What do we mean when we say “Spirit Guide”?
Meet your main guide this Friday! 🤝
If you read my Substack regularly, you’re used to me tossing around terms like spirit guides, good spirits, ascended ancestors, or beloved dead. But what do I actually mean when I say these things?
For some reason, whenever I hear the phrase “spirit guide,” I picture that scene from The Lion King where Mufasa appears in the stars to tell Simba to get his shit together. The celestial mixed with the familial; the ethereal mixed with the practical. That’s what spirit work is all about.
That said, I’ve had exactly zero instances of the stars realigning themselves to deliver divine wisdom on my behalf.
And yet—I still have a deep and active relationship with my guides, and I turn to them often when I need clarity, support, or direction. So… who exactly are these mystical beings? And how do we connect with them?
Spirit Guides vs Ancestors
In espiritismo—the lineage I’ve been studying for my mediumship and spirit work—there’s a clear distinction between spirit guides and ancestors.
You may have heard the term Spirit Team before, but in espiritismo, this collection of spirits is called your Spirit Court. These are your guides, guardians, protectors, and good spirits who walk beside you through thick and thin, dedicated to your personal and spiritual growth.
Some of these spirits appear in humanoid form, but they are not limited to that. Your guides might show up as animals, angels, nature elementals, or even as something more abstract—like a color, texture, or shape. They exist beyond the limits of the human experience and can reveal themselves however they want.
Your ancestors, by contrast, are the spirits of your beloved dead—your grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-great uncles, third aunts twice removed, and so on. These are the people you come from. When they pass, they often return in spirit form to watch over and support you.
But unlike your Spirit Court, ancestors are very much still human; all the messiness that comes with being human comes with them. They might carry biases, hold grudges, or offer opinions that don’t necessarily align with your path. Ancestor work is powerful and essential, but it often requires boundaries, discernment, and a willingness to navigate those complexities.
Your Spirit Court, on the other hand, is made up of spiritually “healed” beings. It’s complicated, but the TL;DR is this: your Spirit Court shows up with no ulterior motives. Their only job is to support your search of a fulfilling, spiritually aligned life. They are your greatest allies, your unconditional cheerleaders, and the steady shoulder you can always lean on.
Which guides are on your Spirit Court?
The list is long, and the scope of this email isn’t a full education on espiritismo (for that, check out “Into the Veil” with Kaitlyn Graña), so I’ll give you the simple answer: our Spirit Court is made up of many diverse spirits with many diverse roles. We’re talking protector spirits, child spirits, healers, and the like.
At the center of your court is your guía principal, or main guide. Think of them as your right-hand spirit. They’re often the easiest to connect with and will be the one walking closest with you through life’s twists and turns.
You might turn to your guía principal when you’re not sure which way to go, when you’re facing a big decision, or when you’re trying to see the deeper truth in a situation. They’re also the spirit who comforts you when things fall apart, helps you get back on your feet, and nudges you back toward alignment. While each guide has their own area of focus, your guía principal is the catch-all—you can turn to them for anything, and they’ll help you figure out where to go next.
How to Connect with Your Guía Principal
Connecting with your guía principal is a lot like connecting with any spirit or ancestor: it takes time, intention, and practice.
You might begin with divination, meditation, or guided spirit journeying. You could create an altar specifically for connecting with them or even take a walk in nature and speak your intentions aloud. The key is to be clear that you want to connect—and to be open to how that connection may show up.
Over time, you’ll learn how your guía principal prefers to communicate. Maybe you’ll hear whispers the back of your mind, see images in your mind’s eye, or get that deep, intuitive sense of knowing. You might notice messages showing up in nature, music, dreams, or repeated signs throughout your day. Just as every person is unique, so too are our guides. Eventually, you’ll build a personalized relationship that works for both of you.
Want Help Connecting with your Guía Principal?
Our June “Journey Into Spirit” will be dedicated to meeting your guía principal.
In the past, our trance journeys have been more open-ended—space to connect with whatever spirits show up. But this month, we’re focusing specifically on calling in and connecting with your main guide.
Through guided visualization, I’ll walk you into the spirit realm and help you invite your guía principal forward. You’ll have the opportunity to discover their name, personality, preferred form of communication, and how you can work with them moving forward.
Ready to meet your guía principal?
Join us Friday, June 13th from 5:30–7:30pm at Spirit Rebel and take the first step toward building this powerful relationship.
Journey into Spirt | Friday, June 13th: Sign up to meet your guía principal
June private sessions: June hours are now up on the calendar and open for booking.
Summer Tarot + Tea Parties: See when they are and sign up to join the party!
The Mystic Auntie’s Coven: June’s magical download is here. Join the coven to get a guided movement practice, practical magic exercise, tea recommendations, journal prompts, discounts for in-person experiences, and more. Try it for free:
Create a Summer Sun Tea
One of my favorite ways to celebrate the changing weather is sun tea. A tradition handed down from my mom, sun tea is the simple practice of using the sun to brew your tea. Fill a large jar with water and your favorite herbs—this can be ready-made tea bags, or a combination of loose herbs that speak to you. I love a hibiscus/lavendar/lemon blend, but you do you.
Put the brew out on your porch/deck/windowsill and leave it in the sun all day long. In the evening, bring it in, strain the herbs, and put the jar in the fridge.
You now have a delicious, magical iced tea brewed with the power of the sun. Enjoy!
After a few months of being firmly in the midst of a flare up, my body is FINALLY starting to feel good. I got on the bike for the first time, went for a walk downtown, and have been feeling my spirits lift as my body recovers. Damn does it feel good to feel good again.
Local: Fill out this Truckee/Tahoe Housing Survey to help identify the housing needs and issues in our community.
Collective: Happy pride month! Donate to support the important work the Trevor Project is doing to protect LGBTQIA+ kids in crisis.
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