With practice, learning to channel information transmitted from the invisible world of the subconscious can become an exciting and powerful experience. You will be able to deepen the knowledge of your innermost nature, reach other dimensions to communicate with the occult, learn to direct your research towards specific purposes, reach a state of quasi-trance and identify a guide for your journey, which will help you. to undertake it in a safe and productive way. Read the article to find out more.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Begin Your Search
Step 1. Choose whether to explore your consciousness first or to commune with the spirit world
Various cultural traditions use the term "channeling" in different ways. Some practitioners turn outward in an attempt to communicate with the occult, others turn inward to learn more about themselves. Depending on your interests and your goals, this choice will lead you to very different traditions, practices and rituals, even if all traditions initially involve a similar process, which starts from the induction of a state of trance to then arrive at communicating with some form of "otherness".
- In supernatural or spiritual channeling, the goal is to get in touch with the spirit world to communicate with them. Practitioners often wish to connect with deceased relatives, with some historical figure, or with the afterlife in general. Communication with spirits as we imagine it today, with crystal balls and Ouija tablets, was very popular among the intellectuals of the occult circles of the mid- and late nineteenth century. Although today this type of mediumistic occult practice is considered by skeptical scientists to be merely a for-profit scam, well-engineered against wealthy adepts, communication with spirits has ancient roots that go far beyond Victorian stereotypes.
- Introspective channeling it is a new phenomenon. In some New Age philosophies, practitioners, through meditation, try to visualize archetypal figures that are the manifestation of their subconscious, "figures" from a past life or metaphorical representations of some psychological trauma. These entities will often communicate and interact with the participants in order to heal their spirit and guide them to the knowledge of their self.
Step 2. Prepare to face strange phenomena
Whether you want to find comfort and understanding by consulting an oracle, or if you want to understand life and death more deeply, when you practice channeling you must learn to plan your goals and you must be realistic about the possibility of achieving them. If you embark on this journey, you must be prepared to interpret the messages you receive, which are often mysterious and curious. The better you can interpret them, the more you will be able to treasure this experience.
- Welcome the mysterious side of channeling. Those who have experience with iChing and tarot cards and can interpret them often find channeling a frustrating and complicated experience. It doesn't always work like in a movie, where the voice of the dear departed who had been summoned is heard at the flickering of a candle. You have to have a specific request in mind - something you want to know - but you also have to accept the fact that you won't always get the answer you are looking for.
- Take it seriously. If your purpose is to grab a Ouija board to ask a spirit what farting in the afterlife smells like, it's best if you dedicate yourself to something more constructive. Channeling only works if the participants are seriously interested and open to the possibility of learning something about themselves and their conscience that would be difficult to accept or understand.
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Learn about the symbology and symbols of occultism.
Since this practice often involves the ability to interpret symbols, it is important that you do a little research before you go head first, so that your channeling experience will be more profitable. "The Hero of a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell and The Occult by Colin Wilson are the fundamental texts to have a first approach with the images and ideas that will become familiar to you. James Merrill's modern epic The Changing Light at Sandover recounts his contacts with a spirit named Ephraim.
Step 3. Make a very specific request
All methods of channeling require you to have a very specific question in mind to ask your guiding spirit or your subconscious. A guiding spirit - internal or external - will probably not show up if they have to answer a question that is not serious, dishonest, or trivial, so think of an appropriate question that deserves a detailed answer.
- The question must be specific, but not too specific. A question like "What does Mario think of me when I arrive late for work?" it is best done by playing "Magic 8 ball". Your request must be wide-ranging, personal but complex, to deserve an answer. "How can I be a better person at work?" is a fitting example.
- Let one question come up with more. If you are worried about how you behave at work, make sure that the first question comes up with others, to receive a more complete answer to your request. Who am I when I work? What does work mean for me? How should I approach work? Who is a worker? These are all examples of questions that can arise from the initial one. Also try to get answers to questions you didn't ask.
Step 4. Start keeping a dream journal
As you embark on a journey into your mind, it may be increasingly difficult to distinguish between dream and reality. Symbols will surround you and appear at the most unexpected moments. This is a good thing! You just have to capture them in the moment to then analyze them calmly, and to do this it can be useful to keep a diary of your dreams or of your channeling activity.
Keep a small notebook next to the bed. Whenever you wake up after having a dream, even if it is boring or monotonous, immediately write down everything you remember. What did you see? What have you tried? Who was there? This exercise in interpretation and attention to detail will help you when doing your channeling experiments
Part 2 of 5: Enter a Trance State
Step 1. Meditate deeply, focusing on your breathing
Look for a quiet, meditative place where you feel calm and comfortable. Sit in a comfortable position, on the floor or in a straight-backed chair, with your torso upright and your back straight. Turn on soft and natural lights, make sure that there is absolute silence. Close your eyes and focus on something at a medium distance - such as the white wall or another restful spot for sight.
