"Spirit guide" is a term used by the Western tradition of Spiritualist Churches, mediums, and psychics to describe an entity that remains a disincarnate spirit in order to act as a spiritual counselor or protector to a living incarnated human being.
Spirit guides are persons who have lived many former lifetimes and have freely accepted an assignment to watch over an incarnate person through their physical life on earth. Typically these guides appear to be of a native American, Chinese or Egyptian origin but this is not always the case. One of my guides who helps me with mediumship work in fact lived her last life fairly recently. She worked in the 1920's as a fortune teller and unlike me is quite a glamorous creature. Interestingly she has been able to give me her full name and details of her life that I have managed to check out in archive records and found to be real and accurate.
I beieve that we are all accompanied by a spirit guide from birth. People who choose to focus on developing themselves spiritually will often work with more than one guide and in our circles we usually find at least 4 guides that come forward to work with an individual.
Main Spirit Guide
You have your own guide to act as the running figure of your spirit guides and helpers. He is usually what is classed as a 'master guide'. (Amongst the highest level of awareness of our spiritual existence) Some beliefs systems do not differentiate between the main spirit guide and your gate keeper, seeing them as one and the same being. Most spiritual practices, however, see your main spirit guide as separate from your gate keeper.
Your main spirit guide is there to act as the 'chairman of the board', with all other main spirit guides as the 'directors'. The helpers are seen as the 'regular employees'. You are above the committee as the 'owner' of your soul and ultimately, your destiny. Your main spirit guide, as well as the guides in charge of each 'department' of your existence, will remain with you throughout this lifetime.
Gatekeeper Guide
You have your own guide to protect you, and who acts as a facilitator, sending you all the positive and negative entities and energies that you allow into your environment. The gate keeper is there as a 'bouncer'. The gate keeper allows only the entities and energies that you invite into your space through, and will protect you from all that you ask protection for. Not only does the gate keeper deal with other spirits or entities but also with energies and circumstances that we allow into our lives.
You are ultimately in charge of your soul and its destiny, and your gate keeper can not make decisions on your behalf. You have to ask for the help of your gate keeper, if you choose to use him/her for your benefit. Your gate keeper is there to help you. It is important to remember that you also communicate with your gate keeper through unconscious actions and thoughts. Gate keepers react to the effects of your conscious and subconscious thoughts, words and actions.
Mediumship Guide
You have your own guide to help you with your communication abilities with the other side. Your mediumship guide is there specifically for the task of communication in what ever form that will take. Your mediumship guide can communicate with you through all the physical senses: touch; smell; taste; hearing; and seeing. He/she can also communicate with you through cognition and intuition. Your mediumship guide will be there to strengthen the link from their side, as well as to teach you how to bridge the gap from your side.
Your mediumship guide will communicate with you, and will manage those on the other side who wish to communicate with you. Your mediumship guide knows you very well and is always ready to work with you if called upon. Once again, they can not act without your permission. If you need their help and strength, then you must ask for it.
Healer Guide
You have your own healer guide to work with you in healing yourself, others and all things in the universe and spiritual realms that may be in need of healing. He/she is there to help you give healing out, as well as to receive any healing that is meant for you. Your healer guide gives power to your healing environment, and also helps to strengthen your own ability to channel through healing energies. Your healer guide is an expert on working with energies.
Once again, your healer guide can not interfere unless you ask for his/her help and assistance. You are in charge of your soul and destiny.