Are You Frightened?

There are a couple of ways you can be when you awaken your psychic abilities. You can be calm, curious and eager or you can be flatout hair-raising scared. It is entirely your choice which you will be. I can understand how paralyzing being scared can be, but this is one of those underlying belief systems that just has to go if you want to fully awaken and enjoy your psychic abilities. It boils down to the idea that you are not a victim.

I can understand at first glance there might be some confusion over trying to connect these two ideas , but let me make an attempt here to explain. The idea that you are not a victim actually has farther reaching consequences than merely shifting scared to not scared. When you are more in the mode of thinking that you are not a victim thinking about, mulling over, obsessing on the past moves from number one activity to number seventy two. This gives you more time to pay attention to your life and living it rather than obsessing over the past.

Here’s an example. You get mugged and your purse is stolen. This frightens you and for the next 10 years you are nervous about carrying a purse. You do more than be normally alert as you walk on the city streets. Instead you clutch your purse carefully to your side. You are constantly aware of people around you. You flinch if someone goes by you too closely. You are basically still being affected by the mugging that happened many years ago. You also tell the story often to people. You think to yourself, “Why did this happen? Why me? It could happen again. I have to be careful.” It has pretty much affected a lot of how you live your life.

And, here’s the other side of the coin. You get mugged and your purse is stolen. You report the crime. You do what you need to do about replacing your credit cards and identification. And, you let it go. You don’t think of yourself as a victim. You don’t think, “Why me?” Instead, you try to get your mind around the idea of this was something that your higher self decided was going to be a real good learning opportunity. If you’re thinking opportunity instead of victim you might think this would be a good time to do a little psychological self-tuning.

So, this incident pushed a few of your fear buttons. Go be quiet and private for 15 minutes and as you relax you ask yourself the question of, “What is here for me to look at?” Pay attention to the answers that come to you. They will come as flashes of insight, as little visions, as a voice from your heart. How do you know you got an answer? Your body will relax. It will feel like a great weight has been lifted from your shoulders. You will be able to take a really deep breath. Tension will fall away and you will feel altogether a great deal better. This is your body telling you that you got the right answer.

Embracing this idea will enable you to look at the odd things that happen during a psychic awakening and when you are first learning how to channel in a way that leans more toward curiosity and eagerness than to a frightening experience. Remember that when you are frightened your reality is seen through fright and when you are calm your reality is seen through serenity.

Trickster - An Email

This is an email I got this afternoon that I thought would probably help a lot of people.

I'd be so grateful if you'd help me out a little bit with this but several years ago I had a ouija board, which I had successifly gotten to work for only me in a couple of months and I communicated with Rare, who mind you is a trickster and loves to laugh about my problems, Grrrr! lol Its been quite awhile and I've stopped useing the board, but I still feel as if I'm communicating with him through my head.

Like for the longest time I would have these written conversations with "him" and also even as I write this, He's conversing through one of my fingers. I'd only spoken this to one person before who tried to explain to me that it was just my over imagination working on me again. Or my depression, very very mild depression, which come to think of it I wouldn't have gotten through without Rare telling me I was being stupid. (I had conversed with him before they told me I was depressed)

I'm just confused as if I could be conversing with the trickster through the ouija board or if he is just some sort of figure of my imagination. He's mad that I keep saying he's fake, but I'm just now coming to this conclusion. I would just like to see your views on this subject and see if I, whom has no privacy in my head at all!!!!!!, do have a possiblity of channeling or whatever it is that's going on in my head. Thank you so much for your taking the time to read this

And, my answer:

Good questions! Yes, this is channeling and for it to move from Ouijia, to written, to telepathic, to fingers, and back again is normal. But, you are in the early days. If your guide is a trickster this is not the level entity that you want to be communicating with, fun though it is at times. Think of your spiritual development and how this is tied up with that. Would you fool around with it? So, this is not game time, it’s serious business.

So, what to do now? Make the commitment to yourself and to your guide that you will stop being entranced with the trickster end of things. You’re no help to yourself nor can you be of help to anybody else if you allow the level of your channeling to remain in the lower levels. Don’t get me wrong, talking to folks at all levels of the astral is interesting. I do it all the time. But, I also know where the most serious stuff needs to be attended to and that is with the highest vibrations you can imagine. Aim high. In the beginning this is important.

Also, it is not at all unusual for the drama to be very high in the beginning. As you settle down the drama tapers off too.

Now, does this mean you have to turn your guide in and get a new one? No. Your guide is bending to the lowest common denominator which is you inching around in the lower astral planes. If you smart up he or she will also treat you differently. It’s like anything else. We view our reality through our belief systems and if you think all there is for you is fun house spooks that’s all there will be. Believe me, you have a very nice guide, a very learned guide and as soon as you show yourself to be ready they will act with you in a more guide like fashion.

Now, the bit about being depressed? Tend to that. Right away. Whenever you open to the spiritual places you also immediately step up to the more mature and responsible plate of being open to your own spiritual, emotional and psychological growth and healing. In a nutshell? Opening to spiritual stuff really ends up pushing your buttons and if you try to ignore the signs that you need a bit of help at times via a therapist you will really be in for a rough and tough time. It’s like when you open spiritually you don’t end up doing it to be self serving so much as you do it to help other people and you can’t help other people unless you are healthy in your head and heart.

So, get a move on and have your depression looked at.

Loosen Up

This is an interesting exercise I just did to put me into a channeling sort of mood. It’s sort of like taking a spelling test. Just word by word. The “rules” were that none of the words had to make any sense. And, as the list grew at number 26 they started saying two words which quickly moved to three words which did sort of make sense taken together. I realized how this could be a really good exercise for somebody who was new to channeling.


I remember getting real tense when I was first channeling expecting and wanting everything that was said to make some sort of sense. It didn’t always and I would sometimes feel exhausted with trying to get it right. Then, trying too hard it all dissolved into nothing and I couldn’t get anything at all. So, since this little exercise worked for me just to sort of loosen me up I figured it might work for those of you out there who are new to channeling or, who like myself, just need to loosen up channeling muscles and get back into the groove again.

So, all you do is sit there with pen or pencil in hand. Calm yourself. Meditate a bit if you want to. Center. Ask that you speak with your guide...or, that your guide say some words for you to write, one by one. And, wait. The "hearing" can come so very softly that you just sort of think you are even dreaming. The word, "River" goes by. It's not hooked up with anything. It's not anything you were just thinking of. Could this have been your word? You're not sure. But, the "rules" are to write down the words you think your guide is saying to you. So, you write down, "River" on the list.

Next word. Nothing. Take a deep breath. Center. Calm. "Bird" Center. Calm. "Fritter". Write it down. Center. Calm. "Mechanic". They're starting to come faster. This is wierd. This isn't talking. It's just a bunch of words. Fine. That's what it's supposed to be. A list of words your guide is saying to you and you are writing down.

Here’s my list:

sex
scents
gardening
Baking
Smells
Odors
flash
French
tickle
this
that
tremble
list
access
tilt
Monroe
skill
even
handedness
tilt
wheel
weather
stickler
tickler
thresh
wild flowers
this and that
taken with you
we will carry
this to you
all the way
without fuss or muss
taken to the limit
threshold of pain
capacity to love
good plans

I have to tell you I argued with them to take the first word off. I didn't figure I wanted Sex to be the first word my guide said to me. But, I lost the argument. The reasons being I am honest in this blog. That really was the first word they said to me. And, as embarrassing as it is it might be on your list too. I didn't want you to feel wierd.

And, you could continue on and realize that as the list gets longer the words begin to make sense and it just could morph into a nice channeling session.

Another E-Mail I Got

Here is an email I got in response to the post I made below this one on April 4, 2009:

I have been reading your 'How to channel blog' for a while now, and I want to thank you very much for all the useful advice you give on it. In this last post you wrote about the voices in your head, you mention this person has a spotty connection with their guides and suggest they strengthen it.

My question is, how? I have read, S. Roman's book and done the exercises, and I don't know if there is any more I can do other than just being persistent and wait. I am up to the point where I can sense my guides around me, but so far I haven't been able to hear them or connect in any other way. Do you have any other exercises you could suggest? I do the children's rhyme sometimes, and I also talk to myself quite a bit, but I don't know how else I can play with them. Any advice?

And, here is my answer;

It sounds to me like you’re on the threshold of being able to communicate with your guides. With me, when I was at that spot, I took the bird shot approach and just peppered my efforts with all sorts of ways to connect. At the time it didn’t seem like any of them were working. In retrospect they all contributed a little bit.

When I spoke of a spotty connection I meant it’s sort of on and off at times which happened to me in the beginning. Just early days, that’s all. It does get stronger.

So, the one thing you can hang your hat on and count as the number one sign that you are making it is the fact that you sense your guide every once in awhile. I realize that you’ve likely got more than one guide, but for the time being focus on the idea that there is just one to meet. It’s sort of like being at a party. If you’re talking to one person you can devote your attention to them. If you’re talking to more than one person your attention is divided. So, for the purposes of the next while just pretend you’re talking to one guide. The other one will not be offended in any way and later on once your connection is real firm you can talk to everybody. But, in the beginning just to one quide.

