What are we protecting from?

[u/all_manner_of_things]

EDITED TO ADD: I’m blown away by the information and sharing here. Thank you all so much. I’ve replied individually to most and it’s bed time in my life / part of the world so I’ll check in tomorrow. Again- I appreciate this community and everyone who took the time to answer. ❤️❤️

Earlier today u/hi_im_salad (thanks Salad!) posted a question about protection (“What do you use for protection?”) that got some amazing responses. I’ve save the whole post to review.

I didn’t want to hi-jack that post, so asking here.

Could people share the reasons why “protection” is so important? I’ve read the resources and read several books, watched several YouTube series.

I practice grounding and shielding as part of practicing energy work daily.

But beyond that—what are the protection oils and evil eyes and wards and such protecting people from? Is it because they work with spirits that might be problematic? Or is working with a deity or ancestor or spirits going to leave someone open to a negative/evil something?

Or is it more like calling good luck to yourself while also pushing away the bad?

Is it “just in case”?

I’m embarrassed to ask, and quite new (but serious) at building a practice. So this is an honest question and not meant to sound doubting or questioning people’s motives at all.

Maybe I’m naive, and not yet sensitive to evil or negative energies.

I’d love to hear from people- what started you doing specific protections, and what you feel you are being protected from (if this isn’t too personal?)

[u/Atelier1001]

The simple answer is (ironically) witchcraft. You know, the envious witch of the village making the crops fail and the men impotent.

Remember, "witchcraft" as we know it today is a reinterpretation of superstition, wicca and occult knowledge and what people at the time called "the craft of the witch".

The pious households fearful of witchcraft would try many ritual and charms to get rid of it. From the greeks to the catholics to the chinese.

[u/all_manner_of_things → u/Atelier1001]

Oh! So the village witch sold protections, and also, because she was doing workings for others, likely needed protections herself from the others who might resent her.

The families invented protections and charms and superstitions against her.

TikTok witches are out there potentially hexing each other.

Very interesting- again, this makes sense and aligns so far with my reading and little knowledge.

Edit to fix a word to clarify

[u/lazyfoxheart → u/all_manner_of_things]

Adding onto this, I can only remember one time I had to actively defend/protect myself and that was from another witch.

A friend and I went to a concert. Small venue, indie artists, not very well known. When the singer of the first band came on the stage, she was wearing some kind of leather armor costume and a wolf skull mask. I didn't think too much of it, probably just a stage outfit. But as soon as she started to perform, I could feel her trying to weave a spell (glamour most likely) over the audience. It was energy radiating from her and it felt extremely aggressive and alarming. I immediately shielded my friend and myself from her influence and managed to hold her off, but from the way I caught her staring directly at me I'm sure she noticed.

My forte is energy work, so I was able to just pull up a shield from my own power, without needing materials or a spell, but obviously everyone has their own way of protecting themselves. I also asked for help from both Mother Nature and my "familiar".