Vision Quest

Throughout the course of Charmed, two vision quests took place. First it was Phoebe Halliwell who went on one seeking answers about her future and second Leo Wyatt who went on one to understand what his future holds after constantly being bothered by the Avatars as creature heads. Until one finds the answer they seek, they can not make up from their vision quest.

Traditionally
A vision quest is a rite of passage in some Native American cultures. The vision quest is a turning point in life taken before puberty to find oneself and the intended spiritual and life direction. When an older child is ready, he or she will go on a personal, spiritual quest alone in the wilderness, often in conjunction with a period of fasting. This usually lasts for a number of days while the child is attuned to the spirit world. Usually, a Guardian animal will come in a vision or dream, and the child's life direction will appear at some point. The child returns to the tribe, and once the child has grown, will pursue that direction in life. After a vision quest, the child may apprentice an adult in the tribe. The vision quest may be a part of shamanism, more exactly, the learning and initiation process of the apprentice for achieving the ability for shamanizing, mostly under the guidance of an older shaman. The vision quest may be said to make the initiated establish contact with a spirit or force.

Spirit Guide
Spirit Guides are entities that remain a disincarnate spirit in order to act as a spiritual counselor or protector to a living incarnated human being. Chris Halliwell served as Leo's spirit guide while a wolf served as Phoebe's.