- Articulate your intentions for this meditation by concentrating and repeating in your mind, like a mantra, phrases such as: "I will reach the trance and return to the state of consciousness perfectly remembering the experiences I have lived", "With practice I will reach a state of trance deeper and deeper".
- To practice channeling, you don't need to sit in the lotus position in the middle of a crossroads at midnight or kneel in front of a goat skull surrounded by candles. Settle in an environment that is comfortable for you and focus on achieving the trance state - forget about the curious movie details.
Step 2. Focus on your breathing
Sit quietly and breathe deeply. Feel your breath moving in and out of your body. Feel the air as it passes through your lungs, filling you with restorative oxygen, and then comes out of you. Inhale and exhale. For a few minutes, just focus on your breathing. Let the thoughts flow naturally, without thinking about anything in particular. Your attention should be reserved for breathing only.
Step 3. Use the power of suggestion to slow down your body's rhythms
To enter a deeper trance state, start with a specific part of the body, such as the left hand. As you breathe, feel the air passing through your body and reaching your left hand. Direct your consciousness and your energy towards it, so that it relaxes. Repeat: "My left hand is relaxing, my left hand is relaxed.".
- Relax your left hand, then direct the relaxation towards your right hand, right arm and your legs following the same procedure. Dwell for 30-60 seconds on each part of the body, focusing your consciousness and attention on relaxation. Wait until one part of your body is completely relaxed before moving on to another one.
- After relaxing your body, you will need to feel heavy. After relaxing your body, you will want to give it a feeling of heaviness, as if it were wrapped in many blankets or buried in the sand. Similarly, make contact between your consciousness and your left hand, fully focusing your attention on it. He should still be in a relaxed state. Repeat: "my left hand is heavy". Dwell for 30-60 seconds on each part of the body doing the same thing.
- After putting weight on your body, give it heat. Similarly, move all over your body by giving it warmth and saying "my left hand is warm". Direct all your energies towards reaching a state of warmth, as if you were taking a hot bath or if you had placed a thermal pillow on every part of your body. At this point, you should feel a feeling of absolute comfort, but you don't have to fall asleep.
Step 4. Slowly finish each meditation session
When you decide to return to your normal state of consciousness, focus on your fingers and toes, touch them to return them to a normal state. Feel your body gradually cool down and look around the room to find your ordinary thoughts. After you've stretched a little, get up and take a short walk.
Don't move abruptly and don't start walking right away. If you have been sitting for a long time, your limbs may be asleep and you may sprain an ankle - bad sign for successful meditation
Step 5. Gradually achieve a deeper trance state through exercise
The purpose of the trance is to blur the lines that separate your body, your consciousness and the world around you. Follow the steps mentioned above, slowly reaching trance and a state of stillness for the body. Practice extensively to get your body into a trance-like state before attempting actual channeling. You have to work hard if you want to achieve results.
- It may seem like a slow and cumbersome process at first, but over time you will notice that certain steps will become easier and more natural for you. For example, if you are focused on your left hand and want to give it a feeling of warmth, you will notice that your left hand warms up instantly or even both hands warm up at the same time. This means that you have become able to train your body and mind to reach a trance state faster.
- When you feel you are ready to reach a deeper state of consciousness, move to a higher trance level. You feel a cold sensation on your forehead. In many traditions, the "third eye", placed on the forehead, symbolizes the connection with the subconscious or with the world of the occult. Focus on this part of the body by saying "my forehead is cold".
Step 6. Test the strength of your conscience
If you want to start seeing results and understand how strong your contact with the occult has become, do an experiment: choose a specific time at which you would like to wake up and imprint it in your mind at the end of your meditation. After your third eye has cooled down, focus on your chosen time by repeating "I will wake up tomorrow at 6:00". Do not set the alarm and try to sleep normally.
Step 7. Practice visualization
After training a lot in reaching the trance state, it should feel more natural for you to get out and in from this state. If you have become good enough, it is time to explore this condition of consciousness more deeply. This is the beginning of actual channeling. Before finding a guide or source to connect with, however, practice visualization and seeking a deeper level of consciousness.
- View objects and colors. After your third eye has cooled down, have your subconscious suggest a color. Repeat "I see blue" many times, until the color settles in your mind and you really see it. At first, you may see a jumble of colors, but repeat the exercise until you are able to stare and see what your mind suggests.
- It can be helpful to associate color with an object, such as a pen or a car. You see a blue pen. Look at it. Feel its weight in your hand and try to "use" it. Spend some time visualizing colors and objects before moving on.
