According to Roman mysticism, the Genius is similar to what we would today call a “Guardian Angel.” The Genius was a spirit that would be present at a person’s birth, and then watch over the person, guiding and protecting him or her throughout life. Similar to the Greek concept of a Daemon, which was degraded to the modern meaning of an evil spirit. To some occultists, the Genius is the higher self, and one of the goals of spirituality is to bring out your genius and communicate with it.