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<Johngault22> Hell
<Johngault22> *Hello
<Lionell> Hello
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<Rainsong> hihi
<Johngault22> Hello
<Rainsong> Hi, Johngault :)
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* Jael waves hello
<Rainsong> hihi
<Johngault22> Hello Jael
<Jael> Good to see you
<Johngault22> As it is good to see you as well.
<Jael> How are things?
<Johngault22> Nice and quiet, how are things with you?
<Lionell> Hey
* Now talking on #psc_annex
* Topic for #psc_annex is: The practice and teaching channel for the Psionic Social Club.
* Topic for #psc_annex set by Rainsong at Sat Mar 15 23:06:39 2014
<Rainsong> wb
<Jael> Busy, but glad to be back here too. It's been awhile since I've been here regularly.
<Jael> wb
<Lionell> thanks
<Lionell> oh hey Rainsong
<Lionell> wanted to mention
<Rainsong> hi, Lionell
<Lionell> there was a newbie earlier on today, by name of Aozora
<Lionell> he asked us to log this seminar
<Lionell> does anyone mind if I do so?
<Rainsong> Go ahead. No problem.
<Jael> We used to log and post all of them, especially when the topics were more structured.
<Lionell> yeah
<Lionell> I've read a few of those. Recognized you from them, btw
<Lionell> Hello
<Lionell> *btw, Hello
<Rainsong> Is anyone interested in a seminar this evening? And if so, is there a topic of particular interest?
<Nevyn> the absent kid :P
<Rainsong> hehehe
<ShadowRain> lol
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<Rainsong> Hi, FS
<Lionell> a seminar would be good
<FS> Rain! Haven't seen you since the old days
<Lionell> as well as possibly some practice, afterwards, if possibl
<Lionell> e
<Lionell> Hello FS
* FS waves
<Rainsong> How have you been?
<Jael> Hello there.
<FS> I've been good, yourself?
<Rainsong> Doing okay here.
<Johngault22> Since nobody else has come up with a topic how about shielding?
<Rainsong> That's always a good topic.
<Rainsong> Shielding it is.
<Lionell> after that, I'd like to heard some stuff about tracing
<Lionell> *hear
<Lionell> if possible
<Rainsong> To start with, does anyone have any questions related to Shielding?
<FS> nope
<Johngault22> I think my shielding is around my field[I think], how do I sense beyond my field and shield?
<Rainsong> Excellent question. And it has more than one answer...
<Rainsong> If you have your Shield set up to prevent any energetic movement or sensing from going in or out, then sensing beyond it is going to be tricky.
<Rainsong> But still possible.
<Rainsong> Extend a tendril or a "robot arm" or the like out from the Shield to gather data,
<Lionell> Different question for later: Is there a good reason to have a shield 24/7?
<Johngault22> I think that is how I will describe my shield.
<Johngault22> ok
<Rainsong> or re-set the basic programming to allow deliberate sensing that you intend to allow to happen.
<Rainsong> Tendril/arm/extension is _usually_ easier, if you are going full barricade mode.
<FS> Of course you should have one up 24/7
<FS> Its a lot like a seat belt: by the time you realize you need one, its too late
<Johngault22> I will go for the first technique, I just gave it a go and it seems to work,
<Lionell> FS, maybe I should have phrased the question differently. Why?
<FS> this is Rain's class, so i'll defer to her on that
<Johngault22> *.
<Jael> I like the seatbelt analogy, heh
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<Jael> hello there
<Rainsong> JohnGault: Good stuff. A simpler option, when you update your Shields, is to program them to "allow data through when you are deliberately seeking or sending it"
<Rainsong> HI, Xannie
<xannie> hello
<Johngault22> ok, I will give that go.
<FS> I believe Lionell's question was next
<Rainsong> You might decide that you prefer the tendril approach over the long term, but it is worth trying both.
<Rainsong> Now as for the 24/7 question...
<Rainsong> There are people who get along quite well with nothing but the natural defenses normally in place.
<Rainsong> They are noisy and annoying to the rest of us, but _they_ get along well enough. And most of them are not too concerned about the fact that they are broadcasting their thoughts and emotions to all and sundry.
<Rainsong> That said, some people don't even realize that the buzz/noise around them is what's causing them problems, largely because nothing is coming in clearly enough to identify. They can feel some of the really loud emotions, and the cramped heaviness of crowded places... and are subject to the impulses of the "mob"/crowd
<Rainsong> Those folks would be well-advised to Shield. They'd have less stress and tension, and fewer mood swings and inexplicable erratic behaviour... and probably be healthier overall.
