highest good and allow you to work through trauma or other important healing elements in a way that is safe and focused on your overall well-being.
With wards, you get to set the rules. These rules can be applied to anything that is entering YOUR dream space, your bedroom (or home), your astral realm, your mind, your subconscious, etc. These rules can also be applied to anywhere that you GO while astral projecting or dreaming so that you do not wander into realms that are not aligned with your highest good or aren't safe for you to explore for whatever reason. Remember, you can change the rules over time and as your needs and spiritual understanding change and evolve along the way.
Creating Your Wards
Wards are created through ritual and clearly directed intentions that make an energetic barrier to protect you, by defining what can enter a space and what cannot.
What You'll Need:
- Your preferred tool for cleansing your space (frequencies, sound cleansing bowl, incense, etc.)
- An anchor for your ward, such as an herbal plant, crystal, talisman, or protection symbol
Performing the Ritual
Grounding and Cleansing
Take time to ground and cleanse the space where you intend to sleep (whether that be your bedroom at home or a hotel while traveling). You can cleanse with frequencies, a sound cleansing bowl, incense, or whatever your preferred method is.
Welcoming
Facing East, speak: "Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I protect my bedroom, dream space, and astral realm, I welcome my higher self, and I thank you for helping set this energetic barrier. Hail and welcome!"
Turning right and facing South, speak: "Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I protect my bedroom, dream space, and astral realm, I welcome my higher self, and I thank you for helping set this energetic barrier. Hail and welcome!"
Turning right and facing West, speak: "Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I protect my bedroom, dream space, and astral realm, I welcome my higher self, and I thank you for helping set this energetic barrier. Hail and welcome!"
Turning right and facing North, speak: "Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. As I protect my bedroom, dream space, and astral realm, I welcome my higher self, and I thank you for helping set this energetic barrier. Hail and welcome!"
Creating the Ward
Sitting and closing your eyes, envision yourself entering the dream and/or astral realm. Create an energetic barrier, shield, bubble, or structure that surrounds your bedroom, sleep space, etc., and as you visualize yourself making this energetic barrier, set clear intentions on what energies you want to be welcome in your dreams or when you astral project and set clear intentions on what energies you want to be excluded from your dreams or inaccessible when you astral project. Throughout this process, visualize a channel of energy connecting the energetic barrier you're creating being anchored to a physical object you keep in your bedroom/sleep space. I personally like to use crystals and talismans for this, but you can also create a physical sachet with herbs, a potted herbal plant, such as rosemary, or anything else that can serve a similar purpose.
Examples of things you may want to ward IN:
- Peace
- Love
- Healing
- Hope
- Rest
- Relaxation
- Joy
- Excitement
- Creativity
- New ideas
- Happiness
- Safe travels
- Messages from loved ones
- Encounters with your spirit guides
- Opportunities to learn
- Higher wisdom
- Sweet dreams
Examples of things you may want to ward OUT:
- Disturbances
- Hatred
- Sickness
- Depression
- Restlessness
- Anxietry
- Grief
- Fear
- Energetic drains
- Intrusive thoughts
- Sadness
- Danger
- False messages
- Monitoring spirits
- Malevolent entities
- Low vibrational energy
- Nightmares or night terrors
Once you feel that you have clearly set all of the intentions that are important to you for your ward, you can move forward with closing out the ritual.
Closing
Stand up and facing North, speak: "Thank you to the North and the element of Earth for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say thank you to my higher self, and release this ritual space while keeping my ward in place energetically."
Turning left and facing West, speak: "Thank you to the West and the element of Water for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say thank you to my higher self, and release this ritual space while keeping my ward in place energetically."
Turning left and facing South, speak: "Thank you to the South and the element of Fire for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say thank you to my higher self, and release this ritual space while keeping my ward in place energetically."
Turning left and facing East, speak: "Thank you to the East and the element of Air for protecting and allowing me to be present in this window of liminal space. I say thank you to my higher self, and release this ritual space while keeping my ward in place energetically."
Re-Ground and Re-Cleanse
Take time to ground and cleanse again after you're done. Remember, you can re-set your intentions for your wards on a regular basis to re-enchant them and keep them powerful.
Book a Astral & Dream Protection Service with Kate Jade
Uncertain about creating astral and dream wards for yourself? Book an appointment NOW with Kate Jade. Kate is a death practitioner and is passionate about helping people embrace the nature of liminal space in a way that is safe so they can explore the astral, navigate their dreams, etc., all while getting restful sleep without disturbances or interference.
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