From the Kabbalistic point of view, angels and their role in our world are a serious business. What can we learn about angels, and how can we get in touch with them in our everyday life?

There is no plant, bush or moss in the world which does not have an agent above, who watches it and tells it: Grow!
—Rabbi Simon

According to one of the Midrash (requisition) books, even plants have their own sponsoring angels, who protect them and represent their destiny in higher realms. In fact, every living entity in this world is supervised by a superior life force in the form of an angel. Each person has two guardian angels:  one on the left, and one on the right side.

Angels are spiritual entities that arbitrate and transmit messages between the earthly realm and the superior, divine realms. They are also considered to be energy frequencies and
communication channels. Each angel performs one single role only, and unlike humans, angels can never change or manifest the freedom of choice. Some angels have masculine qualities
(leaders and inducers), and some have feminine qualities (passive).

How Were Angels Created?

According to the Kabbala, all angels originated at the point of creation:   Yetzirah. These angels, seraphs, sacred animals, and cherubs perform many tasks that bridge the heavenly realms and the earthly realms. Angels are the creation of God itself, and are ordained to obey it blindly.

Angels were formed during the six days of creation of the world, each type on a different day:

• On the first day:  angels of grace who are eternal.
• On the second day:  angels of judgment, including the death angel.
• On the fifth day:  all of the other angels were formed.

This teaches us that angels already existed before the first human being was created, and they were a vital factor in the weave of the universe.

The Heavenly Brigades

According to the ancient Kabbala, there are four troops of angels, headed by Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael. The four major groups of angels came from the uppermost “Merkabah” (or spheres) and represent the four elements:  water, fire, air, and earth.

Michael represents the energy of grace, revival, protection, and re‐awakening.

Gabriel represents the essence of judgment and severity which exerts the necessary pressure in the work of the “tikkun,” or reparation of the soul. It is connected to dreams which are given to a person to evoke spiritual awakening. Gabriel is also known as the angel who draws the soul out of the body at the moment of death.

Uriel is the angel of balance and moderation, who helps people on their way to redemption and enlightenment.

Raphael represents the powers healing. This is the angel to turn to in request of a cure, and his name is mentioned during spiritual healing sessions.

Other angels mentioned in the Kabbala have different missions:

• Metatron (whose name should not be pronounced out loud):  He is a messenger who delivers prayers and litanies to the upper realms and directs them to the right places. He connects the earthly realm with the upper realms. Metatron is the head of the squad of supreme angels and is considered to be the closest to God. According to the late Zohar revisions, he has the shape of a human, the same figure that was revealed to Yehezkel in his vision:  the figure sitting in the Merkabah chair.
• Raziel:  He is the angel who was revealed to Adam and Eve in Paradise. He escorted them when they were sent away and taught them the secrets of the Kabbala. “Raziel” is a derivative from the term “Raz,” or “secret” in Hebrew. The ancient book “Raziel The Angel” contains theoretical and practical Kabbalistic wisdom and is considered to be the first book of secrets that was given to Adam. Its wisdom was later passed on through the generations to Noah and Abraham, all the way to King Solomon.
• Guardian angels:  They may have been with us during previous incarnations, or they may appear as a result of a person’s good actions, or they may be the soul of a close person. Guardian angels are around us at all times, protecting and guiding us.
• Light angels:  Good deeds of giving, devotion, and help to others can create powerful light angels who have the potential to banish “bad” angels.
• Temporary angels:  These are the souls of enlightened people who enter the earthly realm in order to assist humans in extremely difficult situations.
• Alien angels:  The Kabbala recognizes the existence of parallel worlds and mentions seven realms of existence. Some angels are defined as “aliens” from other realms who visit our dimension for different purposes.

In different biblical stories, angels were sent to earth by the divine in order to perform a task. They may wear a human identity, as mentioned in the story of Abraham. Sometimes, angels
may appear as spirits without a body.

Some religions talk about a rivalry and competition among angels due to pride and envy. However, the Kabbala views the angel as a selfless entity who doesn’t have freedom of choice or evil instincts.

Arniel, Mathael, and Shalmiel are only three out of many sacred names of angels that are forbidden to be pronounced vocally. According to an ancient tradition, the names of angels should not be spoken out loud. An angel might hear its name and appear to help. We can never know how powerful an angel may be. Once it realizes that it was called in vain, it may harm the person who called it. When we call an angel to assist us, we have to make sure that its energetic quality is positive, and that we can contain the high energy we invited upon ourselves.

Superiors and Inferiors

Ancient Kabbalistic writings describe a hierarchy among the different troops of angels. Some of them act as messengers, announcers, and forerunners, who deliver prayers to the
upper realms. They do not appear in a physical body, just a spiritual body. Supreme angels reside in the upper realms of the Merkabah (Spheres), and squads of other angels reside in seven different divisions:  the four supreme divisions host the grace and mercy angels, and the bottom three host the obstruction angels. Altogether, the seven divisions host the angels who are in charge of the souls.

