Too much protection?

The other day I posted about space clearing. What prompted that was that I'd just spent the weekend experiencing some really icky energy in my new apartment--I let it ride, thinking it was just stress causing the sleep problems and nightmares, but Sunday night my dreams made it clear it wasn't just me. Monday I fixed it.

Avalon (http://www.avalonbeyond.com/) carries, among other things, some very cool evil eye protection charms. I can't help it--I think they're gorgeous. But I'm not a big 'evil eye' decorator. I had one small one with faceted glass attached to it hanging from a chandelier in the foyer of my former house to take care of any random negative energy, but as a rule, I don't have that kind of life. A friend gave me a new one to hang in this house, but mostly because I'd been wanting something prettier (this has a silver elephant, very stylized, very cool, and one of these days I'll take a picture of it and show you). She did, however, time the gifting with the cleanup project.

But the question is: is there such a thing as too much protection? I know people whose lives are filled with people throwing negative energy at them. On any given day, the number of negative people in my life averages around one, and they're only throwing garden variety muck, not intentional harm. I wonder sometimes about a) the karma and b) the intentions of the people who are under constant attack (or who feel they are). I also wonder if preparing for emotional, physical or psychic attack sets you up for attracting it.

I'm really on the fence on this one, although I think it has more to do with your motivation and intentions than anything. If you are calm, focused on where you need to be, but also recognizing that random acts of crap can affect you, then I think not--after all, if storing water and canned tuna every summer attracted hurricanes, we'd have a lot more of them. That is, there are patterns beyond our choices and actions (other people's choices and actions among them!).

But...(I know, there are a lot of buts in life, aren't there?). When you are focusing on the energy of your personal space or physical surroundings, there is a fine line between protection and fear. Growing a cactus or two in a pretty pot outside your front door may radiate "stay away" energy, but a whole garden of them might completely isolate you. Decorating your entire house with crosses and evil eye protection symbols might make people (including you!) wonder what you're protecting yourself against. And any nastiness out there with, let's say, teenager-like characteristics, might interpret that as "bring it on."

One suggestion I've given students and clients over the years when they're concerned about negative energy (whether in the form of a person they know or otherwise, or just for general use) is to raise the energy level in their space, focused on love and spiritual practice in general. This is not a New-agey, crystal loving (although crystals can be involved), bunny-hugging, tree-hugging, granola crunching, feel-good action. Everything has energy. The strongest energies will pull the rest of it into line with them (for the most part). If you focus on the wanted energies in your space, I find that the unwanted energies have a harder time grabbing hold.

This isn't to say that 'shit' won't happen, but it's less likely that it will make a habit of happening to you.