Random notes to edit
One of the problems people face in Spirit Communication is that they project a thought through their third eye or crown chakra. While doing this they physically associate the thought as coming from those physical spots in their head. But as soon as the thought leaves, they switch focus from this physical locale to pause at their ears or the side of their head and are met with silence.
Reply thoughts are usually received from the same mental local as from where they were sent. Sometimes it is helpful not to pause in waiting fo a reply, but rather to "prime the mental pump" with the first word you "feel' would be a reply. You see all the senses are connected, they are never singularly separated as one typically thinks of a physical organ. For example. say,.... "Erik are you there?".....follow it with "yes.......------ (insert the thoughts that follow)... Let the thoughts flow without judgement of orgion, interpretation, doubt, evaluation, or validity.
This is where people think they can not distinguish their thoughts from others thoughts, from Erik. They can not percieve a "disassociation between thoughts and their own thoughts, when actually it can all be compartmentalized through intent, acceptance, and belief.
For example, If I visualize Erik and ask, "Hey dude, how's it going?" I may "think a reply of "hell yea, awesome dude"..... If it comes immediately without effort, I just accept it's from him and go with the flow. If there is worry, doubt, fear, or anxiety, I discount the communication.....When I know it's him, I KNOW. I can feel it at the same time I get the thoughts in return. I also often have visuals, pictures appear in my head, as well as exterior skin sensations all at the same time.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most people have a hard time accepting that information passes both ways at the same time, and is rarely limited to "thought-words". I liken it to "whole body symbolism".
Further thoughts on Spirit communication:
I often hear people say, "gee, I wish I could meditate more, maybe I'd be in better contact with so and so, or it would raise my vibrations"....
I got to tell you, I really don't feel meditations do anything other than provide you an opportunity for self examination, detachment or stress relief. If you chase change, especially with worry, you will always be running around. If you actively practice visualizing mindful intention, change will find you. It's going to be really hard if you wish to contact Aunt Suzie, but all you can think about is how you need to release all thought, feelings, and look at an empty room. What I do, is fill that empty room. I visualize, imagine, and picture Aunt Suzie in the room, with all of life's clutter and chaos. I simply say, I remember Suzie, She is still here, with me, She is out there, still Aunt Suzie. Instead of letting go, I tighten my focus on Aunt Suzie, and I hold that image to my mind and I "think-at" the image as if it were her. I think of it as a video phone to other side. Now if you find the mental work of focus, refocus and effort in visualizing all that as meditation, then I guess you are.....
But when I meditate, I do so only for stress relief, for letting myself closely feel my emotions and visualizing them wash away, and closely examining the how's and why's of who I am. In that quiet light I can then decide what is and isn't me.... And I have to tell you, I am never an empty room, a flame in the dark, or a quiet wind.... I am eternal thought seeking love of those I share life with. If I closely examine it, I will see all of our connections.
Spiritual communication is like anything worth working at. It's a skill, it's a muscle, it's a knowledge. You have to approach it with proper intent, hard work, dedication, understanding, openness, preserverence and patience. Just like exercise, sports, art, any job really. For some, there is an element of genetics, for others prior experience. Looking at my website and posts I know it sounds like I have all this down pat. That's not the case. Quite frankly I am just an average joe. I have my own perceived and experienced failings. I often don't practice what I talk about. But I do know what I am talking about. I know that Spiritual communication is a two way team effort. And that if I want to increase my own experiences, skill, and participation I have to step up to the plate in spite of my fears, and emotional drama. It's very hard work, or at least in relation to the resistance I create to my experience. We all are a work in progress. We will all get to where we want to be. And where we are now, where I am now is exactly where I need to be to take the next step. Never give up. Never take your eye off the target.
January 04, 2012
Problems with Spiritual Communication:
I run across folks who say, "I am just not good at...[ ]..."I don't believe I can....[ ]...", "I've tried and I cant make it work. I don't understand"
I think they are closer to being in touch with consciously creating their reality than they realize. To say these phrases implies a certain amount of inherent Faith on their part that what they desire is possible but that due to their beliefs that it's unlikely to happen. Faith will only carry you as far as belief can manifest. Faith is a form of visualization. It follows belief. You can not manifest your reality unless you can see yourself in it. It is a conscious acknowledgement of belief. It is the feeling visualized. Although, how in depth this is expressed can vary greatly and is always expressed in degree that one's belief is understood. The degree one identifies with this belief will sustain or dissolve how much feeling one associates with any manifested reality.
