Setting Healthy Boundaries With A Medicine Shield
This blog post and the following exercise is for you if you could do with setting healthier boundaries for yourself. Equally, you can do this exercise if you want to set your intentions or gain more clarity about what experiences you are willing to invite into your life.
Are you able to distinguish between your own feelings and those of others?
Do you ever feel invaded? Or like you don't really have any boundaries and merge with the people or environment around you?
Are you hiding your true nature for fear of being hurt?
Have your boundaries become rigid and tight, so that positive qualities and experiences can no longer get in?
Do you find it difficult to say no or to honour yourself?
The following exercise comes from the Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson. It is from the animal spirit of the Armadillo, which teaches us how to shield ourselves and set healthy boundaries that are an integrated part of our body and energy.
As you carry out the following steps, call on the animal spirit of Armadillo for assistance with setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Nine-banded Armadillo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
First, take a blank piece of paper and some of your favourite coloured pens or pencils.
Next, draw a circle on the paper to represent your sacred space, aura and energetic field. See this as a medicine shield.
Spend a few minutes connecting to your breath, hand on your heart and sitting in silence, allowing the question to drift into your being: "What am I desiring to have, do or experience in my life?" You can connect in to angels, guides or Source if you like and ask for inspiration.
Inside the circle, write down all of the experiences you would like for yourself. All the things you are saying yes to, that are permitted within your boundaries. All of things that bring you joy.
Outside of the shield you may wish to put what you are willing to experience 'by invitation only', for example a visit from a long lost relative or people needing handouts.
Keep the paper out for a few days or a week, and add any other experiences that you would like as they pop into your mind.
You might like to then display this paper as a reminder to yourself. Or you could tuck it away in a safe place and allow energy to flow where your intentions direct it.
I suggest following up this exercise with movements that anchor your intentions, clear your aura and physically outline your boundaries. You can do these for a few days, or as long as you feel necessary to embed your intentions into your energy field.
For example:
Making the shape of a sun around you, bringing your arms up to the top of your head while inhaling, and bringing them down again to your sides while exhaling. You can also do these 'angel wings' while lying down. Repeat this movement a number of times.
Qi Gong practices for the Wei Qi field - e.g. YoQi on YouTube
Drawing figure 8s (infinity symbol) all around you in your aura.
You can also finish with psychic protection for your aura and energetic bodies with white sage or palo santo (smoke, spray or incense).
For deeper work on clarifying your boundaries try Creative Kinesiology
Identify experiences that are for your highest good, and those you are ready to let go of, with bryony@creativesoultherapies.com