When meditating or performing magickal work, it is wise to set a boundary on your space so that you are not disturbed by external forces. Setting wards is one way to do this
and uses the idea of a square (actually a cube). Setting wards allows you to create a fixed 3-dimensional space so you can create a space for working in as well as protecting objects, people and places.
Start in one corner (if creating a space as opposed to a fixed protection around an object, you may wish to start again in the east) and stand outside the space that you would like to protect (casting a circle normally involves being inside that space). Visualise the colour “black” and feel the energy of what it means to be completely and utterly black (relate this to the Oriental concept of \"Yin\"). Sense the nature of blackness and project this into the corner.
Move clockwise to the next corner and visualise the energy of “white”. Again, sense and raise the feeling of whiteness (relate this to the Oriental concept of \"Yang\") and project this into the corner. Then move to the next corner and repeat with black, then the last corner which will be white. You should then have a square with two opposite black corner and two opposite white ones.
Having created this space, which is held by the dynamic tension between light and dark, you can then extend the space above and below to form a cube. If you are sending this protection to a person or object (or to a place away from where you are), visualise this destination and allow the protective cube to fully envelop it.
This intention creates a “guardian” space that protects as well as strengthens. You may even wish to give the ward-space an identity of its own. For example, if you have a child that is being bullied then set the wards around them to project an image of a strong, fearless warrior and this energy will project from them, further enriching the wards’ protection.
Wards need an energy source in order to be maintained. If nothing is specified, they will use the energy of their creator. If used temporarily (i.e. with a ritual or ceremony), this is normally OK but bear in mind that if they are called upon to protect (i.e. if something tries to cross over them), more energy will be needed to maintain them.
You can always set an alternative source of energy. Simply define your intent when setting the wards. Creativity is useful here. For example, if you want to set wards around your car to protect you from traffic jams while driving, you could set the wards' energy source as the frustration of other drivers. When traffic starts to slow up, their frustration rises and feeds your wards, thus propelling you out of the jam more effectively!
Always make sure that you look after yourself - setting too many wards from your own energy, or even setting ones that require too much, could have an adverse effect on your well-being. If in doubt, ask someone who knows what they are doing for advice.
A \"safer\" alternative to setting wards would be to cast a circle. See the post here for more info:
http://templeofthejediorder.org/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,96/func,view/catid,54/id,32831/