All this is to simply say that Spiritual communication entails a great deal of visualization based on beliefs. To have faith that Spiritual communication is possible is not enough to make it likely to happen. When what you believe is understood you can re-examine yourself to see if it is an accurate representation of your reality. If your reality includes Spiritual communication then the faith in your ability to visualize and communicate will never be in question. It will just be a matter of fact. What remains then will be a matter of learning to understand and master the experience as opposed to reconnecting with something you lack.
Visualization is akin to imagination only in degree that that you associate it with your personal reality. Just because what you imagine is something you desire or not, does not mean that it lacks validity or realness. The associations made in cooperation with your mind are not limited to a series of bio-electrical signals in a physical dimension. All thought comes from Spiritual dimensions and so it's context is valid regardless of what belief you assign it. Where people get hung up is in their desire to manifest. Just because you desire something doesn't mean it will manifest. What manifests will be dependent on how you visualize your beliefs. Don't like it? Then examine your beliefs and put the time and energy into visualizing new ones.
That said, I'd like to share a visualization technique I've found useful and enjoyable. I am not sure what to call it.
At various points in my life I've felt the fear that I was loosing the ability to remember my departed loved one's or places from childhood I treasured. This was especially true at my grandparents funeral when I knew their house had been sold off. I lamented that I would never see them or it again. I worried that I would not be able to hold the events, experiences and settings in my mind.
So what I did was to picture myself standing in my grandparents house. No one expect myself was there. It was in the middle of the day. I imagined myself to be from a time where I had felt fond memories of them and my time there. I then closed my eyes and sat somewhere quiet, where I wouldn't be distracted or disturbed. Somewhere where I had a good half hour to be undisturbed. In my mind, I pictured myself slowly walking from room to room. I walked around each room and looked as close as I could to each and every part of it. I looked at the carpet, I studied how it felt, looked. I gazed at the color, texture of the furniture. I looked at the dust on the shelves, at the way the light hit the walls. I studied all the decor and then thought about how I was feeling as I was doing this. As I worked at this I found I could get better at it and recall more and more. I also found that I could do this with other rooms from my childhood. Rooms in my own home, rooms in my church, school and outdoors. Then I tried it with people. I also used photos to help me get started. I'd start with their hair, move down their skin and study all the parts of their skin. I visualized how they smelt, and that lead me to recalling how they sounded. Over time as I practiced I found that what I looked at took on a life of it's own. Especially when examining those who had passed on. Remember this. Everything held in love can be revisited and examined. Nothing held in love is ever lost.
I guess I'd call this technique, "The slow imaginative lingering gaze". I've even used this in clairvoyant experiences. Where I cease all desire for communication in lieu of slowly gazing at what I could see. Lingering on detail. Letting go of any desire to understand the realness of the experience and simply surrendering to looking. Not worrying about truth and simply letting myself give into the feel of quietly looking.
When you can allow yourself to quietly look, you will be able to feel what you visualize. What you experience is only limited by faith in your imagination. What you can imagine will always be ruled by what you believe about yourself in any experienced reality. Examine what you believe and you can understand what you Spiritually communicate.
Much of the time I never know what to tell people when it comes to clairvoyance clairaudience or similar experiences. I think a lot of the time it must just be my mojo or brain or something. Even though I am well read in things like traditional spiritualism, theosophy, esoteric and what not, I really only know what to tell people works for me, what was shown or told to me by my guides. Maybe stuff only happens when with intensive practice or when we are ready or born that way. I don't know. Maybe it's like art or sports. All of the above.
The most important thing is to get interested in the technique and play with it. Play is characterized by relaxed concentration. Generally, the thing to avoid is tension and struggle since this usually rivets the focus to the body. Dissociate the notion that all thoughts come from the ego. Feel the flavor of thoughts and see if the seem to come from different physical body, brain locations. Slow down life, be alone. Get rid of distraction, hesitation has no place. The first thought in reply without doubt is the answer. There are literally a hundred books out there, in print and online on these topics. From many points of view. Many free from the decades and centuries past.
