first shield, keep it up 24/7. Regenerate it several times a day. Once you can actually feel your shield on you, this means you've put enough energy into it. Now try something slightly more complicated, or try upgrading your shield, but using the skin-charging method I described above. An Introduction To Psi Shielding Once again, it is useful to define one's terms. In a field where very little has been openly discussed until recently, it is natural that there should be some variety in the words used to express the concepts, varying according to tradition and physical location. In this context, "Shielding" refers to the construction and maintenance of psychic, psionic, and/or magical defenses around one's person, most often within or along the 'edges' of the aura. Much as felis concolor is known in various regions as 'cougar', 'puma', 'mountain lion', 'panther', 'mountain varmint', 'gentleman longtail' and so on; so too are Shields also known as 'personal wards', 'bubbles', 'force-bubbles', 'force-fields', 'barrier-shields', 'psychic defenses', 'shells', 'cocoons', et cetera. Many of these terms may also refer of other kinds of defenses depending upon the usage at the time. How important Shielding is depends upon one's situation. Obviously, anyone unfortunate enough to be embroiled in psionic combat needs thorough knowledge and a high level of skill in several kinds of Shields. People with a natural tendency toward telepathy or empathy, but otherwise secure, can probably get away with learning two or three. Because many telepaths and empaths need to Shield almost continuously,