The Reliability of a Channeled Message
Written by Patricia Zimmerman
Choosing the Right Teacher and Discerning Spiritual Truth
When a person is ready to deepen their spiritual understanding, the first crucial decision is choosing the right teacher.
Just because someone is psychic does not mean they are spiritual. There are many tricksters and charlatans, drawn to financial gain, power, or ego rather than truth. As the Dalai Lama said: "People are very hungry for spiritual teaching, but there are many unqualified individuals with financial and power motivations who are not very spiritual."
Seekers should exercise patience and discernment. Learn from teachers without necessarily taking anyone on as a guru. Examine their authenticity, reliability, and level of spiritual development. Beware of individuals who suddenly appear as “great teachers” in the West without a strong foundation.
Discerning Sources of Truth
Distinguishing truth is not only about evaluating teachers—it is also about understanding the voices of our four lower bodies: physical, mental, emotional, and etheric. These bodies have intelligence and can influence perception. Learning to discriminate between them is one of the reasons we incarnated on Earth.
Jesus warned of false prophets. Students must recognize:
Those who knowingly give false information to satisfy ego.
Sincere mediums who unknowingly channel partial truth from lower realms.
There are many planes of consciousness between the physical world and the realms of the Ascended Masters:
Physical realm – brain-consciousness, subject to the senses.
Astral realm – the psychic plane.
Lower mental realm
Etheric realm
Higher mental realm – where the Christ Self resides.
I AM Presence – the highest level.
Many channels cannot fully penetrate these levels and only access partial truth. The return journey can be challenging; much of the vision may be forgotten on re-entry.
Qualities of a True Channel
Humility: Any ego or personal ambition immediately blocks higher guidance.
Service over self-interest: True messengers serve the Light, not money or fame. “Freely you have been given, freely shall you give.”
High spiritual development: They guide students to self-mastery, not dependency.
Clarity and substance: Dictations from Ascended Masters are detailed, practical, and actionable. Partial truths from lower realms tend to be general, vague, or overly focused on love without including other God virtues.
Students must understand that self-mastery over the four lower bodies is essential; without it, spiritual growth is limited. Different channels have varying levels of development, and not all can fully access the Ascended Master realms.
Applying the Teachings
Masters liken reaching unascended humanity to tunneling through granite—spiritual truth requires effort, discipline, and change. Accepting truth means adjusting your attitudes, behaviors, relationships, and way of life.
As Gandhi taught: “Be the change you wish to see in this world.” The most powerful teaching is living as an example, not merely professing it in words.
May the Creator bless you on your journey toward discernment, truth, and self-mastery!