Spiritual Channeling --by Anne Cataldo

Spiritual channeling is the process of leaving ordinary, waking consciousness and becoming a conduit for a source of energy not normally in your awareness. You may have a sense of reaching your higher self (the highest vibrational part of the self this is still identified as individual), a spirit guide, or other light being, or you may feel beautiful, loving energy flowing through your body for the healing of yourself and others. Thoughts or images which are not your own may enter your mind, or you may find yourself speaking in a way that differs from your ordinary thought process.

As one of the many gifts of spirit unfolding for those seeking spiritual growth now, channeling is not practiced as an end in itself but as a part of the channeler's deep desire to be closer to God and to serve as an instrument for the expression of the higher planes of consciousness. The spiritual channeler seeks neither glory now followers but feels deeply privileged to be part of the personal and planetary healing process.

You are probably able to cite circumstances in your life when you have felt clearly guided by a higher power. Though you may not have consciously invited the power to overshadow your onsciousness.

Whether you bring through energies, thoughts, or spoken words for yourself or others, spiritual channelings share the same high vibration, and you feel lifted and closer to your own source of love and peace.

The master teachers who are willing to work with you have a single purpose; to teach you to see yourself as they see you&emdash;a being of love, light, and creative potential who is one with God. As you accept these truths about our essence, past traumas dissolve, and your daily reality begins to come into alignment with the desires of your higher self. A growing sense of peace and joy shows you that you are on the right path.

Clarity in channeling comes from your ability to reach a high vibrational source and maintain a clear contact with it. A prayer of intention as you enter a deep state of relaxation is essential to bring the highest energies present for the session. As alcohol, stress, medication, fatigue, and illness are impediments for a clear contact, work only when emotions and the physical body are in excellent condition.

Consistent meditation or relaxation practices are a great help in becoming a clear channel. Inner healings, forgiveness, and emotional release work also aid in your ability to maintain the high vibration of unconditional love which will flow through you. Of course all your personal issues won't be resolved before you begin to channel, but be forewarned that channeling brings your unfinished business to your attention. The clearer you are, the less likely your personal issues are to disturb your contact. Fortunately, the words you speak and the energies you share heal yourself as well as others.

You can achieve the best results by working with a group whose primary goals are to grow spiritually and to be a conduit for the energies of love and healing.

All channels filter the information coming through them. In its purest form as it is sent, a message is pure energy, a unit of total awareness and understanding which is often seen as light entering the channel's aura. As the channel's physical body, mind, and vocal chords are used to express the message, it takes on an earth form so that it can be heard and understood on the earth plane. In the process of translating energy into words, the message is inevitable altered.

Some people assume that dead trance channels are more accurate than those who hear the words they channel, but all channels' belief systems can interfere with the information received. One prominent dead trance channel, when asked about reincarnation, repeatedly denied its truth, though the rest of her messages agreed with the teachings of Edgar Cayce. One evening when she was in trance, the question was posed whether the channel was blocking the spirit guide from speaking freely about the subject. With great relief, the guide responded that this was indeed the case and that he was glad someone had finally asked the question! With practice you can learn to set aside your personal biases.

When you want someone else to channel for you, let your instincts be your guide. Choose a positive person in whose presence you feel comfortable and accepted. Most people are apprehensive about their first channeled reading, so try to separate this anxiety from the sense you have of the channeler. However, if you feel acute discomfort or physical pain, you may want to work with someone else.

Feel free to ask questions before the sessions begins. You may want to know the usual focus of the session, whether you can ask questions, and what results people receive. Ask permission to tape the session if a tape is not provided, since you will hear many new things when you replay the reading later.

Attempt to suspend your judgmental self during the sessions, and enjoy the flow of the sharing. You need not accept any statement that does not ring true to you; ask for more information or simply put it aside and consider it later when you replay your tape. At that point notice any emerging patterns if some statements trouble you. If you are pushing away positive statements about yourself, that can be a clue that you need to work on self-love. But if you get no sense of inner confirmation about a statement, let it go.

Remember that channeling often serves its best purpose by spotlighting things you already knew about yourself but were avoiding or denying. By helping you see why you chose the rough spots in your life and what you've learned from them, spiritual channeling helps you deal with your fears, understand your options, and move forward more confidently. By pointing out your spiritual gifts and confirming your intuitions, it can give you the support you need to be your true self.