11 Ways to Connect to Your Spirit Guides

Yes, there are some people who have always had the ability to connect with spirit guides. Well, we ALL were born with it, but some had a family or community that embraced the connection and helped to nurture it. If you had a spiritual support system that nurtured your connection to the spirit world, you were blessed.  

Most of us had our spiritual connection socialized out of us. Whether it was something our family wasn’t comfortable with and so what we saw or heard was disregarded or once we reached school age our peers made fun of us for what we said we knew, we learned that it wasn’t acceptable to have this connection. (At least by conventional societal rules)

You might be one of those people who always felt there was something different about you because you had a connection to your spirit guides when others didn’t.  Most likely you never felt you fit in until you met your spiritual tribe. This journey has had a toll on you because you often wondered if you belonged in this world. 

For most of us, we are in the category of knowing something is/was there and wanting to reconnect and develop the ability. That is the purpose of this blog post. 

There are many roads to connecting with spirit and spirit guides. There are as many paths as there are individuals.  There’s no “right” way to hone your abilities and connections.  You might find that you will work with one area and then get called to connect in another way only to be redirected back to the first area which you were developing. Be ok with the fluidity of it. It IS energy and that ebbs and flows.  It’s important to allow yourself to do the same.

Connect to Spirit Guides Through Animals

Spirit guides also connect with us is through animals. Each animal has its own characteristics and features, and thus the messages they carry will be different. You may find that there’s a particular animal that you connect with during certain periods of your life and that connection may shift over time.

During the course of a day there might be many animals that normally cross your path and so there’s nothing unique about them, but what you are looking for is something that happens out of the blue or something that is different than the normal pattern. For example, let’s say that you regularly have squirrels in your backyard but one day as you’re doing the dishes, a squirrel comes up on your windowsill, sits on his hind legs, and looks at you. That would constitute a unique sighting of a squirrel and something for you to look into. Another example may be that you are driving along at night and an owl flies across the road in front of you. Perhaps it’s something you’ve never seen before.

When these things happen, you can ask yourself “What was I thinking about at that moment? What is going on in your life?” A resource that I utilize for animal Messages is a book by Ted Andrews. I’ve found this book to be incredibly useful over the years and it’s part of my personal library.

If you aren’t interested in buying this resource, another way to do the search is to type in symbolism (or spiritual meaning of) and the name of the animal. Because spirit works through energy, the first few you get in your internet search, will most likely be the messages for you. If you’d like, you can read through them and see what the common messages and utilize that as your animal message. 

I don’t remember what was happening in my life at the moment I took this picture of three red bellied woodpeckers. It was two females trying to get the males attention. For me woodpeckers are about seeing and paying attention to what’s happening in that moment. I deeply resonate with bird messages and often get them.

Connect to Spirit Guides with Dreams

I was once told by someone that, ignoring your dreams is like not opening a letter that comes your way. Dreams are filled with symbolism, messages, ideas. They are another easy way for spirit and spirit guides to connect because when we sleep, we enter another state and our ego and criticism and questioning mind are not involved. Instead, it’s as if there is a gateway for messages to be delivered.  

If you were going to use dreams to connect with spirit guides, one thing that would be most beneficial, is getting a journal or notebook to record your dreams when you wake up. It’s not uncommon to believe that you’ll remember the dream, but unless it was particularly impactful, the details will slip as the day goes by. Take time to list all of the details you can remember about the dream.

• What were people wearing?
• What did people look like?
• What colors did you see?
• What animals showed up?
• Where were you?
• Where did the dream take place?
• What time of day was it?
• How did you feel in the dream?
• Write down the details without trying to interpret.

Once the dreams is written down, reread and see if there’s anything you missed. By rereading it, it may jog your memory. Then take some time to journal what you think it might mean. Don’t get lost in having to know, instead, allow your mind to be free. This time of quieting, your “knowing“ will allow you to connect with spirit and additional messages may come through. 

As a resource, you can also use a search engine to find a dream interpretation of a particular person, place or thing, or grab a dream, interpretation dictionary. Again, remember that all paths are not the same. Just because one interpretation of a black bear in your dream means something in particular does not mean that that is the exact interpretation for everyone, for you, it could be that a black bear is symbolic of a family member.

The more you write down your dreams, the more patterns you will see, the more you will be able to interpret your dreams based on the symbolism that comes to you. 

One of the ways to remembering your dreams is to start with what you DO remember. Then ask yourself “what came immediately before that?” Once you remember ask yourself “What came before that?” Record these answers in your journal and keep going back until you can’t remember anything else.

Connect to Spirit Guides through Archangels

The seven most common archangels are Michael, Rafaella, Gabriella, Scheufele, Ariel, Metatron, and Shamuel. There are additional archangels. They are protectors of the divine light, and they are always available to help us. However, they won’t stop in unless we ask.

First step is to do a search of the archangels and what are their characteristics and what are their healing properties. Once you know this you can discern which archangel you want to connect with and work with first.

