With the increasing influence of the 'New Age' many are speaking about direct experience of this realm of being, and I am sure it is a subject of real interest to many of us. The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger.”
Angels mean many things to many different people. What is amazing but very pertinent is that (like so many other things) their reality is spoken of in all the major religions and Holy Books from The Bible to the Koran.
It is a very vast subject, so I would like to concentrate on what they may be, the ways that they can interact with us on the earth and their role too.As I say, the major world religions all speak of angels but my experience has been in the Christian church so it is from that perspective that I am speaking today.
There are several hierarchies of angels, but that is a separate subject and a very subjective one too. I am only scratching the surface here and speaking about their relevance in our world.
Until the New Testament, there were only two orders of angels - the Seraphim and Cherubim. St. Paul extended the number by adding seven new orders, bringing up the number to nine orders. They are, arranged according to their importance, starting at the top and working the way down:
Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels.
Most people, when they think on an angel, think on one of the Archangels.
The Annunciation
Probably the most famous angel would be the Archangel Gabriel. He was given the divine task of announcing to Mary her forthcoming Immaculate Conception. One can only imagine her confusion as a young girl (some say only 16) by being approached by something so very mighty and beyond anything she must have experienced before. Although that particular message was indeed for her and her alone, many claim to have had angelic communication since that time.
This wonderful happening has been captured by many artists in masterpieces and so remains etched on our memories in this way.
What Are Angels?
Traditionally, angels are messengers from God.
Their role is to interact with humans to bring messages from the One God, but they are also given the role of being protectors and guardians too. Everyone is reputed to have a guardian angel assigned to them from birth to watch over them while they complete their earth walk. I find this notion very comforting.
Angels are part of the spiritual hierarchy of spiritual beings, being very near to God / Source. This is a multi dimensional universe, populated by many weird and wonderful beings. Nobody knows exactly how things are structured, but the common belief is that our world is surrounded by many, many levels of Spirit (each holding several levels and sub levels) going from dense matter in the physical, to the sublime level of the divine.
The different levels of angels have different tasks and according to traditional Christian teaching the highest levels' function is praising God. These levels do not manifest to mankind and I venture to suggest are beyond human comprehension.
Angels are of a slightly lower vibration than the 'source of all things', which means that their abilities are higher than mankind and lower than God.
- They are stronger than man, but not omnipotent
- They are greater than man in knowledge, but not omniscient
- They are more powerful than man, but not omnipresent
Earth Angels
Angels are mentioned in many ancient writings and interestingly, their form changes too from the traditional human form with wings, to the belief shared by many, especially in the new age movement but also in the Koran, that they can take the form of man and be in the earth among us. There are many instances in the bible where angels appeared as ordinary men but they could also appear en mass as 'heavenly hosts' like in the appearance to the shepherds in the fields. Sometimes their appearance was so awe inspiring that they shone with blinding light and engendered fear in the one attended. By all this we can deduce that they can indeed take many forms according to their particular purpose at any given time.
There are many books written these days about people's experiences of earth angels and they make fascinating reading.
We are conditioned to believe that angels have to be in a certain form but just as saints can live among us for the betterment of humanity, so, I believe can angels take human form on occasion, to uplift and inspire us. Many people can give evidence of angelic encounters where their lives were changed or their lives saved by the intervention of angels.
Angelic Encounters
I have also had a couple of people confide in me that during very bleak times they awoke to find themselves being cuddled by invisible arms and the accompanying feelings of great peace and loving acceptance. I know this happens as it has also happened to me on more than one occasion. Whether this is angelic or merely a loving spirit is unclear. What I do know is that the spirit world is all around us and there is much love for us in the invisible realms.
In fact, it was following a personal mystical encounter during meditation, of a loving warm, enveloping light that seemed to hold intelligence , that I decided to join the church age 28 having drifted away in my early teens. The feeling of total acceptance and love that emanated from it was overwhelming and I basked in that bliss for some time with tears of joy running down my face. I never understood if it was angels or the Holy Spirit but it was enough to convince me that we are loved by a higher realm.
Angels Are a Separate Species
It has become very common practice to say that people, when they die (especially children) become angels. However, it is my earth view that does not happen. Angels are of a different race of being and they have never lived as humans, even if they can take human form... but this view is not shared by everyone. Angels do not procreate and grow old or die. They are of a set number although nobody knows how many. They also have been in existence according to the bible from the beginning of time having been made as all things are by God.
“For by Him all things were created,
both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created by Him and for Him.
And He is before all things,
and in Him all things hold together.”
Colossians 1:16-17
It makes perfect sense to me to have these beings around and about us as their roles are to aid us in myriad ways on our earth walk and to carry out the tasks assigned to them by the source of all, whether it be in the way of messengers, protectors, assisting in our transitions and helping strengthen and uplift us.
