SPIRIT
GUIDE
"Spirit guide" is a
term used by the Western tradition of Spiritualist Churches, mediums,
and psychics
to describe an entity that remains a disincarnate spirit in order to
act as a guide or protector to a living incarnated
human being.
Traditionally, within the
spiritualist churches, spirit guides were often stereotyped ethnically, with Native Americans, Chinese or
Egyptians being popular for their perceived ancient wisdom, saints, or
enlightened individuals. Nevertheless, the term can also refer to animals or totems, controls, angels, or nature
spirits.
According to theosophical
doctrine, spirit guides are not always of human descent. Some spirit guides
live as energy, in the cosmic realm, or as light being. The light beings are
very high level spirit guides. Abraahm and Joaquim are considered light beings.
Some spirit guides are persons who have lived many former lifetimes, paid their
karmic debts, and
advanced beyond a need to reincarnate. Many devotees believe that spirit guides
are chosen on "the other side" by human beings who are about to
incarnate and wish assistance.
Some[quantify] believers
in lucid dreaming claim it is possible to meet one's spirit guide or
"dream guide" in dreams or on the astral
plane (see Astral Projection)[citation needed]. Their
guidance is said not to require mediumship.
Some early modern
Spiritualists did not favor the idea of spirit guides. Spiritualist author and
medium E.W. Wallis, writing in A Guide to Mediumship and Psychic Unfoldment,
expressed an opinion that the notion of spirit guides is disempowering and
disrespectful to both spirits and living people. He does not deny that seeking
people may be helped by spirits here and there, but decries the idea that said
spirits are appointed or assigned to do nothing but help the living. He advises
would-be mediums to steer clear of the notion that they are being
"guided" unless they have demonstrable proof that such is the case.[1]
The Gnostic religious
view of a spirit guide is that, on the other side, you and your guide planned
your life on earth before you incarnated. You live the life and your spirit
guide helps you along the way. Thus, if this is the case, everyone has a spirit
guide because everyone planned their life prior to being born. Therefore, the
spirit guide couldn't be a living relative or an animal, but could present
itself as such. Furthermore, a guide is said to have lived at least one earthly
life before becoming a spirit guide so that they can understand the struggles
of human life.
The Christian religious view
is that the only guide to be given any attention is the Holy Spirit. (Jesus
Christ: " The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told
you." John 14:26) and all interaction with those who have passed on to the
world of the dead are not to be contacted. ( 1 Chronicles 10:13 Saul died
because he was unfaithful to the LORD. He disobeyed the LORD's commands; he
tried to find guidance by consulting the spirits of the dead) and use of all
forms of charms to entangle oneself with spirit guides is also prohibited.
(Deuteronomy 18:10-13 Don't sacrifice your children in the fires on your
altars; and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use
spells or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead. The LORD
your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is
driving those nations out of the land as you advance. Be completely faithful to
the LORD.")
The Jewish religious view is
that interaction with the spirit world excepting to God YHWH is an abomination
to God.
Many well-known psychics have
publicly described their guides. Helena
Blavatsky talked about being advised by "Mahatmas", discarnate personages
from India and
especially Tibet,
who dressed and behaved according to the dictates of their respective cultures.
Alice
Bailey also described having contact with a spirit teacher whom she called
"The Tibetan".
American Spiritualists of the
19th and 20th centuries often described their guides as resembling Native Americans. One popular
spirit guide of this type, encountered by many Anglo-American Spiritualists,
was named White Hawk. Among African-American Spiritualists, especially those in
churches that were founded by or influenced by Mother Leafy
Anderson, the Native American guide was named Black Hawk, and was presumed to be the spirit of
the Fox
tribe warrior of the same name.[2]
Others described their guides
in terms of what sounds like a mythologized Ancient Chinese appearance,
and Irish
guides were also common.
Today, Sylvia
Browne still follows the standard of having a guide with a Hindu-like
appearance, with her hair in a long braid and loose-fitting clothing. Browne's
Spirit Guide is to be named "Francine". Francine has said she has a
close friend on the Other Side named "Rahim", who is also another
Spirit Guide, who is said to have a middle-eastern appearance, wearing a turban.
It is believed that one's
spirit guide takes the form of a loved one or an angel upon the preference of
the person it looks over.
Techniques range from astral
projection techniques to simple mind visualization
exercises and other 'clairs' forms of sensing.[3] It is said that
the spirit guide is not on the Earthly plane, but rather is communicating from
"The Other Side". "The Other Side" has a much less dense
atmosphere than Earth, and therefore it is believed that we must be tuned in to
our guides by freeing the mind or doing one of many meditations. Lucid
dreams can also help with contacting a spirit guide.
Some people who claim to have
these abilities and see spirit guides say that their or other peoples spirit
guide look like normal people that have died before, and have decided to help
the people who are still alive and be almost like "guardian
angels" to those people. They contact them by concentrating on the
planes of the guides and the humans and then the spirits appear.