Next, I suggest that you find time in your calendar that you can spend in uninterrupted peace. Ground yourself by using crystals or meditation. Make sure that you’re touching the ground in some way. Imagine yourself surrounded by a bright white light. Imagine that this light is enveloping you. You might even feel it on your skin. Follow your breathing in and out and in and out ask for the angel with whom you’d like to connect to join you.

Like all other forms of connection, it may take time. With the archangels, they show up when you ask if you just might not be aware of the energy. The more you do this, the more you will become aware of the energy of the archangel, with whom you are building a relationship.

When you hear the messages, make sure to note them in your journal. It will allow you to see your growth in connection and the patterns.

Connect to Spirit Guides using the “Claires”

The Claires are your senses by which you connect to messages from spirit guides.  Most people have a dominant connection with some senses that are on the peripheral.  All of the senses can be developed and honed. However, it’s easiest to work with the ones you are familiar with and develop it or them further.  

The Seven Best Known Claires

• Clairvoyant- having visions or seeing things.  It might be that you see it as if it’s right in front of you or you might see it in your third eye.
• Clairaudient- hearing things. This can encompass literally hearing voices speak. It also might manifest as hearing the lyrics to a song.
• Clairsentient- This is feeling things. People with this ability will utilize their body for clues. They might get goose bumps, feel pains or even sense temperature changes. In addition, it might be emotions that are felt. 
• Clairaugustant- This is the ability to taste something that isn’t present.  
• Claircognizant- This is knowing something without knowing how you know.  Perhaps you know when you turn the corner there will be a brown and white dog standing there. 
• Clairalient- This is the ability to smell something that isn’t there.  Maybe you smell cigarette smoke, baked goods or flowers; those are all common clairalient aromas. 
• Clairtangency- The ability to touch something and know its story

You can use the Claires to develop your connection with your spirit guides.  When you are creating connection, you can ask “Please show me” or “Please tell me” or “Let me see you”.  All connections take time and practice for the majority of people. 

Connect to Spirit Guides with Meditation

Meditation often brings forth images of sitting cross legged on the floor with your back straight for an hour, visualizing things that people tell you to visualize. When in fact, meditation is about allowing thoughts to come through and releasing them so that your innermost thoughts can come forth. It’s during this time that people see, hear and get messages from their spirit guides.

Yes, meditation can be sitting in silence, allowing your mind to go where it needs to show you what there is to see. Yes, spirit can come through during meditation and deliver messages. Meditation, however, can also be done utilizing repetitive tasks.

Some may laugh, but I find vacuuming, very meditative. There is a sound in the background – a white noise – the vacuum cleaner, and there is the repetition of moving the vacuum back-and-forth as I clean. There’s not much thought that is needed, and it allows my mind to, clear out and allow messages to come through. Some other activities may include walking a labyrinth, walking a wooden path, swimming laps, doing a saltwater float.

You may find that guided visual imagery is how you best to medication. Having someone guide you through a walk down a path to a body of water, where you sit and observe, might fit the bill. On the other hand, you might be someone like me. When I first started meditating, I couldn’t see a thing I was told to see. It was really frustrating, and I felt like I was failing.

What I learned over time, is just to concentrate on my breathing. Follow my breath in and follow my breath out follow my breath in and follow my breath. Ouch. The repetition of this action brought my focus inward and allowed me to let thoughts come in and be released until I began to hear thoughts that did not originate with me  In the additional article right about using drumming with a call back. 

Connect to Spirit Guides with an Ancestral Alter

Connecting with your ancestors is a very powerful way to connect with spirit. Some ancestors can be named as your spirit guides because you know they are always with you. This is your line your lineage. You have been brought forth with the characteristics, the strengths and the challenges of this line. Connecting with them and getting to know them can be helpful, not only in your personal spiritual journey, but also to the ancestral line,

One of the first steps, is having a space that is just for the altar. It might be a dresser corner, a desk, a shelf on the wall, the mantle of the fireplace. The most important thing about the place is that it is somewhere you can go to on a daily basis to give gratitude. When it comes to spirit connection with the ancestors, just like with any other connection, it is about relationship building. It is about showing up.

Place pictures of the ancestors on the alter. If you don’t have pictures, you can write down the names of your ancestors. If you don’t know the names of your deceased ancestors, you can write down the words, my biological mother, or my ancestral mothers, my ancestral fathers.

On your altar, you also want to put items that acknowledge the earthly senses. Tobacco, flowers, spirits of the alcoholic kind and sweets. These are pleasures of earthly world that the spirits miss. It is as if you were bringing a gift to them. About once a week, you want to change these items out there are other things that you can do for appreciation, acknowledgment, and special occasions. Please note, not all things need to be on the alter at the same time.

Connect to Spirit Guides with the Moon Cycles

You may be wondering how working with the cycle of the moon helps connect with spirit guides. Well, the answer is that any ritual work is helpful with the connection to spirit.

The two most common rituals are tied to the new moon and full moon. A new moon is not visible to the naked eye, except during a solar eclipse. During this eclipse phase, the moon is silhouetted against the sun. The full moon is when the moon shines in all of its glory.

