Over the years, I've had many takes on this question. Are spirit guides figments of our unconscious or our imagination? I think it's important to be open to being wrong, and not to become too attached to our beliefs.
But first, what are spirit guides?
The idea is that when we ask our intuition for answers, the answer can come from several places - I cover these options in my book, Chakra Healing & Magick, but basically, our intuition brings messages from the angels, spirit guides, your higher self and some would say, from God.
I didn't include the last one in my book, but basically, spirit guides are humans who lived on Earth and that have wisdom or special experience to share with us. Growing up Catholic, this didn't feel like a stretch because I was used to asking a particular saint for help. Like St Francis of Assisi. Asking an ancestor for guidance is common in Mexico too. But after a few months in psychic school, my guides became a lot more colorful than that. In the past I've blogged about how I used to see a wizard in my early days as a psychic student - he first popped up in a mind-bending scrying class. Funny enough, the wizard helped me negotiate a new job for myself, with a much better salary.
But even then, I thought the wizard was a figment of my imagination, and I'd push him aside. Then my classmates started seeing him too,and I decided to take him seriously. This was in 2010 to 2011, when I was a psychic school newbie. I was still scared of magick and intuition - on one hand, I didn't think magick was real and I worried people would think I had lost my mind. This went on for a few years - even after I'd graduated as an energy healer. My inner skeptic has always been super loud. But by 2015, I was completely sold on healing yourself with magick. Soon after, I started writing Chakra Healing & Magick.
Round about that time, the wizard guide disappeared and I began to wonder if he had been a figment of my imagination or my unconscious. The latter would have been just as valuable as a real spirit guide...
My assumption was that the clairvoyant image was there to awaken the healer or magician in me, and that when I embodied that, he disappeared. I was sad when that happened, but magick is about who we become. Not that I'm a wizard LOL, but now I feel happy and comfortable talking about crystals, astrology, psychic abilities etc.
So imagine my surprise, when I started teaching intuition in 2016. My first big workshop was on psychic abilities, angels and goddesses. I led the students on a few guided meditations before putting them in small groups. Each of the groups would connect with an angel or guide - a mystical musical chairs where the students changed places to feel the energy of an angel vs. an archangel vs. a goddess. I had attended a similar workshop with one of my tutors, in 2010, when I was starting out. Loved it 🔮
> When I was splitting them up into small groups, that wizard guide came back and asked me to put him with a group. Sensing the guide is fleeting, a feeling or image that you learn to trust, but it was there. I told that specific group that they were connecting with one of my guides - a wizard. They expected someone solemn to appear, say Gandalf, but he is playful and fun. The cool thing is that when the students in that group talked about their experiences, they'd all seen and felt the same things. Like literally the same clairvoyant images, sensations etc. There were four or five people in the wizard group; one pair that was sitting opposite each other saw one specific image, the other pair sitting opposite each other saw a different image. I think it was geometric patterns, very simple and starlike. I wasn't guiding the meditation or telling them what to see, because 5-6 groups were meditating at the same time, each with a different archangel, guide or goddess.
So yes, I'm back to spirit guides being real. I have been there since 2016 LOL. They can be a lot of fun to connect with. Have a look at Chapter 6 to meet your guides: Psychic Development for Beginners 🌟🌟🌟
Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to awaken your intuition. Available on Amazon.
By now I have probably taken a dozen courses at The College of Psychic Studies. It never ceases to surprise me how fun and effective they are. Most of my lessons have so far have been on how to channel angels and spirit guides, but every now and then I take a break from the angels and try something different. The tutors have different styles as well, so mixing it up takes you out of your comfort zone.
This summer I took a wonderful class with psychic medium Geoffrey Beitz, where we used different tools every week to unlock our intuition. Everything you can think of from flowers, to toys and oracle cards - even chairs (psychometry!) You’d hold it, look at it or sit on it to get a message. In the other classes, we’ve worked with ribbons, melting wax, jewels and Christmas cards - the piece you’re drawn to has a message.