According to Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, the class that an angel belongs to has to do with its ability to comprehend the intentions and motivations of the Creator.

According to ancient legends, a human may become an angel in certain circumstances. Genesis mentions Hanoch (or Enoch), who was elevated to the position of angel because of his flawless purity.

The opposite happened with the angels Aza and Azael, who had fallen from the high realm of creation into the bottom realm of the makings (the earthly realm), where they engaged with human females and surrendered to the temptations of the material world.

Angels and Demons

The divine spiritual forces in each and every person are also related to “Angelic powers” that serve the soul as it opens to upper realms. The “Devilish powers” are the energies that lock
the spirit away from the divine. Therefore, devils or demons are considered to be human (originating on earth) forces that cause the human spirit to run around in circles and entangle in an ever‐lasting mesh of weary thought patterns, with no way out.

A Kabbalistic Method of Communicating With Angels

The following method describes a Kabbalistic way to communicate with angels:

A special prayer from the ancient book “Raziel the Angel” is addressed to the angels in order to request divine protection and ask for their help in bringing positive things to life. It should be read twice a day, morning and night (written as a plain translation from Hebrew):

A person who wishes to succeed in something should prepare himself three days before the beginning of the Hebrew month (new moon), and refrain from eating any impurity, or foods that contain blood, [and] shall not drink wine or engage in sexual activity. He should wash himself in water before sunrise…

The instructions go on to describe a ritual in which organic matter is prepared and burned for the duration of three days, and certain names of angels are pronounced. At the night
of a new moon, the person has to make his bed over the burnt substances, remain silent, not talk to another person, and go to sleep while mentioning the names of angels that are
responsible for the coming month. At night, the angels will appear to him in his dream and will reveal anything he would like to know.

An Easier Way to Communicate with Angels

In order to establish communication with angels, it is essential to believe that angels are a real part of our world. They do not exist “elsewhere,” but right here, under our noses, in a different dimension which most people cannot sense or see. Once we elevate our energy levels and develop spiritually, we can become aware of their existence and benefit from them.

Angels are entities that deliver our requests and wishes to upper realms. They are not allowed to interfere in our world without being asked, and they have to stand by for our requests.

Talk to your Angels:

You can communicate with angels the same way you would talk with a close friend. To do so, you should quiet your mind and get into a relaxed mode, similar to the practice of meditation. It may take a few sessions until you acquire the ability to see angels and have a conversation with them, so do not be discouraged, and keep trying. Know that angels are there to listen
and help.

1. Sit or lie down in a quiet place, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. You will be able to have a glimpse of angels through your crown chakra—your opening gate to higher realms.
2. An open, cone-shaped funnel rises from inside your head, at the crown chakra, and extends upward, widening toward an infinite top, all the way to the upper realms.
3. As you focus your vision through the round opening at the top of your head, you will notice some transparent bodies fly across the wide opening of the funnel high above you.
4. Take a few moments to sharpen your vision, and you will see the abstract bodies become clearer until you can identify them as light entities, or angels.
5. Wait until one of the entities stops its flight and look down at you through the funnel. This is the time to start communicating with the angel that stopped by.
6. Ask the angel who it is, and tell it what it is that you desire. Many times, an angel will not identify itself by a specific name.
7. The first few sessions may be silent, as you’ll find yourself staring at the angel while it gazes back at you, and no conversation will occur.
8. As you establish communication, you will be able to distinguish between your own words and the messages that come from the angel:
   • Your speech will come out (virtually) through your own mouth, and the angel’s voice will come down echoing through the funnel above. If you are able to make this distinction, you will always feel sure that you are not “talking to yourself.”
   • Remembering that the angel acts as a messenger, you can ask questions that have to do with your life or your destiny, get interpretations of things that have happened in your life, and ask for advice.
9. As long as you can stay focused in the communication process, information will pass back and forth smoothly, until one of you gets tired.

It is important to honor the process of communication with angels and not to turn to them too frequently with irritating questions. After receiving their guidance, always show gratitude and thank them for their cooperation.

Therefore Embrace Life

Rabbi Itzhak Luria, the greatest Kabbalist of Safed in the 16th Century, has taught that angels are born as a result of our spoken words and deeds—good or bad. Each angel connects us to a certain energetic frequency, and it’s up to each person whether his angels are good or bad. According to Rabbi Itzhak Luria, the quality of angels we create during a lifetime depends on the amount of enthusiasm we invest in what we do. This gives us a good reason to be focused on the blessed and luminous aspects of our life and never to tangle with negativity. Appreciate every given moment and see the wholeness of our existence.

About the Author

Artist Orna Ben‐Shoshan conceives the images she paints through channeling. All of her paintings are completed in her mind before she transfers them onto the canvas. Her metaphysical work infuses deep spiritual experience with subtle humor. http://www.ben‐shoshan.com

© 2009 Orna Ben-Shoshan