Spirit Allies & Healing Guides, by Dawn McLaughlin

About the Author

Dawn McLaughlin graduated from Minot State University with a degree in mathematics but has always been fascinated with metaphysical concepts. She is a Reiki healer, tarot reader, astrologer, and hypnotherapist. Dawn lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Kevin, and their lively Italian Greyhound, Dharma. Explore her website at Intuitive-Hearts.com to check out her many offerings.

Llewellyn Publications • Woodbury, Minnesota

Spirit Allies & Healing Guides: Create Your Divine Support System Copyright © 2024 by Dawn McLaughlin. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Edition

First Printing, 2024

Cover design by Verlynda Pinckney

Llewellyn Publications is a registered trademark of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

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ISBN: 978-0-7387-7578-4

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to my spirit guides, who have consistently provided me with sage advice, encouragement, and limitless inspiration through the years.

Introduction

There are many facets to who I am and how I define myself. At any given moment, I am a mother, a wife, a mystic, a healer, a writer, a seeker, and a whimsical romantic. As a young child, I was fascinated by occult concepts, ancient civilizations, fantastical creatures, and fairy tales. I spent countless hours playing with my imaginary friends in fantasy lands carefully crafted in my mind’s eye.

However, as I transitioned into my teenage years and early adulthood, responsibility took center stage, so I willingly relinquished my relationship with my imagination and the supernatural. Years later, life took its toll: Stress and illness became the hallmarks of my daily life. By my late thirties, I began to search for new answers to the classic questions of life: What is reality? Why am I here? How can I heal?

Determined to find answers and take charge of my life, I began to explore alternative medicine and actively participate in my healing process. I turned to approaches such as reflexology, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, sounding healing, and Reiki. When I began to experience remarkable changes in my life, my curiosity became piqued, so I dove deeper into metaphysical topics. I strove to acquire and integrate this healing knowledge into my daily life.

After my Reiki II training, I had a direct experience with a spirit guide that reminded me of my interactions with my childhood imaginary friends. The encounter was so life-altering that it changed how I view reality and my place in it. I welcomed my newfound spirit team of

guides, spirit animal helpers, ancestors, and others with excitement and reverence. I have spent the last ten years cultivating these relationships. I am still in awe of the benefits these allies serve in my personal healing and my ability to assist others with their healing process.

Why I Developed This Book

Modern society routinely dismisses anything that can’t be quantified and qualified. Reiki has gained some acceptance as a healing practice in the medical community. Still, the concept of working with spirit allies as part of the healing process may appear too fantastical for some. It can be challenging for most people to determine the difference between an encounter with a spirit guide and a vivid daydream.

I created this comprehensive guide to assist energy workers and those interested in personal healing in learning to access the unseen realms and establish connections with their spirit guides and other high-vibrational beings who can help us achieve our healing goals. Over time, these relationships can blossom into authentic sources of inspiration, knowledge, and healing. This book is suitable for Reiki practitioners of all levels, energy healers, and anyone interested in working with spirit allies for healing on all levels of being—physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual.

Using This Book

The first part of the book is dedicated to information regarding your spiritual helpers who can assist you on your healing path. You will have the opportunity to reflect on your unique journey and what you hope to accomplish by working with your divine spirit allies. You will be provided with skills and techniques that will assist you with connecting with these spirit beings. The type of spirit allies available to you will be reviewed, along with options for selecting the best members of your Divine Support System to meet your healing goals. Different methods of communication and cultivating relationships will be explored. By the end of chapter 9, you will be empowered to take charge of your healing journey by receiving the assistance of your Divine Support System.

Chapter 10 is an extensive listing of healing deities from across the globe. No single book could chronicle all the healing gods, goddesses, ascended masters, saints, sages, and angels in existence; for one thing, many deities have been lost over the centuries. The selection in this text represents a sampling of the divine beings available to us for inspiration, guidance, and healing. You may feel called to develop relationships with deities associated with your own heritage, the deities of the land where you live, or the gods and goddesses of a different culture entirely. In my experience, deities from other cultures are willing to assist us as long as they are approached with the appropriate reverence and respect.

When beginning your exploration of this book, you’ll achieve the best results if you approach it with a curious mind and open heart. Be sure you have a journal to take notes, and proceed slowly. Take time to linger over exercises and re-read sections that capture your interest. There is nothing to be gained by speed-reading the book from start to finish without taking the time necessary to integrate the practices and absorb the relevant material.

Peruse chapters 10, 11, and 12 to become familiar with the healing deities from various cultures before diving into chapters 1 through 9. Alternatively, you can begin to familiarize yourself with these divine healing helpers at any point as you progress through the materials.

It is my intention that these pages add to your healing toolkit, providing additional resources toward greater health and a more joyful life.

Chapter 1

Introduction to Your Divine Support System

When we incarnate into this world, we are assigned a team of spirit guides to assist us as we navigate our life’s journey, both the wonderful and joyful times as well as the more challenging experiences. Some guides are with us for our entire lifetime. Others come to lend assistance during specific events or life stages. You may not be aware of these powerful allies, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been with you, providing you with daily guidance, support, and encouragement since the moment of your birth.

