By opening yourself to your spirit guides and knowing how they communicate, you will be able to receive their messages and use this inspiration to fuel your self-care, relationships, and creativity.
Notably, spirit guides use your soul’s screen, that is, your life, to communicate with you. All for your benefit so you grow in your divine power. Are you paying attention to what is around you?
There are 10 ways spirit guides communicate – this has been my lived experience. I will share extracts from my book Where The Light Lives that suggest each way of communication.
“… a delightful story of a woman who has had a remarkable journey through the psychic-sphere where spiritually transformative experiences are a way of life for her. Along the way, the paranormal becomes normal and she is able to walk between the worlds melding this life with the other, heavenly side. This is a book you will want to read!”
-Jody Long
1. Altered states
Spirit guides communicate with you via dreams and out-of-body experiences; when you are in a relaxed state just before falling asleep or as you wake. Similarly, during medical emergencies: near death. Prayer, meditation, and sacred plant medicine use are altered states which surrender the ego and expand consciousness into realms where spirit guides reside and may connect with you.
I was out-of-body, awake and aware and feeling completely like myself. I was seated at a table across from a woman who was a stranger to me, though I was comfortable in her presence. We were communicating telepathically in a large meeting room like an
office boardroom.We paused to watch a man entering the room. He was in a hurry and quite preoccupied by his task at hand, for he didn’t seem to notice me.
“She’s from Earth,” the woman said to him about me.
The man didn’t seem to care one bit that I was from Earth. He didn’t flinch at the mention of it. He didn’t look at me. He said nothing.
Perhaps he can’t see me. Perhaps, I’m quite simply invisible to him like air, because I’m in spirit.
“The purpose on Earth,” the woman continued, looking straight at me as if she could see me quite plainly, “… is to love in form. It is the only place where souls can have this experience.”
Eleven: Out-of-Body. . . 89 [condensed extract]
2. Animals
Some of the greatest heavenly messengers are animals. Never underestimate the spiritual power of creatures big and small who may bring you love, protection, and guidance. Spirit guide animals have a personal connection with you. They may visit you on Earth or in your dreams, stay for a short time, a lifetime, or many lifetimes. Spirit guide animals are loyal companions and healers.
I could never have imagined a creature loving me so completely.
The horse was awakened, that is, it was supremely conscious – not simply some exotic other-worldly beauty, though it was beautiful beyond words.
Extending away from the horse’s billowing mane were rays of rainbow fluttering in the wind like carnival ribbons. The exceptional vibrancy of these colours was a divine expression of love, celebrating my homecoming.
Sixteen: Divine Illuminations. . . 126
3. Electricity
Spirit guides may manipulate the transmission of electricity or interfere with the normal functioning of lights, watches, TVs, computers, phones, electrical appliances, street lights, machinery, cars, etc. Usually, without explanation or defying logic. Ask yourself: is it a hello from heaven, a warning of danger, or a response to a thought you just had or words just spoken?
“It’s four o’clock,” my friend said, looking at her watch. “I must go. We have many souls arriving.”
I considered this unusual remark and looked to her questioningly, only then to realise, that my friend wasn’t with me anymore. She had simply disappeared.
I rolled onto my side, sat up and got out of bed. I flicked on my bedroom light and sat back down in bed again. I looked at the clock radio. It displayed 4:00 am exactly, in bold red, electronic numbers.
Five: Life Review & Preview. . . 44 & 45 [condensed]
4. Inspiration
A new idea. Inspiration to think something – to feel something – to say something – to do something. Your spirit guides will ignite your imagination. One or a team of them may help develop your abilities to become an expert in a field of work or interest. Or provide you with sudden nuggets of wisdom. You may even have the sense of being downloaded with amazing clarity or creativity.
“Go with gold,” encouraged the voice, “and squirt out a lot more than you would think to use. We’ll tell you when to stop squeezing.”
Who is ‘we’? I thought, as I cleaned the brush with turps – the smell flaring my nostrils – wiping the brush on tissues – I squeezed out some gold paint.
“More,” it said. “More still. Good. Stop now.”
Who exactly is that talking to me? I thought, as I followed the prompt.
The painting proceeded in this rather extraordinary way. I continued to receive clear guidance – I saw it, heard it and felt it, and I followed it.