However, many times these guys will talk and refer to themselves as we. Seth explained to me it's sort of like a choral effect...many guides joined together into one guide's voice. Just figure it's one guide even when they say we.

And, here are some suggestions:

1. If you are not already doing it begin keeping a private journal. It can be on your computer, it can be in a notebook. It can be in both places. The point is to just pour your heart out. As you move into a space where you are going to be talking to your guide you are also moving forward with your own emotional and psychological growth. Keeping a journal can help over some of the bumps. It’s not so much that you have to read what you wrote, it’s just the idea of getting it out.

2. Try having a pretend conversation with your guide on paper. You can write both parts for awhile and maybe at some point it will feel like what you’re writing is almost like having your thoughts flowing alongside of somebody else’s thoughts. It’s a strange feeling, but that’s how it was with me. After I got used to it the two thought streams separated and I can tell easily when a guide is speaking and I’m not just thinking something. As a warning, too, when you’ve gotten to the 2 side by side streaming thoughts stage? Sometimes the guides will say startling things, things you would never say in a million years. This is to further point out to you that you are not thinking this, but a guide is speaking just to help you begin to tell the difference.

· YOU: Hi. I haven’t heard from you this morning.

· GUIDE: You did not initiate a conversation. We had nothing to say.

· YOU: I thought you would at least say hello.

· GUIDE: (silence)

· YOU: Are you there?

· GUIDE: Of course.

· YOU: I can’t sense you right now.

· GUIDE: You are communicating verbally via the written word.

· YOU: Oh,

· GUIDE: Do you understand?

· YOU: No.

· GUIDE: (silence)

· YOU: Are you there?

· GUIDE: Yes, did you think I was going to disappear?

· YOU: No, but I thought you would have more to say.

· GUIDE: You need more time being quiet and listening.

· YOU: Thanks.

· GUIDE: You are welcome. Our blessings.

So, even though it is a pretend conversation somehow the guides came through. Just pretend they are there.

3. Something else to do is that sometimes it is effective when you are working so diligently on something to step away from it. For instance at one point I bought a piano. I can’t play. I tried to learn. It was impossible, but I felt I needed some sort of outlet more than my journaling to express myself. I might not be able to play well, but I please myself. Sometimes it even feels like I’m channeling. Just relax enough and let Spirit take me away. Anyway, after 20 minutes at my piano I come away totally refreshed and thinking a whole lot better.

4. Mostly it just takes time. Everybody is different. I know I stalled out many times. And, once the actual channeling began I was doing it in a way that was not the recommended choice in Sanaya Roman’s book, “Opening to Channel”, but it was right for me. So, I used a Ouija board. It took me 6 month’s of work for it to even move, but once it started it was like gangbusters. For 10 days I communicated with Seth via the board. Then, as each day went by I got faster and faster until my hand was flying over the board. There was no way anybody could tell what letter was being indicated anymore. That’s when I began to anticipate what was being said and it all morphed nicely into the telepathic sort of method I use now. It was the way I did it. It might not be the way others do it. But, the board was the vehicle to breaking through for me. Maybe something like that will work for you too. Interestingly, the Ouija board started working on 2/12/93. A week and a half later was when I first heard Seth’s voice in my head. That was 2/22 – the number sequence I had begun seeing some 5 years earlier when I had my first psychic awakening. See how long the process can take?

5. Read about other channelers to see how their guides speak to them. Read John Edward, read Sylvia Browne, read about how JZ Knight channels Ramtha, read Messages from Michael, read the Seth books that Jane Roberts and her husband wrote. Just read anything you can get your hands on.

6. At one point I learned how to draw. I needed to be drawing on the other side of my brain more to get myself ready for channeling.

7. Try getting some Tarot cards or a bag of Rune stones and see if that isn’t the way to get your foot in the door.

8. One of my steps was to begin reading, “A Course in Miracles”. I only ever got half way through but I’m convinced I needed to change the way I was looking at the world for the channeling to begin happening for me.

9. Always remember that learning how to channel, to connect to Spirit, puts you on the fast track for your own psychological and emotional growth and well being. Which just means that where you had worked slowly on emotional and psychological issues before now they come at you like gangbusters. That’s what the purpose of the journaling is for to help you through that. It won’t be a stage that is ever over, it’s just that it would have been easier for me to know it up front. That’s why I tell people early on in the game now. Just realize there’s no shoving problems under the carpet and hoping they’ll go away anymore. To be the best you can be means being a mature responsible person and stepping up to the plate when it involves this sort of growth. Don’t be afraid to get a self help book or even to seek out a therapist. I’ve been told transpersonal therapists might be your best bet, but anyone will really do. They can tell when folks are nuts and when they’re not.

10. And, I guess the best advice of all would be perseverance and patience. It’s almost like you’ve got to pay the dues and prove to yourself you are willing to do the work for the life changing event of channeling to take place.

11. And, finally don't work so hard at it. Try to have a balanced life going on. It really is just going to take time.

Thanks again for writing and I’m glad the blog is helping you.

That Voice In My Head

This is an email I got the other day:

I think I might be hearing my guide in my head but I can't have a conversation with them. What happens usually is if I get angry at someone or something there is always a voice in my head which says stuff like think about it from their point of view or not to get angry at them because of some reason. But then if I think of another reason I should be angry it just answers back. It's really weired. It's like having a two sided argument in my head. What do you think? Is it just me or could it be my guide(s)?

And, here's my answer:

It’s probably your guide running interference for you. It’s a spotty connection, not real strong right now. They can come through because of your heightened emotional state. So, I think the thing to do is to be thankful you’ve got a connection, spotty though it is right now, resolve to work harder at strengthening that connection and not worry too much about the messages other than to look at your anger.

Guides are there to teach you not to tell you how to live your life. So, if you don’t get the point of what they are encouraging you to pay attention to right now, don’t worry about it so much. With me they just continued to say the same messages over and over again until I “got it”.

Your message about trying to think of what is going on in the other person’s shoes? Good one. Good lesson. I think your guide is just trying to get you to shift away from the tornado of being so angry and not being able to see much else to a place where you can be more objective about it and try to see the source of your anger.

What I’ve learned over the years is to ask myself what is bothering me when I get angry. Like I have my own personal cue of crappy drivers. When I need some personal introspective work and am not doing it, or am ignoring the signs that I need to go spend some quiet time, crappy drivers, I mean drivers who should never have gotten their driver’s licenses flock around me. They tail gate. They honk their horns at me. They buzz too close. I’m a basket case. Then, it dawns on me, “Oh, shit. I need to go see what psychological or emotional issue is up for me right now.” Takes about 10 minutes and you feel better.

Or, you could go journal for a little bit and just pour your feelings out on paper.

But, when you make a connection with Spirit a requirement is that you be the best connection you can be. You will eventually be in a position to help people and the best way you can do that is to have made a commitment to be the best you can be. That requirement includes paying attention to your own emotional and psychological health.

All of us, all of our lives work our ways through these emotional and psychological issues. Sometimes people take years to do bitty step after bitty step. The thing with talking to Guides is they step it up to a whole new level.

My advice would be to look at why you are getting so angry. Are you afraid of something? Are you in a defensive position to protect yourself? Go get a self help book and do your own fine tuning.

I hope things look up. It’s slow work. People work on their issues little bit by little bit. It’s just when you’re channeling you get to work on them more often.

Where You Talk to Yourself

When a person opens psychically I think they also will be faced with changing a few of their ideas and beliefs about who is out there. When I first embarked on my own journey I had no idea that I had a higher self. I had never heard of it before. There I go wanting to talk to my guide and in steps this higher self idea. I was more afraid to talk to my higher self than I was to my guide. Go figure.

I think of the idea of higher self as the boss in charge. This is my soul. This is the part of me that endures forever. This is the part of me, the head honcho, who knows all, sees all and knows the game plan. This is the part of me that is familiar with all my incarnations, with all my foibles, with my heart, with all my husbands, all my children from all of those lifetimes and all of my wives. Notice in this scenario I’m changing gender back and forth too.

Once I tried a meditation where the intention was to meet my higher self. I have this thing about visualization that makes it all that more real to me; they call it clairvoyance. Anyway, I tend to like to “see” stuff. So, on a variation of the meet your guide meditation I, instead, journeyed off to meet my higher self. It was actually sort of humorous. My higher self towered over me to the tune of 10 feet tall. I didn’t stay long and in a truly startled fashion leaped out of the meditation quickly. I believe I had that vision since I was already sort of nervous about meeting my higher self and it all was a sort of self-fulfilling prophesy. Something like wishful channeling.

But, since that experience I’ve become more accustomed to the idea of having a higher self and it is to that higher self that a person might make their connection to spirit.

So, in trying to communicate with your guide you might start off with the idea of communicating with your higher self. Opening psychically is tough enough, but if you’re okay with the idea of talking to yourself maybe this would be a good route to take.

