Spirit Guides...

[TaoPath]

I’m not sure I believe in this aspect of spirituality, yet people talk about them a lot so I’ve got a few questions to those who do believe in them:

- How do you ‘meet’ yours?
- Is there a relationship between you and them (similar to the ones that we have in everyday life)?
- When people say they are being told something by a spirit guide, is not really just themselves saying it? How do you tell the difference?
- Can you have bad/naughty spirit guides?
- What are the benefits of having one compared to not having one?
- What's in it for them? Are they bored or something?
- What are some experiences people have had with theirs?

Thank you!

[Horizons]

I'm also interested in this and don't know much about it so I'm interested in hearing the response.

I'm interested to know what is the possibility is that they are a metaphorical symbol generated by the subconscious of the 'helpful guide' self?

[royster]

I'm sort of surprized no one has responded here, TaoPath.

I get this question all the time, and truth be known, my answer changes every five years. And I am of the idea that no two people have the same "kind" of guide spirits.

Very simplified, we can imagine a universe where the older and wiser that have gone before us return in a service position; those of us on the spiritual path do the same thing. We exchange our experiences in hopes of assisting a fellow sojourner. In the higher realms, service isn't required as much as it is necessary for the individual. It's contributing to the general health of the universes.

- How do you ‘meet’ yours?

Difficult to answer, because I'm an OOOOOOLD soul, and they've been with me for eons. My best advice is to invite them, and yes: be careful and discerning. I've always said that your guide spirits EXPECT you to be wary, cautious and nit-picky. Even after a good establishing of communication, we all watch out for the wolves.

- Is there a relationship between you and them (similar to the ones that we have in everyday life)?

I am starting to wonder how personally involved I am with my guides...if in fact they're my chakras, or I'm one of THEIR chakras, etc. Ponder all you want, the basics are still there: they see what you can't, and have experienced everything you have. You can't find better friends.

- When people say they are being told something by a spirit guide, is not really just themselves saying it? How do you tell the difference?

Inside our minds we have a definite frequency we recognise as our own thoughts. Spirit guides are define-ably seperate yet access the inside of our minds...their frequency is different. Sometimes we have almost the idea, and they nudge it to fruition. In this case, it IS us, with guidance. It has long been my speculation that a completed, healthy mind is at least five entities.

- Can you have bad/naughty spirit guides?

I think not. You have mischeivious ghosts, demons and the like, but guide spirits have to adhere to some pretty stringent rules. They are, after all, entrusted with our well-being, which affects their well-being.

- What are the benefits of having one compared to not having one?
Good navigation, avoiding pitfalls, they remind you of stuff...they are sort of like the missing part of your brain.

- What's in it for them? Are they bored or something?
I'm confident my guides are NEVER bored. Their pay-back is of little use for us to know; they're giving back what they, themselves, have been given.

- What are some experiences people have had with theirs?
Mine have been right-on-the-money countless times, an "inner radar" that has helped me not only steer clear of danger, but point out things i would have obliviously missed.

[Erin Pavlina]

I've written a lot about spirit guides on my blog.

Go here:
Erin Pavlina Articles

And do a search and find on "spirit guides" and there are several articles that will answer your questions and then some.

[royster]

Very comprehencive and well-worded, Erin.
Spirit Guides: Who are they and how do you connect with them?

[insanezenmistress]

Originally Posted by royster

- Can you have bad/naughty spirit guides?

I think not. You have mischeivious ghosts, demons and the like, but guide spirits have to adhere to some pretty stringent rules. They are, after all, entrusted with our well-being, which affects their well-being.

- What are the benefits of having one compared to not having one?
Good navigation, avoiding pitfalls, they remind you of stuff...they are sort of like the missing part of your brain.

- What's in it for them? Are they bored or something?
I'm confident my guides are NEVER bored. Their pay-back is of little use for us to know; they're giving back what they, themselves, have been given.

I have a guide and been thru a few, but i am still having trouble since i read the Screwtape letters.

I enjoyed the statement about them being the missing part of my brain, and this seems true fro me also, except i might add that part of the brain that can hold you accountable in truth, like a mirror. But exactly like simple conscience but a sharp razor.

I wonder sometimes if we are meant to absorb the guide....which brings back the screwtape letters.......

