From a Professional Medium
I was in my late twenties when I started to realize that there was a voice that was becoming distinctly separate from my own. It surely guided me along what was a tumultuous path at the time. The voice was always peaceful, loving, supportive. Never angry, impatient, or judgemental. My self-talk at the time was negative, down-putting, and overly critical. I had to fight those demons daily, and even though they were still holding me back, their grip was loosening as I paid more attention to this new source of communication.
Initially, I received guidance and messages through books. Passages or quotes would resonate so strongly with me and help change my limiting beliefs and worldview. It was this way that I stumbled upon a spiritual practice called shamanism. Even if you aren’t familiar with this way of life, you have most likely heard of the term ‘Spirit Animal.’ A spirit animal is a form of spirit guide that offers their wisdom, protection, and characteristics (energy) with their person. This is essentially what all Spirit Guides do: they help us, teach us, and lead us towards our highest self and expression.
We all have a team of compassionate spirits that help us with everything from daily necessities like brushing our teeth to soul testing challenges that sweep us off our feet. Some have more than others, but regardless of your level of awareness of them, they surround you everywhere you go. The most common Spirit Guides are considered those that have transitioned to the afterlife and have chosen to come back as a teacher on the physical plane. They have mastered a particular skill or risen to a high vibrational level, allowing them to offer themselves for this most honorable position. So, if you are a writer, you will have a writing guide, and an engineer will have an engineering guide. We also have guides that help us with tasks like driving, cooking, and learning, etc.
In my experience, spirit guides are separate from angels, ascended masters and teachers, angels, and ancestors. Their role is specifically to help us reach new levels of being, awareness, and love in whatever way possible. Over the years, and through much trial and error, I have refined my methods of working with the spirits. These are my top five ways to connect with your spirit guides:
Meditation
Clearing the clutter of your mind, focusing on your breath, and releasing tension in your body is really a form of medicine. The way we are often required to live in this world concentrates much of our energy upwards into the head and detaches us from our bodies. We create receptive energy for the spirits when we can find peace, if but for a few moments in time, in our mind, body, and soul.
When our minds are whizzing around too much, full of the voices of the media, colleagues, peers, authority figures, etc., it can be hard to separate our voice from the noise, let alone search for one coming from the heavenly realms.
I use the term meditation loosely. You may have a solid or disciplined practice, but just find a quiet place and take a few big deep breaths up from the belly if you don’t. Do a body scan to see where or if you’re holding any tension in the body. Bring your awareness to the present moment, the sounds, smells, and sensations around you. Bring your attention to your breath or your heart center. There’s no need to fight your thoughts or force them to leave. Just act as a passive observer, letting them come and go without feeding them any energy. Do this until a sense of calm comes into you.
It may take a few moments or even a few attempts. Don’t strive for perfection. Instead, commit to consistency. Even two minutes a day can make a big difference. Small but consistent actions lead to significant results.
Through meditation, you will learn to decipher what is yours and what is not. Soon or eventually, you will hear a voice that speaks to you, guides you, loves you. This voice is always there underneath the surface, waiting to be received. You will know it by feeling or how the advice touches your soul and says exactly what you need to hear in that moment. The guidance is always pure, impartial, and compassionate.
2. Nature Walk
Time in nature is one of the easiest ways to connect with the Spirit World. Cities and heavily populated areas can overstimulate our senses and make it hard to home in on particular energies like spirit guides.
Nature is rife with spirits. Indeed all the plants, animals, insects, elements, and minerals carry spirits, sharing the same source of creation as we do. It is for this reason that we can connect with them so naturally. Look for a tree or other source of nature that you feel drawn to or connected with and sit by it for a while. Consciously or unconsciously you are sharing your energies.
From this space you can meditate on or even visualize a connection with the nature spirit. You can ask it to share a message with you and see if anything comes up. Don’t be discouraged if nothing happens on your first try. Go back and try again; you can even bring an offering to share if it’s a place you visit regularly and would like to establish a relationship with.
