I am often asked whether I have spirit guides and angels who support me in my work. I am also asked whether I believe in ghosts and demons. My answers to these questions are both yes, and no.

The existence of non-physical beings has always fascinated mankind. We continue to be intrigued by the presence of spiritual entities from other realms, planes or dimensions. It is an aspect of our spiritual experience that is often the focal point for much discussion, speculation, debate, and sometimes also controversy and conflict.

There are many similarities in the range of experiences and encounters reported. The most commonly sited encounters include the spirits of family members, who have crossed over, as well as guardian angels, celestial guides, elementals and also extraterrestrial beings. However, there is also much disparity and contradictions in that which people see and believe.

Such beings and entities do exist for me, not because I experience all of them in the exact same way as others do, but because there are many people who do have similar beliefs and experiences. From my perspective these manifestations of spirit are all one and the same thing, and they all come from one and the same source.

All life forms and inanimate objects, throughout the Universe, consist of pure energy, which vibrates in different ways and at varying frequencies. We are all products of this one stream of positive, creative energy. It is an all-encompassing force of goodness, well-being, pure love and eternal expansion.

I do have ’spirit guides’ and ‘angels’ around me, but I do not always see them in typical human shape or form. I don’t see angels with wings or guides who look like humans. My angels and guides usually appear to me in a more pure form that can best be described as floating orbs of light, or flickering bundles of ‘fireflies’.

Occasionally, I do experience spirit in a more familiar human form, when its appearance will be more acceptable or recognizable for a person for whom I am doing a psychic reading. In the cases where this need arises, spirit has the tendency to reveal itself to me in a form that the other person can more easily relate to.

Many of my clients are more open to receiving guidance or messages from their deceased grandmother, instead of a transparent cloud of tiny light bubbles! Therefore these messages from ‘heaven’ are delivered to me in this format, which I can then convey to the other person in a recognizable way. I also see my main guide in human form from time to time.

It is my experience that all these varying manifestations, such as angels or guides, are merely labels or descriptions we use as a shared language or vocabulary, in order to translate or interpret what we perceive and experience when we do engage with spirit. Our different versions of spirit are mostly based on our religious beliefs; the stories we were told during our childhood; the folklore, myths and legends of our diverse cultural backgrounds; as well as the images and concepts we absorb from the media and popular culture, including films, books and the arts.

For this reason, it is common to find that your perception of what a spirit guide is, or what angels look like, would differ somewhat from the next person; and should you ask a foreigner, from a completely different cultural background, you would either find that they have no knowledge of the existence of such things, or they will describe them in a form completely unfamiliar to you.

This leaves us with the question of lower vibrations, such as ghosts, shadow people, vampires, succubi and demonic forces. Do they exist?  These manifestations are no doubt a reality for many people. However, these things do not exist in my world. I choose to place my focus and intention elsewhere.

All houses are haunted. All persons are haunted.
Throngs of spirits follow us everywhere. We are never alone
– Barney Sarecky

I know from personal experience that we are all powerful creators of our own reality and destiny. What we focus upon and what we believe in, is what we ultimately perceive and experience in life. I choose not to surround myself with negativity and evil, neither do I entertain the lower vibrational patterns associated with fear, despair and death.

Dark forces or entities are not manifestations of spirit or the Universal life source. They are fear-based manifestations created by man to explain or justify unpleasant life experiences, shift the blame for human error, or to control and manipulate others.

However, I do not stand in judgment of those who do believe in evil entities or dark forces. If believing in an on-going struggle between good and evil provides you with a familiar platform, from which you can launch your unique spiritual expansion, I cannot see why such beliefs should be condemned by a fellow seeker.

I also do not expect anyone to share my perception of celestial beings or spiritual entities. There is no right or wrong way of experiencing spiritual manifestation. Everybody’s interpretation or translation is accurate in my opinion, and it always has merit within the unique cultural environment of the believer.

Expansion and continued creation is dependent on diversity and individuality. It is my conviction that when one is in pure vibrational alignment with spirit, there is no need or desire to judge, criticize or discredit the spiritual experiences or beliefs of others.

© 2010 Anthon St Maarten
Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net