Among the wonderful benefits of having more than 20 educational videos about journeying and spirit allies online, is that I occasionally get some very interesting questions. I would like to share this one, and my response, because I hear variations on it from readers and from participants in journey circles and workshops. The answer to this person’s concern also points into a deeper relationship with Spirit than it might seem at first.

Dear Gerry,

I hope you won’t mind a personal question/request. I know you are a busy person, so I’ll be as brief as I can.

My spirit guardians and guides are Black Panther, Lioness, Butterfly, Unicorn and Bear. I have had most clear and pressing communication with Black Panther, who is helping me (through visions as dreams, and visits or appearances in this world) and she has been so good to me, so kind, so protective. I have received visits from Cougar in real life, where she has simply stared into my eyes, for a long time, and did not leave before I did.

I live in the US where there are cougars, not jaguars, but I know my Black Panther spirit guide/friend is a black jaguar. Today, however, I had an auto accident, and it was caused by a large rock that a panther (cougar) knocked off of a mountainside as I drove past. I just caught sight of her tail as I pulled over to look for damage.

I feel like I have done something to upset my guardians, and I know exactly what it could be (I have not lived up to something I said I would do to honor my guide, something that is really difficult for me to do, but I did say I would do it to honor her). I didn’t think that she was that concerned about it, mostly it was just a something I had wanted to do to improve myself, and make myself a more pure person, operating on a higher level because of the gifts she had given me. I wanted to be worthy, and I thought I had time to keep working at it. in any case, I am not working/employed now, and my insurance for the car is not going to cover this kind of accident.

I feel like Cougar dealt me a fierce and devastating blow as a warning to do better; or worse, that my guides are going to drop me because I have not lived up to what I need to do.

My question: do you have any videos or resources that discuss what happens when you let your guides and guardians down? Do they ever leave you and not come back? I feel horrible, and I want to make things right, if it’s even possible. The last thing in the world that I want to do is to let these angels down. They have been everything to me during a very long, dangerous and difficult period of transition.

Here is my response:

I have so many videos up that I cannot actually remember what is where. There are at least 3 related to working with animal allies. However, I want you to know that your guides are ALWAYS on your side. I don’t know the nature of the promise that you made, but you were clear that whatever it was, it was intended to “make (yourself) more pure and worthy, operating on a higher level…” If you have not kept that intention, for whatever reason, then you have not let your guides down, you have let yourself down.

If you have not kept that intention, for whatever reason, then you have not let your guides down, you have let yourself down.

Remember that feelings like disappointment, anger, frustration, and such like are intrinsically human emotions that have little or nothing to do with the spirit world, which is essentially neutral. When you sense those emotions as coming from your allies, they are actually reflections. You are basically disappointed in yourself, and I would guess, choosing to ignore that as well as postponing pursuing your intention.

One of the jobs of your allies is to hold you accountable to your promises, not to punish you for failure. You are only failing yourself, and your allies want you to know that. Your promise must have been really substantial for Panther to cross the ordinary/non-ordinary worlds boundary and drop a boulder on your car!

One of the jobs of your allies is to hold you accountable to your promises, not to punish you for failure.

It might be that Panther is telling you that now would be a very important time to get going on that promise, since there may be something coming in your future where you will need that discipline or power.

And sure, if you continue to ignore their messages and continue to postpone fulfilling your promise, they may very well leave until you do. I mean, after all, why bother?

Here is what I would do. Journey to speak with your allies, to all of those to whom you expressed this intention, and let them know that you have heard and appreciate their message and reminder. Have a discussion with them about your intention and what it means to you. Then, if you need to, you can express a new, perhaps more reasonable intention, knowing full well that they will hear you and will hold you to the new one, just as they are doing to the old one. If nothing else, Panther has shown you the reality of this bond you have with Spirit. Then, if you mean it, ask them for help with the new intention.

Also from this experience, please take with you that your Spirit Guides and Allies are just as real as you are. Further, you will discover that there really is no separation between you. When you come to perceive that they are as alive as you—that they are active on your behalf, and that they are deserving of respect, gratitude, and honoring—you will shift your relationship with Spirit substantially.

Be well and safe. All the best…

Gerry