An hour later, I felt the withdrawal of this creative energy. I was also told by the voice it was complete.
I wondered about the mystifying voice that had returned to me and I wanted to understand it better. I had simply never painted in this rather automated way before. I had previously approached my art works with consideration. I had had a plan in mind.
Was this all-knowing voice my intuition? Did it originate from me or was it of another source like a spirit guide or an angel?
Eight: Inspired Creativity. . . 62 & 63 [condensed]
5. Intuition
Some people are born with greater psychic abilities than others. However, everyone has intuition or a sixth sense and it may be strengthened. Spirit guides use the 6 Clairs or psychic senses to connect with you: clairaudience (clear hearing), clairvoyance (clear seeing), clairsentience (clear feeling), claircognizance (clear knowing), clairalience (clear smelling), and clairgustance (clear tasting).
“Do you see Karen’s spirit guide?” Claire asked the group. “He’s showing himself to us beautifully.”
“He’s a Native American,” a woman said.
That’s original. Why a Native American? Why not a farmer from Norway?
“Yes,” someone replied, “I see him.”
“Yes,” another person spoke up, “I see him too.”
I looked at Karen expecting to see nothing out of the ordinary, when instead I observed the most intense golden light I’ve ever seen – which surrounded her entirely. Within this extraordinary other-world light sat none other than (yes) a Native American man
– minus the feather-headdress.I could hardly believe my eyes. Bloody hell, this stuff is actually for real! I watched for a couple of minutes, absolutely riveted, as the scene flickered between alternating visions of Karen and then the Native American – it was mind-blowing!
Seven: Psychic Development. . . 57

Pin It!
6. Materialisation
Spirit guides may materialise in bodily form. Thus, they go about their mission anonymously, melding effortlessly into ordinary Earthly life as people around you, in roles and situations where they may assist you best. Their interactions are often short-lived but pivotal, moving you forward – toward your higher purpose. The encounter may be unusual and cause you to pause to consider.
I noticed his eyes for the first time since we’d met. They were the bluest eyes I’d ever seen and they looked like crystals. They seemed to glow from within…
In Paul’s company I took a book from a shelf and looked over it for the shortest time. When I looked up from it, he was gone. We were too far from the store’s entrance, for him to have made an exit in that time. I walked about the aisles looking for him but I never saw him again. I have since thought that perhaps he was not entirely of this world, but a messenger, heralding great things to come.
Six: Synchronicity. . . 51 & 54 [condensed]
7. Patterns
Spirit guides communicate via patterns, repetitions, or the power of three – which may also be aligned with an experience of synchronicity. Spirit guides use patterns to awaken your higher purpose. Repetitions of numbers, symbols, colours, and sounds have something to tell you.
I stepped back into my backyard. Whoever it was, wasn’t calling me anymore. Oh well, it’s back to my homework. Sitting on my legs on the floor, hunched over my drawing, it started up again. Blimey! Who is that calling me? I couldn’t even tell what direction they were calling from. I couldn’t tell if it was a male or female?
“Linda,” it spoke.
Certainly it was a casual, friendly way of saying my name.
“Linda,” it spoke again.
Then I recognised that the voice I heard was in the room with me. I held my breath. But I was the only one in the room?
“Linda,” said the voice, close by me.
Well, apparently not! … I almost fainted with fright.
“Linda,” it said, right next to me.
My heart skipped a beat.
“Linda,” it said, closer than my breath.
Two: Calling My Name. . . 18
“Um… I’ve heard a voice too,” I told her, cautiously.
“Yes,” she said.
“It was calling my name.”
“That was Spirit,” she said, assuredly.
But why? I thought.
“Think of it as your wake-up call,” she explained. “It’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Three: Challenges. . . 26
8. People
Spirit guides inspire the people around you to take action to uplift, protect, or guide you. Like animals, children are very receptive to spirit guide communication. You may be closed to receiving heavenly messages or unable to help yourself out of a difficult situation: busy, tired, sick, injured, or depressed. Or a spirit guide’s message may impact you more coming from someone else.
“I had to call,” she said, “to ask, if you’ve been painting lately?”
“Yes,” I said – amazed to hear her mention it.
