Guides are there to assist us. These can be loved ones, spiritual teachers, and those who have specific purposes such as physical or emotional healing. But to be clear, they will not lead us. That would circumvent our free will, interfering with our primary direction.

Guides will be by our side to support, encourage, and advise us—but not to drag us forward or hold us back. They can plant seeds for us to nurture, help us to grow in our space. They will often wait for cues or requests before helping.

What kind of Guides are available to assist us?

Guides can take the form and personality of those we have known in the physical—those who hold special meaning to us. We can also receive support from “specialists” such as Reiki or other healing helpers, teachers, or past-life counselors. And these can be available at your request. There are also those who may have not yet incarnated and are drawn to support those in the physical.

Sometimes it is more difficult to identify who the guide is from their appearance. Here is another example from Susan’s hospice experience:

There was a resident in our hospice facility who said, “There’s a little girl sitting on the couch waiting for me.” The volunteer asked “Who is she?” The reply was, “I don’t know, but she’s staying here until I’m ready to leave.”

Do we always have the same group of Guides?

It is likely that most of your guides would remain intact throughout your current physical life. This is because they would be best in tune with your trajectory of evolution. They are present to help you achieve your goals. You could even have some beings from your soul group on your team. There may be instances, though, where a new or unfamiliar guide could enter the scene to help you with a specific purpose.

How can we ask for help from our Guides?

We can ask for assistance through meditation, automatic writing, visualizations, or even during lucid dreams. It can be as simple as stating your request either out loud or silently. One of your best opportunities for guidance is to ask your Higher Self. There is much more on that topic in Higher Self Now!

Are guides available to assist in the afterlife or are they only there when you are physical?

Even as we leave the physical world, we can still look for guidance from our nonphysical allies. In fact, it is possible to receive even more attention when you first enter the astral. But this is an individual situation and each of us may have a different experience.

These may or may not be the same beings that you have had interactions with while you were in the physical world.

Do guides give up on you and leave when you don’t ask for help?

No. They will always be there when you seek their support. There will be times in our life where we do not ask for our guides’ assistance and other times when an event may drive us to repeatedly put requests into our meditations. There is no linear time in the nonphysical so frequency and length of contact has no meaning.

Do you have to be a good person to access the assistance of guides?

Guides, guardian angels, and spirit helpers do not judge the behavior of their human contacts. They understand that the physical world presents many challenges to us and that this is how we learn, how we evolve.

If you do not believe in Guides, are they still there or do they focus on helping those that believe in their existence?

Guides are always there for us whether we believe in them or not.

I have seen nonphysical beings when traveling out-of-body. It is sometimes frightening but I would like to overcome that feeling and retrieve messages from them. I think they may be my guides trying to communicate. What can I do as far as interaction with them?

I can personally relate to the shock of seeing an unfamiliar entity during an out-of-body experience. It took me awhile to accept this as a normal part of being aware during an OBE. Remain non-judgmental. It is likely that they are just curious about you. They may be looking for you to lead the conversation. The more confident you become, you will realize that you are a powerful, immortal being that cannot be harmed. Look beyond the shape and form of your guest and ask to experience the essence of the being. “What do you represent?” “Show me your essence.” Here is a great example of someone who asked the important questions when he was in the company of a guide:

“First there was a whooshing sound and I felt the movement upward. I directed my attention outside and floated through the wall. At first, I saw rings of color, like what you might see around Saturn. I flew through the rings and found myself in an old bar, one that is typically found on the outskirts of a city with some history. I saw two people standing over in the corner that seemed to pull at my attention. I reached out to touch the man because I admired his leather jacket. I don’t think that he liked it because he shrugged my hand away. I asked “Who are you? Are you my guide?” He told me he was a stand in because my regular guide was out for a while. Overall, I think they were annoyed with me – it was like they had to watch someone else’s kid. I wondered if the second person there (who never said anything) was a trainee or a supervisor?”

It is important to understand that when we leave our bodies, we are no longer in “our” space or room. We have entered another dimension of reality and we should be prepared for contact because it is likely to occur. In this case, it was interesting that it was a ‘stand-in’ for another guide.

What does a guide look and sound like?

The unseen dimensions consist of energy and are inhabited by billions of different life forms. Consciousness uses different forms for expression. There is no limit to the variety of available forms. The humanoid is only one of many.

A truly evolved life form is not limited to a simple shape or mode of communication to contact you. Be open to different possibilities—a monk that you have never met, a treasured pet from a different time in your life, or even a glowing beam of light. The following is an example from Susan’s hospice experience.

“Tess was a beautiful woman in her nineties. She had been one of the original Rosie the Riveter ladies, a proficient ballroom dancer and amateur artist. As she lay dying, she told her daughter about a young boy that had been standing by her bed. He appeared to be about 4 years old with striking blue eyes. By not denying the account, her daughter honored the vision, even though she herself had not seen the child.

Later she mentioned to the nurse that her mother had seen this boy. The nurse asked, “Did he have blond hair?” After the daughter said yes, the nurse explained that a few times older women in this facility had seen that very same boy waiting by their bedside.”

In this scenario, the escort or guide had taken the form of a young boy to be seen as non-threatening. For your own clarification, you can ask to experience the true essence of any being that you encounter.

Can our loved ones communicate to us with guidance?

Yes, and they frequently will provide some emotional support if that is how they interacted with you in the physical. They are generally close to you and know when you have need of help. This is an example that I overheard in a nearby shop.

“I was getting a massage from a therapist who was having some relationship problems. As I lay on the table in complete relaxation, I got the message ‘Tell her love will come.’ It was repeated several times to me. At first, I believed it was my own inner voice. Then I heard the name Sylvie a few times. After my session ended, I asked my therapist if she knew anyone named Sylvie. Initially she said no, it doesn’t sound familiar. And then she abruptly stopped what she was doing and told me – ‘My mom’s name was Sylvia, but her sister called her Sylvie.’ I passed along her message (Love will come) and it seemed to make her feel so much better.”

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Note: Keep in mind that guides may be nearby without any visible form at all.

When I was younger, I didn’t know that I had a team of non-physical entities that accompanied me – lingering just off-stage unseen and unheard. They would make contact when the time was right and in fact, I would have interactions with them later in life when I was more prepared to accept their presence. Here is an example.

“One evening, I was driving from Florida to Maryland on a 4-lane highway. I had been driving all night. It was very dark and I was sleepy. Suddenly, I felt a sharp slap on my face that startled me. It was then that I noticed a small VW ahead of me driving normally when a station wagon passed me at a high speed and hit the smaller car – causing it to roll end over end. At that point the station wagon veered away from the VW and hit a tree splitting the car in half. This happened just a few yards in front of me. I later learned there were multiple fatalities. That slap woke me so that I was aware enough to avoid being part of the collision. This most likely saved my life.”

This event occurred early during my explorations but it served as a reminder that support is available. As you recognize the presence and potential assistance from a guide, always remember to show gratitude. This is an expression that will encourage more help from them or other nonphysical beings that are looking to assist you through your journey.