Channeling

We know not the mysterious…
Things of God but as they have been channel’d
to us by God Himself in divine
Revelation

R. Carpenter, 1657

Moving Between The Worlds

Channeling in the realm of the spiritual is held as the process by which information is passed from the invisible world to the visible world. A channel can be seen as a conduit: a metaphysical pipe or a canal that transports knowledge, much like a physical pipe transports water.

Channeling Throughout History

Channeling is an age-old phenomenon, stretching back through recorded history. The oracle at Delphi, six centuries before the birth of Christ, was a channeling center of high repute. Parts of the Bible itself are ‘revealed’, that is, God’s word was told directly to man. The Ten Commandments are a good example of channeled information. Even music has been channeled: Guiseppi Tartini’s “Sonata in D for Violin” named the “The Devil’s Sonata” because Tartini dreamed that the devil played this piece for him.

Types

Channeling takes one of two forms: trance or conscious. In trance channeling, the person acting as the channel enters a state of deep meditation and appears to lose consciousness. Another ‘source’ enters. Often the channel will show distinct signs of change: their voice might change timber, inflection, even develop an distinctive accent. Vocabulary, and body language may also show distinct changes.

Trance channeling is observable in the Nechung, the State Oracle of Tibet, as well as various shamanic practices and the religions of Candomble, Voodoo, Kardecism and Umbanda.

Conscious channeling is activated by a similar meditative effort but the person channeling maintains his/her consciousness and simply ‘connects to the energy source’ being channeled. There is no real change in the channel’s body language, vocabulary or voice.

The Present

Conscious channeling is a more modern version and is seen in Edgar Cayce’s work as a healer from afar, Seth speaks, The Michael Connection, and the Course in Miracles.

Contemporary artists, film makers and writers have begun to use the word ‘channel’ to describe a particular form of artistic expression in which they sense that the material they are creating is flowing through them without much effort, giving rise to a feeling of being guided and/or in an altered state described as “Flow” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his popular book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

Personal Application

How does channeling apply to the ordinary person? Channeling, in metaphysical circles, is seen as an available option for any interested and prepared participant. Learning to access information from either (depending on your own personal interpretation) the external Divine Source and/or from an internal Wisdom, affords valuable guidance. Rest assured, mentally healthy people can and do utilize channeling to enhance and deepen their commitment to creativity and true expression. The following suggestions are for the purpose of enhancing one’s own inner connection to Source. (Channeling for the public is beyond the scope of this post.)

Routes

• Meditation is an excellent first step. In devoting time to developing a strong meditation practice the mind is trained to become calm, quiet and receptive.
• Prayer, journaling and inner work (psychotherapy) map the route to the invisible world. Jung spoke of this repeatedly in his seminal works on psychology and spirituality.
• Reading widely so that one’s vocabulary is enriched is helpful in so far as being able to express the channeled material is dependent on one’s own scope of language.
• Another recommendation is to utilize various doorways to the invisible world. These include: Tarot cards, I Ching, Runes, even the well known Ouija Board which has been part of our culture since the late 1800s. There is a mobile version of the I Ching, Yi Jing (by Flat Earth Studio,) available through iTunes. The metaphysical belief is that the accuracy of the channeled material depends largely on the individual, not the methods used, so feel free to pick whatever modality appeals most to you.
• Taking courses in, or reading about, intuition and the development of psychic skills is another option.
• Working with a trusted partner, consultant or therapist is advantageous since it provides an opportunity to both share new channeling experiences and receive support and guidance as the process continues to unfold.

Finally, keeping an attitude of open heartedness and love ensures that the real gift of channeling is recognized and appreciated fully.

If I speak with the tongues of men and angles, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging gong. And if I have the gift of prophesy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

I Corinthians, 13:1-2

Further Reading

The I Ching or Book of Changes by Richard Wilheim

The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes with Stones by Ralph H. Blum

A Course in Miracles by Foundation for Inner Peace

The Essential Edgar Casey by Edgar Casey

The Michael Handbook: A Channeled System for Self Understanding by Jose Stevens

Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul by Jane Roberts