How to Use The Guide(s) Deck to Navigate Life with Spirit by Your Side

Working with Spirit Guides is a lifelong process that brings infinite comfort and direction to our lives. On a practical level, our Guides can help us gain insight into our lives, like What is this relationship trying to show me? or How can I make the best of a difficult event? They can also support us in making small, everyday decisions, like Which of these two specialists should I see? or Is this house the right one for me? When we tap into the power of our Guides, we can navigate life with greater ease. We can know, deep down in our belly, we aren’t alone. This knowledge doesn’t take away challenges—life is all about challenges, even for psychic mediums like me!—but it helps us work our way through them in a way that feels hopeful, supported, and guided.

Through this journey we’ll take together with the help of this deck, you’ll not only understand who your Spirit Guides are and how to work with them, you’ll also unveil who you can be when you connect with them on a regular basis. You’ll discover how, with your Guides at your side, you can approach your life with curiosity about the greater lessons it has to teach you. You’ll find yourself navigating your days with the confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm you may have looked to others to provide you in the past.

What Is a Guide?

Spirit Guides are a Universal Team of lightworkers assigned to help us navigate through this crazy thing we call life. They do this by guiding us through the options of which way to go, showing us how to hear our true inner knowing and uncovering the higher lessons we came here to learn in the process. Our Guides are the means by which we connect to Source/God/Universe. As a medium, I channel messages from Spirit Guides all the time—my own, of course, and the Guides of the brave and curious seekers who ask for my help. I also channel other beings, like loved ones and angels. While these beings are all part of our Spiritual Universal Team, for The Guide(s) Book, The Guide(s) Deck, and teaching purposes, it is important that I distinguish the difference in the roles they play in our lives. Also, when I refer to Spirit throughout The Guide(s) Book and The Guide(s) Deck, I’m talking about the divine energy that guides, supports, and surrounds us. That includes loved ones who have passed on, Spirit Guides, angels, Ascended Masters, and even the higher self—all of it connected to the highest vibration of love, truth, and healing.

We may see Guides from a different background or religion than our own. When this happens, they are often trying to show us that there is no right or wrong belief system as long as the information we receive is for the greater good. This type of encounter can also sometimes symbolize something we were connected with in a past life or an area we are curious about and looking to explore. This same concept applies beyond religion, as it is common to visualize Guides from a variety of cultures, points in time, and even planets. Some people are visited by celestial Guides who come from other galaxies, parts of the Universe science has not yet discovered. While it is possible to have waking visions of our Guides, they can also come through dreams.

The Clairs: How Your Spirit Guides Communicate

Your Guides connect with you through your intuitive senses, known as the clairs. Everyone has a unique mix of these abilities—and learning to recognize yours is key to strengthening your spiritual connection.

Claircognizance (Knowing): Sudden insights or gut feelings come without explanation—your Guides drop in wisdom as if you’ve always known it.

Clairvoyance (Seeing): Messages appear as visions, symbols, auras, colors, or dreams, offering visual guidance.

Clairaudience (Hearing): You may hear words, phrases, songs, or tones, either internally or externally, as Spirit communicates.

Clairsentience (Feeling): Emotions or physical sensations provide intuitive guidance, helping you sense energy and messages.

Guides use different energies to show us who they are. Some have energy that feels very lighthearted, while others are more serious. They may also use different cadences, vocabularies, manners of speaking, and even accents to distinguish themselves from one another.

Using This Deck

Use these cards daily to navigate your life with direction from Spirit, Source, and self. Each card offers guidance and actions to deepen your spiritual connection and live a more fulfilling life. Hold your deck in your hands and take a moment to sit with your dilemma or situation. Really allow yourself to feel the emotions that come regarding this challenge—what is it you need to know, and how do you want to feel once you know it?

Gently shuffle the deck to mix the cards. Then take a moment to focus on your question. It’s important to frame the question in a way that is open-ended and allows our Guides to lead us to our highest knowing. Questions that ask when or for a yes or no are not useful in this process, so go for something more like, “Show me what can help me,” “What is it I need to know?” or “How can I know what person to ask?” Our Guides love to teach us experientially, so the best questions lead us to a real-world action we have to take.

Once you’ve found your question, ask it from a space of true curiosity, connecting with your highest and greatest good. Then allow your inner knowing to draw you to the right card. Don’t overthink it, and don’t dismiss any small this one! or that one! that comes up from the depths of your being. Remember: true guidance will be short and sweet. Also be sure to notice any signs that may take place while you’re choosing; these are there to help you know which card is yours. Many times, your card will even drop or fly out of the deck on its own!

When you’ve found your card, take a few minutes to study it. Allow it to bring up any associations for you and trust them when they arrive. Remember, psychic information comes in through our own frame of reference, so don’t dismiss your own imagination or memory. What is this card trying to show you? What does it mean for your life? What is it asking you to do, see, believe, think, or say? Your Guides will always lead you toward accountability and real-world action.

