I have recently felt quite distinctly a force that people throw around themselves for protection, or when they don't want to speak to someone. It is like a solid object, like a wall. Is it built consciously or unconsciously?

Usually it is built consciously. Some seekers feel that when they are around unaspiring people they need protection to maintain their high consciousness. They are afraid that the consciousness of the unaspiring people will enter into them like arrows and destroy their aspiration, so they consciously build a wall around themselves. Sometimes ordinary people who are not aspiring have a tremendous insecurity, so they also build a wall around themselves. They are afraid that others will take away whatever little wealth they have.

Spiritual Masters may build this wall to protect themselves from the attacks of the world around them. Some people who come into the presence of a spiritual Master do not want to accept anything. The moment the Master wants to give them peace or light, they attack him inwardly. Or people come to a Master without knowing what they want. Then, for example, when peace, light or bliss is offered, they feel that it is something strange, something foreign, so they reject it vehemently. Or they come to the Master with tremendous expectation and demand, saying "Give me, give me, give me!" But when the Master gives them what they need, they are not satisfied, so they attack him inwardly. For these reasons the Master creates a kind of shield for self-protection.

Each individual has a special aura of which he is not conscious. That aura goes around the person from head to foot and consciously protects him. When we meditate we may see that there is an aura constantly revolving around us. Others' auras we may also see, as people used to see them behind the Buddha or the Christ, for example. Usually these do not revolve or move. But the aura that we all have is constantly moving around us. This aura is a strong protection on the physical, vital and mental levels, but it does not protect the whole being. This aura becomes powerful only through prayer and meditation. Each day when we pray and meditate, this aura is strengthened; then it moves very, very fast. When the movement becomes extremely fast, the aura acquires tremendous strength, and at that time it is able to protect the entire being.

At times during meditation, I feel that my physical heart stops for a few seconds. This frightens me.

When you feel that the physical heart stops, this is a very good experience. But you must not be afraid of it; you won't die. It means that the physical in you has totally surrendered to the spiritual in you. Many spiritual Masters, in order to enter into the higher regions during meditation, have consciously stopped their heartbeat. But only Yogis and spiritual Masters can do this at will. Out of His infinite Compassion, God has given you a glimpse of this experience. You should be very happy. When you become a Yogi, it will be up to you whether or not you want to stop your heartbeat during meditation. What it means is that the physical has totally ceased and the spiritual is reigning supreme. At that time you do not need the physical.