When I stayed with friends recently, they took me to their local church. Several people were baptized during the service, and the priest made a sign of the cross with oil on each person's chest. He called this a "breastplate of protection." While I was still thinking about this, he and his assistant dipped palm fronds in holy water and walked around the congregation sprinkling everyone to provide protection. I was pleasantly surprised at this, especially as immediately before we'd left for the service I'd been telling my friends about my new book, Psychic Protection for Beginners.

Psychic protection is used to protect people from any form of negativity. Everyone experiences negativity from time to time, and as everyone is different, some people are able to handle this more easily than others. For example, my daughter loves spending time in a busy shopping mall. She finds it stimulating and exciting. My next-door neighbor is the complete opposite; she won't go near a mall, as she finds crowds too stressful.

In my hypnotherapy practice, I tell people who come to me for help in controlling stress to imagine themselves surrounded by a clear plastic shield that protects them from any form of stress. I don't tell them that this is a form of psychic protection, but it is, as the shield protects them from negative energy (in this example, stress). People who find stress hard to handle have lost control of their own energies. This makes them prone to headaches, colds and other illnesses, and psychic attacks. Once they regain control by learning how to handle stress, every aspect of their lives improves, and even previously insurmountable problems can be handled with ease.

I regularly meet people who tell me that they don't need psychic protection, as they're in total control of their lives. In actuality, none of us are in total control of our lives; our lives can change in a matter of seconds. Because of this uncertainty, many people carry amulets with them as a form of protection. When astronaut Edward White went to the moon, he carried with him a St. Christopher medal, a Star of David, and a gold cross. If I went to the moon, I'd do exactly the same.

Everyone can benefit from psychic protection, as everyone experiences various forms of negativity (such as anger, jealousy, road rage, and stress) on a regular basis. Most newspapers focus on tragedies and disasters, as bad news sells more papers. It's hard to avoid interactions with negative people. As a young man, I worked for a couple that constantly argued with each other. I returned home with a headache almost every night, as my working environment was so stressful. Intuitive people are especially affected by the attitudes and thoughts of others. Even our own negative thoughts can be considered a form of self-imposed psychic attack. Geopathic stress caused by electromagnetic radiation and underground water are yet another form of attack.

When most people think of psychic protection, they think about a deliberate psychic attack. Recently, a friend of mine attended a school reunion. She was enjoying herself until someone she had not seen for thirty years belittled her. The deliberate putdown was totally unexpected, and my friend felt hurt and upset as a result. This is an example of a psychic attack. A curse is another common example.

Throughout history, people have used different forms of psychic protection. Amulets and talismans have been found in ancient burial sites; these were probably used for protection purposes. The ancient Egyptians created specific funerary amulets to protect the deceased as he or she traveled into the next world. Many people wear lucky charms, crystals, and gemstones today, not only because they look attractive, but also for the protection they provide.

Incense has been used since ancient times to create a sense of spirituality and maintain a close connection with the gods. Many scents, including angelica, eucalyptus, jasmine, lemongrass, and pine, possess protective qualities that can be harnessed when necessary.

There are a number of simple techniques that can provide you with psychic protection whenever you need it.

1. In everyday life, it's important to focus on the positive rather than the negative. You can focus on only one thought at a time. Consequently, when you feel nervous, afraid, or lacking in confidence, that is all you can think about. By deliberately changing your thoughts and thinking about the outcome you desire, you immediately start protecting yourself.
2. The circle of protection I use with my hypnotherapy clients works as protection against any form of negativity. All you need to do is imagine yourself surrounded by a clear, invisible shield of protection. If you wish, you can even imagine negativity hitting the shield and being deflected off and away.
3. Many people prefer to visualize themselves surrounded by pure white light that descends downwards from heaven.
4. Another useful form of protection is to carry a crystal or gemstone. You can rub or fondle it whenever you feel the need for protection. If you don't have a suitable crystal or gemstone, you can protect yourself using the methods that many actors use to conquer stage fright; they gain confidence by rubbing their thumbs and forefingers together.
5. Crossing your fingers is another method of gaining protection. Crossing your arms and legs also provides protection. Alternatively, you can rest your hands on your solar plexus to provide protection for your solar plexus chakra.
6. If you come from a Christian tradition, you can say a prayer or make the sign of the cross. These give you an instant connection with the Divine, providing peace and comfort as well as protection.
7. You can take several slow deep breaths, holding each breath for a few seconds before exhaling. This expands and strengthens your aura, which provides you with psychic protection.
8. After experiencing any form of negativity or psychic attack, it's a good idea to enjoy a relaxing shower. Water absorbs negative energy and aids purification. Visualize the negativity flowing away from you while you're in the shower.
9. As salt absorbs negativity, a leisurely bath in salt water will remove all the negativity that has attached to you throughout the day. After drawing the bath, add two tablespoons of rock or sea salt, and dissolve it in the water before getting in. If possible, spend at least twenty minutes relaxing in the salt water.
10. If you're unable to have a bath or shower, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and again visualize the negativity flowing down the drain.

No matter how busy you may be, it's important to take time for yourself every day. People need psychic protection most when they're feeling vulnerable. You can avert that by focusing on the positive and thinking about all the blessings in your life. Try to do something purely for your own pleasure every day. Deliberately turn any negative thoughts around. Be kind to yourself. Expect good things to happen, and they will.

All of these techniques will help you to protect yourself. Once you've learned how to protect yourself, you'll be able to help the special people in your life protect themselves as well.