Are channelings a distraction from looking within?

[AmelieJolie]

I just wondered.

Could channellings be a distraction from the source of eternal, hidden truth, the truth of knowing, which can only be found within?

If we look to another source for answers, aren't we avoiding the practice/ exercise of looking to our own inner source, our higher selves?

I know Ra says to disregard anything they say which doesn't feel right, but if this is the case then is there truly any point in asking?

To be honest, quite a few things I've read from Ra don't seem quite right somehow. There is a lot of truth in it I feel, but what if truths are being mixed up with non-truths to lead people astray or trick us?

What if Ra is simply a state of consciousness in which the channeler taps into his/ her alter ego?


I'm sorry, I just wanted to express my thoughts.

I'm not afraid of being completely outspoken- one has to be in the search for the ultimate truth.

[SuperManny]

Could channellings be a distraction from the source of eternal, hidden truth, the truth of knowing, which can only be found within?
If we look to another source for answers, aren't we avoiding the practice/ exercise of looking to our own inner source, our higher selves?I was reading a book the other day by the famous Indian mystic, [name deleted by moderator] and he was saying exactly that. He even says we would be better off without religion, and especially without sources like the internet, because it's becoming second nature that when we want an answer, we automatically look to outside sources. If these sources were unavailable we would have to think for ourselves. :eek:

I understand what he's saying, but since I'm kind of an information junkie, I can't say I agree 100%. You do raise a good question, and I don't think channeled information is any more valid, perhaps even a bit less, because I feel like sometimes people don't want to take full responsibility, so they attribute it to an outside source.

[AmelieJolie]

I must admit however, I have not read the LoO series, apart from glimpsing at a few chapters here and there from the online link which I bookmarked.

I think that if we want to find out things which involve the world around us, then of course we must look outside of ourselves for the answers.

As far as finding the ultimate spiritual truth though.......

It's so simple.

It's just LOVE.
Pure love.

All embracing and unconditional.

[Debbie]

I think sources like channeling are a good thing because they start so many people on the inward search for their own truths. At least they have me. :)

[Jivatman]

I largely disagree. I would first note that indeed, channellings should be suspect to significantly more scrutiny than other kinds of information, and that information gleaned within is, of course, the ultimate source.

However the law of one has served as a great inspiration for me. by opening up three lines of contemplation, which somehow I "know" are correct.

All is one. What does this mean?
Loving others. What does this mean, what boundaries, etc.
The nature and meaning of freedom.

Perhaps because my nature is a contemplative one, these have been very useful to me. These three concepts are not completely unfamiliar. I see then in various sources. Oneness primarily in hindusim, the nature of love in christianity, especially sermon on the mount. About freedom, I have incorporated much of my recently gleaned political beliefs on libertarianism.

However, in terms of the rather specific and imho, less important information such as earth history and such, I find it fascinating, but it mainly leads me to desiring proof when coming to the earth history, and looking to other, more established religious for verification when it comes to esoteric.

[onething]

It would not be just channeled information that deserves the question, but teachers and teachings as well. I find that for me, more progress is made due to the back and forth between the stimulus of outside information, and then the inner pondering I do about it.

In most cases, religion strongly discourages people really 'getting' the truths it teaches because they want them not to think for themselves or weigh truths according to their own inner self.

In the end, I would vote with the inner truth path, but I think it might be a slow path without outside input.

All three of the questions mentioned by Jivatman have been of great interest to me before I ever found this site or law of one.

I tend to be highly suspicious of channeled info, but yet I accept 'inspiration' and I am wondering what is the difference? I mean, obviously Carla completely vacated her mind or brain and let the Ra speak through her. Christians have considered the Biblical books to be inspired.

Now, aside from the fact that I consider a number of them, mostly the Old Testament, to be inspired of the devil (partially kidding-I think a lot of them were verbatim speeches given by extraterrestrials to the 'prophets') but aside from that, I don't suppose that the writers of the gospels and epistles had the pen just move along the paper like a Ouija board and the words come of their own accord. This is what would have to happen in order for it to be channeled. But those people were supposed to be writing under inspiration of God and yet they thought and chose their words in the more or less normal manner.

[charles obscure]

Have you read the Ra material? Are you basing your ideas on content from the books, or from the many different sources of information you come across on the net? Whether they be people's interpretations here, or sites about reptilians, you should take everything with a grain of salt no question.

I just find it interesting that you are suggesting the channeled sources are a distraction from the search within, yet by the amount of time you are spending posting here or talking about miscellaneous things you've come across on the net, Im just left wondering, if ANY of the searching you are doing is actually coming from within?

I would suggest more reading and contemplation, and less searching for quick answers on interntet message boards. Take your own advice!

[twva]

Have you read the Ra material?


I have the image of AmelieJolie as a moth dancing around the flame of the Law of One books, hypnotized, fascinated, yet not quite daring to enter within lest she be consumed.

[AmelieJolie]

I have the image of AmelieJolie as a moth dancing around the flame of the Law of One books, hypnotized, fascinated, yet not quite daring to enter within lest she be consumed.
Haha.

I have the website link to the law of one material, this link, to which I have done some reading:
http://www.lawofone.info/

However, when I read I like to do it slowly and thoroughly; really take it in, then I like to take breaks from it so I can meditate and reflect on what I've just read.
Sometimes the language Ra uses is a little hard to follow, and I'm not very fond of its style. However, my curiosity about the Ra material has been ever increasing since yesterday. I am going to try and buy the book because if I stare at a screen to read something which is long, it gives me a headache.

Charles Obscure,

You sound somewhat angry at me and judgmental.

Onething,
It would not be just channeled information that deserves the question, but teachers and teachings as well. I find that for me, more progress is made due to the back and forth between the stimulus of outside information, and then the inner pondering I do about it.
Nice way of putting it. I can see it now.

[AmelieJolie]

Charles obscure
I would suggest more reading and contemplation, and less searching for quick answers on interntet message boards. Take your own advice!
To be honest I typed what I did at the beginning of this thread yesterday when I was feeling hurt about something here, but it was only a misunderstanding.

Peace out!

[daresh]

I think as with any type of information we have to use or own judgement.
It can help as inspiration but it is just information, in the end it is as you say, eternal truth is beyond words and there it has to be found.
It is as the buddha said, my teaching are a finger pointing to the moon, don't mistake the finger for the moon...

So channelings, books, etc are helpfull but can become a hindrance to when one becomes to attatched to it and doesn't see it for what it is, scripture, theory, truth is beyond this...
So when it becomes a hindrance and people take it way to serious then it is a distraction from the truth. Cause you know inside better then anything what is good for you and that is something no book will ever be able to give you...

greets,
Filip

[soup]

I find channeled material can be very fertile to one earnest in growing consciously on a spiritual path. One of the great benefits is the execise of discernment and the stretching to apply insights on levels ranging from the mundane to the ethereal.

It may be that general channelings may not be as useful in providing catalyst as those seeded by specific questions of interest - and this may relate to the degree of skeptism/receptivity an individual meets the material with.


soup

[soup]

This could also relate to the natural development of a healer. At some stage of progression, there's the mental disciplines of opening the mind and examining the contents by identifying the polarities, balancing and accepting (the mind) as whole. Following this, seems the exercise of looking outside, of likewise balancing and accepting.

So for some, channeled materials can act as opportunity of exercising balance and acceptance. It may be that there is likewise the natural development of a channel and the channelings can offer a means of accessing the quality of the channel's tuning.


soup

[soup]

...Could channellings be a distraction from the source of eternal, hidden truth, the truth of knowing, which can only be found within?...

