What do our spirit guides tell us about themselves?

In case you prefer to listen.

One of the most surprising discoveries I’ve made about spirit life is the interest they have in us. What do our spirit guides tell us about themselves?

Many spirit communicators assure us that each of us has one or more spirit guardians or guides.  Spirit communicator Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, chamberlain to Pope Pius X, has much to say about them.  “Every soul born upon the earth-plane has allocated to him—or her—a spirit guide.”  He continues, “. . . guides understand and are in sympathy with their charges’ failings. Many of them indeed had the same failings when they were incarnate, and among other useful services they try to help their charges overcome those failings and weaknesses.”  Although “unknown to those they serve,” spirit guides have a subtle influence over those entrusted to them, and “it is usually the spirit guide who has implanted the better thought within the brain.” 

By what means?  By “subtly instilled telepathic suggestions,” California Judge David Hatch tells us. However, “It must never be thought for one instant that the influence of the spirit guide cancels the expression of free will,” Benson continues.   Spirit communicator Silver Birch (not his earth name) is especially eloquent on this subject:  

“Unseen, unheard, we do reach you, exercising a silent but yet real influence in your lives, guiding you, quickening you, striving to direct you, aiding you to make the right choice so that your characters will grow, your souls will evolve, and you will be led into those paths which will enable you to extract from life all that is necessary for your growth and understanding.” 

But more often than not, the spirits fail.  They tell us they do their best to instill telepathically some encouragement or warning or piece of advice, but all too often it is rejected, sometimes with grave results.  Even worse, they sometimes have to work around dark spirits counseling in the opposite direction.

Hatch says: “The heavens above your head now are literally swarming with (earthbound) souls who long to take a hand in the business of earth, souls who cannot let go, who find the habit of managing other people’s affairs a fascinating habit, as enthralling as that of tobacco or opium. Not all spirits who penetrate our world are loving helpers.

Spirit guides sometimes give up in frustration when it becomes clear that their telepathic promptings go unheeded time and again and are pointless. In such cases the soul is left unprotected, a grave situation that might explain many of the evils we see in our world. Spirit guides are our best friends. They don’t expect to be thanked for their efforts to protect us from our own demons, but I, at least, acknowledge their loving service and thank them in my prayers.

 After I die, I hope to meet them. Might one be someone I knew in earth life, perhaps my dear grandmother who read books to me when I was a child? Will I in turn become one when it is my turn to serve?  Will I have evolved enough to be of any help?  I’d like to think so but really have no idea. 

Stafford Betty, Professor of Religious Studies, CSUB, (ret) is the author of When Did You Ever Become Less by Dying?  and Heaven and Hell Unveiled. His latest novel, Guardians of the Afterworld is published by White Crow Books.
Stafford can be found at staffordbetty.com.