Last Friday night brought light, love, and wisdom through a truly amazing channeling session with Sharyl Noday and the Siria Family.  LFAC's Main Space became an entity in and of itself, existing outside the flow of time and space, as these nonphysical beings spoke to us through Sharyl's voice.  Afterward, someone asked her whether she had any idea what was going on during the channeling experience, and she stated that "when the Siria Family is here, I am not."

I pondered this concept in my mind as the questions continued, and then was called upon to demonstrate the shamanic/channeled dance that Joan and I perform.  Like every time, I felt the energy in the space and tried to respond to it with my body – but this time was different.  This time I told myself to get out of the way – attempting to completely let go into the hands of Spirit without any kind of trying to control or direct the performance.  I felt my body shake violently, moving and manipulating the residual rage we had all released during the session.  And then I asked myself the same question I ask just about every day:  as a Christian, should I really be doing any of this?

A Google search for "channeling and Christianity" turns up several websites, all saying that channeling, astrology, mediumship, shamanism, and just about everything done at LFAC are forbidden according to the Bible, that no one should ever even think of doing them, and "If you'd like to know God's true plan for your life, please contact us."  I am not making that last one up.  However, other perspectives certainly exist, and have for the last two thousand years.  For instance, take the story in the book of Acts in which the disciples began to speak the words of God to their audience in languages they did not themselves know or understand.  Or Galatians 2:20:  "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me..."  This seems a fairly clear argument for believers to strive to "get out of the way" and be a clear channel for Christ.

As expected, I am not the first person to think of this.  Perhaps the best-known example in our current era is A Course In Miracles, written by Helen Schucman based on the dictation of an inner Voice, which she identified as Jesus.  Neale Donald Walsch has also channeled God through his Conversations with God series.  Going further back in time, St. Theresa de Avila and countless other Christian mystics fully experienced the dying to self that accompanies union with God. 

Opening ourselves to the spirit world always carries a risk.  However, the Bible advises believers not to avoid all contact with the spirit world, but to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God..." (1 John 4:1)  This verse is like a magic key, unlocking the door for every person, regardless of religion, to build their own relationships with the spirits, safely and without fear.  After all, we've already eaten the apple, and there's no coughing it back up again...