A spirit guide is a non-physical entity that offers guidance, protection, or support to a person throughout their life, often described as connected to that person specifically rather than a general presence. Spirit guides are commonly believed to include deceased loved ones, though many traditions describe other types of guides as well, unconnected to anyone the person knew in life.

A psychic may describe sensing or communicating with a client's spirit guide during a reading, relaying messages of comfort or direction believed to come from that presence.