There may be some element of expression which can act to clear congestion, as if by emptiing a glass one can then refresh it. Expressions of words seem inherently limited by the nature of comprehension and so short of enabled of revealing the complete truth possibly only a facet of it. So can a facet of truth distract one from the source, or is it simply what it is?


soup

[Nina]

Hi AJ,
For me, it has required study and sifting through sources of information...and what I would characterize as an ongoing critical approach. As I shared in the recent SETH thread, a certain book helped me very much in evaluation of current material such as Law of One, Course in Miracles, Cayce, and more. It has increased my critical ability and given me a framework to help in evaluation.(please pm for title if interested). I tried to pm you earlier about relationship concerns without success(said no such user or something like that - checked your name spelling 3 times!). Please pm so can simply reply - thanks - NINA
A rather good clairvoyant once asked me, "Where is the truth Nina?" To which he said, "You won't find it in books" NINA

[Adam of All]

I have found that channelings are a distraction from inner-seeking. I go through periods of fascination concerning channelings along the lines of Ra's material, and during those periods, I experience a lack of my own ability to creatively or methodically come up with answers to various questions that I may have. When I look within rather than to channeled information and the like, I have a very simply time finding my own answers with the power of logic, intuition, and creative curiosity.

[Dagaz]

Haven't read any book that I accept as being 100% truth. There is so much disinformation, out and out false tales, and money making schemes. Instead of not being able to find any information, there is an overload of it so I don't think that channeling is a distraction. I still search within first and foremost and read channeled books for something to do and the possibility that there might be something of value and sometimes for no other reason than that it expands my narrow ways of thinking.
If it hadn't been for books, I don't know if I would have figured it out on my own to go within or how to even go about it. :)

[Berry Chastain]

Hello gang,
I started reading various channeled transmissions a number of years ago. A lot of them I found myself dismissing as nonsense for the most part, but I ran across a number of consistant channels that resonated with my inner being, and who still provide a blessed touch of love and light when I read them.

What I have found is that each of these sources has given me nourishment, and stimulus to seek within myself as well as outside to understand my Universe and how I relate to being part of All That Is, The Creator. Each one of these sources seem to lead to another with higher information which eventually lead me to The Law of One and the Ra Material and then that directly to Divine Cosmos and the discovery of David. Call it synchronicity or guidance, if I hadn't been reading those channeled transmissions, I doubt I would have even found the LoO or if I did, wouldn't have comprehended what was being said.

So my opinion is that Yes, they can and do have their value. And each person should do just as the most of them suggest, take that which resonates with you and claim the Truth offered, otherwise let it go as something which is not Truth for you.

Love and Light to all,
Berry

[AllyKat]

The way I look at it is if we are all one consciousness then wouldn't that mean that all info, channelings, books, teachers etc ARE technically coming from "us" anyway? if we share one universal consciousness would that mean truth can be found everywhere? maybe everything is true and the trick is we need to find out own unique truths to add to the universal truth. its like in yoga class we chant "Ong na mo Guru Dev namo" as a group and everyones individual voice is compleatly different and unique unlike any other but when we sing it together it sounds like one vibrational voice. just some questions i have been pondering :)

oh one other point, in some models, like harameins, the torsion "donut" operates as a feedback cycle where the info coming in from the outside is vital to the learning process. the info goes in then comes back out slightly different and thats how th euniverse "learns" about itself

[AmelieJolie]

Hi everyone....just passing by and noticed people are still sending in replies to this thread. :o

I started reading the Law Of One material, but have been taking a bit of a break. I do plan on returning to it again soon, now my interest has rekindled.

Good thoughts everybody....thanks for sharing. :)

[Berry Chastain]

The way I look at it is if we are all one consciousness then wouldn't that mean that all info, channelings, books, teachers etc ARE technically coming from "us" anyway? if we share one universal consciousness would that mean truth can be found everywhere? maybe everything is true and the trick is we need to find out own unique truths to add to the universal truth.

Allycat,
You have hit on a veracity which is often overlooked.......There are an infinite number of unique universes in which there are an infinite number of truths. The Law of One is pre-eminent in each of them, but as we observe and create in our own thoughts, that becomes for us our own personal reality.

