The Holy Guardian Angel - Your Principle Guide
The concept of a Holy Guardian Angel is not unique to Christianity. This spirit has been called many things in many cultures. In ancient Greece it was an individual's Daimon. The great philosopher Socrates spoke of his Daimon as a voice that would warn him of danger. In the IFA, Yoruba, Santeria religion it is called the Ori. In Haitian Vodou it is called the Met Tet, or Master of the head. Of all the saints and spirits within your Spiritual Court, or "frame", the most important one to bond with is your Principle Spirit Guide. It is this spirit that is the leader of your Spiritual Court. From here on out we will refer to this entity as your Principle Guide. In Puerto Rican Spiritism it is believed that God appointed you to this spirit and it's sole purpose is to guide and assist you in your spiritual development. I recommend you obtain a copy of the book "Holy Daimon '' by Frater Acher if you want to study the ancient's understanding of the Principle Guide.
Your Principle Guide has many functions but the most important is helping you evolve spiritually. As this guide helps you grow, it elevates itself and is rewarded. The Principle Guide speaks to us through dreams and our inner voice, the voice that tells you right from wrong. Pray to your Guide telling them your thoughts and feelings. Then practice contemplative prayer (meditation) to hear their response. Watch YouTube videos of Father Thomas Keating and Fr. Richard Rohr talk about Christian contemplation and meditation. They are the foremost teachers on the subject. Each person's Spiritual Guide is unique for that particular person. No one else has your Principle Guide in their Court. The most important thing to remember is your Personal Guide will never encourage you to do something immoral or harmful.
Your Principle Guide accompanies you through life from the time of your birth until the time of death. Although they do not have physical representations, Espiritistas keep a statue or a framed image of a Saint to represent them. In Puerto Rico this image is usually in the form of a statue or framed picture of St Sebastian for a masculine spirit while a feminine spirit is represented by a picture of the three virtues Faith, Hope and Charity. Individuals who suffer from mental illnesses, especially depression, are protected by their Spiritual Court, but also need to find professional help in order to maintain their balance. Espiritismo never replaces health care for physical or mental illness. Espiritismo works on the spiritual level and assists in healing on the mental, emotional, and physical level. It will not prevent you from experiencing sickness, sorrow, and death. Finding a therapist and doctor who respects your religious beliefs are very important.
Remember that the goal of Puerto Rican Espiritismo is enlightenment, elevation, and love. Your Guides would never tell you to stop taking your medications or encourage you to inflict harm on yourself or others. Those kinds of thoughts are demonic and should be banished. When a message like that comes through it’s time to clean your house. It does not mean that if you have a negative thought you should be afraid of yourself or the world. It means you need to tighten up your ship and examine yourself. First determine if it’s an emotional, mental, or physical imbalance. If you have concluded that it is an external influence, send it packing. This book’s Materia Medica will give you all the tools you need to do that.
Your Spiritual Court
Your Principle Guide is the captain of your Spiritual Court. The Spiritual Court is composed of other spirits who have been assigned to help you, ancestral spirits, or spirits you have attracted along your way. They are also referred to as "commissions" or "emissaries' ' sent to minister to you. Your court can change throughout your life. Some spirits might come into your life to accomplish a mission and then leave when it is finished. Again we elevate these spirits as we elevate ourselves. The only spirit that will be with you from cradle to grave is your Principle Guide. These spirit guides should not be confused with the Loas, Orishas, or “Mysteries' '. This might seem confusing to the novice, and it is! We live in a world full of spirits born from every nation on earth. Some are more intelligent than us, while some are less intelligent. Just think about the world we live in. Your Principle Guide and other protective spirits are often ancestral spirits or familiar spirits from past lives and are connected to you through your bloodline. Loas, Orishas, and Mysteries are the forces of Nature themselves.
Maintaining a strong bond between you and your Spiritual Court is vital for your protection. These spirits are here to help carry you through this life. If a person's morals start to break down so will their Court. When I use the word "moral" I mean if a person starts to become envious, jealous, spiteful, ungrateful, angry, harmful, abusive, violent, they will lose contact with these elevated spirits. They will begin to detach themselves from us. When this happens negative and harmful spirits have a way to influence us. Evil entities will enter and then our lives start going downhill if not spiral off into chaos. This morality I speak of is not Christian fundamentalism. It is a higher standard of morality of mercy, kindness, empathy, forgiveness, and love. What I have learned on my journey is that I have to worry about myself, my spiritual health, and my connection to my spirits. I can not and do not have time to worry about what other people are saying or doing. Our time here is too short. Worry about yourself and your spirits.
Emissaries and Guides
Many many many spirits. There are spirits everywhere! And in Espiritismo they have been classified into some groups. The spirits listed are some of the spirits one would find in a spiritual court. But remember that your spirits can come from any race or religious affiliation. This is just an example of the ones most commonly referred to.
African Spirits
The Congo Spirits help in removing black magic and defend against necromancers. They are warriors and aggressive spirits who can fight occult enemies. In Africa they were kings, queens, priests, and root doctors but were slaves in the Americas. If you are experiencing psychic attacks call for the help of the Congos to help you win a spiritual battle.
Angels
The angels referred to in this tradition would be of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim type. These angels have histories that extend before the Biblical period but are most commonly preserved in these traditions. I would also add that angels that are worked with in the Magical Grimoires and the Mystical Kabbalah would be included.
Arabian Spirits
The Arabian Spirits can help you gain mystical knowledge and aid in conjuring Djinn. These ancient and magically potent guides are not to be taken lightly. They were custodians of the Mystery Tradition of pre Islamic tribes when alive. Humility and respect must be shown if they are going to assist you. Ask these guides for help when studying High Magic, astrology, and alchemy.
Bohemian Spirits
The Bohemian Spirit Guides were the artists, musicians, poets, and lovers in their lifetime. They were emotionally liberated while embodied and even more so as Spirits. Call on the Bohemians for inspiration for they are the muses who can give you their ideas on your next creative project.
Celtic Spirits
The Celts were mighty tribes of pre Christian Europe. They were warriors, lived in harmony with the agricultural rhythms of the earth, and held deep mystical wisdom teaching of an ancient race. These Spirit Guides were the Druids, Bards, and Ovates of their time along with Witches and Faerie Folk. Call on these Spirits to gain wisdom and insight into Nature.
Gypsy Spirits
The Gypsy Spirits can help you with divination, mediumship, and fortune telling. They traveled the world gathering wisdom from every nation they came into contact with. They are keepers of secrets and occult knowledge. Ask the Gypsy Spirits to reveal hidden information and help you expand in psychic gifts.
Hindu Spirits
The Hindu Spirits are those who were adepts at the wisdom of the Vedas. They were the Yogis, Brahmins (priests), Sages, and protectors of sacred wisdom across generations. The faithfully served their Gods and Goddesses and were granted a boon to travel between worlds. Call on the help of the Hindu Spirit Guides to teach you the secrets of meditation, Yoga, and Ayurvedic medicine.
Kami
In the Shinto religion the Kami are any divine beings, or anything in the world or beyond, that can inspire in human beings a sense of divinity and mystery. There are heavenly Kami, earthly Kami, and Kami who were once human. Kami usually like to be communicated with in Nature at places that are dedicated to them.
Native American Spirits
The indigenous spirits can help you in spiritual warfare, help you gain wisdom, and connect you with the spirit of the land. When these Spirits were alive they were Great Caciques – the Taino tribal chiefs in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. These chiefs were democratic, peaceful, and wise. When they guard over someone they can be possessive and aggressive sending wrath in the direction of the offender. They can aid in lifting curses, give spiritual healing, and give spiritual protection.
Oriental Spirits
The Oriental Spirit Guides can help in all aspects of your life. They can bring you luck, prosperity, wisdom, and peace of mind. They were the enlightened Confucians, Taoists, and Buddhists of their time. By meditating and devotion to their religions they gained an elevated state to be able to come back and help others. They are the Immortals and Bodhisattvas. Call on them when you need clarity of mind and help to make decisions. They can also help you learn Chinese Traditional Medicine and other Asian healing modalities.
Pirate Spirits
The Pirate Spirits were great mariners, swashbucklers, and treasure hunters while alive. They were heros, criminals, and thrill seekers. They are adventurous, fearless, and can be dangerous. If you call on them to accomplish a task for you, be ready to pay up. They work for a price!
Saints
The saints are of course in this tradition referring to Catholic Christian Saints. A Saint like a Buddhist Bodhisattva is a righteous person who vows to help elevate the people of earth by being intercessors for an individual and God.
Warriors
The warrior spirits are all the guides that were soldiers, generals, and commanders in military service. They can be warrior monks, members of the Knights Templar, Samurais, Vikings, and others protecting spirits from any culture.