<Rainsong> Of course, if you are in a position in which you're likely to be attacked, having an appropriate Shield set up or just a "trip-wire" warning construct, can be a good idea.
<Rainsong> And, of course, telepaths/empaths generally need to be Shielded all the time, or have some other mode of defence in place, in order to maintain their sanity. House-Shields provide a static defence that allow a person to let down their personal Shields from time to time.
<Rainsong> Does that answer your question?
<FS> Nice answer
<Rainsong> Thank you.
<Lionell> yes
* Johngault22 agrees with FS.
<Rainsong> :)
<FS> One corrolary I like: Don't underestimate your chances of being attacked, especially if you interact with others like us. People have enemies, and will go after people linked to their target as well
<FS> Not everyone is ethical
<Rainsong> True, but it's best not to succumb to paranoia, either.
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<FS> I'd rather be paranoid than naive, though
<Rainsong> Granted.
<FS> my own house defenses are practically a fortress of active and passive defenses, both psionic and magickal (and mixed)
<Rainsong> By the way, if your electronic devices tend to die quickly, you might want to have a shield layer that just stops the electrical interference.
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<Rainsong> wb
<Jael> wb
<xannie> ty
<Rainsong> Are there any other Shielding-related questions?
<Johngault22> Are group shields ie. shields created by more than one person, stronger than a shield created by a single psi?
<Rainsong> They can be, if it's done right. But they usually aren't.
<Rainsong> What usually happens is that the entire group "collaborates" on the construction. This tends to result in "spaghetti code" at best. Each member of the group normally has a slightly different idea of what exactly is being tried.
<FS> People have different styles of programming, and they usually don't mesh well together
<Johngault22> ok, I ask because my favourite non-fiction author Andrew Collins, talks about creating a shield with others and I have always wondered if their shield would be better than mine.
<Johngault22> *stronger than mine.
<FS> One thing that can work is using other people as basically auxiliary generators, and having one person do the programming
<Rainsong> It's easier to get a good result by having one person construct the thing, with the other members of the group "feeding" psi into it. _Or_, each person adds a layer
<FS> ^
<Johngault22> ok, if I remember correctly, he gets the group in a circle and asks them to visualise a cone of power being constructed around them and according to him it seemed to do the trick at keeping nasties at bay.
<Rainsong> Mr Collins and company might well have considerable success in their operation, if they know what they are doing. Or, they might accomplishing nothing at all other than convincing each other that they are the greatest sorcerers in the world. Or somewhere in between.
<FS> When we're talking about more complex defense systems, such as guarding a home or place where a group practices, then its common practice to have each member contribute a different type of defense, according to their strengths
<Rainsong> *shrugs* A basic cone-of-power type, as a show of force? That'd work well. As to what (if any) nasties it actually keeps out? That's where the spaghetti code problem comes in. They all need to have a clear understanding of what a "nastie" is...
<Johngault22> In the books "The Seventh Sword", "The Black Alchemist" and "The Second Coming" it is mostly thought-forms.
<Johngault22> Thanks for the answer it has given me food for thought.
<Rainsong> You're welcome, of course.
<Rainsong> In a bellydance class, fifteen or sixteen years ago, the group of us made a construct that was basically a ten-foot-diameter "beach ball". It was a very strong, sturdy construct thing. But it accomplished exactly nothing.
<Rainsong> Was fun, though.
<Johngault22> That does sound fun.
<Rainsong> This question-and-answer format seems to be working well enough....
<Rainsong> Any other Shielding-related questions?
<xannie> What is the usual power source for a psionic shield?
<xannie> I'm familiar with the Anka theory that psi is a specific energy pattern generated in the body which is used specifically in psionics, though I'm not sure if this is a widespread belief among the psionic community.
<Rainsong> The most common one is either the "stuff" that accumulates around the field (and Anka's "psi
<Rainsong> is in this category).
<Rainsong> Almost as popular is the "elemental magic" approach, using "fire", or "water", or the like. It's hard to say for sure whether it _actually_ uses anything substantively different from the "stuff"/psi, but the approach for "gathering" or "generating" it is slightly different.
<Rainsong> If you can use it to do telepathy or psychokinesis, it counts as "psi", regardless of origin or nature... "psi" is just a variable used to designate the mechanism involved. It's a bit of a circular description, which is why you'll see it have so many names and descriptors.
<Lionell> I must go, thank you all
<Rainsong> Be well, Lionell
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