Just like the new moons name suggests it invites us to focus on the new beginnings and a full moon gives us an opportunity to let go and complete a cycle.

When there is a new moon, setting intentions for what you want in the next 30 days or even beyond is beneficial. Sit in a quiet place and think about what it is that you want to create or manifest. Spend some time in contemplation and meditation, and then write down your intentions. You can then transfer them to affirmations or sticky notes that go on your mirror. The important thing is to have them be visible so that they don’t just become a note in a notebook that you don’t see until the next time you open it.

The full moon, since it is about letting go, is a perfect time to sit in contemplation and think about what it is there is to release. What is stopping you and getting in your way? What fears have been bubbling up? What blocks have been getting in your way? And of those things, what are you ready and willing to release so that you can create space for what is next? Then, write those things on a piece of paper. You can either rip it into small pieces and bury it or put it in a safe container and burn it. 

Connect with Spirit Guides with Crystals

We are made of minerals, and as long as you are, buying quality crystals, you will be working with something your body recognizes. Our bodies recognize the energy of crystals. This is why they are a great opportunity to connect with spirit guides and receive messages. I call crystals our silent supporters.

Yes, crystals are used for protection, and to bring forth things that we want in our life. You can also use them for meditation to receive messages.

If you are looking to heal or receive messages about a particular part of your body, find the crystal that jives with that chakra. For example, perhaps you want to connect with spirit for safety and security, this would be your base chakra and three potential crystals you can use are obsidian, black tourmaline or red jasper.

When you settle into meditation, you will ask the spirit to come to you and help you feel safer in your own body. Ask what you can do to feel safer. Ask for spiritual protection. You could also take that crystal and create the intention that when you are wearing it, not only do you have the safety of the crystal and the grounding energy of that black tourmaline but also, that each time you wear it, you are also calling for the ancestors and spirits who are there to protect you.

It’s not uncommon for people to connect with spirit to do heart chakra work. Here are some crystals that can help you.

Connect to Spirit Guides with Energy Work

Whether learning to do your own energy work, or connecting with an energy healer, utilizing this connection, helps with spirit guide connection. It is as if you are in the fast lane to spirit when you are you using energy,

Energy work raises your vibration and spirit communicates at a higher level of vibration. The higher you can raise your vibration, the easier it is to connect to spirit. So, this is why it’s not uncommon for people receiving energy work to see colors, have memories, visualize places, they’ve never seen, go into a deep dream state and hear messages from their spirit guides. 

Energy work paves the path for all of these things to happen. As with anything, setting the intention to connect with spirit during energy work is another layer of relationship building. Essentially you were saying “come connect with me. I am opening my vibration to you” 

Connecting to Spirit Guides with Journalling

Journaling is gateway to spirit connection because, if you allow it, you can actually channel your spirit guides. Journaling often starts out with your own words, your own thoughts, your own musings, and sometimes the challenge of what to say and write.

Again, setting the intention before you sit down to journal is useful. Say to your spirit guides “I open up to the love and light of the messages that you have for me. I ask to receive your messages in a way in which I understand them. I thank you in advance for the messages that you send to me. “ 

Journaling is something that can be really easy for some and a challenge for others. Although I love the concept of journaling, my hand tires, incredibly easy and cramps up, and so pen to paper is not an easy thing for me to do. However, I can type. There are times as I am typing out the thoughts, I know that they are not mine. There is a shift that happens when I go from the struggle of “want to say“ to the flow of words just naturally appearing on the page.

Some will say that when you type you are disconnected from what you are writing because you get lost in going back and correct any errors. One way I found to work around this is to type with my eyes closed. Of course, that only works if you know where the keys are 🙂

Another option is to use voice to text. Utilizing voice to text keeps you from getting caught up with spelling and grammatical issues. You can just close your eyes and be with what it is. You want to say as you speak it into a document. You can use your phone or Google Docs or other such Apps for voice to text.

Something to remember about the journal writing is that it is just for you. Well, maybe you plan on writing a book or a blog someday, and that’s what the journal is about but when it comes to spirit connection and allowing the divine to come through you, there’s a good chance that it is not For the consumption of others. When you sit down to journal, ask spirit to come to you, to come through you, to be with you as you write. Ask that messages come your way. A favorite book of mine was channeled. it’s called conversations with God by Neil diamond Walsh.

In Summary

Always ask, always, always ask that only the spirits and spirit guides who are here in the highest and best good in the highest level of light and love be allowed to come into your space. 

When you want to connect with your spirit guides, there is no one size fits all or one “right” path to connection.  Part of creating connection with spirit is figuring out what works best for you.  What is it that feels good? What is it that gives you the best connection?  What feels right?  

What works during one time of your life, might not work during other times and as you grow and develop your connection you will most likely add more tools to your spirit connection tool belt.

This list of ways to connect to spirit isn’t exhaustive. I’m curious. How do YOU connect to spirit?