What is the Meaning of a Spirit Guide, by a professional Medium and Medicine Woman
As you venture further into your spirituality and learn more about spiritual realms, realities, and teachings, you may have come across the term ‘spirit guides’. You may have found yourself asking ‘what is the meaning of a spirit guide?’, ‘how do you contact spirit guides?’, or ‘what is a spirit animal?’ These are all great questions and understanding what they are and how they serve us is the first step of the journey in developing a relationship with them. Here are your answers to your top 3 spirit guide questions:
What is the Meaning of a Spirit Guide?
A spirit guide is an energetic or spiritual entity that serves to help, protect, or teach you in some way. We all have a team of compassionate spirits that offer themselves in service for a variety of necessary roles and functions. On that team, one may have spirit guides, angels, ancestors, ascended masters, and teachers (Jesus or Buddha for example). And while they all offer support, there are differences between them. For the purpose of this article, I will only focus on spirit guides today.
Spirit guides share their energy, wisdom, and expertise with us. They help us to grow spiritually, protect us and show us the way through the darkness. They are also great carers and teachers. Their roles vary widely; we have guides who remind us to brush our teeth or shower, and guides who help us complete a Ph.D. thesis. And they all show up in a variety of ways so there are many ways to be able to pay attention to them.
They help us with our most basic care and needs on a formative basis. They help us to practice effective survival and social skills, good hygiene, eating habits, and developing our senses and intuition. They remind us before we forget something, warn us not to eat a certain food, and send messages of encouragement in times of need. In a nutshell, they help us with all the important necessities and functions of being human. They help keep us alive and well.
In particular, for these spirits, we do not usually see physical evidence for them. They are most often heard and not seen, but they may also be experienced through feelings in the body. Although it is possible that they send signs or symbols of their presence just like other compassionate spirits. This may be repeating words or phrases that you see or hear in a short, unusual, or uncanny amount of time. Angel numbers (repeating numbers) may appear when you think of them or you keep seeing a symbol that speaks to or has meaning for you. Alternatively, they may send feathers, coins, or other random trinkets on your path. Be on the lookout, but what sets their gifts apart from the ordinary is that it is out of place, rare, repetitive, and hard to ignore. You may also have a gut sense of inner knowing that it is a message or sign from them to help you confirm their presence.
It’s worth bearing in mind, that those who are very visual may see or envision their guides in their minds or recognize their images. However many people will get their initial description from a professional medium or psychic.
How do you Contact Spirit Guides?
Our guides are all around us and communicate with us throughout the day regardless of our level of awareness of it. They love to interact with us and are very receptive to being contacted. The work to do is on our part, not theirs, and there are a few ways to start developing a relationship with them.
For starters, you can begin by asking them to open the channels of communication to you in a way that you can understand them. This may come in different ways and you may even have a preference, so give a little thought to it before you reach out. Possible options are asking for a sign or number of signs, asking for appearance in a dream, or asking for messages through meditation. You can even send out the invitation and request that they show you how best to communicate with them.
Keep in mind that the Spirits do not experience time in the same way we do. There are two solutions to this and they can be practiced alone or in tandem. Patience is one of the main qualities we must develop when working with the spirit world. We are so used to instant gratification, but we must also respect the divine timing of things, so we must learn to be patient with the process. However, it is also okay to set a deadline. So, for example, you may ask: ‘please send me three signs this week that you are near me’.
Setting up a sacred space or having a prayer practice are both excellent ways of inviting spirits into your life. This can be as simple as a candle and some incense-it’s the intention that counts. As you work with them you may choose to expand your altar or space with photos or objects that represent them or even that they may have put on your path.
Prayer too, especially giving thanks for what we have and what we are blessed with helps bring us closer to their world. Love and gratitude are high vibrational energetic states that melt the veil between our worlds.
If you are interested in contacting your spirit guides consider reading my article ‘The 5 Best Ways to Contact your Spirit Guides’ or go to my services page to find out how my professional services can help you.
What is a Spirit Animal?
A spirit animal is a type of spirit guide. This specific term is associated with Native American Indigenous spirituality and we should be respectful and careful in our adoption and use of the term. They are also called ‘totem animals’ within the tradition and in their belief a clan adopts or merges with the characteristics of a single animal.
Animal spirit guides do however exist across countries and cultures and are thought to be adopted into Western spirituality in the 90s. Another term that is not so closely related to Native Americans is ‘power animal’.
Power animals are protectors and guides that share their traits with their chosen person. You may have an affinity with a particular animal or perhaps an out of the ordinary encounter occurs alerting you that this animal is seeking to share its magic with you. Or you have repetitive interactions in a short period of time that is striking or unusual to you.
Power animals may present themselves to work with you for a short period of time- to help with a particular challenge- or they may share their energy and lessons with you for the rest of your life. It is the latter that is most considered a power animal whereas the former tend to be more commonly known as animal messengers, but nevertheless, they are all spirit guides in their own right too.
Working with spirit guides is a high and most rewarding experience and gift. You may take advice from this blog or you may want to carve out your own path and allow the spirits to guide you. Alternatively you can book one of my professional shamanic or psychic services to connect you with your spirit team.
Blessings on your journey,
Imani Heals
xoxo