And, you could use a prop of sorts too. You might buy yourself a bag of Rune stones or a deck of Tarot cards. Then, as you dip into the bag to select a stone you sort of ask your higher self to guide you in the process. I’d suggest that in the beginning you do the readings for yourself. They’re going to be slow because you’ll need to learn what the cards or the stones mean. Use a book or go on the internet to help you. There are lots of tutorials out there. Learn the way of a teacher and when you are more familiar with it you’ll begin to see other meanings.

In any case, whether you stick forever with the idea of talking with your higher self or branch out and talk to your guide too, this is a way to get your foot in the door and start talking to spirit.

How You Can Approach Contact With Your Guide

One thing I kept running into when I was trying to learn how to channel was how serious it all was, both in how my approach as a student and practitioner ought to be and how Folk in Spirit responded to the questions we asked, with the exception of Seth and Michael. As time went on I learned there were others in Spirit who would joke around a bit. But, for some reason I figured they would never do it with me, that I was basically a really unworthy student who couldn’t do squat with any of the lessons I tried.

Little did I know. Now, I know a bit more about it. I know now that if I had lightened up some the whole process wouldn’t have been as heart rending as it was. Or, maybe it just had to be heart rending for me. All I know is that I wanted, with all of my heart, to have contact with my guide. And, it wasn’t happening.

Well, it didn’t happen how I thought it was going to happen. But, it was already happening even when I didn’t think it was happening.

Now I get emails from people whose experiences seem to echo my own. It’s like they are almost grieving from a broken heart trying to talk to their guides. They tell me that they think they hear the odd word or two, or they have these thoughts that spring out of nowhere, but no, that couldn’t be their guide. Well, all I have to say is it is. Those are legitimate contacts with your guide. Nothing really got said, but you are certainly on the right track.

Okay, so now you are thinking to yourself that these things have happened to you too. You plan on redoubling your efforts to deepen the connection with your guide. Why not stop beating yourself up about it and in addition to trusting that your guide is there and sort of talking to you also begin to trust yourself more. What you can do at this cross roads is to get real quiet and pose this question to yourself: What can I do now?

Here are some possible answers:
Keep a journal
Remember and record your dreams
Doodle with the idea that your guide, if so inclined, could doodle along with you
Play an instrument
Start exercising
Do some soul searching

Whatever answers you get can come to you as visual pictures and could be more along the lines of a flash, or the errant thought, or even a nicely strung together sentence that makes sense. I’ve had them come to me in all these ways. I guess it just depends, but at least you might know what to expect.

You can also use this technique when something is bothering you. For more information go look up focusing on the internet. I hope this helps you.

Dreams and How They Can Change As You Open Psychically

It’s interesting that before I learned to channel my dreams were always me and whoever was chasing me at that moment. It never failed. I don’t think I’d had a relatively nice or ordinary dream in years. Once I’d opened psychically and had begun to channel the tempo and makeup of my dreams changed dramatically.

One thing is that the guides were forever showing up. No longer was it me and somebody else, now it was me and a cast of many. Sometimes I knew they were guides, other times I’d be less aware in the dreams and they’d take on the guise of characters. Whatever was up for my subconscious at that point in time to create a dream subject about. I remember once I had a bad dream. There were several men who had hold of me in the dream. I was afraid. They were trying to manhandle me and get me to go somewhere I didn’t want to go.

When I awakened I knew that those had been guides. I had it out with them right then. I said, “Hey, why did you do that to me?” And, they said quietly, “Why didn’t you say no?” So, they’re always teaching.

There have been times too when I actually start channeling in my dreams. That is very, very interesting. Other times when Folk in Spirit come to visit with me. These visitors also include animals.

And, of course, I have the regular garden variety dreams. Last night I had a Tribble in my dream. Remember Captain Kirk and the Tribbles? Yes. Only this one had very, very sharp teeth. I had to keep dodging it while it wanted to take a hunk out of me. I'll have to think on that one for awhile to try to figure out what it was about. Could the Tribble have been a guide? Somebody just said to me, "Only on Planet Zeebo."

Learning How to Channel - Some of the Steps

When I was learning how to channel I was never really very sure about whether or not I was attaining the correct mood in order for things to proceed like they said they would in the book. Actually, I was the worst student ever because nothing I seemed to do would work. All I wanted to do was to talk to my guide. I wasn’t particularly sure of what I wanted to say so I wouldn’t say there was much focused direction in that area. I just wanted to talk to him. For some reason I always figured that my guide was going to be a he. I don’t know why that was. It turned out Seth was a he, but that was either coincidence or maybe somehow I knew. I don’t know. I’m not going to look into the matter too deeply because I don’t think it really matters.

Here are some of the things I did. Some worked in the end, though I didn’t know they were working at the time. Some may have never have provided much of a significant boost to the process. I don’t know. I tried a lot of things.

I consciously tried to raise my energies. It actually felt very much like trying to take a dump only higher. Same degree of effort. I probably tried too hard. It’s interesting but I can hear the guides laughing. They come and go sometimes. Anyway, they’re sort of chuckling and snorting away in the background.

So, that was one thing I did. Another was to listen to music. That was useful. It also helps me to write. I’ve been doing this now for 15 years or so. Very useful stuff. I put on the headphones, close my eyes and I’m in another world. Although it is my chosen route to both channel and write my own stuff, when I am in a writing mode I think that I hang onto consciousness a little tighter. With channeling I let go. It’s like having sex I think. You’ve really got to let go and allow the process to happen even though it almost feels sometimes like you’re getting ready to hurl yourself off of a cliff.

Another thing I did was to use stones to help me move along. Some seemed to help while others didn’t seem to do much. I think they’re pretty and so will often pocket one that draws my attention when I’m getting dressed to go to work. The first stone I went out and bought a lot of was moldavite. I do think that helped. It’s supposed to help you along your spiritual path. I also got rutilated quartz which is good for channeling. Lots of others: citrine for digestion, blue stones are good for the throat chakra which has to do with speaking, with communicating, for writers. Lots of pretty blue stones: lapis, sodalite, sapphire if you have one. Jasper for calming.

I learned how to draw. Funny as it seems I wasn’t really aware that this was going to prove helpful, but it did. It draws upon another area of your brain and sort of sets you up for being ready for the shift.

Because shift it is. After the first honeymoon phase which can last a year you’ll settle down back into normal again. Then, life will feel about the same as it did before except that you can talk to Elvis if you want to. It will seem normal to you. In fact, there are all sorts of Folk in Spirit that you’ll be able to talk to. It makes for interesting conversations all around. They will even be in your dreams. They’ve been in mine for years.

What I learned after I learned to channel is that every single thing I did was important for me to do whether it seemed to be furthering the cause along at the time or not. The number one most important thing that I did during that time was to keep a journal and just barf all over the pages. This wasn’t anything to save for posterity. This was just emotional and psychological healing. See, when you go after channeling as a goal you are setting yourself up to be in a position to help others eventually. In order to do that you need to be in a good head and heart space. Start journaling. You won’t regret it.

Another thing I did was to pretend. Kids have the right idea. Just play with it, especially after you’ve made first contact. Be respectful, but consider that you’re in grade school. You need to play. Make up games with your guide that will allow you to solidify the connection between you. It’s energy. It takes muscles you’ve not used before. You’ll get a buzz on sometimes with it. But, it will settle down so that you can enjoy it for the rest of your life.

Oh, and don’t be afraid. If you bring superstitious ideas to the table. If you think evil is a real and threatening thing step back from the entire process. You aren’t mature enough for it. You need to be an old soul who is willing to be open minded and not be gullible, or at least too gullible. In the beginning contact with Spirit is going to upset the apple cart in your head. And, just as when you start meditation for the first time all your subconscious is going to move into really active mode and present you with odd, frightening and anything horrible it can to prevent you from doing it. Keep meditating through the weird stuff and the same with channeling. Channel right through it. It will calm down eventually in both cases.

Here’s what I’m talking about. You just start channeling and you know you are channeling with your guide. Number one thing is not to go channeling Babe Ruth, or Elvis or your Aunt Maude who died 10 years ago. Channel your guide only, only, only. For the first year. Then, you can branch out and talk to others in Spirit. Anyway, already sure that you are talking to your guide he’s probably going to tell you to run out at 2 in the morning, bare assed naked to the street light on the corner and start dancing or the entire town will be blown to pieces. Weird shit. Don’t buy into it. Something like that happens and you say to your guide, “Why are you saying this to me? What do I really need to be talking about with you?” And, he will say to you, “I wanted you to realize you don’t have to buy into everything I say. I want you to realize that your buttons are being pushed here. You are turning over earth in your head and heart that hasn’t yet seen the light of day and there are nightmares there. Anything that bothers you psychologically is going to be exposed and whatever you channel will be filtered through that the same as how you move about in your every day life. Normally you are able to exercise coping mechanisms because you know subconsciously how to adjust. You’ve been doing it for years. Now, however, this channeling is new to you and you’re not sure how to react.”

“Because it is necessary for you to be the best you will serve yourself better by being willing to seek psychological guidance. Or cope better. But, the mature thing to do, the thing that will help you move along your spiritual path in a positive and direct direction will be to recognize that you need help. Our blessings.”

