Getting to Know Your Spirit Guides: What They Are & How to Spot Them

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Make contact with the helpful spirit guides who accompany you through life

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Definition

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Types of Spirit Guides

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How do they communicate?

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Connecting with a Spirit Guide

Do you ever feel like a comforting unseen force is close by, looking out for you always? You may be sensing your spirit guides! Spirit guides are thought to come to everyone regardless of background and cultural beliefs, giving them advice, assistance, and inspiration. But what do spirit guides look like, and how can you tell when they send messages? We’re here to explain everything. Read on for a complete overview of spirit guides, including a list of the possible guides that might appear to you and tips on strengthening your connection with them.

This article is based on an interview with our international intuitive counselor and happiness coach, Kari Samuels. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Spirit guides are non-physical beings who help you find your way in life, make decisions, and navigate obstacles. They communicate in symbols, signals, and dreams.
A spirit guide can take many different forms, from ancestors and departed loved ones to spirit animals, angels, and deities.
Communicate with your spirit guides by asking them questions in your thoughts or journaling, and use your intuition to spot messages from them in your everyday life.

Section 1 of 4:

What are spirit guides?

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Spirit guides are non-physical beings sent to help you navigate life. These guides are thought to have a soul contract (an unconscious promise connecting them to your soul) to stay with you and help you unlock your greatest potential. They’re believed to be light beings, energy, or souls that become guides for those on Earth. Some believe you’re born with a team of spirit guides, while others believe they come and go throughout life.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Spirit guides have different names because so many cultures and religions believe in them. For example, Native Americans have totems representing spirit guides, and religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, have angels.
- Different cultures also have different practices when it comes to contacting spirit guides. If you want to know more about your culture’s beliefs surrounding spirit guides, it’s never too late to find out.
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Spirit guides may help you make difficult decisions. Because they work as invisible advisors, spirit guides often accompany you through life so that they can help you navigate challenges. They’re most likely to send you messages when you have a tough decision to make, a hardship to overcome, or you simply ask for their help. They may also intervene to bring the right people into your life when you need them.^{[2]XResearch source}
- For example, a spirit guide might send you a sign that it’s time to end an unhealthy relationship or help you decide which career path to choose.

Section 2 of 4:

