What In Heaven's Name Is Channeling?
Channeling is the ability to set aside the ego mind completely and allow something to move through the individual. In particular, a channeler is one who is able to “convey thoughts or energy from a source believed to be outside the person's body or conscious mind” (Merriam-Webster)
I believe that all people have the capacity to learn to be psychic. Though to be clear, using psychic gifts and channeling are two different modalities. Both can influence and support the other, but they can be distinguished as different.
To define the broad depth of psychic capacities would take some time. There are many expressions and ways that we can gather information from the energetic fields around us. And it is very common. It is possible that you employed a psychic skill only yesterday or last week, regardless of being aware of it or not.
However a channeler allows the information to move through him or her. It does not need to take over the person's entire being, and certainly not his or her individual consciousness. Instead, it is something allowed that can provide wisdom beyond our own mind's capacity of thought.
Our trusty friend Webster again gives us a variety of definitions for 'channel,' all of which point to a common theme of 'something through which other things can pass or travel.' It's pretty much that. A channeler is a medium who can release their own ego mind, and connect with the variety of things in the non-physical 'dimensions/densities' and allow it to literally speak through them.
As a channeler however, I no longer connect with other consciousnesses (some might distinguish it as 'entities') for information however. After dedicated Alignment work, I now connect directly with my own highest Light and all information passes through that to me. (This information comes from any number of positive, aligned sources - the other person’s Higher Self, Soul self, and/or other higher “team” constituents.) In this way I do not have to interact with energy frequencies that are not my own, and cause any disruption for myself. However, to the naked eye one would not know the difference. In each session I open the space up to receive information, however to the listener or client, although many can feel the distinct shift in energy, it still just looks and sounds like me.