A qualitative exploratory analysis of channeled content.

Throughout history, within numerous multicultural contexts across the globe, channeling has been expressed, practiced, revered and shunned. Broadly defined, channeling is "communication of information to or through a physically embodied human being, from a source that is said to exist on some other level or dimension of reality than the physical as we know it, and that is not from the normal mind…of the channel" (Klimo, 1998, p. 2). Despite its persistence and presence across time, the enigmatic, speculative nature of channeling creates a unique research challenge. Historically, scientific channeling research tends to minimize attention on the actual channeled material, in part due to validation constraints. The focus of this qualitative exploration was to categorize and thematically analyze content channeled during the final segment of a trance channeling study. Recorded over two days, 13 healthy adult trance channels responded to the question, "Do you have any suggestions/messages regarding the current or future channeling experiments?" Transcribed content analysis revealed seven common themes under three categories - Scientific Methodology: (1) Constraints of the current quantitative study, (2) Advancing channeling research; Channeling Processes:(3) 'How-to' of channeling, (4) Experienced processes described from the "non-physical being's" point-of-view; Open-Ended Information: (5) Philosophical - personal to global to universal, (6) Gratitude and Collaborative spirit, and (7) Personal messages for healing/growth. Themes 2 and 6 were the most represented content of messages delivered. This analysis was designed to present the experiences of the channelers, how that might be interpreted and to provide global access to the potentially valuable content.