It was actually through my Spirit Guides or angels that I became connected to the vast unseen realm of infinity and eternity.

I was four years old when both of my parents were afflicted with fatal illnesses (a brain tumor and pernicious anemia—both considered un-healable at the time in Brazil). And so I was left in the hands of caretakers who were sometimes neither kind nor honest. I began to play a game—if God is everywhere, let’s see if I can hide from Him. I discovered I couldn’t. That God, the Holy Spirit, the Source of All That Is, the Eternal One is indeed everywhere.

Just then, by grace, guides and angels visited. I needed them badly and they appeared with comfort,, compassion, love, and a sense of peace. They were not embodied. They were energy and waves of peace. Turmoil was around me, I had found the eye of the storm. I knew They were there and all I had to do, any time of the day or night, was let them in, acknowledge them, and thank them. They transferred their wisdom and deep knowing to me and they have been my companions ever since.

This was different from a child’s make-believe friends. I had them too and they were fun in a child’s world. But this was something much more profoundly touching. I wouldn’t be able to put words to what happened until I was 12 years old and began reading Alan Watt’s writings and other mostly Eastern approaches to the deeper questions of life and death.

And so, since I was four years old, my view of life is that we are in the Physical now, yet we are also connected to the endless power and beauty of the Universe. The messengers of this realization were my guides. Since then, I have added many more to the “team.” Beautiful Souls that have left their physical forms are still there for me—only they are not in the physical any more. This makes them stronger for me than even when they were alive, in terms of their wisdom and power.
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And so it was my guides that initiated me into a life-long devotion to the underlying Wholeness of the Universe. Spirituality has been my biggest love, without which, the daily chores of bodily maintenance and taking care of business would be akin to an insect mechanically going about self-preservation. I would be busy and accomplish things but at base would be a meaninglessness and fear that would make life more pointless than beautiful.

This doesn’t mean I am a saint or don’t feel any of the negative emotions that cause suffering. It only means that my guides are clearly there for me. Inasmuch as I am willing to let them in, they impart everything I ever need to feel the profound beauty of the Soul. They came to me through grace and mercy and I am grateful for them.

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It could be. Our spirit guides find many pathways to communicate with us. Sometimes our waking consciousness is too filled with barricades that do not allow the world of the spirit in. This is why many people are visited by their guides and spirit animals before they go to sleep, in the middle of the night, or early morning. Their skeptical and self-doubting minds are at rest and they are open and receptive to messages from beyond.

We are more sensitive to the world of the spirit when we are not so consumed with all the things we need to get done and all the sensory input from the noisy world around us. Meditation offers that moment of inner silence. And into that peaceful vacuum can come your spirit animals to pay you a visit. Sometimes you may just feel their presence. Not everyone is visual in they way they perceive them.
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This is especially true for beloved animals that have crossed over yet are still protecting spirits for their human companions. They may appear only as sounds, a feeling of their presence, or even their scent. They are pure spirit but appear in the form that is the most appropriate.

When I am doing the loving-kindness meditation, feel the presence of many loving entities and souls that surround me. They fill me with their light and I feel their spiritual embrace. Sometimes they are people and animals who are dear to me but who have crossed over. Other times they are the souls of spiritual masters who bring a message. I don’t go into meditation seeking them but they come when they want to appear.

This is appropriate for the loving-kindness meditation, which is a natural opening of a compassionate heart, towards ourselves and to others. During it, we express the wish that everyone be happy. We begin with:

May I be filled with lovingkindness
May I be held in loving kindness
May I feel connected and calm
May I accept myself just as I am
May I be happy
May I know the natural joy of being alive

Then replace “I” with “you,” then a neutral person, then someone we love, our neighborhood, the nation, the planet, and so on.
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During mindfulness meditation, I don’t experience the presence of entities or spiritual guides. This is because mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment in whatever activity I am undertaking. Opening the heart may not be the object or aim of this type of meditation. Awareness and clarity are key, so feeling the presence of loving souls is not what happens for me under these circumstances.

Spirit guides do not lead us to anything horrible. They are there to offer unconditional love and comfort. They have been with us for eternity before this birth and will be with us after we leave our physical existence.

If we have karma to resolve, they can help us choose the right path. But they will never lead us into anything frightful or disturbing. Their whole raison d’etre is to be of peaceful assistance to us as we navigate through our lives. They await our call upon them and stand ever ready to be of service.

We do not plan what we are going to do before we incarnate. It is determined by many variables that are way beyond our individual control. We are part of a huge dance of the Universe in which are souls are never destroyed but continue to grow and evolve in accordance with the laws of the Cosmos. Spirit guides are part of this, though most people ignore them until their backs are up against the wall.
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Then they call on their guides and angels. But the guides have always been there. We just need to open our consciousness to them. They are there to be consulted any time of the day or night. I use them all the time and greatly appreciate their loving assistance.

It’s actually very simple. Call them to you. Most people don’t believe it’s that simple. But. . .

. . . you must be ready to recognize their signs. They may speak to you in a whisper or come to you in a dream. You may feel them as a disembodied presence. They can bring an object to you that will help you with your decision. They can show signs, literally, such as street signs or words on the side of a truck or in a book. But you must take the first step and call them to you.

Most people think you have to set up amazing altars or perform complicated rituals. But it’s not necessary. Maybe you want to set the mood for yourself with candles and a serene safe place. Or maybe you want to go into a church. Kneeling is a good way to approach angels because it shows receptivity and humility.

Really though, you don’t need to set the mood. Sometimes you will need to call your angels in the midst of danger or chaos. There’s no time to get fancy and decorative. Just call your angels within your heart and allow yourself to feel their presence.
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Also, don’t look at your watch and start making demands; “It’s been five minutes and I haven’t gotten a sign yet!” The angels come to you in their good time, when it is the right time according to their higher wisdom. And that may not be when you think it is the right time. We cannot force them. Out of their love for us, they never let us down, but we must be open to their signs.