Channeling is similar to playing piano: almost anyone who applies himself can probably learn to do it, at least a little, and even a casual study of it can be enriching. However, learning to do it well requires a lot of energy and commitment, and obviously, it comes more easily to some people than to others. Furthering our skills in this lifetime, whatever they are, can lead to being born with more "talent" in those areas in future lifetimes.

We plan each lifetime before it begins. If we desire to channel during that lifetime, we usually make agreements to do so with the particular source(s) we wish to channel, and plan the timing and the form of the channeling we will do so that it supports our life task. We can design our overleaves and even our body to facilitate channeling. Some channels have idiosyncratic bodies for this reason. Not every--one who channels planned to do so before his lifetime began, but someone is not likely to be motivated to invest the energy to learn to channel well unless channeling fits somehow in his life plan. Channeling is usually not of strong interest to the soul until the mature and old soul ages, because before that, our lessons emphasize external factors. If channeling is part of someone's life plan, much preparation may occur on both conscious and unconscious levels during the channel's lifetime before he begins to channel. Not coincidentally, I began channeling shortly after completing a year of intense emotional catharsis and healing, working with someone who was both a therapist and a psychic--I needed to empty my "vessel" of old baggage before I could become a clear channel.

- Shepherd Hoodwin