Guardian Spirits

These may be more of a parallel to angels or gods than fairies, as they acted as supernatural teachers and guides of both the North and South American Indians. They often manifested in animal form and guided individuals through advice and songs, contacting them through dreams or other portents. One found his guardian spirit by going through a vision quest, at the end of which the spirit would appear to the person. In North America, all individuals were expected to find personal guardian spirits, whereas in South America, this was only the privilege of shamans. Guardian spirits are still popular today in New Age belief.