The only thing your intuition needs is a focus point and a moment of calm (as well as a good opening up meditation) to get going. So for example, the first week we were given blocks of wood with letters painted on them, the kind children use to spell out words. We sat in pairs and tuned into our classmate's letters, asking our intuition to give us a word. My classmate had the letter T and as soon as I saw it, I thought train. Clairvoyantly, I saw a locomotive pulling over for maintenance, before embarking on a journey around the world. It was a metaphor for a much needed rest stop. Then it was my turn to get a reading: you're needed at home (or maybe that my healing work was needed at home), meaning home country as I've been a globe trotter for a while. The funny thing is we played musical chairs and worked with 3 or 4 different partners, and at each stop I got a variation of the same message: go home, go home, go home and its time to teach healing. Eventually I asked when I had to go home, as I had barely landed in London and I was there for a summer of teacher trainings.
The class was really cool and a complete surprise every week. My favourite was the last class, where Geoffrey walked in with a bouquet of thorny roses. We each chose a rose and were tasked with giving life readings based on the flower stem, the leaves, the thorns and the flower itself. So imagine that the base of the stem represents childhood. Was it straight or curvy and what did that mean. We used our fingertips to trace the length of the stem, asking what the leaves, thorns and outgrowths represented. It might be a big relationship, the birth of a child and sometimes a divorce (or a second marriage). Your intuition fills in the blanks in ways that you'd never expect. I kept getting a visual of my classmate as a young girl in a particular decade, but was confused because she looks ten or fifteen years younger than her age. So logically, I referenced events that had transpired (I thought) before her birth, only to realise that they happened during her childhood. It was a reminder to trust the information and pass it on.
We also explored mediumship, as Geoffrey is a Psychic Medium. People often confuse psychics with mediums. Labels can be confusing and I think it's easier to explain where the information comes from. Some psychics read a person's aura and use those impressions to tell them what might be going on. I tend to work this way during energy healing sessions where I'm clearing a person's Aura or their Chakras. Psychics can also open up to receive insight from angels, or from spirit guides though these tend not to be people that we knew. We can all learn to connect with our angels or guides in meditation.
Mediumship (as defined at the College) is when you pass on messages from loved one who have passed away. I tend to get the great, great aunt that isn't recognized even though the advice is usually relevant for the sitter. I am not sure why this happens, maybe we just have more people looking out for us than we know. All things considered, I'd rather do psychic readings than mediumship right now. The College is known for its talented mediums. I just hadn’t gone there myself.
For those of you in London, Geoffrey is teaching a 7 week class next term on the Lenormand Oracle Cards. We used them twice this term, they're easy to read and quicker to learn than Tarot.
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Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to unlock your intuition.
A few weeks ago I did something I NEVER thought I'd do: get up on stage to do Angel Readings in front of a live audience! It was oddly exhilarating, I found myself enjoying it even though I was beyond relieved when I sat down. We had been practicing for weeks in my Angels and Spirit Guides class at The College of Psychic Studies. This class is the main reason I'm in London for the summer, it's the final step on the road to professional readings, and leading workshops. I did the foundation and intermediate classes just for the fun of it but moved to Mexico before I could finish. Coming back this summer was a great opportunity as it gave me a strong push, even though I was hoping we wouldn't have to get on stage this summer, I actually enjoyed it and would love to do it again. Now that, I did not expect!
Being on stage is funny because it puts you in the moment. There's not much you can do to prepare, except survey the audience and get a feel for their vibes. I was drawn to one lady even before I got up. She was wearing a blue top and I felt Archangel Michael's energy around her, but I wasn't clear on the message. It wasn't until after I'd gotten up and introduced myself, that it clicked. That was a sharp contrast to the intermediate level, where we meditated on each person for a few minutes before saying anything. Now it feels like I'm drawn to an angel, an image comes to mind and I start talking without knowing what comes next. I must have done six or seven short readings, in just fifteen minutes. It felt like I took long pauses between them, but I'm told I never stopped talking. The angels kept me calm too, because I didn't feel a hint of stage fright. I have been pushing myself with my weekly radio show. I think public speaking only gets better with lots of practice, and eventually you enjoy it.
The past two months I have been taking tarot lessons with the incredibly talented Avril Price, at The College of Psychic Studies. After five years of self-study, it’s been loads of fun interacting with other students and learning from Avril. Class ends next week and our end of term assignment is due. As you may already know, the tarot is divided into the Major Arcana which looks at a Fool's journey through life, and the archetypal life stages he travels through time and time again. The Minor Arcana which looks at struggles and joys of daily life in the suit of fire (creativity), cups (emotion), air (thought) and earth (stability).