Modern Angelic Communication and the Realm of the Muse
I used to get quite frustrated at the New Age movement and their seeming fixation with angels. All of a sudden, everyone was conversing with them, and coming from a traditional background and many years in the church I could not understand why so many seemed to be able to access what to me were beings who selected their communication to very special people.
On thinking deeper however, I realised that all we, as humans, are given by the way of knowledge comes from the same source. There are many labels for this cosmic information centre. Carl Jung called it the 'Collective Unconscious'. Dr Paul Brunton spoke of the 'Over-soul' . We are all born and carry with us as our birthright connection to this realm of knowledge. I loved to read the writings of both and realised that to have an open, enquiring mind, while practicing much needed discernment, was crucial to the spiritual path.
It is the realm in the higher regions of the Spirit where all beauty, Truth and Inspiration exists. It is the realm of the Muse and it is shared with the whole of mankind. This means and explains why many spiritual experiences are shared worldwide since ancient times. As part of the human race and therefore constricted by human laws we still have access in our spirits to the beauty and creativity that abides there.
Personal Guidance
I also realised that it took me many years to understand my guidance and how it spoke to me. Looking back I see so very clearly the myriad ways that God spoke to me by the way of nature, circumstances and friends. I have also had several mystical experiences as some sort of affirmation and reassurance that what I felt was real was in fact real. It is my confirmed belief that anything that has ever transpired within the life of anybody by the way of all sorts of blessings or spiritual experiences is open to all.
That has to be the way of it. Too long we have thought through conventional teaching that it is only a select few who are worthy of such interaction, but this has to be wrong. Anyone in the human condition has the same right to be guided and comforted by this realm of being, but it does usually take a level of commitment on their part by way of meditation and spiritual cleanliness.
We are not asked to be saints... and anyway, many saints were very worldly indeed in their younger days, not the way the name suggests. To me there is no great gift in not yielding to what has never tempted you in the first place! ;-) Let's face it... If we had to be 'perfect' before we could call on this level of assistance, what chance would most of us have? Furthermore, if we were perfect, we would not be on the earth plane, we would have transcended earthly experience like the great avatars of the past.
Spiritual Hunger
By spiritual cleanliness I mean the real hunger within for a deeper connection to all that is, accompanied by awareness of the many ways we can become tarnished by the world. This does not call for flagellation and saying a hundred ‘Hail Mary’s’. It means being contrite in the soul and asking for help just where we are. Recognizing our need and our desire to be all we can be and be open to higher guidance.
To throw off the yoke of arrogance that thinks that if something is not in a science book it must not exist. This is no attack on modern science for we have been put into this world to learn all we can (in this world) but, we must always remain humble in the face of the greatness of the source of all. This means to me, embracing the great mysteries of life that surround us and angels are one of them.
This Is Where Angels Can Come In
We can view them as we choose for it does not affect them how we see them with the mind's eye I am sure. We have the tendency to always bring things down to believable, human standards so that we can accept the Archangel Michael as some huge strong man with a mighty sword and all powerful wings but we shy away from another realm of the angelic hierarchy that of 'Thrones' who, according to the biblical vision of Daniel were 'Wheels within wheels with every rim covered with hundreds of eyes'. Or the Seraphim, the highest level attending God who have six wings and four heads! ;-)
See? We are comforted by one image due to our Christmas card acceptance, but scared stiff of the second as something out of a horror film... or the Seraphim, the highest level attending God who have six wings and four heads! ;-)
There is a natural fear of the unknown and a non-acceptance of what to our earthly minds is not looking 'human'.
Angels and Healing
In my healing view, I look on all healing and help to come from the highest realms of being. I take the view that everything is infused with 'God-consciousness'. To my mind, it means that everything contains a part of God and so I find nothing wrong with utilizing what has been created by God in the service of the highest good, therefore everything is 'sacred' in its own way.
I also look to the angelic realm to aid me in this and the Archangel Raphael is the angel concerned with healing. The name in Hebrew means 'God who heals' and so I ask for his assistance as a matter of faith.
I also invoke the protection of Archangel Michael many times for spiritual protection.
To my mind we do not have to have all the answers, but we aught to be open to the potential of such things... and I am. It has been my experience that since I opened myself up to my need for help in this area I have been supported many times over.
I take no credit for anything that transpires nor do I beat myself up about what does not seem to go according to my plans. In other words, I have surrendered myself to my need and my humility so that I strive to be the bridge between the higher realms and the physical.
Becoming Aware Of Conditioning
We have to understand how many times our thoughts, actions and beliefs are ingrained on us by conditioning. To step outside the box with an open mind is very empowering and yields great rewards. I never understood the level of peace and joy this brings until very recently.
