Learn what assistance is available to you from your Spirit Guides!

Spirit Guides are here to assist us and it is okay to ask for help! In this resource, you will learn who your Spirit Guides can be, how to connect, and how to know they are listening!

Spirit Guides: The Angelic Realm

Pulling out the old Oxford Dictionary, I find an Angel defined as: “An attendant or messenger of God, usually shown in pictures as a being in human form with wings and dressed in long white robes.” 

The New Age A to Z has Angel defined much more detail: “The title of a level achieved in the multi-leveled or hierarchical etheric world intelligence. This level of achievement is gained over many lifetimes of purifying the spirit or by coming up through the ranks, first as a nature spirit. Angels are “messengers” as the Greek root word indicates…. Angels don’t have earthly bodies. However, they can lower the vibratory rate of their bodies and make appearances in what look like human bodies. When asked, angels bring help and wisdom to those on earth. They are asked either consciously or unconsciously.”

Angels are for everyone! Author, Richard Webster points out that all religions, and people without a religion, have seen Angels. You will find Angels in every religion and myth.

Angels appear different to different people! This fact that Angels appear to people differently seems to reflect the expectation of the viewer! Some don’t see them yet seem to be aware of them, often as a small voice that they may see as their conscience.

Angels are not people who died, nor male or female. Webster tells us that, besides the prophet Enoch, angels are not someone who has passed on but are immortal, ageless, sexless, and able to make themselves visible or invisible. Sometimes an angel will come in a feminine form or choose to be sexless or male.

Angels act as messengers between heaven and earth as well as acting as Guides, protectors, and nurturers. The word angel comes from the Greek word angelos, which is derived from the Hebrew word mal’ akh, meaning “messenger“.

Don Gilmore, a minister, describes Angels as “forms, images or expressions through which the essences and energy forces of God can be transmitted.”

Some Say Angels have their own Hierarchy. I must say that whenever I have spoken to the Arch Angels, they laugh at this idea of Hierarchy. They say that no one is closer to God than another! The first time a hierarchy is mentioned seems to be in the fifth century by Pseudo-Dionysius. He says there are nine choirs of Angels which are arranged in three groups or triads.

• First Triad: 1 Seraphim, 2 Cheribum, 3 Thrones
• Second Triad: 4 Dominions, 5 Virtues, 6 Powers
• Third Triad: 7 Principalities, 8 Archangels, 9 Angels 

The Arch Angel’s names vary depending on who you ask! For this information, I went to my favorite Arch Angel expert, John Sackett. John is a conscious channel. As a matter of fact, he is the clearest channel I know! (John sadly passed away in 2013)  John told me that the Seven Arch Angels are Michael (blue), Gabriel (crystalline white), Uriel (ruby), and Raphael(green) These are the four primary ones that relate to the four directions, astrological elements, and such. And then Jophiel (yellow) (my buddy), Zadkiel (violet), and Chamuel (rose pink). These names are the one’s that John has personally experienced and I have also dealt with most of them. Each has a distinct personality and vibration or feel to them.

In Webster’s book, he has the same first four Arch Angels but has Raguel, Sariel, and Remiel as the last three. Both he and John speak of seeing many different versions.

• Arch Angel Michael’s Name is said to mean “One Who Is Like God”. Webster said he represents love, his element is fire, his direction is south, his season is autumn, his color is red and his zodiac signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. If this is true, Michael would represent the Lion. As you can see there are differences in opinion, so go with what feels the best to you!

• Arch Angels Gabriel’s name is said to mean “God Is My Strength”. Webster says he represents overcoming doubt and fear, his element is water, his direction is west, his season is winter, his color is emerald and his zodiac signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Gabriel would then represent the Phoenix.

• Arch Angel Raphael’s name is said to mean “Shining One Who Heals”. I do know that Raphael is very often associated with healing. Wester says he represents healing, his element is air, his direction is east, his season is spring, his color is blue and his zodiac signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. Raphael would then represent the Angel Man.

• Arch Angel Uriel’s (who is the funniest and most easygoing of the lot) name is said to mean “Fire Of God” and Webster says he represents clear thinking, his element is Earth, his direction is north, his season is summer, his color is white and his zodiac signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. He would then represent the bull.

There is one more important Angel to mention and that is Metatron. Webster says his name means “Closest To The Throne”. Metatron is not an Arch Angel, but Webster tells us he is the only human being to become an Angel and that he was formally the prophet Enoch.

Spirit Guides: Animal Medicine

The Native Americans and other nature-oriented cultures tend to have Animal Spirits that they call upon. It is not the same as we think of Spirit Guides. Each type of animal possesses its own Spirit Medicine or Power. When one calls on the spirit of a particular animal, he or she is asking for the ability to possess the qualities of the animal (Medicine or Power). 

The seeker is not asking for guidance or direction in the same way that we ask for guidance from our Spirit Guides. For Animal Medicine, I referred to the book Medicine Cards, by Sams and Carson who tell us that Medicine refers to anything that improves one’s connection to the Great Mystery and to all of life. They also say that it includes healing of body, mind, and spirit. Medicine can also be anything that brings personal power, strength, and understanding. 

What follows is a list of the most common animals and their Medicine or Power. For more details of how to relate to each animal and its medicine, I highly recommend the books Medicine Cards, by Sams Carson, Animal Speaks, by Ted Andrews and anything by Steven Farmer.

Spirit Guide Animal Medicine

Spirit Guides: The Elementals

According to Wikipedia and other sources I have seen over the years, an elemental is a mythic being that is described in occult and alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance, and particularly elaborated in the 16th-century works of Paracelsus. According to Paracelsus and his subsequent followers, there are four categories of elementals, which are gnomes, undines, sylphs, and salamanders. These correspond to the four elements of antiquity: earth, water, air, and fire, respectively. 

Elementals are not bound like angels to help humans. Their loyalty is to the elements they are aligned with. They tend to be playful and so be careful if you ask them for help.

Sue-Ryn, my fairy expert, gave me a rundown of the major points and she recommends the book called Dancing with Devas by Trish Telesco, which filled in the rest! Here you will find some do’s and do not’s and in the next section we will discuss how to attract and honor the Elementals or any Spirit Guide you are looking for! You will find information on creating an altar and sacred space as well as tips on getting into the right “Head Space!”

The Elementals are beings who act as intermediaries and protectors of the elements (fire, earth, water, air) they are connected to.

• Big Point #1 – Do ask for help respectfully – don’t command or evoke! Invite their presence.
• Big Point #2 – Do be aware of subtle answers or contacts, they may be obvious, but as we said, look for subtle – don’t have expectations that they will appear before your eyes like a genie out of a bottle!
• Big Point #3 – Be aware that even Elementals require privacy and respect – I repeat, commanding can cause trouble!
• Big Point #4 – Learn about, and be respectful to, the Element before asking for help from its Elemental – In other words, don’t smoke while trying to talk to the Elementals of Air! – You get the idea.
• Really Big Point #5 – Ask for a favorable visit – Don’t forget they don’t owe you anything!
• Big Point #6 – When you are done, remember to thank the Elemental for their help, let them know that you’re done and it is time to go home. Remember, politeness and respect are important. It is not like you command them to go, yet like a friend who leaves after a visit, you walk them to the door!

Connecting with Spirit Guides & Elemental

1. Keep A Diary: It is helpful to maintain some sort of diary. Here you keep experiences, feelings etc that occur in your working with the Devas.
2. Practice Meditation and Visualization: Now don’t stop reading just because I said the no-no word – meditation! I meditate doing dishes, and Dave mediates walking through nature! Meditation is not only sitting in a pretzel position chanting OM!! It is important to gain an understanding of meditation and visualization. 
3. Practice Meditation and Visualization: Now don’t stop reading just because I said the no-no word – meditation! I meditate doing dishes, and Dave mediates walking through nature! Meditation is not only sitting in a pretzel position chanting OM!! It is important to gain an understanding of meditation and visualization. 
4. Do a Ritual (ceremony) to Create a Sacred Space: Have some sort of ritual. Another word for ritual is Ceremony. This doesn’t mean it needs to be some big fancy scary ritual. Telesco suggests you prepare for creating the sacred space by first personal cleaning (bath, ceremonial hand cleaning, etc.) and cleaning the space (smudging, incense, etc.) as well as personal mental and emotional preparation (meditation, prayer asking that all be for the highest and most loving good). 
5. Honor the Elements or whatever Spirit Guide you have chosen to work with: in creating this sacred space, you honor all the elements. You thereby honor the Elementals. This is best done by having something representational for each element present or something for whatever Guide you are working with. For example, for Arch Angel Michael, maybe having something blue (that is his color) or if working with fairies (air) may be nice incense!
6. Create an Altar: No matter what Spirit Guide or element you are interested in, creating an “honoring altar” is a wonderful way to show that you are serious in your intention. Be it a fairy, angel, or ancestor, an altar will attract the energy that you are honoring! Here is a link to Dave’s handmade altars and some pictures of altars we have had over the years.
7. Ask Them to Visit: You can ask them to visit you and then sit still and sense any vibration, feeling, emotion, or anything that might feel different, sometimes when they want to talk or visit, it feels like they are tickling the top of my head.

Ways to Experience your Spirit Guides and Elementals

• Knowing: You may gradually feel more protection and guidance around you. There is a subtle knowing of connection with your angel. You just may feel better knowing that they are around.
• Dreams: Your angel or Guide might appear in your dreams
• Thoughts or Feelings: Sometimes we have thoughts that come up to us as a surprise. It isn’t the way we would normally think or a feeling that is unfamiliar! Start to trust this little by little. I find that if the thought or feeling is harmful or negative, it is our own subconscious chatter or inner judge, not our Guide. The thoughts or feelings of a Guide are always positive (even if it is saying not to do something) and nonjudgmental.
• Intuition: Sometimes what we call intuition is the same as our Guides communicating with us!
• Prayer: Prayer is a wonderful way to connect to your Guides, especially the Angelic Realm. You can pray that they become more active and noticeable in your life. Ask for your own consciousness to be more aligned and connected to their energy or vibration.
• Coincidence, Synchronicity, and Serendipity: Watch for your Guides influence on a normal day happening. Did you need to speak to someone and run into them at the store? Did you get a parking spot that was too good to be true? (We all love the Parking Space Angel!) Sometimes it is the subtle connections that make life so wonderful! Remember to thank your Guide when these things occur!

For more information on Sue-Ryn, visit her site, Hillwoman.com

For David’s handmade Altars visit Dharmatalks.com