Okay…I’m back again. Dip in and out of it sometimes. It’s a process. There’s lots more that I didn’t talk about. These are the things that came to mind this morning. I suppose I ought to write a book.

One other thing is that while the guides are terrific teachers it is a rather unusal way of teaching. At least it was for me.

Focus Your Thoughts

A very important part of learning how to channel is learning how to focus your thoughts. Meditating will help you to do this. There are other activities which, when done very intensely will serve the same purpose like running, or drawing, or maybe writing, but for our purposes here I’m urging a practice of meditation.

Now, please try not to get so all fired impressed with people who say they can meditate for hours on end and adopt that as your goal. What you need, instead in the beginning, is a regular practice. Every day for 10 minutes. First of all this is not going to put a crimp in any of your other activities. For pity sake, the day is 24 hours long. You can spare 10 minutes of it to meditate. Additionally, you’re the one who said they wanted to learn how to channel. I’m telling you that you need to do this. For clarity. Fine, you’re channeling and somebody says, “If you don’t turn right at the corner three people are going to die.” Well, that’s channeling isn’t it? Yes. It’s also warped channeling. So, meditate already. For clarity.

Next, put away all your expectations about what meditating is like or how you think it should be. It starts out one way and ends another. It is over time that your meditation will change and it is as you do it more and more that you begin to see the results of the meditations. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

It starts like Grand Central Station in your head. There’s just no getting around it. Your mind is not trained. It’s a new place to be. You’re trying to be quiet and it just isn’t working. Do you quit? No. Keep doing it.

Be kind to yourself. Realize that for everybody it is going to be noisy in their head in the beginning. It happens to everybody. Be kind toward your wayward mind and when you find yourself straying from the act of meditating and thinking about all the things you want to do or all the things you need to do gently take your mind by the hand like you would a little kid straying from a path and bring them back to the meditation. If you’ve got to do that 25 times during the 10 minutes you’ve devoted for meditating do it. The next time you meditate you’ll only have to do it 22 times.

What you could do is to have a piece of paper and a pencil by your side and every time a thought occurs to you write it down. That way you won’t spend energy being anxious that you’re going to forget something. Actually, this technique is fantastic to use for getting your ducks in order for the day. Just depends on how you look at it. In any case, reassuring your mind that you are not ignoring it, that you depend upon it to keep you on track and you appreciate all these reminders of things to do is great. Eventually, it will realize (this is your subconscious, by the way) that you are not going nuts with this new practice of meditation and it will be quiet for the time that you want to spend meditating.

Something else that happens to folks who embark upon a practice of meditation is their own personal demons will rise quickly to the surface. This is also understandable. Keep meditating. You are toeing your way into an expanded reality and for somebody who is trying to learn how to channel the clairaudience and the clairvoyance takes off. You’re not trained in this and it’s going to be odd, strange, weird and possibly frightening. You know it’s coming. Keep meditating. The distorted, yowling faces will stop. I know. It happened to me.

In the beginning you can use tricks to help you move into the meditation. You can visualize yourself descending a ladder. You can count backwards. There are all sorts of things you can do to help yourself into the meditative state of mind. I used to pretend I was melting like when Dorothy throws water on the Wicked Witch of the West. She melted. It was great for moving me into a meditation. Whatever rocks your boat. There are lots of techniques to try out.

Get a book about meditating. It doesn’t matter which one. There are lots on the market. Find one and try out a few of the techniques. They work. What doesn’t work is the person trying to learn how to meditate because they don’t stick with it. Same thing with diets. That’s why there are so many books on the market. Anyway, if you can make a deal with yourself that you are going to devote a short period of time every single day for a month to a practice of meditation and then step back at the end to see how you did I can almost guarantee that you’re going to see results. This will be the encouragement you need to continue.

Developing Resolve - Learn to Channel

Ensure you are exhibiting resolve. This is very important. Not just lip service. Imagine that you are a millionaire. How did you get to be a millionaire? Imagine that it was plain hard work that did it. They didn’t start out with any money. This person started out the same as you or I. But, what is the difference between a millionaire and you? It is resolve. It is a focus on the one goal you want. In the millionaire’s case it is money. In your case it is the desire to speak to your guide.

Now, just for a moment imagine that you want to be a millionaire. We’ve all done that often enough. It’s easy to enter into the daydream of this particular imagining. But, this one time there’s a little twist to the daydream. This time you have resolve. In your imagination pretend that you are faced with one obstacle after another. Now, pretend that you, Joe Future Millionaire, have the ability to move past those obstacles. Argh…you got a flat tire. So, you put the spare on and move forward. Argh…you got the flu. So, you take it easy until you are recovered and then continue on with your plan of being a millionaire.

The interest you have in learning how to channel is actually one of the more important keys to success than you could imagine. And, you will be faced with obstacles. The first will probably happen when you decide to set aside some time to do the necessary exercises to retrain yourself to connect in a more conscious fashion to Spirit. Notice I said in a more conscious fashion. That’s because we’re all already connected. We just don’t pay a lot of attention. In any case, the time you set aside to do this work will be challenged at any and all opportunities. You will fall asleep and forget. You won’t wake up in time. An emergency will crop up. You will need to reconcile your check book. Your computer will start acting up. Your car will start sputtering. Anything and everything will start happening to draw you away from your new found resolve to learn how to channel.

You will likely become discouraged and quit. Fine. You have proven to your Guide that you are not ready to talk to him or her. That’s okay too. Not everybody has what it takes to learn how to channel.

Irritated yet? I couldn’t possibly be talking about you? Good. So, we continue. What happens when all the most incredible things start happening to draw you away from this resolve you need? Get more resolve. Don’t forget. It’s like the ocean is throwing you out time, after time, after time onto the shore. Turn around and dive back in again.

What else do you figure that a person wanting to be a millionaire would need to do to actually achieve their dream? One thing would be in how they go about overcoming obstacles. As a person decides to do something that is going to take them out of their already known and comfortable life they are moving from what might be considered a safe place to a dangerous or unknown place. Scary. As an adult you figure that you can do this easily and it couldn’t possibly be such a frightening thing to do. You’re thinking of brute force here. Just keep pounding on the nail and eventually it will be driven into the piece of wood. Right? Well, sort of. You could destroy obstacle after obstacle in your way, but there would always be the next obstacle on the horizon. The more efficient way would be to address why you’ve got these obstacles in the first place. Your subconscious is throwing up these road blocks to dissuade you from moving into a dangerous and unknown territory. It is keeping you safe.

This is where you begin to make the shift from being a victim to being somebody in charge of your own life. I don’t mean to get your goat here, but many people do have that victim sort of mentality. It was luck. They were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They get all the breaks. It wasn’t my fault. Everybody hates me. Nobody loves me.

Admitting that you’ve got a problem is half the battle. So, although these obstacles aren’t exactly a huge problem, solving them or making the commitment to solve them is certainly going to make your life, spiritual or otherwise, easier. It’s all in your head. It is psychological. It is emotional growth and healing. It’s paying attention to the stuff that frightens you, to the stuff that irritates you, to the stuff that just pushes your buttons every time.

It is real and everyone has these issues. What normally happens with people is that we live quite happily with our neuroses and are able to cope and have a relatively okay life. Gradually, gradually as the years roll by we learn, we fix, we heal the stuff that hurts emotionally. By the time you are 89 you’ll be feeling better. But, from the age of 17 to 89 you weren’t able to ride in an airplane. It terrified you. No problem. Take a train. Or, go by car. But, for all those years you had a horrible fright of being in an airplane.

This ignoring things and letting them take care of themselves by themselves and in their own time isn’t going to work all that well if what you want to do is learn how to channel.

* Make a commitment to pay attention to your own emotional and psychological well being.

* Make a commitment to do something about healing.

One thing that came as a shock to me was that psychological and emotional healing doesn’t happen all at once. It is a gradual process. You heal a little bit at a time and keep doing it for the rest of your life. It’s actually not that much of a drag. What you learn is to recognize when your buttons are being pushed. And, when you see that happening you dive into a quick 15 minute quiet time meditative inner search and release of pain and you’re good to go until the next time. The next time might even be 3 years down the road. It’s not onerous work. Consider it as necessary as cutting your toe nails. You just need to do it every once in awhile. Interestingly, for me, one of the “signals” I get when it’s time for me to do inner work? Crappy drivers. They’ll be all around me. I can attract them like flies. But, that’s my own signal. You will learn to recognize your own.

