Spirit Guides and Invisible Friends

Did you have an invisible friend when you were a child? I had an invisible dog friend. Mum says I had a real lead for my invisible dog and he went with me everywhere. I also talked to trees and still do as an adult. I no longer have an invisible dog, but I do talk to animal spirit guides and a few times recently, I felt a few of my old dogs around me, especially Jumper, who passed away just over a year ago. That was a lovely feeling. I was sitting painting and I could have sworn he was sitting behind me. I even turned around to say hello. Then I remembered he’d passed and had to think for a moment to remember what year I was in. I think painting can do that to you- make time stand still and even move backwards a little!

All of these wonderful beliefs about invisible friends, the friendly ghosts of loved ones and spirit guides are beliefs I chose to have because they make my life so much richer. I honestly don’t care one way or the other whether any of it is real, because the psychological benefits far outweigh any drawbacks. I guess I have a strange, suspended belief system that works quite well for me. I entertain beliefs, rather than believing them wholeheartedly or inflexibly. For the most part! I’m sure there are still quite a few inflexible, fixed beliefs in me that I’m yet to shake up.

For me, spirit guides are the invisible friends of adulthood. One of the wonderful things about spirituality and new age concepts is that they allows us to revive the magic, wonder and imagination of childhood. Without a bit of childlike playfulness to loosen it up, adulthood has a tendency to become over serious. And when it becomes too serious, we get stressed. In other words, a bit of sacred play in adulthood can be excellent for stress management!