Sometimes, I feel like I am trying to reinvent the wheel when I talk about this sort of thing. Then other times I wonder if people just don't know about all the resources out there. Other times I wonder if it's just a matter of practice vs birth. The differences of opinion in technique, modality, and function are staggering. Everything from Abrihamic religious mysticism's to esoteric science to shamanism and so much more.
I've tried to teach or tutor a handful or so, a group of people off an on over the past year or so. Working with them, and others I've come to the conclusion that most people are not willing to put the time, effort and work into developing two way conscious communication, 'in a way that satisfies them'. I've really struggled to try to understand this from an academic perspective. I know for a fact they do try hard. They try all sort of different things and yet their emotions get the better of them. They get frustrated. I wonder if intent and emotion has a big part of communication. I've always found channeling works best when I leave my emotions at the door. I also have found that desire can get in the way. By what I mean by that is I find the most success when I leave stress, worry, doubt, and strong desire behind. If I seek with curiosity, exploration, and the intent of learning, I have far better success. A lot of the people I work with are coming from either a place of fear and grief. I've come to the conclusion that fear will usually only manifest in fearful experiences, and grief gives rises to resistance and desire which inhibits communication. Talking about this generally only makes people more upset, even very angry, at which point I tend to not know how to respond. They then demand answers and want it their way or the highway. It becomes this self fulfilling vicious cycle. I want to provide comfort, but at the same time, I see such a striking contrast with my own experience that I am not sure what else I can say.
Another thing I've noticed is that those who already have been having spiritual experiences but who view them in a negative light are often far easier to transition into positive communicators than those who are grieving a loss. I wonder if it's because the fear is still born of exploration where as the grief is from seeking to regain a loss? Those that fear don't have a sense of lack but rather a hope of better possibilities where as those that have lost, see a lack, something that was taken away and that an alternative will never suffice. So it's like grieving twice over. I almost want to say that grief and communication are two separate issues and don't mix very well. In grief your expressing feelings behind beliefs. Beliefs that are so strong they define reality. In that there is an absence or a hole that can never be replaced. While I don't disagree and I DO know the feeling, I wonder if there is a difference stemming from world view, and belief, where grief is altered and so the possibilities for communication widely varies. It's hard to talk about because when I do, I find people tend to personify or identify with a particular issue and then project it through their own communication challenges.
I think about this type of thing all the time. For now my only recommendation is to ask people to treat spiritual communication as a two way street. Tell them that it can take a life time to develop. In fact multiple life times. That worry, fear, doubt, frustration do not help. That patience, forbearance, fortitude, and intent are everything. And to actively read as much as they can on the topic and then pick something they enjoy and stick with it. Don't give up just because you don't get the results you want. Trust that you will be guided to where ever you need to be.
Part of my forthcoming Channeling Erik community Spiritual communication tutorial. There will be a strong division between channeling and mediumship. In the meantime take a look at the articles to the right. (rough draft)
The some of the most important aspects of Spiritual communication are:
*Know that it is possible
*Believe you are able
*Setting Your Intent
*Surrender that Spirit has your back
*Begin (an ever evolving process/technique)
*Again
*Open yourself to remember
*Return
Questions to ask yourself:
Where does the seat of consciousness reside? Where from does thought come? How about emotion? When you say 'the mind' what do you see? How do you see yourself? When you think of yourself what do you see? What is your perception of who you are in relation to the rest of the universe? How do you think Communication is enabled or exists in the Spiritual realms?
I'll tell you; I believe that thought and emotion are Spiritual communication and are as natural as all things of God. I believe the seat of consciousness AND the mind are not of this body. I believe I am a Spirit. I believe I have it within me the Divine born right to explore communication with all go God's creation. I believe fear is culturally created and has no place in my interaction for Spiritual guidance for the greater good under the light of Heaven. I believe communication is about intent. I believe the Universe does not care how this occurs but it will give me what I want if it advances my soul for the greater good. This does not mean that I march blindly into the darkness.... No! It means I take the hand of my guides, angels, and teachers under the light and go forth with open eyes staring in wonderment of all the possibilities. The Universe is vast, I want to see what I can. Do you believe that the Source of ALL that is has a limit, do you believe that LOVE has a limit for your life? No, I do not believe it..