That is why Ra says that what we seek, mentally and spiritually call for, is manifested if our body/mind/spirit complex is in Oneness. Each and every experience is an object which the Creator is experiencing as the Creator.

This is the essence of Free-Will, the first distortion of the Law of One. Our job is to discern what is favorable to Service to Others, or Service to Self and apply it accordingly. There is no wrong way. It depends on the path which our spirit has chosen and eventually in 6th Density all will be on the same path toward Oneness with the Creator. It is desired that more entities, spiritual incarnated beings will choose the positive STO path and seek the coming Harvest as Positive beings. However there is no wrong path. Many of the channeled entities are working for this same purpose of spreading the Light of Truth and encouraging their readers/listeners to become aware of their choices.

Blessings of Love and Light,
Berry

[jeremy6d]

Could channellings be a distraction from the source of eternal, hidden truth, the truth of knowing, which can only be found within?

Absolutely.

But in another sense, everything is a distraction from something else. Writing this email is a distraction from exploring my inner self. Exploring my inner self is a distraction from serving others in the material world. Serving others is a distraction from enriching my material well being.

The training of one's attention on one subset of the creation vs. another subset is a value-free choice, ultimately; we have the free will to perceive whatever we desire. To call one perception or another a "distraction" is to introduce a judgment into it. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, but it is something one should be aware that one is doing. We internalize so many judgments that go unexamined and cause conflict because they do not reflect our authentic interests.

And what are our authentic interests? That's really up to you - again, that's free will. You decide what your agenda is, how you behave, how you will structure your expectations, and how you will react to their fulfillment or disappointment. But I'd argue that, as Ra says, "nothing is lost" - every experience contributes to our growing knowledge of the creator, and therefore also contributes to knowledge of the self. The distinction between us and the creator is, again, an arbitrary choice of perspective, not an essential, universal one. So in a very real way, going within and acting without are a single dynamic, not two opposites.

That said, my opinion (take it for what it's worth) is that much channeling is not helpful to me right now. Once you've minimally internalized the simple principles of the Law of One, further channeling is just different permutations and colors of the same basic principles. A continual seeking for particular details, commands, or assurances from a person channeling another entity is as unfortunate a dependency as needing the authority of another person to be secure and happy.

HOWEVER, I would not have discovered any of this information had I not been "distracted" by it. We seek outside ourselves for the same reasons we seek within - to learn. And the Ra material is a great find in the outer world - one that can truly help people integrate and improve their lives (according, again, to their value-judgments). It *need* not be a distraction, but often I feel it becomes so because people confuse the messenger for the message.

L/L Research is training channels right now, BTW. They see great utility in an ongoing contact. I feel it's a sort of a squandering of resources to achieve contact with entities who essentially give the same message over and over again, but I applaud people pursuing their truth and they see best. I could always be wrong!

In the case of David, his contact is so personal and ongoing for the past decade or so that it's as ridiculous to expect him to stop as it would be to expect him to stop dreaming. However, I understand perfectly why he's discontinued doing readings publicly, and I think it's a wise decision. The practice of being a channel can itself be a window into one's inner self. The other side of that coin is that it's a very personal channel, and sometimes it will not resonate perfectly with others because of how tied it is to the particular experience of an individual. That to me is the big difference between L/L's contact with Ra and David's.

[jeremy6d]

I started reading the Law Of One material, but have been taking a bit of a break. I do plan on returning to it again soon, now my interest has rekindled.

AJ, I strongly recommend starting with the Study Guide, and letting that frame your first reading of the material. It is not easy reading, and "cliff notes" help!

[twva]

L/L Research is training channels right now, BTW. They see great utility in an ongoing contact. I feel it's a sort of a squandering of resources to achieve contact with entities who essentially give the same message over and over again, but I applaud people pursuing their truth and they see best. I could always be wrong!


If only they could train a new questioner!

