One aspect of shamanism that I offer is guidance and teaching for those who seek wisdom and truth on their path. Learn more below about how I see spiritual guidance and teaching.

What is a Spiritual Guide?

A spiritual guide is a person who helps you navigate your spiritual path. They are leaders, teachers and mentors, and could also be looked at like a coach or instructor for those who want to deepen their spiritual walk. A person who is a spiritual guide has mastered many things when it comes to the art spirituality and often has disciples, students or initiates that follow and learn from them.

What Does a Spiritual Guide Do?

Depending on the setting, a spiritual guide may teach in front of a group of people or have one-on-one sessions with an individual. They will answer questions from experiential wisdom and deep knowing. They may use stories or metaphors or parables to point to a certain truth. They may give insight and perspective to those who are experiencing negative emotions or challenging circumstances. A spiritual guide’s main objective is to help you realize and actualize yourself as a spiritual being experiencing this reality in human form.

How is a Spiritual Guide Different from a Therapist or Counselor?

While a therapist or counselor is trained and licensed to help people with mental health issues, a spiritual guide is not usually a person who has had any formal training. Spiritual guides and teachers, instead, offer their wisdom, knowledge and insight from a place of learned experience rather than gathered intellectual information.

Therapy, psychiatry and counseling primarily use various methods to focus on mental and emotional wellness, but don’t usually get into spirituality as they are more learned in research and science. Alternatively, spiritual guides help people to grow spiritually, access higher levels of awareness or consciousness, and help to find greater meaning in life. They assist people who want to deep dive into unseen realms and uncover the hidden aspects of reality.

What are the Benefits of Having a Spiritual Guide?

There are many benefits of having a spiritual guide or teacher. Accountability, affirmation and encouragement, a new perspective, spiritual wisdom, and assistance as you access higher states of awareness and consciousness. Many people report finding more balance, peace and coherence from working with a spiritual guide or teacher. Often, as a result of getting to know the Self at a deeper level, people heal from mental, emotional and even physical issues.

By law I need to add: If you have a serious physical issue or mental illness, please seek out a licensed medical or mental health professional.

Do I Need a Spiritual Guide or Teacher?

No one “needs” a spiritual guide, teacher or shaman. Everything you are looking for is already there inside of you. However, some people have a difficult time knowing how to access the wisdom and knowing that is within and so look to someone who can lead them in this way.

If you feel that you need accountability, feel lost or do not have the dedication needed to go within on your own, perhaps a guide or teacher would be the right step for you.

Conversely, if you have the diligence, dedication and desire to allow the Life Force to bring you what you need when you need it on your path without any external guidance then you probably do not need one.

Ultimately, it is up to you whether you want a guide or not.

What should I look for in a Spiritual Guide?

A good spiritual guide or teacher will be one who does not infringe on your free-will, offers their guidance from a place of compassion and grace and seeks to train their students to listen to their own internal guidance so that eventually, the student will no longer need them. This guide will not take the hard “work” from the student but direct the student to take responsibility for their path.

A good spiritual guide should be a model of what you are trying to achieve for yourself with spiritual practices. Look for someone with your same core values, a person who is kind, accepting and non-judgmental...someone who listens well and allows you to be as you are without trying to “fix” or change you. They will simply be there for you as you seek to know yourself deeper and ask the big questions.

A good spiritual guide must be someone you can trust. If you don’t feel like you can trust them, it will be impossible for you to be open and learn from them in any meaningful way. And as a note, just because you don’t trust someone doesn’t mean they are bad, it may just mean that you and them are not meant to work together. At least not at the time you feel the lack of trust.

A good spiritual guide does not tell you what your truth is, only you can know that. And you should NEVER give your power over to a shaman, guide or teacher. You are the creator of your life, so if something does feel right to you, either it is not meant for you – OR – you do not fully understand it yet.

How Do I Find A Spiritual Guide or Teacher?

These days you can find a guide or teacher in many ways; you don’t have to travel to the east! There are many great teachers online and you can watch videos, read blogs and see testimonials from others as you do your research to find someone who aligns with you. Your guide doesn’t need to interact with you in person in order for you to get benefit from listening to them.

If you do prefer to meet with someone face to face and not on a digital device, you may have to be a little more patient. If you put your intention to seek a teacher out there, Source/Universe/God hears you and your guide or teacher will appear for you when you are ready. And then, be on the lookout.

Remember: Your teacher or guide may not come to you in a way or in a form you are expecting or may not have the label “spiritual guide”. But if you seek guidance from someone who is offering, it is up to you to reach out to them...as a good guide or teacher will not force their presence or wisdom upon you.  

Can I have More Than One Spiritual Guide or Teacher?

Of Course! There is no rule or universal law that states that you have to pick just one person to learn and gather wisdom from. If you feel that it’s too confusing to have many voices speaking into your life, then choose the one that feels the best for you and stick with them for awhile.

If learning from many is your thing, over time you will notice that you are pulling things that feel in alignment with you from many different sources as you begin to stabilize your foundation and build your proverbial temple.

Should Spiritual Guides Charge Money for Their Service?

There is no such thing as “should” or a “right” way with this. Spiritual guides and teachers are human too, and unless a guide has completed perfect ascension, they still drink, eat, need shelter and clothing. We are in the process of creating a New Earth together where money as a symbol of energy will not be a “thing”, but for now, the majority the planet still operates this way.

Often, because a guide or teacher feels drawn to dedicate their life to spiritual practices and services, they may ask for financial compensation or donations so that they do not have to work a “regular job” but instead put all their focus into their mission and purpose. If one feels called to the path or naturally falls into the role of a guide or teacher, having “real job” can become cumbersome and take away from the amount spiritual service they can provide to others.

In my opinion, a spiritual guide or teacher is no different than other people who provide needs and benefits in life.

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical or mental health professional. Any media, information or products associated with April Ann Roy are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure you and are meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. Seek professional help for any physical or mental health issues. Use any information or products at your own risk.