When we embark on the spiritual journey and start uncovering our hidden potential, it is likely that we will draw attention of the lower elements of nature, whose interest is that everything in nature remains in its mechanical and asleep state. These elements are non-physical entities, also known as the lower spirits of the lower planes of existence.
The more we advance on the path to liberation, the more will they become interested in us. Their interest will mostly be related to keeping us away from esoteric degrees and knowledge, in order for us not to know and not to be inspired by what we discover. As in early stages the access to this knowledge is mostly through conscious astral travel to mid astral plane, these low spirits will try to divert us from such places of learning through the means of fear and deception, doing all they can so that we lose the experience of being conscious out of the body.
They may also try and affect the aspirant psychically, by stirring up their egos through things such as astral attachments, astral cords etc. They do these things to try to lower our awakening energy and to keep us away from the light that we want to move closer to.
Once we start our awakening process towards the light, we are automatically protected by the light and helped by the light, but sometimes the higher beings allow for the attacks of the lower spirits to occur for the purpose of our own learning, and also for the purpose of testing, prior to receiving esoteric initiation.
There are many ways to protect ourselves psychically, both in the non-physical planes as well as in this spiritual reality. Perhaps one of the quickest and the most efficient way (depending on purpose) is by using the technique that I call the astral shield, which entails closing the chakras one by one. This can be done both in the physical and in the higher planes, if you notice that something is not right. When such attack occur, the lower spirits often affect the solar plexus chakra, but we can prevent that by closing it when we start feeling painful sensations in that area.
Another very useful technique is what is known as the spiritual recitations for dealing with lower spirits. Samael Aun Weor gave us some very useful ones, such as the recitation of Bellilin and Jupiter. These acts as charged high frequency words that, due to their charged energy, can clear up the room we are in of lower spirits, as the low vibration of the latter cannot easily handle the high vibrations of the recitations.
When we climb up the mountain of ascension, we acquire more and more light, and this light then acts as a natural shield against anything that is low and coarse.