The Minor Arcana are easier to grasp and more common in our lives. Our homework is to bring the more elusive Major Arcana to life with a creative project. I opted for movie metaphors, looking at films or characters that match up to the cards. I'm still on the fence with a few of them, so please comment below with your suggestions. In some cases I couldn't think of a single movie or character to match the card, and I have turned to astrology for inspiration instead. Each of the Major Arcana has its own sign or planet and in theory the essence should be the same, but it did give me more leeway. Here we go!
The Fool's Journey Begins!
0) The Fool: This is where the journey begins. We take our first steps into the unknown with out knowing what type of challenges we will face. On some level the Fool succeeds because he is unaware of perceived challenges and his fears don't get in the way. This one reminds me of Forrest Gump because he accomplishes so much, in large part through the absence of self-doubt. The quote about the chocolate box in particular is a "Fools Journey" sentiment.
I had a "Fool's Luck" moment years ago when I decided to apply to business school the week of the admissions deadline. The school had me come in for an exam, failing to mention that it was a Spanish translation of the GMAT. Had I known, I would have been nervous and might have failed. Instead, I passed (just barely!) and it ushered in a learning adventure that lasted two years and many more in marketing. The Fool indicates a new phase in life.
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.
1) The Magician: Here we are forced to test our skills in the real world, and what we lack in experience we make up for in ingenuity. It reminds me of The Hobbit, where Bilbo is plucked from his comfortable life and thrown into the adventure of his life (by a magician, no less). Bilbo forges ahead despite his apparent lack of adventuresomeness and comes out on top. This is based on the book.
2) The High Priestess is about listening to your intuition and developing a personal connection with the divine. I'm going to cheat here and reference a short story that I wrote five or six years ago, when I was barely starting to think about psychic abilities, intuition and magical happenings. The main character is a young witch in training and you could say her mom was the High Priestess (and her dad the High Priest). The funny thing is I had never given any thought to energy healing until one of the characters spontaneously healed another after an unexpected car accident. You could say my intuition opened doors for me with this piece of creative writing. I am kind of embarrassed to share it, but you can read it here...
Ihaven’t seen Practical Magick, so I’m including it on a whim. Can’t think of another film - please leave a comment if you have one.
3) The Empress. This card is about fertility, beauty, abundance and Mother Nature. It's linked with the planet Venus, also love and beauty. The only movie character that comes to mind is Commodus' sister in Gladiator, based on how she behaves throughout and the fact that she will rule after her brother dies ...
4) The Emperor isabout logic, foresight, discipline and drive. It's also linked with the Zodiac sign of Aries, which is about pure action, a natural born leader. The movie that springs to mind is The Aviator, starring DiCaprio. It's about the life of Howard Hughes, an empire builder who followed his passion for aviation.
5) The Hierophant could be about tradition as it's linked with the sign of Taurus. I am going out on a limb here by connecting it with the classic holiday movie, A Christmas Story. The Hierophant can be keen to respect and maintain religious or social institutions, he can also abandon them if they no longer work. Having grown up in the United States, the film certainly feels like a holiday tradition. I also enjoy the leg lamp scene where the mother pretends the lamp isn't there (visualising a new reality) and then breaks an tosses it. On some level, this could represent doing away with old power structures.
Leg Lamp Scene
6) The Lovers is about making choices based on love, trust and passion instead of fear. It can also be about soulmates, marriage and union. Its about knowing what's real and lasting, and what's not. I couldn't help thinking of What Dreams May Come. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it. Let's just say it's about recognising the people in our lives for who they are and what they mean to us.
7) The Chariot is about making tough choices and pursuing our objectives. This often requires a good deal of discipline, drive and self-control. It's a mental challenge too, like a marathon. I went with the movie Troy because of the effort that goes into storming a fortress, and the Achilles heel could be the mind.
8) Strength is about having a good deal of inner strength, even if we choose to show it in a gentle way. We're able to stand the test of time, meet our challenges and get through it without breaking (bending is OK). I went to an extreme here with a character that can't control his strength: The Hulk. This particular scene actually from The Avengers, one of the best laughs in the film.
> 2025 Update, The order of the Major Arcana was modified by the Golden Dawn, before that, Justice was #8 and the Strength card was #11. The Major Arcana help us resolve issues related to Minor Arcana events of the same number. So for example, the Lion card helps me get through the roadblocks of the 2 of Swords. Have a look at my Lionsgate Highlight on Instagram.com/reginachouza
9) The Hermit is a person who leaves civilisation temporarily to find their own truth, understand who they are and come out a new person. They can also seek knowledge that they will eventually share with others. To me, the Hermit's path is a spiritual rabbit hole, we don't know where it goes or when it ends.
