The other day a reader asked me: “Could it be, that our spiritual guides are our own past life personalities? Only then would I feel comfortable having them around in all aspects of my life.” Well, in my work as a past life therapist I have found, that what call guides come in many shapes and sizes, not only in the form of our own past and future lives, but in many more – and not all are what they seem.
Connected
Nobody travels through this life alone: we are always connected to our own higher Self or Soul, to Source and Creation as a whole. We are connected to our soul family, to earth beings like elementals, animal spirits, and all kinds of beings in spirit form. We can also have connections to those that have a high or evolved level of consciousness, such as angels or ascended masters.
Equality
I always hesitate to use the word guide for these connections, because it seems to implicate a level of inequality. It seems to say someone else knows better what is right for you. That is incompatible with the view that we are all equal and worthy creators, co-creating with Source. We are in essence already enlightened, and on our way to conscious mastery and ascension.
Meddlers
Personally, I do not believe in the concept of the “more enlightened spirit” who guides us and knows best, who tries to lead us through life from a more evolved or higher perspective. As a past life therapist, I get very wary when a spirit presents himself in that way. Usually, they turn out to be meddlers from the astral realm.
The depressed fake guide
For example: a past life therapy client had a guide attached to him who ticked all the boxes – at least in appearance. He wore long robes, sandals, and had a beard. On closer inspection, he turned out to be a rather depressed hippie from the seventies. He offered well-meant advice that did not serve my client: “Oh, just give up, life has no meaning anyway…”
Lonely child
This “guide” had attached himself to my client when he was a lonely child. At the time he had welcomed him out of need, but now his company was not welcome anymore. We did a session to help the lonely inner child, so he was okay and ready to let go of the entity. “Dirk”, as the hippie was called, didn’t leave of his own accord – my client had to be firm with him. After some expressions of assertiveness the “guide” finally went on his way.
Discernment
So, discernment is important in contact with non-physical beings that present themselves as guides, angels, ascended masters and loved ones. In the world of energy, not everything is as it seems. For non-physical entities it is extremely easy to use a disguise and pretend to be something they are not. This way, you might attract a condescending schoolmaster instead of an ascended master!
Assistance
That said, we do receive a lot of assistance from the world of spirit. All kinds of non-physical entities are ready and willing to assist us – not from ego, but in freedom and with respect for our free will and sovereignty. These one might call real guides.
Real guides
Real guides offer us guidance, expertise, and even warn us for potential pitfalls – not from ego, but from unconditional love. Often they merely offer us their comfort. These beings can be loved ones we have known in other lifetimes, friends and family from this life that have passed over, pets, angels and archangels and also evolved beings as “ascended masters”.
“Don’t kneel for me”
Even evolved beings do not feel they are “above” us and do not want us to play small. For instance, a friend was making a trance journey through levels of consciousness. On the plane of healing she met Jesus. She spontaneously dropped to her knees in awe. But Jesus immediately hoisted her off the floor again. “Do not kneel for me,” he said. ‘’We are all equal.’’ (I find Jesus has a great sense of humour: the tell-tale attribute of a real guide.)
The most personal guides: past lives
To return to the reader’s question: our own past (and future) lives. Experience shows that our own past lives are indeed present in our life and can even act as guides. Usually, these are lives that are significant for our current one: because they dealt with the same lessons, issues, and experiences we are still dealing with today, because they can assist us – or because they still need healing.
The book of our lives
Our current life is like a chapter in a big book, of which the other chapters are our past and future lives. They are all part of the same larger story. Those lives and their personalities are all part of our greater Higher Self – the same soul – the most intimate connection one might have. Our other lives are in essence always with us – they are us.
Expertise
When we need their specific expertise, past life personalities can even intervene: a warrior past life can suddenly infuse us with courage in a time of need. A past life doctor can help us intuitively feel there is a medical problem we need to pay attention to. Our past lives can inspire us to tell their stories – this is how my novels came into being. A past life artist, cook or gardener can assist us and work with us. That way, we live and co-create intimately with aspects of our own soul – the most intimate guides one might have.
© Wendy Gillissen, M.A. 2018
No part of this article may be used without the consent of the author.
Wendy Gillissen, M.A. is a psychologist, certified past life therapist and author of the award winning spiritual adventure ‘Curse of the Tahiéra’. She lives and works in the Netherlands. In her spare time she likes to play the Celtic harp. You can read her blog on The Company of Spirits and follow her on Facebook.
