Spirit Guides ~ Are they real? Plus FAQ & Recommended Books

 

In spiritual contexts, spirit guides are believed to be non-physical beings, often deceased loved ones, angels, or other spiritual entities, who offer guidance, support, and protection to individuals on their life's journey.

     What are Spirit Guides & how do they work?

• Non-physical beings:

Spirit guides are not seen as physical entities, but rather as spiritual entities or energies that exist beyond the physical realm.

• Guiding and supporting:

They are believed to offer guidance, support, and protection to individuals, helping them navigate life's challenges and make decisions.

• Diverse forms:

Spirit guides can take many forms, including deceased loved ones, angels, ascended masters, or even spirit animals.

• Personalized guidance:

They are often seen as providing personalized guidance tailored to an individual's needs and circumstances.

• Communication:

Spirit guides are believed to communicate through intuition, dreams, synchronicities, and other subtle cues.

     How can your Spirit Guides help you?

• Offer guidance:

They can offer guidance on life's path, helping individuals make decisions and find their purpose.

• Provide support:

They can offer comfort and support during difficult times, helping individuals cope with challenges and overcome obstacles.

• Offer protection:

They are believed to offer protection from harm and danger, both physically and spiritually.

• Promote spiritual growth:

They can help individuals deepen their spiritual understanding and connection to the universe.

     How do you connect with your Spirit Guides?

• Meditation and prayer:

Engaging in meditation or prayer can help individuals connect with their spirit guides and receive guidance.

• Intuition and discernment:

Paying attention to intuition, and learning to discern subtle signs and messages, can help individuals recognize their spirit guides' presence and messages.

• Openness and receptivity:

Being open to receiving guidance and messages from spirit guides is essential for establishing a connection.

• Spiritual practices:

Engaging in spiritual practices like yoga, mindfulness, religious rituals, or even nature walks can help individuals deepen their connection to their spirit guides.

     How Spirit Guides are viewed from different perspectives...

• Spiritualism:

In Spiritualism, spirit guides are seen as discarnate spirits who act as mediators between the living and the dead.

• Western theosophy:

Western theosophical doctrine suggests that spirit guides are not always of human descent.  They may be angels, or other etheric beings.

• Shamanism:

In shamanic traditions, spirit guides can take the form of animals, ancestors, or elemental spirits.

• Christianity:

Some Christians believe that the Holy Spirit acts as a spirit guide, guiding believers into truth and helping them live a life pleasing to God.

     How can you experience your Spirit Guides, and how do we know when they are present?

Once you begin inviting in your spirit guides, there are different ways you might experience their presence.

• inner knowing

You can experience a spirit guide as an inner knowing. You may feel or sense your guide’s presence, or hear a voice within, like a strong intuition or realization. Some people audibly hear (or see) their guides.  Many people report feeling a sense of guidance or intuition, like a gentle nudge in the right direction, or a feeling of knowing when something is "off".  Some individuals experience a surge of energy, or a feeling of warmth and comfort, when their spirit guides are present.

• sparks of light

Sparks of light are another indicator of a spirit guide’s presence.  While less common, some individuals report seeing or sensing the presence of their spirit guides, often as light beings, as flickering lights, or figures.

• free-writing after meditation

Another way you can experience the presence of a spirit guide is through writing, as a form of automatic writing. You can call on your spirit guides through meditation, and following your meditation you can free-write and allow the voice of your guides to work through you.

• Audible Voices:

Occasionally, people report hearing voices or receiving messages directly from their spirit guides, sometimes in a way that feels almost like an inner voice.

• Physical Sensations:

Some people report physical sensations, such as a tickling or tingling sensation, or a feeling of being pushed in a certain direction.

• Signs and Symbols:

Spirit guides may communicate through signs and symbols, such as seeing a specific number repeatedly, or finding a particular object at a certain time, or finding it repeatedly and often in unexplainable places.

• Unexpected Encounters:

Some people report having unexpected encounters with their spirit guides, such as a sudden feeling of knowing someone you just met, a familiarity that should be impossible, or having a conversation with a person who seems to know them intimately, but that would be impossible.

• Personal Relationships:

Some people develop a strong personal relationship with their spirit guides, viewing them as mentors, friends, or even family.

• Learning and Growth:

Spirit guides can help individuals learn and grow by offering insights into their lives and helping them to overcome challenges.      

During part of my journey on this pagan path, I was introduced to two of my spirit guides, in dreams.

The dark-haired cat lady:

She resided in some sort of large helter-skelter kitchen, her countertops filled with bowls and cutlery and herbs and small bottles and jars and open cupboards and pots and pans all over the place… and cats. Cats of all colors sitting calmly on the countertops, stretched out on the floor under the table and lounging in a patch of sun by the window. All colors and sizes, wherever you looked. Cats, cats, cats. 

She was small but thick, almost elfin, and her black and gray streaked hair was a wild untamed tangled frizzy mess, her 136 nose was large, her features coarse but pleasing, her shoulders slightly hunched, with a hint of a widow’s hump. She wore a long boldly colored shiny silk house dress, with lots of pink and geometric shapes and greens and yellows and blues. 

As she busily tottered about her messy kitchen, seeing to the cats and the pot of steaming soup on the stove, she was talking to me, she was telling me wonderous and great things that would change my life. With her back to me, a large wooden spoon in her hand, slowly stirring her cauldron of soup, her words flowed. I was silent, and I listened. 

The white haired goddess: 

A woman was sitting on the floor a short distance from me, cross-legged, sitting so straight and tall, her back to me. I stood watching her, fascinated by a strange glow of light shining on her, illuminating her silhouette, casting a shimmer to her very long mane of silver hair.

I was in the presence of something very powerful and very sacred, and I knew that she had something important to tell me, possibly the most important thing I would ever hear. I leaned in, cocking my head to listen intently. Her soft voice rose then, sounding calm and smooth, gentle and clear. 

She said: “Learn to control your mind.” 

Source: "The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess" @Amazon

Audio Version for this excerpt: click  HERE

SOURCES
& Recommended Reading:

medium.com

by Steven North

"Demystifying Spirit Guides:
The Truth About Their Role & Origin

mindbodygreen.com

by Tanya Carrol Richardson

"6 Types of Spirit Guides 
& How to Communicate with Them"

gabbybernstein.com

by Gabby Berbstein

"How We Experience
Our Spirit Guides"

Spirit Guides for Beginners
by Layla Moon
@Amazon

How to Talk to Your Spirit Guides
by Will Almando

@Amazon

Ask Your Guides
by Sonia Choquette
@Amazon