“I didn’t know that!” Mary exclaimed.
“Well,” I enthused, “how would you? No one does.”
“Kat, my psychic friend just rang me,” she explained, “and she wanted me to pass a message on to you from the angels.”
“Really?” I said, staggered.
“Yes,” she almost sang the message – “Keep on with the painting!”
“Wow – how remarkable!”
“It gets more interesting still,” Mary relayed enthusiastically.
“The moment I got off the phone from Kat, the phone rang again, and this time, it was my friend Brett – he then said that he had the most vivid dream about you last night, and in it you were painting really colourful art works.”
Eight: Inspired Creativity. . . 63-64
9. Symbols
Spirit guides use things that represent something to communicate with you. Symbols may appear in your day-to-day view or during altered states. Universal symbols are recognised widely by people – a rainbow for hope, a tree for growth, and a butterfly for transformation. Local symbols are recognised by a group of people. Personal symbols are recognised by you, and perhaps only by you.
I watched my mum as she arranged wilting flowers into a bouquet. I woke with a start, my heart racing in the darkness. Someone mum knows will die soon… I knew.
The following day I told her of my premonition and a week later my mum’s friends died instantly in a head-on collision with a semi-trailer while holidaying in northern Western Australia. They were husband and wife and had an award-winning garden into which they put a lot of their time and effort.
During her walks around the neighbourhood, mum often stopped at the front of their house to give compliments on how lovely their garden was looking with all its pretty blooms. Following their deaths, no one attended to the garden and it wilted. The house was later sold with the garden in disrepair.
Twenty: Premonitions. . . 161
10. Synchronicities
Uncanny coincidences. Divine timing. Precision. Order. Orchestration. Crossing paths with people in places and circumstances that seem most unlikely yet are incredibly meaningful – causes you to pause to consider. You think something and unexpectedly someone says it or you see it or a related opportunity presents itself. Behind signs and synchronicities are your devoted spirit guides!
Perhaps I’m thinking too big, I thought.
“Why not?” said a voice.
In thick black texta I wrote YNOT across my vision board and it became my new mantra.
A few days later, I took Oliver to the community nurse for his check-up. When we returned to our car following the appointment, I placed him in his car seat and strapped him securely in. As I shut his door, I noticed another car drive in. The entire car park
was empty but this car pulled up in the bay right next to us. How strange, I would not have done that. I walked behind my car to get to the driver’s side and caught a glimpse of the vehicle’s registration plate. In big, bold black letters it read, YNOT. Wow! Some coincidence! The woman in the car stepped out.“What’s the significance of your number plate?” I asked her.
“It’s my husband’s name spelt backwards,” she said, “Tony.”
A few days later, I walked down the road from our house to playgroup, at the local kindergarten, pushing Oliver in his pram.
As we approached the gate to go in, a vehicle pulled up close by, parking right in front of the gate – I couldn’t miss seeing it. The vehicle’s registration plate read, in big, bold, black letters, YNOT 72. A woman stepped out of the vehicle.
“What’s the significance of your number plate?” I asked her.
“It my husband’s name spelt backwards,” she said, “and the 72 is his birth year. He tried getting just plain YNOT but it was already taken.”
No kidding. I just met the wife of the man who took it. What are the chances of that?
A few days later, Oliver and I went to our local charity shop to see if we could find a treasure to buy and as we approached the front door, I noticed a car parked right in front of it – I couldn’t miss seeing it. Its registration plate in big, bold, black letters
read, YMMOT. No doubt Tommy or his wife was somewhere in the shop.Is someone trying to tell me something, like perhaps I should invest time and purpose into my thoughts? I’d definitely received the blaring message (as is often the case when things come in threes): if you believe, all things are possible.
Eighteen: Power of Thought. . . 148 & 149 [condensed]
The world around you is made up of light and sound energies, and significantly, your ability to perceive them. In fact, the world around you wouldn’t even exist without your ability to perceive it.
Spirit guides are made of light and sound energies which are high-frequency vibrations. The thing to consider about spirit guides is not if they exist or not, but rather do you perceive them or not.
Read 10 Ways to Connect with Your Spirit Guides and learn how to raise your own vibrations so you may better sense, meet and collaborate with your spirit guides.