Types of Spirit Guides

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Ancestors and loved ones Departed loved ones and family members may choose to be your spirit guide and support you from their afterlife, wherever you believe they may be. Spirit guides can actually be anybody who has passed on, from a teacher who inspired you to a departed grandparent. Ancestral guardians and loved ones can be a huge source of support and comfort.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Departed loved ones who become your spirit guides tend to help in practical ways, like sending you promising job opportunities or pushing you towards loving, nurturing potential partners.
- You don’t necessarily have to be close to someone in life for them to be a spirit guardian. For example, your spirit guide could be a grandparent you were especially attached to, but it could also be a grandparent you didn’t know very well.
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Animals Think you might have a spirit animal? They come in all shapes and sizes! It may be a pet that passed away and joined the ranks of your spirit guides or an animal that may be able to teach you something through the ideals that it represents. Spirit animals often appear in a number of different ways; you might spot one in the wild, see its picture in a magazine or poster, or it may appear to you in a dream.^{[4]XResearch source}
- For example, doves typically represent peace. You may find that you see a dove flying around when you feel particularly upset or worked up as a reminder to keep striving for inner peace.
- Plenty of different animals have spiritual meanings attributed to them as well. For example, wolves signify loyalty, survival, and communication, while owls represent wisdom, luck, and self-actualization.
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Ascended masters Ascended masters are people who were once human and have since passed on, leaving behind profound spiritual legacies. They’re figures who still influence people spiritually today—and who are considered spiritual leaders despite the fact that they’re not physically present on earth anymore.^{[5]XResearch source}
- For example, figures like Buddha, Confucius, Mary mother of Jesus, Enoch, and Saint Germain are all considered ascended masters and spirit guides.
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Angels and archangels Angels are often associated with religion, but the truth is, they’re actually non-denominational and can appear to anyone. Many people, regardless of religious beliefs, ask for their help! Archangels are particularly powerful angels, usually with a special skillset or symbolism, whereas other angels (like guardian angels) might feel more like they’re yours exclusively.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Archangels include beings like Michael, the archangel of protection and courage, or Raphael, who represents physical healing and reassurance.
- Guardian angels have supposedly devoted their existence to helping you; in other words, they appear to you and nobody else. You may have more than one and can call on them anytime.
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Galactic beings Some believe that the cycle of reincarnation doesn’t just happen here on Earth; rather, they believe that souls can be reincarnated across galaxies as galactic beings (also called star guides). Star guides are simply souls from other galaxies that have traveled to Earth to offer guidance and support. They’re thought to help you integrate more cosmic energy into your life.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Do you ever feel like you don’t belong here or like you could be an alien living among humans? Do you feel an inexplicable connection to the stars or the concept of celestial beings? You might have a galactic spirit guide.
- Cosmic energy is thought to be the life energy of the universe, and some believe that receiving cosmic energy may boost your intuition and awareness of the world around you.
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Deities Various cultures connect to a certain deity (or, in many cases, multiple deities). Gods and goddesses generally represent an ideal or a set of ideals and have supernatural abilities. If you feel drawn to a particular deity from your culture or background, that deity may be one of your spirit guides.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Any deity can be a spirit guide, from Greek gods like Athena and Apollo to Indian gods like Ganesha, Egyptian gods like Isis and Horus, Norse gods like Freya and Thor, and Māori deities like Maui and Ao.
Your higher self is the part of you that has a connection to the divine and can see past earthy obstacles that get in the way of divine reasoning. Essentially, it’s a piece of you that sees the deeper meaning behind everything and unconsciously guides you through life. Everyone can tap into their higher selves, regardless of any other spirit guides they might have.^{[9]XResearch source}
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Universal energy Some spirit guides can’t be seen or heard; rather, they’re made from energy that you may be able to tap into when you need it most. Universal energy is believed to be a kind of unseen, unconscious energy that connects every living thing and makes up the universe as we know it.
- If you don’t feel connected to a particular spirit guide, your guide may be universal energy instead. Otherwise, you may feel connected to several different kinds of spirit guides, including this one!

Section 3 of 4:

How do spirit guides communicate?

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Your guides speak to you in symbols, dreams, and spiritual signs. They show up in your life when you need their wisdom and guidance the most, but they may do so in many different ways! Sometimes they send subtle clues to lead you toward a larger goal, while other times, they manifest as gut instincts or ideas that you just can’t shake. They protect, inspire, advise, and show up for you no matter what.^{[10]XResearch source} Ways they show up include:
- Sending information through other people or books. If you see information more than once or keep coming across it, that may be a sign from your spirit guide.
- Appearing in numbers and symbols. Symbols that appear repeatedly in your life may actually be a signal from your spirit guide.
- Sending messages through art. Songs, pictures, movies, games, and TV shows may contain subtle references to your spirit guide.
- Communicating through dreams. Spirit guides often appear in your dreams because your conscious thoughts can’t get in the way there.

Section 4 of 4:

How to Connect with a Spirit Guide

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Be more present in your life and look for everyday signs. You never know where a message from your spirit guides might come from! Be open to every possibility and stay on the lookout for spirit guides (or subtle messages from them) wherever you go. The more you look for them, the better you’ll get at spotting their symbols and signals—and the more aware you become, the more frequently they may contact you.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Remind yourself every day that your spirit guides are sending you messages. That way, you’ll slowly become more aware of those messages over time.
- Give yourself a quick reminder in the morning—when you get up, while you’re getting ready for work, or while you eat breakfast, for example—so you remember to keep looking all day.
- If you’re about to make a major decision or deal with a challenging situation, remind yourself to look for spiritual signs since they’re more likely to communicate when they know you need help.
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Trust your instincts when you think you see a message. To build a lasting relationship with your team of spirit guides, learn to trust yourself—and the signs they’re sending you. It’s easy to convince yourself that you’re making everything up or every signal you’ve seen is just a coincidence, but connecting with your guides means trusting that they’re there and that you can sense the messages they’re sending you.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Practice using your intuition to make small decisions that won’t have a huge effect on your life—like what to have for dinner or whether go hiking or to the beach with a friend.
- Look for signs from your spirit guide, and then make your decision based on whatever you manage to intuitively pick up from them. This may help you get used to the feeling of trusting your gut—and your spirit guides.
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Start a spirit guide journal. Journaling can help increase the communication between you and your spirit guides! Use the journal to write them notes and ask for their advice on specific issues. When you think you sense a message from them, record it in your journal as well. Writing in your journal may help you feel closer to your spirit guides and encourage you to reflect on everything you’ve learned from them.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Try writing a letter to your spirit guides at the beginning of each week. Thank them for something they’ve helped you with recently, and ask for their guidance on something you feel that you need their help with.
- For example, you might ask them to help you navigate an upcoming family dinner you’re nervous about or tell you whether to ask out your crush when you see them later in the week.
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Speak with your guides through meditation and visualization. One of the easiest ways to communicate with your spirit guides is to send them a message in your thoughts! Get yourself into a relaxed state—meditating can help, or you might simply sit somewhere comfortable and close your eyes. Take some quiet time to connect to your heart and ground yourself, then call upon a spirit guide. Once you can visualize your guide, ask them your questions.
- For example, you might ask your spirit guide questions like, “What are you here to teach me?” or “What can I do to strengthen my bond with you?”
- If you have a more specific question about something that’s been worrying you, ask that as well. You might ask, “How can I resolve an argument with my friend?” or “Should I quit my job?”
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Name your guides and get to know them better. Giving spirit guides names brings them to life and makes them feel more real. Come up with a name for each spirit guide that feels right to you—it might be a name you’ve always loved or one that came to you while thinking of a particular spirit guide. As you strengthen your connection with them, try to get a sense of their personalities as well!^{[14]XResearch source}
- For example, you might name a spirit guide Ava because a character with that name appeared onscreen in a movie right when you were thinking of your spirit guide.
- Spirit guides often have different personalities. If you have a spirit guide that often sends you career advice, for example, they might be more serious and practical, while a guide that sends you artistic inspiration might be more creative and playful.
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Use divination tools to speak to spirit guides. Many people don’t contact their spirit guides through sheer force of will alone; they use divination tools like oracle cards and tarot cards to speak with them.^{[15]XResearch source} Runes are also a popular option to consider. Before using your chosen divination tool, hold it for a minute, take a few deep breaths, and silently ask your spirit guides to send you a message through the tool.
- Tarot cards are especially popular tools for contacting spirit guides, and there are plenty of tarot spreads for guidance to choose from.
- Feel like you need some outside help connecting with spirit guides? Many psychics claim to be able to perform spirit guide readings where they make contact with the guides surrounding you. Consider seeing a psychic if you’d like a reading!
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Establish a routine for connecting with your spirit guides. The best way to create a lasting relationship with your spirit guides is to practice contacting them and asking for signs often!^{[16]XResearch source} Set up a regular schedule—perhaps every day, or every week, for example—and block out time to sit in silence and visualize your spirit guides. The more you do it, the more connected to your spirit guides you’ll likely feel.
- Use other techniques like journaling or meditation to contact your spirit guides during the time you schedule, if you prefer.
- When you call on your guides, express gratitude for their help thus far. Try doing something to honor and thank them as well—like having a dinner in their offer or setting up an altar with offerings for them.