The Rules of Protection Magick

1. Always do everything possible to protect yourself in the "real" world. This means that a smart Witch exercises common sense above all else. Don't go walking, alone, in the dark — anywhere. Don't go to the bad section of town with friends just because your favorite band plays there. Don't drive drunk, or get in a car where you think the driver is on drugs or drinking. Don't leave yourself open for attack in any way.
2. If you have a problem where you feel the need for protection then, for goodness' sake, talk to someone! If you are suffering from mental or physical abuse, you've got to tell someone right away! Do not allow yourself to fall into what's called Victim Patterning, where you choose abusive relationships, partner after partner, for the rest of your life.
3. Never target the innocent. Every Witch learns how to send back negativity. We don't create evil intentions but, if someone sends evil our way, we can promptly send that evil back. We don't always know who the culprit might be, so it's better not to mention a name when repelling negativity. Just ask Spirit to protect you and send the negative energy back to where it belongs — in the lap of the originator.
4. Don't wait for a situation to flatten you or zap yourself on the bug light of life before you do something about the problem, either mundanely or magickally. Protection magick really should be preventive magick. You work protection magick now so you don't have to dig yourself out of a massive hole later. Consider protection magick like the screen on your front door in the summertime — a woven veil of magick to help keep those negative mosquitoes away.
5. Do not entangle yourself in the sordid soap operas of other people and then stand there with an astonished look on your face when you get attacked from behind by the girl who was your best friend yesterday but is Attila the Hun today. Stay away from gossip, escalating emotional time-bombs, and other people-generated nonsense. The spoken word can carry great magickal power. Use your words responsibly.
6. If you do something morally, ethically, or criminally wrong, don't expect to use protection magick to save yourself. The universe will right the wrong, no matter how many rituals you do or how much magick you throw at the problem. You can never duck the responsibility of your own actions, not even in the Craft.
7. Never put anything in writing that you don't want the world to read.
8. If you've gotten yourself into a nasty scrape, don't expect to wave your little fingers to make the bad thing go away. Sometimes, in order for things to be set right, they have to get worse. This is especially true in abuse cases, where the victim refuses to find mundane help (like calling the authorities) but works magick in hopes that everything will get better. Magick balances. Magick will not sugar-coat a problem. More than likely the abuse situation will escalate, forcing the person to bring in the authorities (which he or she should have done in the first place).