thoughts on Spirit Guides

Hi All,

Clearly the concept of Spirit Guides is one that developed along with Spiritualism and the discovery that we could communicate with those who were in Spirit. I don't think there is any attempt to claim that they were not there beforehand however communication with guides was probably misunderstood by people, like Joan of Arc's voices. Indeed historically the Sumarians, whose civilization preceded Eygpt and was at its height around 3,000 BC, believed each person had a 'ghost' of some sort (that we would now probably label as 'guardian angel') with this entity remaining a constant companion for a person throughout their life.

Now Spirit Guides are well known generally and just about every pagan and alternative new age idea has them too. Unfortunately the multiplicity of versions leaves us with a need to attempt and explain the clear distinction of how they are seen in Spiritualism. Running an open group I have met many variants on the guides people believe they have, rock, totem, wolf, Archangel Michael, Jesus Christ, a seemingly inexhaustible list .

Over the years I have listened to a range of thoughts on this subject from people with many years experience within our movement. As a result I have arrived at my own interpretation although I accept that others may wish to disagree.

Firstly are they Angels or Guides. Personally I see angels as on a different pathway and from a different path of evolution. I do not doubt they exist, I would have a problem doing this, not because this would reject one of our seven principles involving the Ministry of Angels but the fact is that every so often one chooses to work with me when I am healing. I could reject my own realization of this but other healers and even the person receiving healing have seen them. However, whilst my guides seem to have a reasonable agreement with when they work with me and their roles in helping this angel arrives only when they wish to when they feel there is a need.

I listened to an interesting discussion about this subject where the hypothesis was put up, by Lis, that the angels were generally interested in global and planetary issues while guides helped on a personal basis. This appears to me to make much good sense and to correlate with the concept that guides are chosen from people who have lived a previous physical life, so that they are able to understand better the experiences that we are going through. I know people who accept reincarnation may well say that the gatekeeper will have shared a previous life with you. I actually wish now to leave the subject of angels alone and write separately upon them because it is interesting to discover how they have been incorporated from very early religious belief, how this became extended through the Kabbalah in the 12th century and drawn into the new age via Theosophy. From here it is a short jump to the modern angel card readers and the belief of angels as guides.

So guides as a concept, Spirit available to help you if asked but not tell you what to do or interfere with your free will. One who is around you whether or not you know of them. The key figure is your gatekeeper the guide who accompanies you through your physical journey. Yes probably the guardian angel of myth but not usually involved in “saving” you, although my personal experiences suggest that intervention did happen for me and without it I would not be here writing on Spiritualism. I do think they give you a nudge now and then especially when an opportunity occurs for you to revisit your pathway through life.

Getting to know this guide is very important as once you are comfortable in contact with them and learn that you can trust them they can become the sounding board if any new Spirit beings enter your world. However this is a personal task and you should take care of messages given to you telling you of a particular guide and name by others. You should ensure for yourself that you are entirely confident they have the ability to make contact with Spirit. It is very easy to make an error if you are picking up psychically especially where the person has a particular interest in a subject such as Egyptology, if they have been looking at pictures you are as likely to be told your guide is one of those people.

Even then it is not an easy task as the contact could be with a facet of your own mind not with Spirit or alternatively with a Spirit having a mischievous time to create problems. I raise this because it is the case that causes all the controversy around the Ouija board and even table rapping. In this area the excitement and heightened awareness can either create self delusion or draw in spirits from a lower level intent on shall we say “fun”. It is important to learn to be discerning not to use the communication as if it was a plaything and to talk to anything that seems to appear.

To learn how to establish contact takes time and needs you to let the brain and intellect get out of the way and intuition and instinct to cut in. You do not need the rational left side of your brain to interfere. It is always worth making contact as part of a link to Spirit to draw down the light, energy, love and protection around you. If you are lucky enough to have a decent group around you (not one into angels, rocks and totems) this can help in the development. Even a group of like minded people could meditate with the intent of meeting their guides. There are a range of approaches to help people form a link and then test the Spirit with them. Certainly this was a regular meditation exercise in my open group which always involved seeking knowledge or awareness.

Also remember one of the Natural laws like attracts like so look at the intent you take into your work. This is more important as you develop and additional guides come in to help in your development in healing, mediumship and intuitive working. As you start to develop and work other guides will come in to work alongside your gatekeeper. You may find you have at least one in each area you choose to develop. Sometimes this can be strange because the energy changes as well sometimes causing people to think they have gone backwards or stopped developing. Additionally as you develop further you may find that the helpers move on and new ones step in with another energy shift.

Here we are talking about guides who help you in your work while you are consciously aware. Entering trance requires even more faith and trust in your guide. It also seems relatively pointless if all you receive as wisdom is of a low level so your intent becomes more important. Experience shows that to do Trance requires an original understanding of the concept and experienced people in the group who can act as physical control to test those Spirits that come through and help if a problem occurs. To a great extent these are more communicators than Spirit Guides and your gatekeeper, or another trusted guide as a dedicated doorkeeper act as Spirit Control during the period of trance.

So Spirit Guides and Communicators a wonderful group of dedicated Spirits who are there to help both us personally, others and humanity if it will listen.

Cheers

Jim

Aw thanks for that Jim I found it very interesting.

As you know I had a drawing of my main guide? I have seen this person during meditation on and off for a year now but I couldn't accept him because I seen him first in a drawing.

It is very difficult to trust your own mind, especially when you are only just developing. I have had so many different people tell me of different guides, I don't know what to believe anymore. I keep seeing the same 3 people during meditation and even then I still have doubts.

I have recently been told that I have a shared guide but a new one is trying to come in. I can believe that I have a shared guide because I sit in an awareness circle so I guess this is true. I also know that I have family members around me who work in a guiding role. This I find very comforting because they I can trust.

All I can do is carry on as I am going and hope that one day I will have the proof that I desire.

Love and Light

Mandy xx

I found spiritualism after a prolonged period of stress and trauma and it has been difficult to settle down enough to feel the consistent calm and peace that the knowledge of the spirit world allows. I have had real encounters with this peace, however and believe that I have some guides even though I may not be on consciously close terms with them.

I do sit in a development group.

A few weeks ago I had a kind of dream experience unlike any I have ever had. I found myself before an old house. The world of the dream was one of radiant but oddly mild light. Later I remembered an experience described by Ursula Roberts in her biography where for moments her everyday world was transformed by this soft radiant light. Her vision was beautiful, as was my dream experience.

In my dream I was invited to enter the house and found the same soft light inside. I felt much love and peace. Then I saw an older woman with white hair. She embraced me, as family do, and once more I felt imbued with love. There were a couple of other things in the dream but no need to mention them now.

This was a unique experience and for days after this dream I felt deep peace and happiness. In the last few days, I have felt the presence of this old woman whom I have somehow named 'Mary'.

I assume that my Mary is a spirit guide of some kind. Certainly this feeling and internal knowledge is more real than anything I have experienced before so I accept it and am going to go with it.

That's great Quiet and I am so pleased to hear your story