Remember to set a strong intention to connect with your spirit guide before going into the experience, and repeat that intention throughout the journey if possible.
No, I’m not referring to a genre of music! I’m referring to the state of mind, as in, a half-conscious state.
You know that strange mental space you enter before you go to sleep (technically called the hypnogogic state) where images play out in your mind, kind of like you’re dreaming? That is the state we’re aiming for here.
When you’re in a trance, your mind is open and receptive. It no longer has the typical filters of conscious waking reality. As such, this state is perfect for connecting with your spirit guides.
Many ancient cultures used trance to ‘connect with the gods.’ Different ways of entering trance include self-hypnosis, various breathing exercises, relaxation techniques like catharsis, sensory deprivation, watching a pendulum, visualization, drumming, and dancing.
One simple way to enter an altered state is to stare at a candle gently while practicing the shamanic breathwork technique. Shamanic breathwork involves breathing softly in through the nose and out through the mouth in a circular or connected way. There should be no pause in between, immediately following the out breath with the in breath, and in breath with the out breath.
If you decide to try this trance-inducing practice, do it gently and slowly for about ten minutes. Stop if at any time you feel uncomfortable.
When you take the time to look and pay attention, nature is sublimely magical. It is also a beautiful place to come in contact with your spirit guides (particularly animal spirits and trans-species beings).
Find someplace outside. Sit in a park, by a river or stream, or go hiking. Look at the clouds, bodies of water, and trees. Can you glimpse any faces? What animals keep appearing that have seemed to accompany you for a while?
Just the other week I was staring at the clouds. Out of nowhere, one particular cloud morphed into the face of Pan. I interpreted this as a clear reminder of his constant presence in my life. And yes, while this could have been a product of my imagination, the very fact that I interpreted the cloud as showing the face of Pan speaks a lot about my personal unconscious.
Look around you, be mindful, and soak in the mystery. Nature teaches us so much with or without the presence of a distinct spirit guide!
What exactly are spirit guides? Using the language of modern mystics, a “spirit guide” is a nonphysical being assigned to guide us to attain the greatest potential on Earth. In a way they care for us like guardian angels and assist us in many processes and transformations as we navigate life. A spirit guide is an ascended being that has thoroughly mastered life’s lessons, and comes through energetically as a true North Star, a guiding light.
The following insightful deep dive is written by Mallory Leone; witch, healer, and mover of energy, who owns and operates Four Corner Studio.
Whether you know it or not, you have a full team of spirit guides cheering you on and subtly guiding you through all of life’s ups and downs. No matter your cultural or spiritual background, these beings are here to give you an added layer of knowledge, wisdom, and protection.
The idea of spirit guides isn’t just new age fluff —it’s a belief system that spans many cultures and religions. And although different cultures may call their guides by different names, they all share remarkable similarities.
There are numerous ways to meet your guides and foster relationships with them throughout your lifetime. This article will cover just a few ways to identify your guides, receive their wisdom and counsel, and foster lasting relationships with your soul’s team.
Different cultures and spiritual traditions may hold wildly different beliefs and practices when it comes to contacting ancestors and other spirit guides. If you’re curious about your unique lineage, look up ancestral spiritual and healing practices in your families’ countries of origin. From there, you can begin to read more about how your ancestors met and fostered lasting relationships with their spirit guides and see how it feels to you.
Have you ever felt like something or someone was watching over you? Or, maybe you’ve heard a whisper or heeded a thought that led you away from danger or a terrible decision. If any of this resonates, then you’ve already had contact with your spirit guides.
Spirit guides are non-physical beings that have signed a soul contract to help you navigate the material realm, and guide you toward your greatest potential on earth. Also referred to as totems by Anishinaabe people (also called Ojibwa or Chippewa), angels, and nature spirits, your guides can take many different forms.
Spirit KeepingWhile they sometimes show up as ancestors or animal spirits, voices and visions, they always vibrate at a higher than human frequency. You can think of them as light beings, energy, or souls that have made their way to a higher plane.
Some belief systems maintain that you’re assigned a specific team at birth, while others believe that guides come and go as you need them throughout your lifetime.
Your spirit guides are definitely here for your benefit, even if you’re not sure how to “access” them. And they’re already showing up for you (and have been all along), even during times you’ve felt completely alone.
They speak to you in dreams, signs, and symbols. Sometimes, these entities will send small clues or leave breadcrumbs that lead you toward a bigger idea or goal. These usually show up as gut instincts, ideas, “downloads,” and synchronicities.
Your guides can protect you from negativity or harmful thought loops, usher you through anxious or depressive thoughts, increase creativity, and help connect you with your soul’s true purpose.
They’ll help you make tough decisions and often bring the right people into your life at the right times or send you clues that it's time to leave a relationship or remove your energy from a situation.
When it comes to types of spirit guides, there really are no rules. Spirit guides take many forms, from an ancestor you once knew on earth to pure light being to… well, alien. Here are a few forms your spirit guides might take, but if these don’t resonate, don’t worry —there are plenty of ways to connect more deeply. Here are some of the most common guides:
When it comes to types of spirit guides, there really are no rules. Spirit guides take many forms, from an ancestor you once knew on earth to pure light being to… well, alien. Here are a few forms your spirit guides might take, but if these don’t resonate, don’t worry —there are plenty of ways to connect more deeply. Here are some of the most common guides:
This is one guide you always have access to, no matter what. That’s because your higher self is already… you. Instead of being a separate spirit-based version of you, it’s simply the part of you that’s deeply connected with the divine and can easily see past a lot of the earthly things that can get in the way of divine reasoning.
Your higher self is the kind of guide that sees beyond the surface of things and ushers you forward with deep and loving wisdom. They also have access to way more information than your conscious mind —all you have to do is tap in and that wisdom is yours! This might feel like your intuition or a “sixth sense.” Whatever form it takes, acknowledging it can become your most powerful tool.
You might have learned that angels are only for those with religious beliefs, but that’s just not true! Angels are non-denominational and many people receive messages from specific angels regardless of their religious background.
Archangels are powerful spiritual figures that tend to come with a “specialty.” For instance, Archangel Michael represents protection, courage, and truth, so you can call on that energy anytime you need it.
Other angels may not come with a specific name and may feel like they’re yours and yours alone. If you sense an angelic presence, feel free to ask them their name and what they’re here to teach you.
There’s a theory that when someone dies, their spirit ascends to a higher plane where it can stay and assist humans on their earthly paths before reincarnating again.
These can be relatives you knew in this lifetime, people or ancestors from previous lives, and spirits your soul has never had contact with before. These particular spirits come with a wealth of information they acquired on earth, plus they gain the knowledge of all that is simply by being in an ascended form.
Some people refer to ascended masters as the big guns like Buddha and Jesus. But I’ve seen these come through as any spirit energy with impressive things to teach and share.
When you connect with guides like ancestors and ascended masters, it’s good to tap into the energy and advice they can offer from their unique experiences and perspective.