So, here’s what happens:

* You have decided to learn how to channel.
* You set out on a course of instruction, mine or somebody else’s.
* You start encountering roadblocks.
* You move past them developing your resolve.
* You notice the road blocks are continuing and come to the realization that there’s something else going on here.
* You decide to be interested in your own mental health.
* You seek out a solution whether it is with a psychotherapist or via a book somebody has written on the matter. Personally, I recommend having a look at, “Be Your Own Therapist - Whoever You Hire Is Just Your Assistant” by my friend Thayer White. It is available free online at http://www.psychologyhelp.com/

One of the reasons I’ve spent so much time talking about the necessity of psychological and emotional healing is not only to be able to learn how to channel, but to ensure that the channeling you do get isn’t too warped and wrapped around your own psychological issues. Because it will be. I guarantee you that no matter how exalted your Guide is if you’ve got a weight problem and your guide wants to talk about weight issues it’s going to be really skewed information. Go ahead and do it. Just don’t publish it or tell anybody. As an example: I have had a life long weight problem. I’m chipping away at it, but it still is a large issue in my life. I once channeled that there would come a day when humans would not need to eat. Hey, I bought into it. Sounded good to me. Until my friend Thayer clued me in that it wasn’t valid information. And, all that time I thought it was truth coming out of my mouth. Hah. Anyway, my guide helps me with cooking and we steer away from talking about dieting, at least in public.

So, the more you lessen the impact of psychological issues on your own life the more enjoyable will be your overall channeling experience, both in the beginning as a raw new channel and 20 years into it as an experienced channel.

SuperMen

Where I talk to Superman.




Hi.

Hello.

I suppose I ought to preface this with something.

I'm waiting.

I thought you would say something.

I did.

Okay...okay. So, this morning I was looking at YouTube videos. You know how it is. You sort of poke around and are looking at this and at that and somehow you sort of stumble onto something. I went looking for Superman. My thought was to put the video up for Video of the Day at my friend's website Zdaily. Instead, we went here with it. While I was watching the video George Reeves, Superman in those days, in this video spoke to me. He sort of dared me to put the video up here and then do an interview with him. So, here we are.

Yes, after that rousing introduction may I say the world is a better place for men like Supermen about. You should put Christopher Reeve up next.

You guys are going to get me in trouble.

I don't see how. You seem to be able to do an adequate job of it yourself.

Well, anyway, we are here at the Learn to Channel Blog and I just wanted to demonstrate that you could talk to celebrities who have passed on in addition to talking to your guides. I think it's a more advanced sort of activity, but say, after you've been channeling only your guide for the first year or so you can branch out and talk to anybody who has passed on. It's just something channels do. I don't generally go around acting the medium because how the person is that you are channeling is usually not quite how they were in their last incarnation as folks knew them then.

For one thing you as the channel distort what is being channeled. I don't care how good you are you will distort it. It's like looking at something through a lens. You just don't get exactly what you're looking at. Things will be distorted just because you are a human being and bring to the table all the experiences, all the preconceived notions you have as a human being. When you are channeling you are somehow translating those energies from the entity or the former celebrity into your known native tongue. So, say the person was a native French speaker. What you come up with as a channel is in English because you don't know French.

Now, I used to do a better job of it when I was drinking. I don't drink anymore. Turned out to be a not very good thing for me to do. So, I quit. And, I'm not the party animal anymore. Something I'm still getting over. But, it also sort of changed the way I channel. I'm sort of more staid. I'm not as relaxed and free and easy with it the way I used to be and it's also something that I sort of miss. That said, let's get on with this.

My word. You do need help.

Oh, shit.

You do realize that people do not expect their psychic to say bad words.

Well, I wasn't sure what you were going to do.

Sort of like when you were drinking, isn't it?

Sorry. I'll relax.

Yes, so we might proceed.

You don't sound like Superman. You sound more like my guide.

Yes, and so it is all distorted, as you say. I still wear a cape occasionally.

You do not. Do you really?

Yes. Sometimes without clothes on.

Get out. Really, let's have an interview or something. I'm sure people might be interested in hearing how life has been for you since you passed on. Are you going to incarnate anytime soon?

No, I think not. I'm having too much fun here. In those days it began as a job. It was thrilling to be Superman and be the hero, but I had no idea it was going to remain such a popular thing for people, for children. And, look at the number of comic book heroes that have spun off from Superman. The first one, you know, was Flash Gordon.

Yes...I should go find a clip for him too.

I think that would be nice.



So, really what's it like where you are now?

I'm quite happy. Everybody is who is here.

Do you get to be with lots of people?

Yes. But, we aren't people anymore. We are energies. We are thought. We are dreams.

Oh. But, you said you wore a cape.

I was teasing you.

Is it hard for you to talk to me?

No. Is it hard for you to listen?

No. I have to close my eyes to get a better connection.

Then, calm yourself for a moment and see what happens.

Okay.

We realize that it is difficult for you to demonstrate, though, as a teacher you do wish to allow those who visit your pages here to see what it is like to channel a guide or celebrity. I wouldn't say any of us are celebrities anymore; for we are the same as anyone else. There are levels of course. You enter into Grand Central Station. There's a lot of commotion, especially after the grand migrations which would be your natural disasters, 911 or war events. Things get sorted out soon. Nobody is afraid. Confused maybe, but not afraid.

Then, can come the judgement. You are in charge of yourself, but there are older folks, older entities, older loving energies who guide you and help in the processes.

Then, you have a party and then you go back to school.

School in Heaven, though, is fun. We all teach each other and learn from each other. It's a very constructive place.

We also pray for you, folks back on Earth and in other places. The animals too. It's a busy life.

We are happy to be where we are. You meet folks who were important to you in your life and in other lifetimes. It's nice.

Are you aware of folks who think of you? Who are watching your old movies?

Not so much, but on another level, thought is energy and all energy has repercussions. So, on that level, yes, we are aware of everything. Whenever a person prays for a loved one who has died that prayer is heard by the person in question. Nothing is wasted.

And, our blessings.

Hey, thanks. That was fun. Can we do it again sometime?

Yes, that would be fine.

Spirit Doll

Spirit dolls. I saw one on Etsy the other day and was intrigued. I’d never seen such a thing before. It got me to thinking. Much as I was drawn to the doll displayed I wanted more to make my own. Ad as with my dream catcher earrings saying a prayer, associating good thoughts, tying what I make with cosmic forces holds an appeal for me that will not let go.

I have a friend who cannot buy clothes from Good Will or at yard sales. She is so sensitive that she feels what was going on with the former owners of those clothes. Good, bad or indifferent I can see where she would not want to have extra empathic stuff going on in her life. Regular everyday stuff is enough. I’m betting riding the bus is probably an interesting experience for her.

So, deliberately to ask that something go into my doll besides stuffing. The ones I saw for sale also had crystal chips inside of tem. That makes sense and luckily I have a boat load of crystal just waiting for me to do something with it.

I have beads. I have felt. I have buttons. I have embroidery thread. I have lots and lots of material. I have bits of lace. I have leather. I have whatever a person could possibly want to make a spirit doll.

But, what would you want with a spirit doll? Why even have one? Is it supposed to bring you good luck? Is it supposed to get you a good job? Is it supposed to make the world a safe place for you? I wonder what a person is supposed to do with a spirit doll?

Maybe you put a spirit doll on an altar. You could have things that mean something special for you on an altar. Then what? Sit there in front of it and meditate? I just got a visual of one of my guides with their finger on the side of their nose. That’s my own personal cue that I’m onto something. Santa Claus also did that when he rose up the chimney.

Okay, spirit doll. Altar. Um…I don’t really have an altar. I don’t even really have any room for one. Make room? Well, I guess I could. Am I hard to work with?

We work with what we’ve got, Dear. Don’t worry about it.

An altar is a place for you to get busy with meditating. An altar is your space where you don’t watch television, where you don’t busy yourself with chores or other duties. An altar is a place where you can contemplate your relationship with spirit. Where you can have a conversation with the big Kahuna if you want to. Kahuna? Sure. If you’re going to capitalize Kahuna you should also capitalize big. Okay, Big Kahuna. There, that’s better.

Maybe I could decorate my monitor. I spend enough time in front of it. And, what I want to do for most of what I produce is to appeal to people’s desire to get in touch with spirit. Maybe my altar should be right in front of me here.

That’s an idea.

I could hang things off the edges. There’s room at the bottom to lay things. I could have a little spirit doll there too.

So, imagine that your altar is prepared. How are you going to work any differently than you do now?

I think I might be inclined to be a little more focused on what I’m doing. I haven’t been all that focused in a long time. It’s sort of an easy come easy go thing with me. And, I haven’t been all that productive.

Does this bother you?

Well, yeah. I’ve only got so much time and I don’t think I’m spending it the best way I could. It’s not like I can retire and spend all the time in the world here helping people.

Do you think you help people?

Well, I get emails every once in awhile from people who say thank you. I think that’s helping them.

Do you really think so?

What is this? A trick question? Okay…okay. So, maybe all I did was to make them feel better. But, that’s helping people, isn’t it?

Giving heroin to an addict makes them feel better too.

Oh, you’re tough today. Why?

Not so tough, Dear. This is a teaching exercise. Put it into your Learn to Channel blog and those who are curious about what we talk about will have something to see.

Yeah, you’re right. I never did have a real clear idea of what it would be like before I started channeling. Thanks.

You are welcome.

PS - when I eventually get around to making a spirit doll I'll post a picture here.

