Can we rely on channeled material?
It seems that channeled material from 'higher spiritual sources' is becoming increasingly popular. As mankind's spiritual quickening takes hold, it it is clear that there are many vested interests trying to shape and control where we go from here. Higher Benevolent Consciousness is also present, acting through the weave of all events responding to humanity's inner calling for an end to the fear based, manipulative reality in which many are caught. So how do we know when the guidance we're receiving is authentic and in our higher interests? Can we rely on channeled material? How do we know where it is coming from? This journal entry considers these important issues...

Who exactly are we channeling?
At the beginning of my unfolding I felt a very benevolent presence that showed me the illusion I was living in and helped me make more authentic choices in life. It developed into an intensely rich and rewarding interaction. I found myself connecting to this consciousness like a long lost friend and it guided me on an amazing journey of discovery both of myself and the Universe as a whole. Its method was very much about empowering me. It wasn't glorifying itself or putting itself on a pedestal. Frequently it would seem to completely disappear leaving me entirely alone; I realised it wanted me to stand on my own two feet and after these periods of aloneness it would reappear and cause me to realise that is had been in the background of activity all along but not interfering or shaping anything. It was just watching and taking a passive interest as I continued to unfold.

I experienced also at times truly 'miraculous' exchanges where the presence seemed able to shape whole sequences of events to help and uplift me. These experiences were intensely magical. After continuing in this way for some years, I became very trusting of the energy (which I came to know as "Openhand"). It would especially allow me to make mistakes; it wouldn't create circumstances which fed my ego or built up the small "I" in anyway. I noticed that quite often my creations would come to nothing. It became abundantly clear to me that its purpose was totally aligned to mine - to help clear away any attachments and distortions so that my soul may unfold. After traversing those difficult moments of tightness, I always experienced an inner liberation, expansion and joy. So I began to realise that it didn't matter if my creations came to nought - what mattered was the continual opening up.

There came a point where I felt I had done sufficient of this 'education' where I thought I might then harness my experience, knowledge and energy to facilitate the unfolding of the divine plan in these very difficult times. Having experienced Openhand's ability to shape events, I felt we might 'intervene' in quite a big way to help alleviate suffering and 'change the system' for the benefit of all. It felt right and highly altruisitic to do this. It was at exactly this point however that a Shadow Identity arose within me - it was an identity that sensed the flow and direction of the unfolding plan and wanted to add its own weight to that. A subtle inner efforting arose unnoticed within me. You could call it the "global peace activist"; it became an identity that I began to hold in my mind which then formed behaviourisms all of its own. So benevolent were these behaviourisms and so aligned to my vision of the divine plan that I didn't notice the growing inner disconnection for my own spontaneous authenticity - my soul was slowly fading again. I believe you can see this type of Shadow Identity amongst many lightworkers and activists.

Being duped
This is a very critical point in our unfolding because it is very easy to become duped by Opposing Consciousness and this is exactly what happened to me. All of a sudden I noticed that when I brought my attention to things here in society with an intention to do something, the supposed "Right Outcome" would manifest with increasing regularity. I developed a very "this is it" feeling "we're really on the way". Suddenly everything I touched seemed to turn to gold. The sense of presence intensified. I felt encouraged to channel this energy through my life - so seemingly benevolent it became. I was creating and shaping a new reality. Everything seemed bright and wonderful. This seemed like the moment I had been waiting for - the answer to all my "prayers".

Then suddenly a quote appeared to me via the internet and my attention was drawn to it very strongly. It was this...

"Do not believe anything
because it is said by an authority,
or if it is said to come from angels,
or from Gods, or from an inspired source.
Believe it only if you have explored it
in your own heart and mind and body
and found it to be true."
Guatama Buddha

Something very strongly stirred within me. I reflected on it for many hours and suddenly the realisation dawned that I had practically given up my own inner discernment of the synchronicities I'd been following. In other words I'd been following what I'd thought to be the magical picture of synchronistic action but I hadn't been processing that apparent guidance through my own inner feelings and integrity. It all happened around a particular incident where I'd been 'asked' to do something which didn't seem quite right; it didn't sit too well within me. It was my contemplation around this that suddenly caused me to realise I'd been duped. All of a sudden I could see the guidance I'd been following for what it truly was. Its vibration was very close to the real thing but there were subtle differences - it tended to boost the small "I" even if in a benevolent cause. In other words I'd sold out to an idea - even though it was a benevolent idea.

As I ultimately rejected the 'request' and turned away from the 'channeled guidance', I experienced being psychically attacked of the most severe kind. I had now seen "The Opposition" at the highest and most subtle levels and they most definitely did not like it!

From that moment, I stopped following ANY guidance such as synchronicity and instead just relied completely on what I felt within. I knew Openhand was still there (it had supplied the Buddha quote for example) but I wasn't in a place to trust anything external to myself. Over time however I was caused to realise that synchronistic action (which feels like guidance) can be a very objective way of being absolutely clear that we are as one with the natural flow of the Universe and is therefore very important.

So slowly I began observing it again but all the while very carefully making sure that any flow I noticed felt completely right within my soul. In other words it corresponded with my higher knowing and inner feeling. It was at this point I was caused to see a very clearly defined distinction in the vibration of authentic guidance from opposing guidance. My path to authentic guidance opens up by going very deeply inwards. I find myself raising my vibration until I sense I'm totally at one with my "higher self" - that which is in the highest dimension closest to the "source". It is then that I experience myself being truly at one with what I know to be "Openhand". It is from here that the most benevolent and uplifting help both for myself and others flows. I know in my heart beyond a shadow of a doubt when I am in this place and that the "material" that flows from it is authentic. Only now do I fully trust it because I have rigorously tested it, continually dissolved it and yet watched the beauty of its re-emergence.

The danger of holding a fixed intention
Benevolent Guidance does not give us a fixed plan; it does not invite us to hold it in our awareness and manifest it (as work like "The Secret" encourages for example) exactly because of the risk of interference and because it takes us out of the moment - it is the same with all 'healing' where the small "I" is holding an intention to do something (like curing cancer for example). Self realisation is our healing. It most definitely does not say "I am the way - you must come through me to reach the source". It says...

"go inwards,
test all apparent flow through your own feelings.
If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.
Don't effort or try to manifest things,
simply unfold who you really are
and the right manifestation will simply shape around you.
Trust only in your highest truth.
Openhand

Ever changing mirror
I observe that Benevolent Consciousness (Openhand) is increasingly shaping events here in these difficult times of great transition. It presents a continually changing, updating and adapting mirror so that we may see ourselves more clearly, peel away our distortions and find a new expansion inside. It doesn't tell us what to do or how to live our lives. It simply say "this is what you are now being, does that serve you?" It does not embellish or glorify its own role. It appears through the weave of all events but doesn't take on a rigid form which we might then hold up as something special so that we are not tempted to put "it" on a pedestal. Its purpose is to empower us not itself...

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists,
when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
they will say: we did it ourselves."
Lao Tzu

Channeling our Higher self
We are coming into a time where people will increasingly be channeling 'higher consciousness sources' which I believe we need to be very careful of; the level of interference is greatly intensifying. From my own point of view, I have come to disregard any channeling or transmission of energy that is external to myself. However I do observe synchronicity as a beautifully changing and adapting mirror which helps me reveal my true feelings. This to me is what Openhand is all about. It helps me channel my own higher self. I believe this is the only form of channeling we can truly rely on.

In love and light

Chris
Openhand Foundation