Step 8. Visualize yourself reaching a deep state of consciousness
Various mediums and channeling practitioners use different exercises to reach this deep state where the subconscious takes over. It is important to come to this stage to get in touch with the occult, and when you emerge from the trance state, you will feel satisfied.
- You fall from a ladder into the void. Visualize yourself climbing a ladder in the dark. Your body is warm and comfortable. Climb a few steps and then let go of the ladder. Feel that you are falling. If you feel confused and dizzy, focus on your body awareness to return to a state of warmth and comfort.
- Take an elevator and go down. Some practitioners find it helpful to visualize an elevator traveling down a rock. Imagine an elevator with a glass door, which allows you to look out: on three sides there is darkness, but on one side you see an overhanging rock full of cracks and crevices. Imagine it is very close to you as you continue to descend.
- Personalize your fall. There is no better view than the others. Some practitioners imagine they are a falling feather, others a smoke ring, still others imagine they are lowering themselves off the cliff with a rope.
Part 3 of 5: Find a Guide or Source of Inspiration Using Visualization
Step 1. Don't check your views anymore
As you proceed in the meditation, you will realize that you are no longer able to "control" your visualizations and that they happen without being able to stop them. Let them go freely. It means that you have reached such a deep level that you can meet the guide who will accompany you on your journey. Channeling is just that.
Different cultural traditions imagine this existential state in various ways: you can call it "Christ awareness", "enlightened mind" or "spirit world". You don't have to name this state, and you can still call it whatever you want
Step 2. View a place
After falling off the ladder of your ego and reaching a deep state of consciousness through trance, settle down in a comfortable place. Spend time exploring it. Notice as many tactile details as possible in this daydream. Focus your energy on taking that space and actually "being" there.
In some New Age traditions, it is recommended to fill the room with gold pillows and esoteric crystals, while other traditions suggest imagining a misty wood similar to those described by Tolkien. You choose. There is no place more plausible than others
Step 3. Virtually have other people enter the room
Visualize a person you know and observe their behavior as they enter the room. Let her move freely and watch what she does. If your subconscious suggests people you don't know or don't recognize, imprint them in your mind, memorizing their movements and faces. When you start interacting with people you don't know, you are truly knocking on the front door of channeling.
- Pay particular attention to the movements these people make, the things they say and other images. When you come back to yourself after the trance, write immediately everything you saw, in every detail. Details that make no sense to you at the moment will often deserve consideration and analysis later. This is channeling.
- Again, you can think of these figures as "dimensional archetypes", "angels" or "the voice of your DNA" - any definition is fine. Choose the symbolic representation that makes the most sense for you and listen to what these figures communicate to you. When dealing with the unconscious and the occult, talking about right or wrong makes no sense.
Step 4. Look for a figure willing to communicate with you
By practicing channeling, you will notice that the figures displayed will try to communicate with you more and more. This can happen immediately or after a long time. Let them approach you and interact with them. Talk to them.
- Be clear in your intentions. Tell the figure why you are there and what you are looking for. Ask her if she cares about your well-being and if she would like to guide you in your search. If she says she can't, ask her to leave and continue your search.
- Establish a mutual agreement. Ask your guide the basic questions you have pondered, or let them show you what they want to teach you. Decide together how to communicate. Let her do her job: guide you. Do not do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but make the guide commit to explaining what you want to learn.
Step 5. Look for symbols and archetypes to interpret
It may be that your questions have already been answered, so it is up to you to pay attention to everything that is shown to you. The more time you spend studying the symbols of occultism and the interpretation of archetypes, the more meaningful the information and observations that the subconscious sends you will be. It will mostly be visual information.
If the room suddenly fills with slipping lobsters and lions with their heads back, you might come out of your trance and exclaim "Uau, psychedelic!", But don't stop at this superficial consideration. Lobsters appear in Tarot cards with the image of the moon to signify lunar energy and the subconscious, while lions represent strength. Significant? You decide
Part 4 of 5: Choose a Medium to Communicate
Step 1. Use the Ouija board
Having found the guide that accompanies you in the world of spirits or the center of your consciousness, after a deep meditation and a long practice, you will certainly want a simpler and more direct means of communicating with that world, without spending hours meditating and search for a contact. Ouija tablets allow for immediate communication and transmission. They also allow you to introduce other people to your research, allowing them to interact with your guide and with you.
Meditate on your request or specific question, expressing your intentions aloud to get in touch with the guide. Everyone present must put their hands on the dashboard in the center of the tablet, then wait for it to move by itself and give the answers to the various requests
Step 2. Try divination, sciomancy, and other methods
Over the centuries, experienced mediums have experimented with various methods of communicating with their spirit guides by manipulating objects, including crystals, stones, smoke, and even bones. There are hundreds of different methods to choose from, and your guiding spirit can suggest the most appropriate method for communicating.