Nature aligns us with Source. It clears us of unnecessary or unwanted energies thus getting us closer to the truth of who we are. The closer we get to that person, the easier it is to connect and commune with the spirits.
3. Altar Work
An altar is a dedicated space where you honor the spirit world. Most of us are familiar with shrines as they are commonplace across many religions. Shrines typically are devoted to a particular person or deity, but the intention is the same as an altar. It is a sacred space to connect with and honor the spirit world.
Altar making is a personal act, and you can make it as straightforward or as decorative as you like. In fact, once you set an intention, the spirits will guide you in this aspect too. You may choose to make it ancestral by placing images of passed loved ones, or you may wish to work with a particular deity or spiritual teacher. If you are just beginning and want to keep it general, a candle, an incense burner, and a place for an offering are a great place to start.
Altars need to be fed. Reciprocity is a universal spiritual law that helps us to maintain balance. What that basically means is that as you receive, so you give. And as you give, so you will receive. Be generous with the spirits and they will be generous with you. You can work out your own schedule for feeding your sacred space. This may be daily, weekly, monthly etc. Typical offerings include fruit, tobacco, liquor (spirits), money, and flowers.
Altars are an intentional and powerful way to begin working with the spirits. I highly recommend this method.
4. Prayer
There is great humility in asking for help and admitting we do not know it all. Prayer is one of the purest ways to reach the spirits if done correctly. Prayer opens a dialogue between you and the spirit world. Even if you do not know who you are talking to, the action and intention matter the most.
Prayer means different things for different people. So feel free to try out what comes naturally or pull from an established religion that makes sense to you.
I grew up Catholic, so prayer was memorized and recited, but even as a young girl, I began making up my own. This felt more personal and specific to me, my experiences and wants and needs. As an adult, my relationship with God took the form of a Friendship.
But before I developed a personal prayer practice, I started a gratitude practice. Every night and every morning I would list 5-10 things I was grateful for. This keeps us grounded in reality. It is all too easy in this world to lose sight of what we have for want of what is marketed at us through the media.
This was a hugely powerful shift for me. The West unfortunately has a ‘never enough’ energy and this keeps us in a state of lack even when we live in abundance. And abundance is more than just money or financial wealth. There is also spiritual abundance, physical and mental abundance. And wealth can be found in a loving home, thoughtfully cooked food, and a supportive community.
5. Professional Medium
A quick way to connect with your guides is to use a medium. There are a variety of people and modalities that can be used, so choose the method or person that you feel drawn to the most. Psychics, tarot readers, shamanic practitioners, mediums, energy readers should all be able to meet your needs and will contact or channel your guides on your behalf.
I suggest this means for those who struggle with energy blocks, whether mental or energetic, that keep them closed off to the possibilities and potential of the Universe. It offers a clear and direct way to hear from your guides and gives you specific information that you may not be able to attain yourself just yet.
Sometimes, it is easier to work with a medium to get you started on your path and you are less likely to doubt the information coming in. Often, your beliefs and messages are confirmed or seconded and that helps you to develop trust in yourself and your ability to receive messages and guidance from the spiritual realms.
Personally, working with Spirit Guides has been one of the highest honors and blessings of my life. I wasn’t able to notice them in the beginning, but as I continue my journey and become more knowledgeable about the spirit world, I can now sense some of them and work with a few directly for my wants and needs. We may all have different interpretations, but I can promise you that working with Spirit Guides is a life-changing experience. Honestly, they make life more fulfilling, more magical, and just plain easier. Imagine feeling like you could weather any storm, come what may.
Imagine knowing when you’ve made the right decision. Or having a trusted team to discuss details and options with. Imagine being connected to a world that only seeks to serve your highest good. This is what happens when you choose to work in co-creation with the spirit world.
If you are interested in working with me to develop your connection with the Spirit World please see my services page.
Blessings on your journey,
Imani Heals
xoxo