Forget the massive, bible-scale marvels they’re known for; angels are totally willing to help us humans out with mundane, earthly matters. Searching for that special someone? Feeling a little under the weather? Need a boost of confidence? No need to fear – an angel is near! No matter the situation, there’s an angel waiting to help you with it.
Angels are light beings and helpers of Spirit (or whatever you’re most comfy calling the Divine) and they’re here to carry out messages and events. This isn’t strictly a Christian thing; angels are available to everyone, and they’ve been mentioned in a pretty wide range of holy books, such as the Torah and Qur’an. Many pagans and new-agers also work with them in rituals.
Archangels, in particular, are the heads of groups of angels specializing in certain areas – experts in their fields, if you will. Chamuel, for example, helps you find love, while Jophiel inspires positive thinking and joy. From Ariel to Zadkiel, there are more archangels than we can list here in this article, so for now we’ll stick to four of the most popular ones: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel. Find out who they are, what they do, and how they connect with you.
Archangel Michael:
If Lucifer had had his way, legend says, heaven might look a lot different than it is today. If he’d only been able to recruit the Archangel Michael during the war in heaven, it would have been overthrown and ruled by the rebel angels, as Judika Iles recounts in her book, The Encyclopedia of Spirits. At least, that’s what some say about the power and strength of Michael, the warrior angel. Unfortunately for Lucifer, Michael fought against the rebel angels, and cast down their unlucky leader to boot.
Today, he’s the head angel of strength, courage and righteousness, as well as career and life purpose. If you’re confused about which career path to take, or about your purpose in this lifetime, ask Archangel Michael for assistance. He’s a protector angel, and will fight off scary spirits or plain old bad vibes on your behalf. He’ll help you find the courage to fight your battles, and Iles notes him as being particularly helpful toward rape victims.
Fun fact: Some say Michael’s pretty good with electronics. Next time your computer’s acting up, ask him for help.
When you feel frightened, call on Michael out loud or silently. He’s one fiery dude; ruling the elements of fire and water, Iles tells us he governs fire magic and candle spells. You may even feel a heat wave when he’s near! Fitting, then, that he’s the patron of firefighters, along with warriors, radiologists, ambulance drivers and those who fall under the fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Archangel Raphael:
Joyful, compassionate, and caring, Raphael is the archangel of healing. He assists doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lovers and travelers, especially young people leaving home for the first time. He governs not only physical healing, but emotional, spiritual and psychological healing as well.
Like Mike, he’s got quite a history; Iles tells us he’s known to fight off negative spirits or demons alongside Michael, and is the traditional opponent of Azazel, a powerful rebel angel who was cast out of heaven with Lucifer.
Raphael definitely isn’t the shy and retiring type; he likes to make himself known, to which many angel workers can attest. Look for any number of signs, from sparks of green light, to messages on road signs or license plates, to books mysteriously falling off the shelves (!) when requesting his presence, per Archangels and Ascended Masters by Doreen Virtue. Anytime you’re not feeling well, or know of someone who needs healing, he can help. He’s also good at retrieving lost animals, and guarding against negative spirits. Of course, as the head angel of healing, he’s pretty nifty in that regard as well. Going on a diet? He’ll help ease your cravings. Struggling with substance abuse? He can help you steer clear of the bad stuff.
If you’re in the healing profession, are in a relationship or want to be, like to travel or are looking to start, or fall under any of the astrological air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius), Iles says to consider yourself automatically linked to Archangel Raphael.
Archangel Gabriel:
You might know of Gabriel as the star angel of the Christmas story, but he’s played a pretty big role in other religious traditions, too, as described by religion writer Whitney Hopler at About.com. