channels, oracles and emperors
The term “channeling” has become a sticky, gooey word associated with questionable séances summoning the dead. It is often referred to in communities,where we tap into witchcraft rites and let entities or other people inhabit our bodies in order to bring messages to the living.
In that sense, “channeling” a highly dangerous practice that can lead to energy leaks, disease and even possession.
When I started giving ceremonial tattoos six years ago, I was asked by a client if I also do channeling, and I immediately responded with “no!”.
I wanted nothing to do with that kind of stuff. But little did I know, I was indeed channeling. I as channeling ancient healing symbols and mantras to bring to my client’s skin. Yet, I wasn’t sitting around in trance states, my eyes white, speaking in a different voice, which I thought was channeling.
My process back then was to track my client’s desire, align it to their highest destiny and then using my “imagination” to create the symbols that would support aspects like direction, focus, balance, clarity or creativity… depending on what they needed. By doing that, I tapped into the realms of the unmanifest, of infinite possibilities and opened gateways that made it possible to step out of karmic loops.
However, I didn’t know that I was doing that. I thought that I was just an artist.
Today, I know that we can channel anything. What we channel and where we channel from is subject to our beliefs, and our beliefs are largely in the realm of shadow: Our unconscious. Our perception will inevitably track down evidence for our beliefs, which is why it’s so important to be aware of our beliefs when we channel. If we’re afraid of the dark we will naturally avoid those places in our practice as well. Nomorebullshit shadow work is key to form the awareness that we need to channel in a resourceful way.
You need to know why you’re looking for something before you go on a treasure hunt. Every successful Pirate knows that, and every Emperor as well.
A beautiful story about Croesus illustrates this: This Lydian King is said to have asked the Oracle of Delphi if his invasion of Persia was to be successful. He was told: "If you cross the Halys River, a great empire will fall." The greedy ruler interpreted this as favourable, assuming that the Persian empire would fall. But, it turned out, it was his own. He was never meant to step across that river.
As shamans, we are also channels. We tap into the realm of collective shadow and into the unmanifest - the spaces of what has never been yet.
No shaman can control what they find, but they can devote their life, work and lineage to something more than just “shamanism” or the “occult” or “spirit”.
For me I have come to find that my work is devoted to peace. My strategy for that is to liberate humans in a way that they can feel and follow their hearts, because in every heart we know and inhabit the essence of peace. Peace, balance and prosperity is not something that we have to be taught. It is already there, within us, underneath the illusions of conflict.
When I enter ANY realm whatsoever I go in under given conditions. And everything that I find,
every revelation or new perspective that comes to me is both universal and coherent - but only to people who believe that peace can indeed be found.
If your underlying belief is that life sucks and we’re just here to get it done and over with, your shadow will inevitably sabotage your channel to peace. I don’t channel twitching on the floor in candlelight. I simply go for walks with my dog, work in my garden, light candles and open my perception to new solutions.
I’m able to do this by letting my mind invite new perspective, by not being afraid of the unknown and having a bulletproof awareness of why I’m doing what I’m doing. This is a practice that is available to all of us, if we choose to break our inner chains. It is what allows us to be visionaries, healers, mentors and leaders.
Every channel or oracle has to learn to surrender to something greater than herself. And every channel is a servant to a community that nurtures her.
What we bring are new views and sights, but they are never OUR views and sights. Ideally, these come to support us in living healed lives, and not to prove which celebrity is actually an alien or which war will make our kingdom greater. The channel must be devoted to a value that nurtures her tribe from the inside.
In a few days, I will open the gates to my own channel, and it is my sincere wish that I will serve you well.
I don’t know how it will be. I don’t know what it will become. But I know why I’m doing it, and that’s all that matters for now.
If you find yourself dreaming of the impossible and you’re ready to take a view that hacks the dead system that we’re in by choosing peace over conflict, you’re in the right place.