That said, I think everyone is capable of communication with Spirit to some degree, in some capacity. And there are many many ways to do so... It simply requires dedication, work, intent, and faith in yourself, your guides, your angels. Now your intent will greatly effect the results of your endeavors... Spirit is not some performer to speak on demand, or engage your fancy. Purpose will also influence. Do you wish communication for entertainment or fun; Do you wish to limit yourself to proofs of existence of an afterlife? Do you wish for guidance, or do you wish to reconnect in love of past associations? Or are you influenced by fears. Respect, and courtesy is of the most utmost importance.... The golden rule is vital in communications. You are just as much a Spirit as that which you wish to interact with.
Notes on Consciousness & Channeling:
-- Personality, memory, consciousness, dreams and thought do not make up the totality of your soul.
--Channeling uses one or more of the many ways we precieve, and experience our soul. Your soul is made up of many parts and types of consciousness spread throughout multi-dimentional levels. ie. (thought, dreams, daydreams, feelings in 2D, 3D, 4D, etc.)
-Your awareness of self can change the focus of it's awareness just like that of a computer scanner or sensor. Even like a guided missile! A Key of Spiritual awareness is that of acceptance that this is possible.
-When you channel -- you willfully use thought, feelings, and imagination to refocus your attention away from you to another entity.
-Doing this moves your awareness away from your currently precieved 3D reality.
- You do this every night during dream states. You do this with various degrees of awareness.
- You can interact within these mental realities as much as you do in your precieved waking 3D life. All mental interactions are valid to Spirits.
-Channeling is very similar to typing email with concentration or even distracted driving. You are busy with interactions, thought, and study, & communication on a higher & other level. But at the same time you are aware of your 3D surroundings. Your awareness is split. This is an example of splitting your consciousness. It is natural. This is what Spirits do when they communicate with you. You need to be aware that you are primarily a spirit with all their facilities. Using a body is not barrier to getting back in touch with what is naturally yours.
-When you channel you split your consciousness with thoughts, visualization, imagination, and feelings. You compartmentalize this and interact with it. You initiate and receive information using these mental tools.
-You the channeler do this consciously or unconsciously with various levels of intent, awareness, and according to innate talent. All of this is affected by belief, perspective and intent. It can all be further developed depending on will.
Over the next several months I hope to develop more concise study and tips material for learning to channel.
The intelligent and intentional use of your imagination directed to the idea, perception, and belief in mental imagery is enough to connect with the ethereal and astral realms of your body in degree to your personal vibration. Always examine with great care your intent, approach and expectations of any such endeavor. Do not seek connections if you hold onto undesirable emotion and or thought. So often distraction of intent occurs. This is due to mind and memory association leaps. Where thought jumps from event to event along a chain of connections until the original intent is lost. TO break this, carefully examine any ensuing thought that makes one uncomfortable or reveals a less than desirable emotion. Examine the origin of this message and why and where it might come from. Upon realization of this you can move away from that thought and feeling that does not serve you. If you find this too difficult. Hold on to your desire to change and call out to LIGHT for help. You must be active not passive. Think not how we or you can help yourself in in Spirit, but how you can help others in Spirit. Hold not the light around you to raise your vibration but seek to let the light fill you and all your being with the power of love. Do not ask how can I see, but ask how can I help? How can I see more clearly so that Love shines Through me?
-- words from my Spirit Teacher
My friend Dawn wrote a few articles online I really like on the clair abilities. Great reads.
-Clairaudience and Clairsentience
-OBE
Channel yourself
by Jason At Channeling Erik on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:33am
Erik says: -- "Creative force, imagination, feeling, belief, and intent create reality. Take all this - combine & begin to talk to the visualizations of your mind. Accept, let go & give into it. Want it, know it, feel it. Do not expect a certain outcome, but trust communication of some sort will happen. If you can't channel yourself; how can you ever channel others. Spirit uses our mind, and inner soul, imagination, feeling, belief, and visual centers in all it's forms to communicate. Do you believe it? Then it's true. What do you wish? Faith, Love, Trust, Acceptance, Know the soul and Love!"
Q & A:
What does channeling feel like?
Well, first, I have to tell you that Channeling means different things to different people.
In the English language, esspeically in America, Spiritual terms are fuzzy concepts.
