For many channeling is a new buzz word and it seems that everyone is doing it and many people are talking about it, reading about it and indeed relying upon it. But what is channeling and of what use and purpose is it? Does it have a spiritual role for humanity at this time? Is it a dangerous pastime that can mislead and create havoc in the lives of those who engage in it?

Channeling is not a new phenomenon and it is a skill that has been around since the dawn of time and in fact, many of our great contemporary teachings have come to us through this source, the ability to communicate with consciousness that is beyond the physical Earth plane. For example, A Course in Miracles, the works of Alice Bailey, Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch and Pathwork by Eva Pierrakos all came to us via the skill of channeling and are accepted mainstream works of spiritual greatness. Yet, even today, many are still guarded when it comes to channeling and there is much ignorance concerning the process. Through many human religious, tribal and spiritual traditions there have always been those who have communed with the ancestors of seekers and with non-physical teachers and guides. Many of these have been called witch doctors and have been given a very bad name by established religion. Channeling, just like any other activity, has different levels of skill and therefore different levels of information.

So let us define channeling. In my view, there are different ways and forms of channeling and because we as humans wish to have everything put into nice neat little boxes, we are placing onto channeling a system of definition that is very difficult to use once we move beyond the non-physical. Once it is understood that we are all physical extensions of non-physical beings, in other words, we are all souls having a human experience, it is difficult to know beyond that which we perceive in the physical, where we as an individual stops and another begins. All spiritual teachings will tell you that at one level or another, we are all one. That is indeed the highest truth. As the physical extension of a non-physical being, it means there is a part of you, you soul, that is beyond that which you know in your conscious day to day living. It is a multi-dimensional part of yourself that traverses the full spectrum of consciousness from the experience of separation from the  whole  in the physical realms to the experience of  All That Is  at the Source. At these higher levels of awareness, it is very difficult to say 'you', 'me', 'him', and 'her' because a sense of self and individuality coincides with a sense of being One. To understand this more fully, we must see ourselves as 'individuated' aspects of the whole. Most people still see  God  as being a raincloud and themselves as raindrop that has descended out of the raincloud of all that is. Owing to this view, the raindrop is seen as being separate from the raincloud, although still water, still of the same stuff, it is still seen as being separate. In reality, we are all physical extensions of a non-physical being, we are a part of  God  (Goddess-All That Is) that has extended itself into the experience of physical reality. It means that at the higher levels of your consciousness, you are God- Goddess-All That Is. I believe that channeling is all about accessing that part of ourselves and giving it a voice and doing it consciously.

Each and every one of us has reached the channeling state of consciousness many, many times in our lives. It is a natural state of being and it feels like inspiration, enthusiasm and sheer clarity of thought. You have all had the experience of talking o a friend on the 'phone and all of a sudden a rush of words and advice and total wisdom seems to pour though you to that person, then afterwards you are left saying to yourself  where did that come from?  Your motivation to assist and your wish to open your heart in love at that moment made you open and willing to reach beyond the you that you experience ordinary consciousness and to reach a greater part of yourself, you Soul Self.  What I am trying to illustrate here, is that channeling is nothing out of the ordinary, but is indeed, a natural skill. So what about all these 'entities' with names such as Kryon, Seth, Lazaris, Abraham, Omni, Orin and DaBen.

Each of the channels concerned, myself included, will have a slightly different view of what is occurring when they are in the channeling state. Some channelers experience their 'guide' or the 'entity' that talks through them as being a totally separate entity that makes use of their body and voicebox whilst they leave their physical body, others share their physical body and merge with the 'entity' in question and others experience their 'guide' as being a higher, more refined, part of themselves that is closer to the Source than their normal day to day selves, some have called this the Soul or Higher Self.

When we talk about 'entities' the greatest concern that is always voiced is that for negatively oriented entities. Our religions have given them many, many names and we have all been taught to fear them. Essentially, channeled entities are just like people, 'by their fruits ye shall know them'. You instantly know if someone you meet has intentions that are not supportive of you as there is always something, somewhere within you, that tells you that something is amiss. It is the same for channeled entities. A channeled entity, whether or not the channeler experiences the 'entity' as being 'separate' or part of their 'higher self', should reflect the essence of the Source, the essence of God, which is love. If channeled material is fear based, telling what you are doing wrong, making you feel bad or fearful about your life, then simply ignore it, just as you would any other advice that you may receive. My experience tells me that channeling that is worth paying attention to contains substance, is practical, informative, encouraging and goes beyond the rhetoric of nice words. High quality channeling will inspire you and will give you tools that you can use. When you are in the presence of a channeled entity, or reading a book that has been channeled, it should be clear that the 'entity' in question wishes to remind you that you too are God and that you too are great, and that you too are loved and supported and cared for and capable of many great things and miracles.  There are many channeled entities that have become like friends to those who have studied their material and have maybe become acquainted with them through the person who channels them. Among these are well known 'entities' such as Seth and Lazaris. These two in particular deliver their message with wit and humour and inspire us to know the greater part of ourselves. Other guides such as Orin and DaBen have brought us many tools in the form of meditation techniques and books that show us 'how to' through Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. In addition to these are entities such as Heyoan who teaches us about healing through Barabara Ann Brennan and Michael who teaches us about the soul, it's journey and purpose through Joya Pope, Shepherd Hoodwin and others. There are many 'entities' and many channelers, and rather than get tied up in 'who' and 'how', look at the validity of the material being offered. If it inspires you to become greater than who you are now, then read on. If it makes you feel 'less than' and more fearful about life, then move on.

My own experience of channeling is wonderful. It is the thing I love to do the most, and I particularly enjoy channeling my guide Omni for large groups of people. I experience Omni as being the fusion of my Higher Self with an 'entity' that has been working with me for many, many lifetimes. When I am in the channeling state I feel expanded, full of compassion, understanding and all the answers are simply there, crystal clear, not a shadow of doubt and it is an exuberant and delicious experience. The more I channel consciously I have noticed my ability to move into the 'inspired' state without calling in my guide Omni. For me, my channeling is the greatest gift I have given myself and it is an absolute wonder to me that I have the privilege of serving many people in this way.