Being Clark Kent

How do you actually hear your guide talk? Do you suddenly develop super-human hearing? Actually, I don’t really hear my guides or the Folk in Spirit that I talk to anymore. Not like I did right after I started channeling. In those days it was the same sort of hearing as if somebody standing right next to me was talking. In those days if there was noise around me I might miss some of what they were saying. But, it didn’t take but a couple of months for that “hearing” to go from normal style hearing to a telepathic communication.

When I would channel via the keyboard or with pen and paper the speed of what was said dropped to match however fast I was typing or writing. It’s still the same. What was interesting was when I started channeling verbally. That’s when (and it still happens) where what comes out of my mouth doesn’t sound like the same entity who is delivering content via keyboard channeling. (They just said to me, “We work with what we’ve got.” Ha.)

Anyway, no you don’t develop super human hearing. What will help with the process, though, is if you open yourself up to some non-verbal or non-language sort of communications. What I mean is take up a pencil and start to draw. It exercises another part of your brain and you need those muscles flexing well when you start to channel. You could also start playing a musical instrument. Or you could start singing. Something other than what you normally do.

It’s like falling into a meditation. You leave your normal, ordinary living behind just for a little while and go to a place where colors have sounds and can speak to you, where there are sounds that defy written notes. It’s like being high with no assistance from drugs or alcohol. You don’t have to accomplish anything while you are in this place. Just hang out for a little bit on a regular basis. That is if you are trying to learn to channel. The good thing is that you always come back down to earth so you can go to work the next day and nobody is the wiser. It’s sort of like being Clark Kent.

What Did You Say?

When I remember back to the days when I was learning how to channel I remember there being one rather important thing that I kept in front of my face the entire time, rather like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey to get him to move along.

That very important thing was that I didn’t know how to channel and I obviously wasn’t doing it right or I would be doing it. It was like the territory leading up to knowing how to channel was one color, the color of not knowing how to channel at all and then there would be the breakthrough and on the other side a different color being that of knowing how to channel. Essentially, I didn’t know how now, but someday I would know how to channel. Another way to look at it was: Life is the shits now, but, boy oh boy, once I learn how to channel are things ever going to be different.

Unfortunately, I realize now this is the exact same approach I’ve done to a lot of things in my life. I’m not there. I’m there. Black and white. You’re either popular or you’re unpopular. You’re either athletically inclined or you’re a couch potato. You’re either smart or you’re dumb. You’re either beautiful or you’re ugly. You’re either fat or you’re thin. Always with the extremes. What happened to in-between? What ever happened to I’m getting there? What ever happened to typical?

So, for those of you reading this blog who are interested in learning how to channel I’m asking you, if you happen to be operating along the same lines as I did, to put aside those long held beliefs for a little bit. I’m not asking you to abandon long standing operating rules for getting around in the world. I’m asking you to suspend them for a little bit. You can always take them up again later on when you’re trying to lose 10 pounds on a diet or something like that.

First of all channeling is something everybody does. I didn’t realize that until after I really started channeling the way I do now. It might not feel like it, but you can imagine for a few moments that you are channeling. How to do this? Have an imaginary conversation in your head with your guide. You didn’t know you have a guide? You do. Several in fact, but just the one will do for our purposes now. Think he or she is busy? Not. They can multi-task. Okay, in your head now.

How to begin? Well, imagine an imaginary conversation. Doesn’t matter now what anybody is saying. This is pretend. Remember back to when you were playing with trucks or with dolls; it’s that kind of pretend.

You start: “Hi.”

Your Guide: “Hi.”

You: “What?”

Your Guide: “You have a problem with hearing now?”

You: “Sorry.”

Your Guide: “No problem.”

You: “Are you really my guide?”

Your Guide: “Yes.”

You: “What is your name?”

Your Guide: “Sam”

You: “Sam?”

Your Guide: “Yes, Sam. You do seem to have a problem with hearing.”

You: “I’m just not sure this is real.”

Your Guide: “Well, this seems to be a conversation of sorts.”

You: “Really, your name is Sam?”

Your Guide: “For all intents and purposes my name can be Sam for the moment. It doesn’t really matter what my name is, but you seem to think it is important, so I can be Sam for now.”

You: “I didn’t get it right after all.”

Your Guide: “Actually, I’ve had about 2,500 different names in all the different incarnations I’ve ever had and Sam is as good as any. You can rest assured that calling me Sam will get my attention.”

You: “Oh.”

So, you suspended the rules for a moment and had a silly made up conversation with your guide. The point is that even if you were making it up Spirit will take that opportunity to move in and stand in the imaginary place holder in the conversation you just invented. Trust me on this: you were talking to Spirit. It might have been a sort of inane conversation, but you and your guide were communicating. Things will pick up for you after this.


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I move into my "space" for channeling by listening to Dr. Jeffry Thompson's Brainwave Suite. My personal favorite is the Delta wave CD.

Channeling in My Dreams

This is the dream I had this morning: The cast from the Waltons was there. John Boy, Jason, Mary Ellen and Erin. They were sitting on the other side of a long table. I walk into the room and am amazed to see them. I smile and I’m saying hello and there at the end is Larry Hagman. He reaches to grasp my hand. I’m just thrilled to see these folks, people I’ve always admired for the work they did on television. Larry Hagman still has my hand. Now, he reaches up to grasp it with his other hand and he’s got my hand enclosed in both of his. He smiles at me and says, “Tell me what is on your hand that is between both of my hands.” I told him, “It’s my palm.” He was startled that I knew the answer. Then, I felt a little bad that I’d ruined his riddle.

I move down the table greeting everybody else and come to find a place to sit.

I’m hesitant to tell them that I’m a channel but then somehow I relaxed enough and I started going into a trance.

It was a really tremendous feeling to channel that way. I just sort of lost control, didn’t mind that I was losing control and channeled. Then, while I’m channeling the guides told them that they can speak with their loved ones who’ve passed on. They told them that their loved ones are near to them. They told them that their loved ones are not way out there but that Heaven is just close to our ground.

Then, somebody at the table made a wise crack about some goof up uncle they had who had passed on and I began to come out of the trance.

It was a pretty intense dream. I love when I channel in dreams. It is just way cool.

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Ask Me No Questions

If you figure what’s channeling good for but to answer your questions then you are probably going to be disappointed. These are questions like: When am I going to be rich? Who am I going to marry and when? When am I going to die? Will I ever get a better job? Ask all you want but the answers you get to questions like these don’t really amount to squat. And, the reason why is that guides lie. Well, it’s not that they lie so much as they aren’t going to answer those types of questions for you with the truth. It’s sort of like having 3 squirmy kids in the backseat asking, “When are we going to get there?” The answer to that one is, “Soon.” And we all know exactly how quick soon is when you’re 5 years old.

The point of channeling, at least what I’ve found out, is that the guides will help you work through your own issues. Start with the when am I going to be rich question. Okay, so they tell you next month. And, next month rolls around and you are no wealthier than you were before. In fact, you’re a bit deeper in debt because you were counting on the moola rolling in and you maxed out one of your credit cards buying that new camera you’ve had your eye on for the last year. So, the first reaction is that you are hurt. You are hurt because your guide has just been exposed as a liar. He or she just lied to you. How spiritual is that? How nice is that? What did you learn from this?

After you’re done feeling sorry for yourself you might come around to the idea that those sorts of questions aren’t the ones that are appropriate to be answered. What is going on here is that the guides aren’t here to make your life easier. They are here to help you awaken spiritually however that’s going to end up being. Lots of paths. Pick one.

I’ve found they’ll help out many times with things that aren’t critical to your own life lessons. Like once my guide told me it wasn’t going to be a real good idea to unroll the passenger side window in my car while I sat in a parking lot to eat my lunch and have a smoke afterwards. I don’t smoke anymore, but the point of it is that I argued with him. I have a tendency to not just do things right off the bat. It was hot. If I didn’t unroll the window it was going to get all smoky in the car and the draft wasn’t going to be there to blow it out. Not 15 minutes later some lady asks me for directions and as I’m pointing off in the other direction she reaches in the open window and steals my purse. You think I’m not going to pay attention in the future to the stuff my guide says? You bet. Well, first of all it was my fault that I didn’t listen to my guide. But, I was hurt that he didn’t press the issue with me like he could have said, “If you persist with this plan of yours you are going to be real, real sorry.” No, he didn’t say that. He just clammed up. And waited for the fun to begin. My fault….I know….my fault…but, I was still mucho pissed. My lesson in all of that was many fold.

• Pay attention
• The worst thing that can happen does often happen and I can recover from it
• Don’t put so much crap in my wallet and purse
• Periodically go through said wallet and photocopy the stuff in it
• Get over it

I still carry my keys in my pocket. This all happened many, many years ago. Maybe I haven’t learned all the lessons about it I could.

The point of the questions you ask of Spirit is that you learn. You can learn judgment. You can learn maturity. You can learn to deal with tough issues more gracefully. You can learn to poke fun at yourself. You can learn a lot. What you’re probably not going to learn are what the winning lottery numbers are for next week.

Akiane Kramarik - Spiritual Young Artist

How's this for channeling?

