- "Hold his hand. Let his power to heal flow through you."
- —Phoebe instructing Paige.[src]
Channeling, in its broadest sense, is the practiced skill to use one's own magical abilities to channel the powers of others to the point where users can take control of activated powers and use them for themselves.
Channeling is not an actual active power, but merely a skill that can be learned through the exploration of the capabilities of other powers.
Description[]
It can be used to channel all kind of supernatural powers such as energy balls and premonitions, which can be very helpful when it comes to magical combats. However, a major drawback of this ability is that users can only take control of powers that are already in use, they cannot replicate a being's power. Furthermore, some powers such as premonitions and spells cannot be controlled, however users can still benefit from them. For example, Teresa channeled a vision that was meant for Phoebe, and through Phoebe's power foresaw that a Gypsy Hunter was coming for her.
Whitelighters can also channel their healing ability through each other. As previously mentioned, it was also shown by Teresa that gypsy magic can be used to channel the power of another individual.
Some users of Empathy and Telepathy can develop the ability to channel as an extension of their power. However, empathic and telepathic users may not be able to channel the same type of powers. Empathic beings, for example, can channel powers that are linked to emotions, such as active powers, while telepathic beings were only ever shown channeling powers linked to thoughts, such as spells.[1] Now, while the end result is the same, as they are two separate abilities, both sets of users use different methods to achieve it.
Through Magical Tools[]
- "Eva: The conical hat is a spiritual point. It helps us to channel our magic. Keeps us centered, focused. The apple holds a pentacle in its heart. Add a laurel leaf, you will block the path of evil.
Prue: A simple laurel leaf?
Eva: Simple, but powerful. Remember, there is magic all around you, especially on this night.
Piper: Uh, what's with the masks?
Eva: Demons walk freely on All Hallows Eve, so a mask allows you to hide your identity. Walk amongst them. <...> The broom's traditional purpose is to sweep evil from your path. Sweep east to west. Same path as the sun travels. Like anything else in magic, it's how you do it, with knowledge and reverence." - —Eva and the Charmed Ones[src]
Magical attributes help witches and practitioners channel their magic. Their skills are enhanced on Halloween as magic is everywhere.[2]
It seems that demons can also use this, as Pilar, Phoenix and Patra were able to tap into the Power of Three by trapping the Charmed Ones in the Doll House.[3] Izax channeled forces into Witch Hunters through special books.[4]
Through Empathy[]
Compared to other methods, using empathy to channel a being's power is by far the simplest and probably the easiest method to use. Since powers are attached to emotions, by channeling one, the user channels the other. From there, the user will be able to counteract the power of the being they are channeling. It's a defensive aspect of Empathy, which only highly skilled users can use. Users of this power can channel it through both the eyes and the hands.
Furthermore, the user will have considerable resistance to the power they are channeling, which makes the power, when used against them, ineffective.[5] Though never shown, it may also be possible to channel spells while they are being cast, as it's a basic magical power, and reap the benefits of the magic.
Phoebe Halliwell is the only known user capable of using her power in this manner. She found it to be an extremely helpful power in close-quarters combat; for example, deviating fireballs[6] and energy balls[7] back at demons instead of evading them and creating her own. Phoebe has shown that she can channel her power through both her eyes and her hands.[8]
Phoebe can channel up to six different individuals at a time, she first revealed this during a battle with a group of Swarm Demons. She channeled their emotions and used her hands to stop their fireballs in mid-air, before redirecting their powers back upon them, vanquishing two Swarm Demons at once.
Through Telepathy[]
- "Quick! Throw the potion while I'm still channeling them."
- —Christy to Billie Jenkins.[src]
Christy channeling a spell
This method is a little more intricate and a bit mysterious, as it relies on thoughts instead of emotions. For example, users can channel other people's spells while they are being cast and reap the benefits of the magic by reading their thoughts. One should note that when telepathy is used in this manner, channeling thoughts and reading thoughts are one and the same.[9]
The only known telepath to have ever done this was Christy Jenkins In 2006, when the Charmed Ones used a spell to take them to Pator, Christy used her potion to take her and Billie there as well. As shown by Christy—during her quest to find Pator it takes longer and a lot of concentration to channel spells. This is because the channeler can not reap the benefit of a spell unless it has been completed.
It is left unconfirmed whether or not a telepath can channel and control another person's active powers, since Christy, the only known user, was only ever seen channeling a spell. However, they can replicate powers.
Madame Tereza unintentionally intercepting a premonition
Through Gypsy Magic[]
Phoebe originally went to Tereza to figure out what was wrong with her powers, when somehow Tereza intercepted her premonition during her reading. She foresaw that a Gypsy Hunter was coming for her. Tereza had no idea how she got Phoebe's vision, but Paige reasoned that since she was a gypsy she must have channeled it.
Leo and Paige healing Cole.
Through Healing[]
When healing an injury, Whitelighters can channel each other's power. Paige Matthews channeled Leo Wyatt on two separate occasions. She once added her power to his to heal Cole Turner's demonic half.[10] Another time, she channeled Leo's power to heal his injuries after he was poisoned by a Darklighter arrow.[11]
List of beings who use(d) Power Channeling[]
- Through spell, potion, power stealing, etc.
- Phoebe Halliwell (Through the broom and empathy)
- Christy Jenkins (Through telepathy)
- Teresa (While intercepting Phoebe's premonitions)
- Mitzy Stillman (From Phoebe, but never used)
- Prue Halliwell (After obtaining her sisters' powers in the magical switch, but never used)
- Paige Matthews (When healing through Leo's power)
- Eva and her coven (Through the power of All Hallow's Eve)
- Izax (Through the books)
Notes and Trivia[]
- Pilar, Phoenix and Patra used a form of power channeling to tap into the Charmed Ones' Power of Three in the episode "Repo Manor". However, when they reverted to using their demonic powers, the sisters were able to regain control over the Power of Three.
- When asked if channeling would be used in season 10, writer Pat Shand said that it would not, and that although the ability could be used to make a plot more convenient, it was not dramatically interesting, and that "unless something comes up that makes channeling enhance a scene, I'm probably not going to get into that part of the powers."
Gallery[]
See Also[]
- Deflection
- Deviation
- Power Augmentation
- Power Manipulation
- Power Mimicry
- Power Replication
- Power Tapping
References[]
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