- The capnomancy it is the art of interpreting the movements of smoke to communicate with the spirit world. Burn sage, jasmine, bay leaves or sacred incense, depending on cultural tradition and your preferences. Observe the swirls of smoke as part of your meditation and let the symbols reveal themselves.
- Sciomancy it is the study of shadows and shades to identify their hidden symbols. Headless shadows are generally interpreted as creepy, but if you are afraid of ghosts you should stay away from this method of communication. Use a candle as an instrument of your meditation and observe the shadows cast on the walls of the room, to derive symbols and messages to interpret.
- Crystallomancy is the technical term used to indicate the art of consulting a crystal ball in search of prophecies or symbols. It is not necessary to have an expensive crystal ball to practice divination; it is also possible to use cups filled with water, mirrors or other transparent reflective surfaces.
Step 3. Try EVP, trumpet-channeling, or other sound methods
If you are more interested in hearing the sounds produced by the spirit world, the communication methods that pick up sounds are more suitable for your research.
- In trumpet channeling, the result of the consultation is the so-called "direct voice phenomenon". The trumpet is basically an aluminum cone, several centimeters long, used to transmit the ectoplasmic vibrations of the guiding spirit.
- The phenomenon of the electronic voice (EVP, from the English Electronic Voice Phenomena) allows you to record the background noise of the room on a digital or analog support, while you are asking your spirit guide the questions you want to know. Wait quietly and listen carefully to the recordings to find out if they have captured voices that your hearing was unable to hear.
Step 4. Try Auto Write
For some practitioners, especially those interested in delving into their own consciousness, the use of automatic writing is a very effective method of communicating with the unknown. Start your meditation and start writing to get your questions answered. All you have to do is get yourself a pen and a sheet of paper, and then start writing automatically and unconsciously, without stopping and without paying attention to what you are writing.
- This is an excellent way to get in touch with the messages of your self, to strengthen your divinity and the work of your conscience. You are the one who gives yourself the answers through automatic writing.
- It is also very useful to write down all the communications exchanged with your spirit guide, after coming out of the trance. It is important to keep a trace of these communications, in order to be able to analyze them, later, in search of symbols and analogies to interpret.
Step 5. Consider introducing the case into your research
Tarot and iChing are formalized divination methods, based on the question-answer combination, which leave a lot of room for chance. This method can work together with or as an alternative to the more complex channeling of consciousness.
- To start using the Tarot you don't need a complicated instruction manual. Grab a deck of cards and take the time to analyze and weigh the meaning of each card. Draw the cards and let your initial instinctive reaction guide you in the interpretation of the underlying symbols. It can be a very effective way to answer your questions.
- Check out iChing for anecdotal answers. Using three coins, it is possible to create a hexagram (six broken and solid lines), which corresponds to a particular symbol or entry in the iChing, called the "Book of Changes". Next to each hexagram is a short symbolic anecdote, which can be read as a metaphorical answer to the question you are meditating on.
Part 5 of 5: Communicate Safely
Step 1. Before you start channeling, purify yourself
Depending on your interests and your reference tradition, you may find it useful to thoroughly purify yourself through the chakras before starting the meditation, in order to balance and cleanse your energy pathways. On the other hand, you may find it more effective to pray, recite a mantra, or otherwise focus physically and emotionally.
Whichever way you choose to purify yourself before starting the quest, be sure to establish a bond of mutual understanding and respect with your guiding spirit. It is extremely important to set boundaries and articulate your desires well
Step 2. Develop an intense personal relationship with your guide
You spend a significant amount of time meditating, developing your relationship with your guide before you start asking her for answers to life's mysteries. You can also imagine your source of inspiration as being a person or presence with a name, figure and voice, if it hasn't already appeared to you as such. If you feel that the source is within you, this means that you can become more aware of yourself and your thoughts, feelings and habits.
End each session on a positive note. Thank your guide for leading and assisting you, showing respect and appreciation. Try not to end your meditation in a state of frustration or anger
Step 3. Record everything
Make broadcasts public by writing or otherwise recording sessions with your guide. This serves both to remove the transmission from your psyche and to prepare you to receive the next message. Let the communication flow through your whole being, don't leave it relegated to your subconscious.
Advice
- Don't try to force your guide to convey information. Prepare and wait until the time is right.
- Negotiate the right to terminate contact, when you deem it necessary. In other words, always stay in control of yourself.
- Be aware of the most favorable times for channeling, such as what times of day or what moods you were in when it started. Those moments will become your "gateway", the moments in which practicing channeling is easier and more natural.
- Don't try to write or interpret the messages during meditation. Wait for the session to finish before doing so.
