4 Major Blocks To Channeling Messages From The Spirit

by Inga Nielsen
Contributing Author, Conscious Reminder

We can define channeling simply as relaying messages from Spirit — be it God, our Higher Self, Spirit Guides, high beings, or ancestors. Can everyone channel, and if yes, how to do it effectively? And why do some people seem to get more accurate messages than others?

The truth is, everyone can channel. Some of the major blocks that prevent us from doing so effectively are at the perceptual level, while some can be eliminated with practice and experience.

But when I say everyone can channel, what exactly do I mean? How can we be so sure that what we are doing is channeling, and not wishful thinking? If you have been trying to channel and weren’t sure of the results, you have probably struggled with the question, is it the Spirit, my Guides, my Higher Self, or is it just me?

Doubt

The first obstacle to channeling is very often doubt. We want the message from Spirit to sound radically different, to be miraculous even. But a channeled message is, and always will be, skewed by the perception of the channel. This may not seem obvious at first, but it is absolutely normal!

The Spirit will speak to us in forms, shapes, words and images that we know and understand. Our perspectives and biases will always color our messages from Spirit, just as they will color our artistic expression (also a form of channeling). No two artworks are ever the same, just as no two channeled messages will ever be the same.

There can be no other way, because we are Divinity expressing itself through human form, seeing the world through human eyes, describing the world through human language. We are the Divinity limiting itself to one particular personality and body in order to create, to express, to heal and to transform.

In this way, honoring our individuality is actually honoring the Divine. When you begin to channel, doubt is normal, but it can also become your greatest enemy.

In part, this is because we may think that the Spirit will somehow impose messages on us, be a loud voice booming from heaven, a burning bush or some other miraculous appearance. This is very rarely the case. The voice of the spirit is a soft whisper, calling you to make a choice to listen carefully. You can always choose not to listen. Remember, you are a free being!

Your messages from Spirit will come in images you have seen before, in passages from the books you once read, or in memories of places you once visited. The fact that it was a part of your experience does not mean that the message is invalid! Expecting the Spirit to come with thunder and lightning is one of the greatest spiritual dangers (or, at the very least, mistakes), and can be the beginning of a very tricky path into self-deception.

Distractions

While honoring our individuality, it is important to strive for the purity of our channel. This regards especially the purity of the mind. Mental chatter, worry, information overload or obsessive thoughts will most likely block your perception.

To channel effectively, we need to first and foremost limit distractions to a minimum, creating a receptive energetic container. We do this by first emptying the mind of unnecessary clutter, and then allowing higher vibrational frequencies to flow in.

This can be done through meditation, breathing practice and creating a sacred space.

One of my favorite quick ways to settle the mind is to use the 4-16-8 breath. What it means is, we breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 16, and breathe out for a count of 8, repeating this for 3 minutes. Try it now and notice the difference in how you feel and think!

You can then call on the high being that you wish to channel, saying their name out loud (or asking for your Higher Self or Spirit Guides to come through). Many find that creating some sort of a sacred space helps them focus. Go with what resonates with you. For some people it’s sufficient to just sit in silence, some like to set up an altar, light candles, or set up an image of the being they wish to channel.

After settling the mind, limiting distractions, and creating a sacred space, the only thing you need to do is to mentally show up, be present and listen.

Focus on one particular way of channeling

Perhaps someone told you that they receive messages from their spirit guides in images. That the guides showed them the place they were going to move to or opened up their soul record for them as a thick ancient book with a number of esoteric pictures. You would have liked to have the same experience, but no matter what you do, or how hard you try, you cannot see a single thing!

How we channel is very individual. Some people perceive intuitive information in the form of images and symbols. Some, especially academics and professionals such as doctors or lawyers, as a form of inner knowing, a quick realization that may take a bit of time to unwrap into coherent words. Some people are not really sure what they are receiving until they start writing, and somehow the words just begin to flow.

You may have flashes of insight just upon waking up, before you are fully awake. The ways of receiving are endless. Don’t limit yourself or try to replicate someone else’s experience!

Rather, set up a consistent practice, a practice that actually works for you, and pay attention to your intuitive insights. Allow yourself time to pause and clear the mind, to listen and to actually receive. Just like any skill, channeling will take practice.

You may notice a shift in energy, a sudden memory come up, perhaps a passage from a book, a line from a song… Go with it, allow more to emerge. Don’t sensor or question what is coming up. You can tell the mind that we will sensor and edit later, but for now we are just receiving whatever wants to come.

Subconscious Blocks to Receiving

The voice of the Spirit most often comes as a whisper because it takes some effort to listen to. For most of us, it is a whisper also because there are parts of us that are afraid to channel — what if I hear something I don’t like?

A major obstacle to channeling is not that we can’t, but that very often we don’t want to listen. This is rooted in the subconscious mistrust of the Divine, that somehow the Spirit will fail us, make us do something that is bad for us, force us to make a change that we are not ready to make, tell us the truth we don’t want to know… The list is endless.

Effective channeling requires a willingness to get out of our own way, put our ego to the side, and just allow. This can be next to impossible when we are emotionally invested in the outcome and want things to go our way.

You may need outside help and healing to clear some of the most stubborn blocks to receiving messages from Spirit. But the more you cultivate the attitude of detachment from the outcome, the less judgement and expectations you bring into your channeling practice, the more successful you will be.     

Start practicing, listening, connecting, and don’t forget to keep asking. This is how things are done here — in order to receive, we need to ask and get out of the way. And you will channel!

About the Author: Inga Nielsen is a professional intuitive, a Reiki Master and a healer. Her work is centered on soul-level healing in the Akashic Records and facilitating individual ascension process for her clients.

More information about Inga and the services she offers can be found on her website healing-radiance.com, podcast https://healingradiance.podbean.com/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/inga.healing.radiance/.

Art: Day Guardian’ Maria Amanda by zacky7avenged 

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