Pop Metaphysics and the “Spirit Guide Mentality”
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Following up on my previous post about “scrying in the spirit vision,” I have a few more critical observations to share about the “spirit guide mentality.”
I’m not sure where the notion of spirit guides first cropped up in the practice of Western occultism. Although it apparently made its earliest appearance in the ancestor reverence of African belief systems, in which the spirits of the dead were assumed to have a compassionate interest in the affairs of their living descendants, in the West it’s less reliably traceable. It may have emerged from the annals of 19th-Century Theosophy and the psychic mediumship of the Spiritualist movement, or from Native American mysticism. Then again, it could be a spin-off of the more recent “angel work” of Doreen Virtue, or of Edwin Steinbrecher’s 1977 book Inner Guide Meditation and its emphasis on trustworthy invisible chaperones for our out-of-body adventures. Personally, I think such supposed entities are merely a projection of the believer’s psyche that is granted independent agency in the spirit world and, knowing what I do about astral travel, I wouldn’t trust one as far as I can see it (or not see it) since the personal “shadow” may intercede. The whole idea seems to be an imaginative device for shielding oneself from direct engagement with the Unseen realm and its abstract, faceless — and somewhat scary — host of spirits, whether deceased humans or innately disembodied beings (e.g. “elementals”).
The supposition is conceptually indistinguishable from a belief in angels or, for that matter, in an anthropomorphic God; we are compelled to put a humanistic face on the ineffable in order to feel that we’re “relating” at some meaningful level. Or maybe it’s just psychological insurance, like a prophylactic to avoid contracting a nasty case of transcendental indigestion, although we still swallow as absolute truth whatever visions manage to find their way to our psychic antennae. I see nothing charming about spirit guides, particularly since we don’t know who (or rather what astral denizen) is lurking behind their sympathetic, oh-so-helpful demeanor.
My unscientific impression is that teen-aged and twenty-something seekers who are new to tarot are the most suggestible in this regard. They almost always talk about appealing to their guides for inspiration. It seems to be more than just a detour around having to learn any of the traditional formalities of divination, it suggests a lack of faith in their own intuition. In other words, a crutch, and said guides can blast me in my tracks if there’s no truth to that. It’s right up there with tarot apps and YouTube readings for me in that it just won’t pass the “giggle test.”
I have an interesting story from my medical history that illustrates my point. Years ago I came upon the idea that Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar is something of a cure-all for quite a number of ailments. At the time I had a life-long acid-reflux problem and a more recent outbreak of eczema. After I began taking an ounce of this folk remedy every morning, my acidic stomach calmed right down and my eczema subsided considerably. I told my gastroenterologist about it, and he said “Yes, that works for many people, just not as effectively or for as long as it does for you.” I was quite pleased with my self-prescribed solution. Then I mentioned the improvement in skin condition to my dermatologist, who paused for a second, smiled wisely and said “The mind is a wonderful thing!” I’ll never forget the delicacy of his put-down.
With the mystical bias of so much that goes on in modern metaphysical circles, it’s not much wonder that spirit guides are in such vogue. They’re always ready with an answer (even if it’s only us talking to ourselves) and we don’t have to put up with them when we’re not in the mood, we can just shuffle them off to the side. I don’t know if there is any way of vetting their honesty and integrity, we simply cast our net and they come up out of the depths of the Unconscious like a magical talking fish, ready to please. My silent plea when the subject is broached in all seriousness is “Gimme a break here.” I won’t demean anyone for their beliefs, but I also won’t hang around for the “reveal.”
Popular metaphysics of the commercial kind is on my short list of dubious institutions (if I may flatter the practice with that presumption of authenticity) since most of what is offered to the public is a shameless money-grab. I joined a region-wide online spiritual group in New England thinking there might be some stimulating conversation, but all I encounter day-after-day is self-promotion and advertising. At least in my area, there is no interest in getting together to simply share ideas, everyone wants to charge for the privilege of talking to them. Fortunately, reddit and Facebook have a couple of vibrant communities that host a dynamic discussion that is free-of-charge.
So on that note I’ll just take my dearly departed grandmother and go home.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on December 2, 2023.
