“I have a relationship with God, and I talk to God all the time. Do I still need to connect and develop a relationship with my soul guides?”

The short answer: “That depends.” Let’s talk about definitions. And I’m asking my soul guides to chime in here, so a good part of what I’m writing is from them. 

A relationship is a give-and-take. An interaction. If you consider reading from a book—especially one that has been through numerous translations and been edited for political purposes—the “give” part of the relationship, that is like claiming to be content with a tiny appetizer when you’re starving. Your soul guides can offer you so much more.

Deriving purpose and inspiration and empowerment from such writings is certainly encouraged. It’s simply incomplete.

Now, how are you defining “God” in your relationship with God?

This is important because how your soul guides understand the Source of All is often not the same as how religious faiths teach about God. Religion often teaches a conditional love from God: follow the teachings of your religious faith or else you will be punished for eternity. Or: declare your fealty to a first-centry rabbi and condemn all who do not, or you will suffer the same fate as the heathens. Or: If you do not follow all of God’s commandments to the letter, you will be punished, perhaps with illness or death or the death of one close to you. Religion too often teaches reward and punishment.

This is inaccurate. 

Many (but not all) religions also teach that there is a duality when it comes to God: a source of good and a source of evil. This is not so. There is only one Source.

When faith leaders teach that any spiritual teachings that do not come from them—or their interpretation of God’s message—are from a source of evil, they are teaching fear. They are teaching you to fear your soul guides so that you will look to your faith leaders for interpretation and understanding. This keeps your leaders in control, in power.

The Source of All is not, and never was, about power. The Source of All is love.

It’s that simple.

So if your relationship with God involves threats, punishment, warnings, or any conditions, it is not a relationship with God. 

On the other hand, you may well have a relationship that you can’t quite understand, can’t quite describe, but it involves your intuition or a “still, small voice,” or an inner knowing that encourages, inspires, forgives, loves, and uplifts you, and you call the source of that “God.” There is no need to change this unless you want to.

Can you have a fulfilling, interactive, healthy relationship with God without knowing anything about your soul guides? Yes. 

Do soul guides—and specifically those soul guides many would call angels—interact with people on behalf of Source? Yes.

Can that be considered God communicating with people? Yes.

Could people also see that as a somewhat more knowable entity communicating with you on behalf of a loving Source that is too infinite for the human mind to comprehend? Yes.

Could people also see that as a spark of the Divine appearing in an understandable form (such as a human or animal or color or scent) and interacting with them? Yes.

Your soul guides’ (angels, spirit guides, animal guides, ancestors, spirits) sole purpose is to help you navigate this lifetime by reminding you of who you truly are (a divine spirit being) and what you’re here to experience, and to do so through guidance, inspiration, encouragement, comfort, humor, healing, friendship, and love. 

It’s entirely up to you if you want to know your guides and continue to have a loving relationship with God. Your guides do not need to be acknowledged personally. They have no egos. You’re not going to hurt their feelings. 

For some, “God” conjures up too many painful memories, often in a religious context (remember: punishment, threat, fear), and for these people who still want that guidance, who want that relationship without all the baggage that can come with “God,” your soul guides can definitely help with that. Religion is a human construct. Guides do not follow any particular religion.

Will your soul guides use religious language if that is what most resonates with you? Absolutely.

Will they use it if it triggers painful memories? Definitely not. 

And for those who fear that soul guides are not from God, that they are tempting you to commit sin and risk being punished, please remember: there is only one Source. And that Source is love.