In the rare case you really can’t make sense of the message you’ve received, you can ask for a second card for clarification.

When you’re finished with the deck, take a moment to express gratitude before putting it away. If you’d like, keep your chosen card out for the day as a reminder of your Guides’ message—just be sure to return it to the deck with care when you’re ready. To fully close out the practice, try sealing the energy by meditating, journaling, automatic writing, or even taking a mindful walk. Most importantly, trust that this process is bringing you the clarity you need!

Exploring the Cards

Abundance Reception

MESSAGE: You ARE worthy! The Universe is overflowing with abundance, and you are worthy of receiving it! Whether it’s love, success, financial prosperity, or opportunities, abundance exists in infinite forms. The key is giving yourself permission to receive without guilt, fear, or hesitation. You don’t have to earn abundance—it is already yours.

ACTION: Take a deep breath and place your hand over your heart. Say out loud, “I am open to receiving abundance in all forms. I give myself full permission to accept the blessings meant for me.” Notice how this shift in mindset begins to open doors. The more you allow, the more the Universe delivers.

You are worthy of limitless abundance: Embrace it. Receive it. And trust that the Universe is always supporting you.

Dream Insights

MESSAGE: Keep dreaming! Your dreams are more than just stories: they’re messages from Spirit, offering guidance, clarity, and even glimpses of past lives or future paths. Pay attention! The symbols, emotions, and people in your dreams can reveal deep spiritual insights.

ACTION: Keep a dream journal by your bed and, upon waking, write down the first details you remember—no matter how small. Note any recurring themes, symbols, or feelings. Over time, patterns may emerge, helping you decode Spirit’s messages. If a dream feels particularly significant, meditate on it and ask your Guides for further clarity.

Your dreams are a sacred bridge between the conscious and the divine—explore them, and let their wisdom guide you.

Energy Cleansing

MESSAGE: Energy refresh! Releasing what no longer serves you—spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally—is essential for maintaining balance and alignment. Stagnant or heavy energy can weigh you down, but you have the power to clear it and invite in fresh, positive vibrations.

ACTION: Choose a cleansing practice that resonates with you: Burn sage or palo santo. Immerse yourself in a salt bath. Use sound healing. Or simply visualize white light washing over you. As you do, set the intention to release any negativity, stress, or unwanted energy. Envision it dissolving into light, making space for clarity, peace, and renewed vitality.

A clear energy field allows you to move forward with ease. Cleanse often. Set your intentions. Watch your vibration rise.

You Can Lead the Way

There’s an important difference between giving our Guides power and giving our power over to them. Our Guides understand this distinction and want to lead us to recognize it for ourselves. There’s a reason they’re sitting in the passenger’s seat, not driving the car. What they want—what all the Universe wants for us, in fact—is for us to take the wheel. Everything they offer is simply a tool to help you do one thing: feel fully connected to Spirit, as if you are one.

The most important thing to take from this practice is housed within the use of this deck: the idea that our active, joyful participation in our lives—spiritual and physical, wooey and practical—is essential. It’s what’s intended for us. It’s kind of the entire point of coming to this plane actually. We’re meant to steer our lives, with a balanced combination of divine guidance and free will. And this card deck is another way to access that connection and support.

When you use this deck, you will receive breadcrumbs guiding you toward the vision you and your Guides created. It is imperative that you recognize and follow them, even if they don’t make sense. Practice this and you will see that when you follow the signs and opportunities, which present themselves, you are following the path your Guides have laid out for you.

Dive Deeper

Take the next step in navigating life’s path with your Spirit Guides through this inspiring and accessible card deck from celebrated spiritual teacher and psychic medium MaryAnn DiMarco.

MaryAnn DiMarco

About the Author

MaryAnn DiMarco is an author, motivational speaker, and internationally recognized teacher and psychic medium, known for her fresh, plain-spoken approach to intuition and spiritual growth, one infused with humor and relatability. In addition to teaching sold-out workshops and offering both group instruction and one-on-one training, she has been a featured expert in outlets including The New York Times, The Sunday Paper, Elle, Good Day New York, Women’s Health, Mind Body Green, WellandGood, Redbook, Bustle.com, and many more. She has been a guest on numerous podcasts such as The Marie Forleo Podcast, Dear Gabby, Small Medium At Large with Rebecca Rosen, Your Permission Prescription with Nancy Levin and many more; and is a featured speaker at Gabrielle Bernstein’s Masterclass. She is a regular presenter at Kripalu Yoga and Wellness Center, and has spoken at The WELL, Soho House, and other popular venues. MaryAnn is the author of three books, The Guide(s) Book, Believe, Ask, Act and Medium Mentor.

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