What's old, is new, what's new are perceptions of labels returning yet again in manifestations of name.
Like so many Spiritual labels, the term is tossed about like a waldorf salad in a hotel lounge!
But, really if you keep in mind the adage, "What does it mean to you" and expect that it is different for everyone, you will be fine.
But it is interesting to note the wide variations of "meaning" place upon the term as a label or concept.
There are HUGE differences of opinion and really hot debate on the internet. You will find different meanings in almost every school of thought or so called practitioner. With lengthy explanations and examples. Some with huge differences. So much so, I can really only tell you what I think and toss my hands up to the rest. I think the only thing that SHOULD matter is how "any given message" is applied to your life via YOUR consious decision.
Alright, so I want to discuss the term a bit more from a personal perspective.
To ME; Channeling is the simply using a "clair" ability to pass along a message from the disincarnate to the incarnate. I think there are lots of ways to achieve this. That's just me though.
If you hear me use the term, I am refering to "using my mediumistic or clair experiences in such a way that I am recording them in some fashion as I recieve the experience."
Now being that I condider it to be a "Clair experience" I should state what this entails. For me, there is a mental and often a phsyical and or emotional component. Of the mental component, there are two parts.
*Words. and Images.
Enabling communication and NOT about getting it right or some psychic
BULL....( What does the visualization mean to you! How did it make you
feel?) Totally funny.... Erik say's play and fun are key tools in
Spirit communication!! It's the process of lettin go and giving in
that help bridge the void between the realms, look for commonalities
rather than differences!!! afterlife communication is channeled by
thought and imagination is thought.
Remember its not about emptying the mind, but filing it!
(content to come)
Hi there. Thought I'd pop in and offer a few links to anyone else wanting to learn to channel.
RULE #1 Always say, "I can communicate" "I am in communication every day"
That said,
There are many ways of learning to further develop Spiritual communication. No matter how one views their Spirituality, nor how one feels about Religious beliefs, one can always find ways to explore communication with how they perceive Spirit.
No matter what part of the world you are from, or what background you hale from one can find a rich history of such endeavors.
Humanity's history is full of many examples one might delve into, if one is so inclined to take the time, dedication and effort to learn.
Be it Mysticism of an Abrihamic Religion, or rite and prayer. Be it Spiritualism, or Spiritism. Be it shamanism or esoterics. The list never ends. One has but to look.
Online there are many free resources to explore. From materials in e-book form to blogs and websites and forums. In bookstores and e-retailers there are many books on learning channeling, mediumship and dreamwork. Remember there are many different ways of labeling communication. It's all in how you feel about it. Mediumship, (mental vs physical) channeling (many different types), prayer, ect. ect. As well there are things like trans-communication via radio, computers or photography. Many Spiritualist and Spiritist churches will offer instruction and facilitation for free. There are also many Parapsychological Associations who offer things from a more so called scientific bent.
Here are but a tiny few:
http://theesotericlibrary.blogspot.com/
http://www.spiritwritings.com/channelinglinks.html
http://www.kimoneillpsychic.com/books.html
http://learntochannel.blogspot.com/
http://awakeningcoach.com/channeling.aspx
http://www.worldtrans.org/spir/learnchannel.html
http://www.orindaben.com/pages/excerpts/readychan/
https://sites.google.com/site/kookyspookyookyjournal/musings/spiritual-communication
http://robinsphysicalphenomena.webs.com/
http://physicalmediumship4u.ning.com/
http://www.michaelteachings.com/m-channelings.html
http://www.after-death.com/Default.aspx
http://empathicperspectives.blogspot.com/
http://www.spiritualtravel.org/
http://www.transcommunication.org/
http://felixcircle.blogspot.com/
http://www.fst.org/welcome.htm
http://the-bristol-spirit-lodge.blogspot.com/
Also enter into google and book shops like amazon these key word search terms. There are literally thousands of possibilities. The books available are endless.
channeling course
how to channel
learn to channel spirits
learn to channel spirit guides
how to be a medium
learn to be a medium
mediumship
Also, there are many websites that are run by psychics, channelers, healers, teachers, people of all persuasion, that will provide some form of information, teaching, education, and facilitation for a fee. The same can be said for those who hold locations in the physical world. Such as retreats, conferences, and offices.