An Announcement

Well, I can't say as how I've been Miss Johnny on the Spot with posting entries to this blog on a fairly regular basis, but I would like to announce that I have finally decided to write a book about learning how to channel. Interestingly, it was the guides who helped me out with the idea. And, because it is appropriate I figured I'd relay the story here.

I've been in the dumps for some time now. I know that I can likely do something constructive to get out of them, but I have this character trait that tends to like to wallow for awhile. So, this explains being in the dumps. A little anyway.

There are health concerns. Some not feeling well because of my diabetes that frightened me. Some news about early stage cataracts in both of my eyes. Some work related issues. I keep reaching down the throats of the people I work with and trying to rip out their tonsils. At least, it seems that way. I'm not having any luck at it, but I keep trying. Money concerns, but who doesn't have those? Menopause is driving me nuts. And, last but not least: I'm fat and ugly. If that's not enough to depress anybody I don't know what is. So, that was the scenario.

It was the news about the cataracts that tipped the balance of wallowing in depression and despair to actually doing something constructive and fun.

Anyway, I was driving home from work recently and Seth said, "Why don't you write a book about channeling? You can have it done by your birthday." I almost had an accident. Not that hearing from my guides while I'm driving home is anything new. It was what he said. It struck every chord in my being just right. Life was fun again. Just with those few words. So, I've been mulling it over ever since.

And, that's my announcement. By September 1, 2008 I hope to be able to offer a book for sale about Learning How To Channel.

I started writing this morning. I've got 1,300 words done and it isn't even 7:30 in the morning. I talked about the process yesterday evening over on The Spirit Moved Me and Look What Happened. I figure I could find a little gizmo widget sort of thing to track my progress. That would be fun. Sort of like weighing myself every day. I'm not a skinny person so I do that. I feel comfortable with it.

Much of what has been written in this blog will be fodder for the grist mill of writing. I tend to not reuse things, so if you've been reading the entries of this particular blog you won't be re-reading anything when you purchase the book. It will all be new material.

What About My Wife?

Here's an email I got today:

I've enjoyed reading your sites. But I am curious if your husband supports your efforts of channeling? I am interested in doing the same, but I think my wife would think I'm nuts or something. I've been reading and reading about the subject but have not really shared my interest with my wife. She is more religious than I am and I'm afraid that I would offend her all the while feeling like she would think I'm nuts or something. Just curious of your view point?

Here's my answer: By all means tell your wife what you want to do and why. Try to include her in what you are doing. And, you do want her support.

The road to channeling of reading and meditation and thoughtful introspective thinking can help everyone whether they actually channel or not. It's the idea of getting more in tune with your inner self, having more confidence in what you do and in what you think that are the benefits that come from the path to channeling. Also, there is the desire to be more on your own path of spiritual development.

And, then there are the nuts.

What also happens is that people have expectations of what channeling is and that's where the nutty ideas come in. I can certainly see how a spouse, especially one who is religious would be alarmed at what her husband was doing.

If you think that the channeling will not take away from anybody's, yours or your spouse's faith and can convince her of it too then I would think things would be okay.

It's in the early days of channeling where the odd things happen. That's when I advise people to sort of keep their mouths shut and try real hard to keep one foot on the curb of rational thought. That's when God comes to you to say there is a fantastic sale down at the local hardware store and if you jump in the car RIGHT THEN you will be able to have the buy of the century. Those are just the early warped days of channeling. It's not true. It is your guide speaking to you, but it is also you with a whole boat load of preconceived expectations and ideas of what the channeling process SHOULD be. It's once you get accustomed to the new energies, to the new talking, address your own psychological growth issues (and everybody, absolutely everybody has them) then, things begin to settle down.

But, it's not just a simple thing of, "This week I'm going to learn how to channel". It's a life changing experience. And, you could alienate your wife in the process. You do not want that to happen. Once you make contact with Spirit there is no going back and unmaking contact with your guide.

There's also a stage (and I went through this too) of where you get all sorts of helpful advice from the guides for everybody and you feel you must share. Folks tend to not like that. You'll learn caution and when to keep your mouth shut. This cautionary note would hold for anybody whether they are married or not. Can you imagine going to your boss to say, "You know, my guides said if you were to stop dragging your dog around the lake with you every time you go out to jog the dog would be a lot happier." Right. See what I mean?

I wouldn't say the various religions are so keen on having parishioners going about channeling. That's what the priests, ministers and rabbis are there for: to interpret God's laws. Not you. They just don't seem to like it. There is a place for it, but I haven't tried real hard to find it. (One of the guides just said that's when you go make your own church.) I did know a priest once who I told about my channeling experience. As he and I talked over time I remember once he said to me that I sounded like his spiritual advisor. That's as close as I've come to any sort of acceptance by a member of the clergy. It was brief and now I've lost touch with that priest. I've never sought out another one. But, that brief interchange did much to give my confidence a boost.

My husband is supportive of my efforts now. He was a little anxious in the beginning. There was a real tense moment once early on when he said I had to chose between him or my guide. I stood my ground and said I was going to have them both. Even then I realized that there was no way I could unmake the connection to Spirit and there was no way I could live the rest of my married life under a cover of silence from Spirit.

So, I learned a little discretionary caution. Everybody is going to have a different experience. It's been 15 years that I've been channeling. Even though it was strange trying to find a place for the new me in my married life I did. And, I'm glad for it. I'm more outgoing now. I'm a little bolder. I've had to do my own psychological work, which, by the way does not stop. You work on it a little...a year or so goes by and then you work on it some more. This is an absolute must for anybody doing channeling. You don't want to end up like some nut mowing down innocent civilians in a misguided effort to save the world. So, your own psychological health is an area of constant observation. My relationship with my husband is solid. It weathered my journey into channeling. It wasn't always easy, but we came out the other end of it even happier together, more accepting of each other than before.

What you could do, if after all that I've told you if you decide the upheaval in your marriage isn't worth the trouble of learning how to channel move into the introspective writing mode where you begin to meditate a bit, where you pray, where you balance your life with useful and healthy activities (jogging, gardening, exercise, yoga maybe, stuff like that), where you begin keeping a journal for writing whatever you want to write about and where you do a self evaluation to see if there is anything along the lines of psychological healthy making things you can do to help yourself, including your wife in these activities too. Check out Byron Katie. Google her and you will see her website and books, "Loving What Is". Terrific book. Absolutely terrific. It's not channeling. It's supporting spiritual and healthy life for yourself and your wife. I hope this helps.

How to Develop Your Psychic Self - Vision

Pretend. I know it doesn’t sound very grown up, but pretending is actually a good tool to use in whatever endeavor you are undertaking. You envision something enough, it gets burned into your brain cells and then the actual doing of the thing is easier the next time you do it. Works with dancing and golf swings. Why wouldn’t it work with psychic stuff?

So, what could you envision? Well, envision vision. Close your eyes and imagine that you are seeing a flower. A daisy with white petals. Don’t see it? Get a real one or a picture of a daisy and have it in front of you. Actually, anything would work. Use your coffee cup if that’s handy. Or a pen or whatever is in front of you. In the kitchen? Use the toaster. Anything. Stare at the object for a few seconds. Close your eyes and picture it in your mind’s eye.

I actually have a hard time with this exercise. When I close my eyes I just see red, the light filtering in through my closed lids. But, there’s a difference between just closing your eyes and moving into the psychic seeing part of your mind where you can picture things. For me, it’s sort of like closing my eyes and moving into a meditative sort of state. Well, semi-meditative.

This was actually one of the first exercises to do when I was learning how to channel. I sucked at it then and I suck at it now. But, doing it was important. And, even though I’ve never quite gotten the knack of it I have experienced psychic sight. For me it’s easier if my guide holds the object in question. As he moves in my mind’s eye I see him and I see the object he is holding. It’s a really quick flash of vision that doesn’t last more than a second or two. Maybe with time I’ll get better at it. But, for now that’s mostly what works for me.

Also what’s important for me to imagine seeing things psychically is that meditative state of mind. I do have to close my eyes to get there. I do need a relatively quiet area to work in. I really don’t need people talking to me. And, how I do it is that I envision the person I’m interested in doing a psychic reading for. I might not be able to see them in the flesh. I might only have had an email from them asking me some question. But, that slight contact is enough for me to reach out psychically and make a connection with that individual.

The information that comes to me about that individual comes in several different ways. I experience a knowingness about the situation. I can see spots on their body. Like I might see a dark circle on a knee or on their mid-section. Sometimes it is a word that sort of floats out of nowhere that I hear. Betrayal. Confusion. Anxiety. Stuff like that. Sometimes I am transported to some place. Like once I was focusing in on a missing girl presumed to be dead. Zam…I’m off seeing a dirt floor and a bunch of tumbleweeds. Where that was I have no idea other than I think it was where she died.

Many times the information does not make sense to me at all. I just report what I am seeing or hearing to the person. Lots of times it doesn’t make sense to them. But, later on maybe it might.

