"typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth, especially in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism. "

the definition from dictionary.com

What is an angel? and do you believe in them or are they purely a invention of the above?

Or do you see an angel as a kindred or guardian spirit?

Do you feel that you have a guardian and if so in what way to they present themselves to you?

Have you had any experiences that you can share ?

This time of year we are flooded with angelic/ cherubic images as people dress their trees and decorate their homes - where do angels fit in for you or do they exist at all?

I've never really seen angels as being the pretty floaty things that the christians seem to portray. I guess that I see them as being a representation of spirit guides, but I don't really know that I believe in spirit guides.

I think that our belief in things like this can't be purely based on the human desire to have something benevolent looking out for us. It would be very easy to say that we've completely invented angels etc as a way to help make us feel better about our own existence, but that just doesn't feel right.

An idea I came across many years ago, was that angels and spirit guides - and gods to some extent - were aspects of our subconscious. It's the most logical answer for me, but I still don't fel that it's the only answer.

Hmmm.... Personally, I just don't "do" the whole angel thing - to me it's a Judeo-Christian concept and one that was constructed from, and fits in well with, their "pantheon", but it's alien to me for that reason. To me they (angels) are like, och, I don't know, like a "pick'n'mix" from that pantheon and have no place in my own workings and beliefs. That means, I guess, that I do believe in them, but I would no more dream of invoking them than I would a South American deity - I don't worship that pantheon, I never call upon that pantheon, so invoking them would be the height of rudeness! And so for that reason I guess they (the angels) wouldn't bother with me - why would they?! As well focussing their attention on someone who would be more receptive!

As for their ubiquitous presence at this time of year - well, it figures I guess: it's a festival claimed as xtian so it stands to reason that everything tied in with xtian symbolism will be rolled out too.

I believe that I have Lares and Penates looking after me and mine - I honour them and in return I believe that they watch out for me. To me that's how it goes -a quid pro quo which is why angels and I have nothing to do with each other!

In the anthroposophical view of things there are two parallel streams of evolution, one of them culminating in humans and the other in angels. The angelic realm includes small local nature spirits, up to spirits or angels of place and of nation, and beyond this Earth, the archangels etc. They are not all sweet and kind. The bigger ones have a wider brief than our little lives, and might regulate weather, storms etc, for the balance and evolution of the planet, and you wouldn't want to get in their way.
Some people believe everyone has a guardian angel, but this may be an angel as such, or it may be a dead relative or spirit guide of some kind. I should think they would vary. It would depend what kind of person you are as to what kind of help you would attract.
I once did a meditation to meet my guardian angel and I got a name but haven't really seen how to develop a relationship with it. I talk to myself (the way you do) and answers come, and there's no way of knowing whether they are coming from my subconscious or from another source via my subconscious. My animal guide seems to have more substance than the angel - it kicks me a bit and tells me to laugh more. Actually it makes me laugh. That makes me think it is something beyond my miserable little self, but how do I know. (prod from animal guide)

The only time I've ever been interested in angels was when reading fictional books* describing them as warriors and not really all that interested in humanity. They have no place on my path, unsurprising as my path doesn't acknowledge any kind of deity or entity save that which is made by the subconscious.

(*see Philip Pullmans' His Dark Materials trilogy and the book Wormwood in the Shadowmancer series, by that fella whose name I've forgotten)

Angels? Nah, sorry.

Well I've nothing against angels, its just that I don't see them in the commonly perceived wings, nightdress and halo form.

Even in the Bible IIRC they aren't actually described in that manner (I seem to remember one was invisible and had a sword and another was a wheel of fire)

Now to me they are just another form of spiritual entity in fact I doubt they exist as such, but are rather just a different perception of gods and spirits?

Kev

I think that 'angel' is just one way of interpreting helpful spirits. Christians experience them as 'angels', whereas pagans are more likely to call them guides, guardians, spirit helpers.

Blessings,

Angharad

Hmmm...Angels,
Nasty evil things, sent to serve Gods wrath on mankind.
Give me a an old fashion Demon anyday, educators in many things.

Rain

Angels,hmm,dont think so.
The one depiction of an angel i quite liked was in my brothers games workshop magazine.
One tough lady with a very big axe.

yes, but wouldnt use the word angel due to christian conortations.



yes, various ancestral ones, during meditating or seance'



maybe ?, you'll have to wait to find out

To me Angels are a Christian thing so not something I personally believe in

angels arnt just bassed around xtains, angels come from other myths.but they are called something else. cherubs, bless.
they are a comfort thing, being wrapped in soft wings and being looked after like a mother goose.
we all have guardain angels but not in the same way most think of them.
do i believe in angels?
my mother to me is an angel.

What Cerridwen said. Too many Christian overtones for me, personally.

i wonder if angels drink red bull?

Did you know that the little chubby cherubs that adorn neo classical paintings and buildings are thought to be a sanitized version of Eros - now who says 'fluffies' are a modern invention

I didn't know it was a secret Cos! Eros, Cupid, Cherubs.... all hauntingly familiar in a creepily precocious brat type way. I'd love to know what they find so bloody funny

I think they probably do exist, but as someone has already said, we probably see angels as something else. I don't personally bother much with trying to "see" angels I'm more interested in other stuff, but who knows maybe one day I'll do some research into the area.

Personally I don't see Angels as exclusive to Christian religion.

I believe in angels and I believe in guardian angels and I especially believe that I have one - I think that the terms 'spirit guide' and 'guardian angel' have a very fine and personal definition between them.

Whenever I try and put my honest opinion on this subject across it gets too confusing and I just wouldn't make any sense so I'll leave it at that.

Confused!

I thought that when Wiccans create a protective circle that to each point (North, South, East, West) there is a referral to the Angels?

Am I on the right line? I'm sure I have read something like that or did I dream it?

If so why would a Wiccan refer to Angels if they are linked to God?

Am I talking twaddle? Forgive me if I am!

Rainbow Angel.

Angels turn up in all sorts of places Rainbow Angel - in some Wiccan traditions when the circle is cast, and also in Golden Dawn rituals where archangels are called on by name.

My personal opinion is that angels/guardian spirits may well exist, but they're not particularly interested in me at the moment and unless I do something monumentally stupid, they'll leave me be. That doesn't mean I think they exist merely to look after us, or that they exist as a "safety net" - but if I ask for help, the general message is "bugger off, you're doing alright, stand on your own feet"

Do I count?

Wood Song's exactly right. A lot of Wiccan ritual was originally based on Golden Dawn stuff, and much of that was rooted in Judeo-Christian mystic practice.

As to angels, that's an interesting one. Last year, I went to see a psychic lady, a christian spiritualist who asked me at some point during her reading if I believed in angels. When I sort of hummed and herred a bit, she said with great conviction, "you will do. You will do!"

Funnily enough, I started off making my tentative steps into Ceremonial Magic this year, and along with it gained a whole new perspective on angelic and demonic entities. Probably not quite what she was expecting, though.

well I know I have spirit guides as does everyone in my opinion but im also pondering over whether there is the fluffy winged angels out there, its a nice thought and i must admit to finding white feathers after something bad has happened and have said at the time oooh an angel is watching over me....though now im thinking it might be those damed pigeons or sommit :s I have also called upon the archangels when doing ritual work