[AllyKat]

Hey all,

a couple things i would like to add that have come up for me..it feels to me like the law of one is describing some "universal truths" and that all other unique truths created by beings such as ourselves are created using those truths as a basis in some way or another.

i know we've talked a lot about reading channeled material, books etc and taking from them what resonates as the truth for you. well ive been experiencing it the other way around recently. i will look within and come up with soemthing that feels like ok this is my own unique truth. for example i had a realization the other daythat one of the best most simple ways i could serve others is to just let my love and oneness that i feel inside shine through when dealing with others. then i read the law of one study guide last night and Ra said :

QUESTION: What are some of the "best ways" for being of service to others?

RA: The best way of service to others is the constant attempt to seek to share the love of the Creator as it is known to the
inner self. This involves self-knowledge and the ability to

OPEN THE SELF TO THE OTHER WITHOUT HESITATION AND RADIATE THAT WHICH IS THE ESSENCE,
OR THE HEART. (B1, 166-167)

I was like WOW i just realized that on my own and thought it was soem unique thing to me and here it is in the LoO. i guess it goes back to the sam eissue of the inner relecting the outer and vice versa :)

[Anu]

Jesus said "Pray without ceasing" ,maybe not for the non-enlightened like us
but its saying we need to strive to align our vibration with the Great
Regularity of practice is how we become proficient at anything.

[MarkM]

Great thread, everyone, and some really good insight shared on this question.

A simple metaphor, here, that comes to mind when pondering whether channeled material distracts us from inner seeking: I'm an artist, and if I'm trying to create my own interpretation of a subject, I look/listen over at the subject and allow myself to be inspired, with a mind to internalizing it.

I then allow my inner interpretation to define the subject in my own terms, and then I put it back out again, in my artpiece, in a unique form of my own.

Here, the penultimate joy for me is to discover how I have interpreted the subject, and a most important part of the whole process is how I was changed, inspired and filled with a contemplative wonder as I pondered how to put it back out into the world.

The greatest joy is in finally showing the finished piece to the world.

Every artist/creator is enthusiastic about how others may interpret the piece, and hopes a perception of unique beauty ensues.

So here we have a complete cycle of action, from outer to inner, change, and back out into the outer, and change of experience of others - possibly engendering new cycles.

One may well consider why there is an outer as well as an inner, in this world!:D

Mark

[transiten]

To everything turn turn turn
There is a season turn turn turn
And a time for every purpose under Heaven........

[yossarian]

The big question is related to this idea of "resonance" and discernment.

We talk a lot about such-and-such "resonating" and exercising "discernment" but do most people really have the first idea what this is?

I've figured out slowly what it means for myself, in terms of my own internal reactions and feelings and intuitions, about whether something resonates or doesn't. For me though it hasn't been a direct process at all, it has been highly nonlinear. It wasn't like I decided to learn discernment or something direct like that, but rather one day I realized that certain feelings and actions I had been experiencing represented that nebulous concept I had heard described as "discernment".

At the moment, I have basically no ability to discern facts or specific details - I can only discern wide-scale generalities. Most channeling, including many parts of the Law of One, are specific details which my intuition doesn't really weigh in on or seem to care either way about. It's only my intellect that finds these specifics interesting.

It seems to me that the proper role of intellect with respect to "beliefs" is to always be coupled with evidence. Since channeled info by definition is not based on evidence, channeled intellectual info seems like a very good way to dull your mind.

Personally I only resonate with two modern sources of channeling - one is Ra, and the other is a source that focuses exclusively on the mechanics of spiritual evolution and doesn't ever weigh in on specifics of any kind. I basically re-read these sources over and over and don't bother to read other channels. Sometimes I'll take a look at a new source out of intellectual curiosity, but then will quickly put it down when my intuition "draws a blank".

The ironic thing is that while I only give credibility to like .01% of the channeled stuff I've read, that .01% has probably had the biggest impact on my life.

[transiten]

Hi

Anything can be a distraction from anything when out of balance which is part of the work discovering what's hiding in the shadow of unbalance, hopefully leading to balance/reconciling of the opposties....In The End

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[transiten]

........but of course, there is No End.....

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