When you embarked on your healing journey, new guides joined what I like to call your Divine Support System. Your relationship is best described as an alliance since it implies a mutual affinity for a particular outcome—specifically, an interest in your own healing and the healing of others. You have the ability to grow your spiritual healing team to include additional guides, angels, deities, and more. You control who is a member of your Divine Support System and can collaborate with these spiritual beings for greater health and happiness.

Although these divine beings don’t have physical bodies or exist in the physical world as humans do, they do exist in the spiritual realms and are accessible to us. Many religious systems, cosmologies, and theories of the universe’s origins revolve around these unseen realms and alternate

planes of reality. Regardless of your personal belief system or religious background, you can interact with divine beings who can assist you with your healing endeavors.

There is a veil or border between our physical world and the realm of spirits. By crossing the border or peering through the veil, we can interact and form relationships with our spiritual allies on the other side. Many ancient texts such as the Bible, the Mahabharata, and the Book of Enoch, in addition to the myths and legends of cultures around the world and through time, describe how the spiritual realms interact with our physical plane. In modern times, numerous people channel messages from angels, and beings known as Ascended Masters bring messages across the veil. Opening yourself to these unseen realms allows you to participate in an ancient and powerful source of divine guidance and wisdom.

Setting Your Intention

Where do we begin our adventure of connecting with our Divine Support System? We start with creating our Divine Support System intention. Setting intentions is a powerful practice that can direct energy to produce a particular result and provides a structure or framework that can guide our choices and focus our thoughts and actions.

Imagine being in a boat on the ocean without a motor or a paddle. The ship would float aimlessly and be easily swept along by a current to an unpleasant or unwanted location. In this metaphor, your carefully crafted intention would be a paddle or motor, able to direct you on your life path and steer you toward your goal. Setting an intention is a simple, proactive step to keep yourself on target.

Let’s begin by developing your intention to connect with your Divine Support System. First, set the stage for your intention-setting practice. Find a quiet location where you won’t be disturbed. Silence your cell phone. You may want to light a candle or burn incense to create an atmosphere of sacred space for your experience.

Next, center yourself by taking long, deep breaths. An excellent breathing technique for focusing the mind is cultivating an equal breath by inhaling and exhaling for a specific amount of time—for example, inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of four. Spend a few minutes focusing on your breath to clear your mind before continuing the intentionsetting process.

Once your breathing is even and your mind settled, explore the parts of your life you wish to heal. Here are some suggestions to start the process:

• Physical healing for injuries, metabolism problems, immune disorders, sexual issues, fertility problems, illness, chronic conditions, disease, etc.

• Emotional healing for afflictions such as anger issues, eating disorders, depression, childhood trauma, grief, low self-esteem, etc.

• Mental healing for issues such as anxiety, stress, memory difficulties, learning disabilities, ADHD, etc.

• Spiritual healing for issues related to loss of faith, loss of purpose, and disconnection from the Divine/Source/God/ Goddess/the Creator

• Financial healing for difficulties related to loss of income, uncontrollable spending, budgeting issues, and inadequate housing

• Relationship healing for problems related to your connection with family members, children, friends, colleagues, or your significant other

• Ancestral healing for problems related to family patterns of abuse, financial lack, addiction, and inherited negative thought patterns

Also, consider elements of your life that are unhealthy or not in alignment with the version of yourself that you wish to become. First, examine your behavior patterns: Are there habits you want to eliminate, such

as smoking, overindulging in food or drink, negative self-talk, or a social media obsession? Consider what changes you could make to increase your health, wellness, and overall happiness. For example, consider dedicating more time to your self-care, starting an exercise routine, examining your nutritional needs, learning stress reduction techniques, or engaging in more activities that bring you joy. Your Divine Support System can assist you with making these lifestyle changes.

If you are an energy worker or a medical professional, you can connect with your Divine Support System to become a more proficient healer. Consider these additional topics based on your unique needs and goals:

• Establishing healthy boundaries

• Increasing your knowledge of healing modalities

• Utilizing plants and crystals to heal others

• Establishing a self-care routine

• Improving your vitality and energy levels so you can continue to serve your community

To assist with developing your Divine Support System intention, list your goals, desires, and dreams for your connection to your Divine Support System. Consider all elements of yourself that need healing and write these aspirations in your journal.

Based on your unique goals and objectives, design your Divine Support System intention statement. Then, for best results, refer to this statement often as a reminder of why you’ve begun this journey toward greater health and happiness, in addition to your goals for cultivating relationships with your guides and deities.

Sample Divine Support System Intention Statement

I, (your name here), wish to develop relationships with my guides, angels, ancestors, and deities to assist me along my life path and for the specific purpose of [a summary of your goals]. Therefore, I will say yes to activities,

choices, and thoughts that align with my goals of learning the tools and techniques to connect with these powerful energies and, in the process, improve my life physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Today, with a grateful heart for my unique journey, I am ready to commit myself to cultivating relationships with my spirit guides, angels, ancestors, and deities, forming my personal Divine Support System.

Signed: ______________________________________

Date: _______________________________________

Compose your Divine Support System intention statement in your journal.