What is Channeling?

My heart began to race. Panic gripped my soul. The stench of burning flesh, the sensation of heat scorching my face, my breath labored from smoke inhalation and excruciating pain from a wound in my stomach made every cell in my body react with shock and fear.

I was watching my house burn out of control. I knew that my children were stuck inside. I was outside looking in. Where was my husband?

Unable to move, I felt completely helpless as the scenario played out before me.

I began to sob uncontrollably. Inconsolable, I began to hear a soft voice speaking to me.

"Where are you?"

"What do you see?"

The voice was a kind man talking me through a channeling session as I allowed a soul access to my physical body to find closure to a tramatic event.

She and her husband and her children had been burned out of their home by Native people defending their land and their legacy. Everyone had died, including the woman who was now gripped with fear and grief.

The man softly spoke to the woman speaking through my voice, expressing emotion through my tears.

We were able to successfully convince her that this event was long past, and it was safe to go to the Light.

This is one often un-talked about aspect of channeling.

What is channeling?

When a medium, someone who speaks with the dead, or other Beings who do not inhabit a physical body, allows his or her physical body and voice to be used as a "medium" for that soul to speak, it is said that person is channeling. A medium is someone who stands in the world between worlds, the living and the non-living.

Many people are familiar with messages that are said to be channeled from Angels, or Ascended Masters or what I call Beings of Love and Light. A little bit less understood and utilized is the practice of allowing souls who are stuck in some way the ability to speak and share what they are feeling and thinking, thus finding closure to the event that kept them here.

Some would argue that this practice is a form of possession. When done by amateurs or those who are not surrounded by their Angelic or Spirit helpers, this may be the case.

Can we be sure the departed soul will eventually vacate the medium's body?

When done in an environment where there is a medium and a facilitator, this danger is eliminated. The facilitator talks the departed through the event that left them damaged, injured, or unresolved. When the departed soul realizes the event has passed, or when he or she is able to communicate what is unresolved or unrealized, they normally easily go to the Light.

Channeling, then, is the ability to allow energies that are not living humans to come into the energy field and temporarily use their bodies to communicate a message.

This is a bit different from a medium who allows the departed to chat with them and communicate a message which they in turn communicate to a "sitter," someone who has come to receive a message. In channeling, the medium feels what the communicator feels. Their voice and their message is more immediate and the medium may or may not remember what was communicated. (my repeat clients know I rarely remember sessions unless they come back frequently.)

What I have described was really my first experience channeling. I had taken a Shamanic course on depossession, and this is one of the skills I learned, or remembered. Several years later I began to allow the Benevolent Helpers to communicate messages of hope and healing, but the process was the same. I stepped aside and allowed the non-physical energy temporary access to my body and my voice.

Despite what other spiritual teachers claim, I do not believe anyone can learn this skill or that anyone should delve into the practice of channeling. Just like some people seem to have a knack for playing the piano or creating beautiful works of art, some are going to find a natural inclination or ability and some, despite much effort, will have limited or even not-so-beneficial results.

Use your best judgement when choosing someone to channel for you. There are a lot of people out there who are allowing spirits use of their voice, but, not all spirits should be allowed this privilege. Some have malevolent intent, and some will leave you feeling depleted or mis-informed. Not all spirits tell the truth and should be trusted!

I describe in a bit more detail this ability in my book, Whispers From Another Room, available on Amazon.

Remember that not all spirits should be allowed access to your energy field. Many unevolved spirits will not ask permission. If you feel "off," or are having emotions or thoughts that seem foreign to you, it is fairly simple to release energies that are not yours, without knowing exactly who they are or how they found you.

Say this statement, "I lovingly release to the Light any energies that do not belong to me." You may want to add, "with the help of my Angels and Guides."

One of the rules of the Universe is that of free will. If you state they are not allowed to be there, they have to leave. You should immediately feel better.

Knowledge is power.

Knowing that this ability exists and that there are spirits who want use of your body, some for good and some for not so good intentions, gives you the power to choose whether or not to allow access to your energy field. Always be in control of your emotions, your thoughts, and your body. Some of us temporarily allow access for the purpose of help, healing, or Divine communication. After the session is over we close the door and the spirits (or Spirit) goes away.

Channeling is not an ability that should be "played with." When engaging in your spiritual practice, always connect to the Highest Available Beings of Love and Light. You can invoke Jesus or your favorite Ascended Master or Angel for protection.

Knowing the energies that are out there and how to handle your energy field is an important aspect of your spiritual walk.