Magical armours -- Kavachas

Residing in this city-like body, the Prana (vital breath) is its guardian. This Prana measures ten fingers in inhalation and twelve fingers in exhalation - Shivasvarodaya, 221

Each of the tantrik deities has her or his own kavacha or armour, which protects devotees from the many dangers which may afflict a human being. These could either be recited in a ritual context, or written down on birch bark or other substances and worn on the body to give protection.

http://www.shivashakti.com/kavacha.htm

Kavacham Mantras For Protection

The fear of the known rather than the unknown is often brushed aside by most of us in our daily lives. Our mind tends to create its own mech of insecurities and we strive to overpower the obstacles strewn across our path to achivement. Kavach, a special genre of remedial mantras belived to create a shield of protection against danger, is an answer for all our quests of supremacy that we seek over hostile and adverse cicumstances.

http://www.mantraonnet.com/shopping-kavacham.html

A Practical Way of Requesting the Lord's Protection - The Kavacha Mantra Armor Hymns
This protection is made available through surrender to the Lord via the kavacham or armour hymns, for example, the armour hymn of Lord Sarabesvara Siva, the great protector, motivator and well wisher.

Kavacha or Kavacham = Armour. It implies protection. The Kavacha mantras are Armour Mantras or Protection Mantras that explicitly request the Lord to protect us.

While the very meaning of the word mantra is to protect, the Kavacha Mantras make it that much more explicit.

The efficacy of the armour hymns depend on the devotee's faith. They work best for those who have surrendered to the Lord. He or she who surrenders every part of his or her body to the Lord and seeks His protection will surely get it. This is why we have provided the meanings for the Ganesh armour hymn below so you can see how the Lord's protection is explicitly invoked in each line of the hymn.

It should become clear that the Lord's protection becomes available when every part of the body is surrendered to the Lord's care and all activities are done for Him, by Him and through Him.

http://www.agasthiar.org/AUMzine/0013-ganesh.htm