Channeling (mediumistic)
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- see channeling (physics) for the other meaning or the word
According to Webster's Dictionary: the practice of professedly entering a meditative or trancelike state in order to convey messages from a spiritual guide.
In the New Age movement, channeling is the claimed receipt of information or commands by a person functioning as a medium or channel for an unknown or divine source, much as a radio receives a signal from a transmitter. Although the term was coined in the 20th century, the concept is quite old and widespread.
Channeling is often believed to entail spiritual possession, where a spiritual being takes control of the receiving person's body. This mode is central to Spiritualist religions, such as Kardecism. It may also refer to other psychic phenomena where the patient loses only part of his control on his body, as in certain forms of dowsing, or merely acquires new information or ability, as in clairvoyance and telepathy.
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Books about the process
Several notable books describe entering a trance state to allow a dead or other-dimensional being to speak through them. Often a guide conveys messages from other spirit men to listeners (see seance), in which case two intermediaries are needed, one on each side of the heavenly divide for a conversation between a living person and a dead one.
In Unknown But Known: My Adventure Into The Meditative Dimension (1969) by Arthur Ford, he describes seances he conducted for several different groups of people. He sat in a chair or laid down to enter a trance. A spirit man known as Fletcher spoke through him. Those for whom the seance was conducted would typically ask Fletcher to put them into contact with departed loved ones or perhaps famous people. (Interestingly, the chapter, "The Sun Myung Moon Sittings", was removed from the book in editions printed after Rev. Moon gained notoriety. The seances conducted for Rev. Moon and his disciples included strong testimonies from several spirit men, including Fletcher himself, all but averring that Rev. Moon was the Messiah.)
In The Coming of Seth (1966) Jane Roberts describes extra-sensory perception experiments and the beginnings of her experiences speaking for Seth.
Opening to Channel: How to Connect with your Guide (1987) by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer desribes how to channel a spirit guide.
Other texts
Books and texts which allegedly resulted from channeling include:
- The Book of the Law
- Conversations with God
- The Indigo Children
- Kryon
- Oahspe
- The Qur'an
- Seth (via Jane Roberts)
- Toward the Light
- The Urantia Book
- Michael Teachings (http://www.MichaelTeachings.com)
Brazilian psychic surgeons, such as José Arigó, claim to work as channels for deceased surgeons.
Channeling in fiction
In fantasy literature, the term channeling is sometimes used in other ways, particularly to describe a person's ability to draw on some form of magical power. For example, the Wheel of Time series uses the term extensively (although it is by no means the only work to do so).
Reference
- Klimo, John (1987). Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources. St. Martins Press. ISBN 0874774314.
External links
- What is Channeling? Mediumship and the Modern Age (http://www.sonic.net/~marina/channel/whatchan.html)
- Articles and information on channeling (http://www.spiritual.com.au/channeled.html)
- About Communication with Divine Teachers (http://swami-center.org/en/chpt/heart/page_8.shtml)
- Michael Teachings: A Michael Teachings Online Community & Resource (http://www.michaelteachings.com)
- Intuition Network: Interview with Arthur Hastings (http://www.intuition.org/txt/hastings.htm)de:Channeling