I think I do my best work, though, through my guides. I surrender to the moment and allow what they have to say to come through me. Seeing as how I’m a channel that’s the best way I work. Anyway, I’m sort of sucky lately at verbal channeling, but I’m better at the typewritten channeling. I just let it flow and they talk.

If I’m not too anxious or worried about stuff their information comes through in a clearer manner. If I’m off balance about something some times they come up with some really off the wall stuff. Like if suddenly in the middle of a channeling session somebody starts talking about the Marx brothers or Tarzan or something that has absolutely nothing to do with the point of whatever we were talking about then I know I need to settle down and do a little bit of psychological work to center myself again.

And how do I re-tune myself psychologically you might ask? Well, I close my eyes, go into that semi-meditative state of mind and ask myself the question, “What’s bothering me right now?” I allow whatever is foremost on my mind to float up and be there. I’ll sort of zero in on the idea of whatever it is and make a connection with whatever it is and my inner child. Something somewhere back when I was a little girl didn’t get done right and now it’s risen its ugly head to bother me as a 52 year old woman. So, I deal with it. Takes 10 minutes and I’m good to go until the next weird thing happens.

Like if I close my eyes now and do the same thing it has to do with me as a little girl not expressing myself as much as I’d like to have done. Quiet little girl. Invisible little girl. Needs to shout and run and play and have fun. So, in my mind’s eye I encourage that little girl to do all of those things. For a few seconds I see her skipping and running. Hell, I see her do cart wheels. I never, ever did things like that when I was a girl. Ah, she’s caught a ball. I couldn’t do that either. Just a really active little girl. Moving. Running. Skipping. Fast. And happy. Very, very happy to be doing all of those things. I think I’m done.

And, somehow doing this started with closing my eyes and trying to see a flower.

Hair Cut

As a note before you begin reading this post, it is a very mundane example of a conversation the guides and I had. It's not earth shaking revelations. It's just me and the guides. This one about hair cuts. I've put their parts in italics.

I just love Saturday mornings. One thing about the guides is they are always there with handy suggestions and this morning is no exception. I’ve been dithering around about getting my hair cut for some time. I have yet to find somebody who I really, really want to return to for a second cut. I’ve been to Nancy where I work several times and haven’t ever been all that happy with the cuts I get there. She’s nice and asks about DeeDude who does get his hair cut with her, but if her assistant is the one to do the cutting she tends to do what she wants and not what I talked to her about. The last time I was there I was absolutely shocked at how short my hair got. Nancy even said examining the cut with a critical eye, “I think it is a bit too short”. Whether her assistant is there any longer is up for grabs, but I think I’ll steer clear of her place.

The next place is a chain operation down at South Shore Plaza in Alameda. I’ve gotten cuts there twice and they were both okay. Not fabulous, but I suppose what you’re working with has to be pretty good too. My orange hennaed hair has mostly grown out. I’m no longer brown, but a mix of black and white. DeeDude said to me, “It’s gray”. So, that place is a possibility. It’s just that I’d like to combine it with another errand because it is a bit of a jog down there. Not far, but I am using gas and gas hereabouts is going for $3.55 a gallon.

The third place is across the street. Somewhere I have the lady’s card. And, I suppose the telling point in all of this is that the last time I got my hair cut I did like what she’d done. However, after a bit it tended to stick out all over the place. I’m not accustomed to getting a cut every month, so I want something that is going to last.

Dear, if we might interject here?

Sure.

When you opt for a shorter hair style the very idea of having it be short and styled is that you maintain it. And, you have to do that every month or 6 weeks. It just grows out and that was the every which way you spoke of.

Oh.

Well, it does appear to be one of those “no-brainer” sorts of situations as you refer to them, but you are unaccustomed, as you said, to shorter styles. Longer hair does not require as much maintenance as a shorter style.

The question is do you wish to maintain a shorter style for awhile? If you do just settle on getting it cut more often. The woman across the street is convenient. You do not need to spend money on gasoline and she could use the business. And, by your own admission you cannot do as good a job cutting your own hair when it is short.

The idea is to take care of yourself. Having a fabulous hair cut is not going to change the fact that you have health issues and that your back hurts. What it will do is to boost your spirits somewhat and that in combination with the other things you do to ensure better all around health will only serve to create a rosier picture of your own creation.

PS---I ended up getting a nice haircut from a place I hadn't been to before just a few doors away from where I go to Curves. I'll probably go back there for my next one. And, that's a load off of my mind.

Be Persistent

Part of learning how to channel involves both faith and that motivational technique of imagining yourself already doing something. Because, otherwise, it just doesn’t seem like much can possibly be happening a lot of the time.

One thing about the guides is if it is not appropriate they don’t say much. They can be there. In fact, everybody has a guide. And that guide is in very close contact with you. So, if you were to direct your thoughts toward that guide that’s a good thing. It’s like praying though. God doesn’t always answer out loud. So, don’t expect your guide to either. Just know that your guide is there and you can talk to him or her. In your head and heart is sufficient. It doesn’t have to be out loud.

The other thing that is helpful is when you have been doing this for 3 years and nothing has happened as far as concrete communications from your guide is that you don’t give up.

Figure, too, that the vessel might not be ready and there are other things you need to do. That’s why I think middle aged adults are able to do this more easily than younger folk. They’ve been around a while longer and have just flat out done more things.

Do what amuses you. Want to learn Italian? Don’t think it has anything to do with talking to your guide? Think again. Learn Italian.

Somehow when you take the focus of your attentions away from the contact guide quest for a brief period it actually begins happening. It’s sort of the same technique for manifestation. You want and want and want something to be so badly. Then, you release the want to the universe and it happens.

In the Wee Hours of Night

So, it’s the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep. Or, rather, I awakened and then, it wasn’t easy to get back to sleep. I decided to pray for “my” folks. These are people I know who aren’t doing so well. These are folks who’ve visited my sites. Anybody who needs it, I guess.

I’ve come to think of the folks I say prayers for as a group. I might not think of them individually, but sometimes images of them cross my mind. Sometimes these aren’t always folks who are still in body, but have already passed on. In the old days I wouldn’t really have thought to pray for somebody who’d passed on. I guess I figured they were done with the race and didn’t need a rooting section any longer. But, now-a-days that doesn’t really seem to apply anymore.

I don’t know why I pray other than I feel I should. I’m drawn to it. And, the praying for me isn’t like it was when I was growing up. It isn’t a pleading, whining sort of prayer. Please, please, please. And, if you do I promise. That sort of praying. At least, not tonight it wasn’t.

This night’s prayer was more a wanting to send healing towards those who could use it. I am in need of it too, so I figured I’d pray for all of us. And, so, as I flailed around wanting to do that I got some advice from the guides.

I’m a second level Reiki practitioner, except, I haven’t really done it in awhile. I had a sort of a basic disagreement (although it works on me well enough) with the whole idea of secret, secret, secret as it was presented to me when I learned how. Maybe that has changed since then. I don’t know. I’ve always been more attracted to the idea of healing energies present everywhere and that pretty much anybody can open to them. That just feels more right to me than any other sort of view. What I couldn’t seem to reconcile was how it sometimes worked for me and other times it was like I was kicking a closed door.

So, as we talked tonight I wasn’t all that sure if what I was doing for myself and for anybody else was working or a mostly wasted effort. And, that’s when the guides talked:

In this, we are happy to be here tonight. Now, not as it was with you in your dreamy semi-meditative state of half an hour ago. Our blessings to you and to all who happen upon this entry. The “rule” as it were is that to successfully utilize healing energies one might be sensitive enough and open enough to accept them. Compare a similar situation where a person is standing out in the rain. If they are wearing their rain gear and carrying an umbrella the likelihood of them getting wet is less than were they to be walking around in the all together. Think of the rain as if it were healing energies and think of the rain gear you wear as all your defenses.

Defenses are there to protect you. Logically created in a moment of need you decide the best way to handle a particular situation is to always respond by doing “X”. “X” might happen to be eating. “X” would be, then, what you do to protect yourself from your fears. Think about them. Get to the root of them and you can begin to strip away the onion skin that covers you. It is many layered.

It is the same with love. Open more fully to yourself, to who you are, to the love inside of you and you can open more fully to other people.

In fact, think of healing energy as if it were air. It is always there. You are not always aware of air, but you breathe all the time. When the wind blows your conscious awareness is drawn to it. But, normally most do not notice.

Think of healing energy as all around you. All the time. What does it look like? Sort of pink at times. Depends on what you are most in need of. This is why colored stones are sometimes effective. The energy and vibrations given off by the stones, the heart of the earth and made of the same stuff you are made of begin to resonate together.

But, for now we speak of general healing energy. Say a short prayer, a declarative statement to yourself. This is for you, for your higher self, for the angels who are watching, for your guides, for your mother who roots for you even to this day as she lives in Heaven, all of these entities, all the same. All rolled into one. This, your declarative statement:

I say I am ready to heal. I would be open to healing in whatever way will best support my lessons on earth. I ask that you help me in whatever way is appropriate to move closer to a place where I am able to see more clearly, to understand and to open easily to the love and healing energies all around me.

Love never went away. Healing never went away. It is one. Our blessings.