10) Wheel of Fortune: What goes around comes around; what goes up must come down. This card can be about karma, changes of fortune, or even cycles of life where we reap what we sow. A bible story came to mind with this one, when Joseph was sold into slavery because his brothers are frightened by a dream where he ruled over them. Joseph somehow managed to become a free man, a successful merchant and eventually triumphed over his brothers.
A Clip from the Musical
11) The Justice card is not surprisingly linked with the sign of Libra. Its about fairness, people getting what they deserve and also our responsibility to look after people who have been wronged or could be seen as underdogs. The movie that springs to mind is Erin Brockovich, fighting to make sure justice is done.
12) The Hanged Man is about taking a time out, looking at things from a different perspective and it can also be about sacrificing yourself for the greater good (or to make a point that you think is for the greater good?). At least one of these themes plays a part in The Life of David Gale, starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. I won't say any more so as not to ruin the ending, it's worth watching.
13) The Death Card is about cycles in our life coming to an end, whether it's graduating from college, leaving home, leaving a job or getting divorced. Its about a big change to the status quo and having to come to terms with it, even when the change is something we would very much welcome. The movie I chose instead reflects a literal interpretation of a big ending: The Departed. Great film!
14) The Temperance Card is about patience, timing, being balanced and healing by integrating different aspects of your personality in an intuitive way. The image on the Rider Waite deck shows a woman pouring water from one cup to another, with a rainbow around her. She seems to be quite peaceful, in her own world. The movie character that comes to mind is Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series, who always seems to be in the same fuzzy state no matter what is going on at Hogwarts or in the world.
15) The Devil is about attachments to material things like cars, toys, big houses and the silly or fearful things we sometimes to do get them. It can also be about putting ourselves ahead of others and asking our angels (or devils) to fulfil desires that aren't necessarily in anyone's best interests. From a Kabbalistic perspective, the ego (inner devil) is a healthy opponent that tests our resolve and shapes our character, with the best intentions even if it doesn't appear to be the case. For this reason I went with Bedazzled, another favourite of mine!.
16) The Tower is about life crumbling under our feet (or so it seems). It can be very unsettling when our foundations are shaken to their very core, but it also gives us a chance to face our fears and start from scratch with a healthier and more productive environment. I am not sure why I went with The Little Mermaid on this one, I think the King's life crumbled when Ariel was taken from him and he had to face his fears (Ursula) and give in to the little mermaid's wishes. It must have felt like his world was falling apart, and the scene is scary enough...
17) The Star Card is about trusting that things will be alright, and that events in our life are guided by a higher plan. It can also be about following our guiding star out of the darkness. It's also linked with the energy of Aquarius, a forward thinking sign that has our collective evolution on its mind. I went with a song from Jesus Christ Superstar called Everything's Alright. This is one of my faves!
18) The Moon is about our Intuition and psychic insights revealing what is hidden from the conscious mind or from our five senses. Things we feel, even if we can't see them with our eyes or with gadgets. There is a great movie starring Matt Damon called Hereafter, which follows the lives of a psychic medium as he struggles to come to grips with his gift, and a young woman who is touched by a near death experience. Also happens to be directed by Clint Eastwood.
19) The Sun is a welcome message that hard times are over, and the Sun will shine down on our lives. Everything the sun touches grows, and when we are touched by the warm light of the sun we thrive. Initially I was going to go with Little Miss Sunshine but I felt like Annie was a better fit, especially the song Tomorrow.
20) The Judgement Card is about listening to our calling and serving humanity, or just doing what is right even if it's hard. I see this as the clash between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson's characters in A Few Good Men. It is related to the energy of Pluto; the planet of power struggles. Won’t say more- love the film.
21) The World is about completion and coming full circle in our lives, although it can also be about coming face to face with our limitations as it is linked with the planet Saturn. If you believe your limitless, the world is your oyster. I don't have a good metaphor for this one so I'll go with the Jamaican Bobsled team that competed in the winter Olympics despite being unfamiliar with snow.
So that is my end of term project on the Major Arcana! I hope you enjoyed it, and please feel free to comment below with any movie suggestions. This is meant to be a working document even if it has been handed in. Thanks in advance for your suggestions 💞💞💞