*anyone got a zoloft*

[Mato Kinze]

Just read Erin's articles. They are quite comprehensive and though we may use different terms based on our particular traditions or experiences, what she describes is essentially the same thing I've encountered and continue to encounter.

[Nimue]

- How do you ‘meet’ yours?
Visually, you mean? I met my first after reading an article about totems. I soon chose to forget him as a part of my imagination, but he came back to help me at a time I had problems. After 3 years, he comes one day saying he had nothing more to teach me and introduced me to the next one. After 3 months only my new guide introduced me to the next, and so on. I met 4 animal guides that way.
Now I just need to ask them in order to meet them.

- Is there a relationship between you and them (similar to the ones that we have in everyday life)?
My first one, the "totem", used to be something between a psycologist and teacher, now he's a friend that pays a visit sometimes.
The two next are still teacher-like in their relationship with me. They have finished their actual teachings and mostly give me advice to think on instead of homework. The fourth barely communicates with my conscious self so I'm not sure...she's really sweet, though.

- When people say they are being told something by a spirit guide, is not really just themselves saying it? How do you tell the difference?
They act in ways I wouldn't. They would also sometimes give me signs. For example, my lion guide (my 3rd guide) once told me to pick a certain tarot card: it was the "courage" card, which shows a lion walking along with a lady. When I finished all "Basic Education" of my guides, they told me that my teacher would now be the World. Guess what showed the tarot card they showed me to pick: exactly. "The World".

Of course, I'm kinda intuitive, so there's a chance all that is a creation of my subconscious (I mean, talking animals guiding me? It's crazy) but since they help me I don't really bother to question their nature.

- Can you have bad/naughty spirit guides?
I think yes, bad entities can guide you down the wrong path. But you can usually tell the diffrence. There is a naughty entity I've known before my spirit guides, he hasn't guided me as they do but I've come to understand some important things because of him. (He's the probably the biggest psychic-showoff of them all, too...)

- What are the benefits of having one compared to not having one?
You get a helper that makes you realize things you wouldn't otherwise, and also maybe help you in unexpectable ways in times of need. And: reminds you of stuff. Awesomely helpful, a real life-saver sometimes. The naughty entity I mentioned is the best on that, when we were on better terms he even predicted what extra things I would need to get before going out.

- What's in it for them? Are they bored or something?
My first guide IS bored. If I weren't like "what? you're leaving? Nooooo, please don't leave meeeeee!" when he introduced me to my next guide he wouldn't consider coming back (maybe because I was such a whiner ) He said others need him and he's right. He drops by about once a month and we eventually became friends (after I dropped my whining ).
The 2nd likes to teach and prove his ideas right to me, the 3rd likes to teach but in a more relaxed and fun way. The 4rth is a cute, playful monkey that likes loving people and kind company.
The "naughty" one likes to surprise me, make me be in awe about him, and put me in troubles or cause me depression (that's why we're not in goot terms anymore)

- What are some experiences people have had with theirs?
Generally speaking? They helped me find myself, regain my self-confidence, beat depression, put goals in my life, find love, embrace my fears right before beating them, and grow as a person. In short, they helped me to get a life!
I remember when I met my second guide, a snake. I didn't even want to speak to him at the beginning (I mean, he is a snake!), but when I realized I really needed his help and accepted it suddenly my life got better. In these three months I got at a whole new level as a person.

[TaoPath]

Thanks Nimue for your detailed response.

And to all others: Its good to see different perspectives on this.

I think I once contacted mine after reading Creative Visualisation. I’m going to go meditating and visualising later in the week to see if he wants to hang out


x

[pianoperformer]

I definitely believe that we have spirit guides. I've met with and talked to mine before.

How you tell the difference is very difficult to explain. It's just kind of something you eventually learn to differentiate. Eventually, you will receive information from them that you couldn't have received otherwise, though. I think Erin has a post on how to tell the difference.

[TaoPath]

Thanks Royster and pianoperformer for letting me know your experiences

Thanks Erin for the articles...i'll look through them properly later

x

[Kab2012]

To me, spirit guides are an aspect of myself that I turn to for advice or guidance. They are not separate entities from myself that are outside of me, they are a higher part of my being. In essence they are me.