To admit our flaws and accept them as part and parcel of the earth walk while striving always for a deeper connection releases us from the bondage of guilt and fear. My father once told me that if we do our best nobody can ask more and it's so true.
I avoid like the plague anyone who has the mysteries of the universe tied down to what is acceptable and what is fanciful. I believe in miracles and I believe in inherent goodness binding the universe together. I gladly and earnestly open myself up to the angelic realm for they cannot interact with us as we have free will but they can connect if we ask them into our experience.
Reclaiming the Magic of Youth
Remember when we were young and the world was a magical place where anything was possible? That, to me, is our true way of being. Time to embrace the mystery of life and angels with gratitude. Speaking of which... Dr Masaru Emoto and his groundbreaking 'Messages from the Water' proved that water changes its microscopic structure by thought focused and the patterns caused by the formation of crystals was beautiful beyond words... but only loving words. Negative thoughts and curses caused horrible formations to form whereas prayer and love make indescribably beautiful structures.
The most potent was 'Gratitude'.
No Distance In Spirit
Interestingly too was the fact that on his scientific experiments, it made little difference if the water prayed for was there or distant. This only highlights my saying “no distance in spirit” and also my distant healing practice. Thoughts have great power, so does prayer.
I used to think that I was in some way unworthy of any angelic contact. I felt frustrated and resentful of those who claimed angelic assistance. Being very much a grounded human being, I felt that that such things were either way beyond me, or that those who claimed to have experience of them were either deluded or in some way better than me. However, I decided to take a chance anyway and ask them into my life. and since then I have been aware of a sense of peace and acceptance of the swings and roundabouts of life. I feel that if we hold high intention and simply open ourselves in need and humility, then the door can be opened.
Why not try asking the angels in? To those of a strictly Christian viewpoint, this does not involve worshipping them. They are not to be worshipped! This is made very plain in the Bible. They are simply God's servants awake to your call. Try it. What have you got to lose?
God is everywhere in creation and this is unaffected to my mind whether our world view is religious or atheist. What is, is.
Opening Up To The Angelic Realm
Because all things are simply vibration, once we understand that we are only separated from different realms of existence by different vibrational rates, it makes it easier to understand. We are limited in what we can experience by our senses. It is well known that we are only able to experience some colours and sounds and that there are many things that are in existence beyond our usual awareness, like ultra violet light, dog whistles and microwaves etc.
The spirit realms are all around us but hidden from most due to them being on a different vibration. It is relatively easy to experience things of a low vibration. The Bible talks about this when it says "Do not give the devil a foothold". That means do not tamper about with Ouija boards and such like as we open a portal to another reality and then we can become fair game for the beings in that low vibration. Becoming open to angels is very different for they are of a high vibration.
Others may disagree but it is my belief that if we ask with a clean heart and high intention we can open ourselves up to angelic help. Beautiful music has high vibration and so do certain crystals and prayer.
All we need to do is to take time to sit in silence or maybe play some soothing music. Breath deeply and slowly and when the mind is still ask inwardly for angelic connection. To those not used to meditation it may take some practice. We are not looking for a deep meditative mind but a pleasant alpha level of consciousness like daydreaming. If you are lucky you will feel enveloped in a soft warmth and feelings of unconditional love. There may be a bright light too. If this does not happen do not be discouraged, just keep doing it. Just as we do not have to have confirmation that our prayers have been heard, so we do not need confirmation here, although it's wonderful if you get it ;-)
We have free will and that means that generally they do not intervene although we do have guardian angels watching over us.
Safely Contacting your Angels
It is an esoteric law that we 'test the spirits'. The Bible tells us to do likewise. I was once contacted by someone who had been using a pendulum for such communications. She was totally convinced it was angelic. It started out very encouraging and she felt that she was being given powerful messages. This quickly degenerated into very scary experiences and personal attacks in the spirit. She made the mistake of being seduced by her 'ego mind' and was in fact opening a portal to a very low energy.
I would be most careful about anything other than asking for help and sending love back (the highest vibration). This is no attack on those who use pendulums; they have their place especially in healing, but to be on the safe side I would never use one for angelic communication. Anything like that has the potential to be high jacked and the Bible tells us that even Lucifer (means light bearer) could appear as an angel of light.
Any communication with the angelic realm is filled with joy, peace and huge love. We can ask them to guard our loved ones and I always ask for protection for my family especially if they are travelling.
I would like to share with you a lovely prayer taught to me by my dear friend Sister Anthony. I taught it to my daughter who now says it to my granddaughter. It is a lovely way to end the day no matter how old or young we are ;-)
"God bless this house from roof to floor
The twelve apostles guard the door
four good angels guard my bed
Two at the foot and two at the head."
The peace, joy and love of the angels be yours.
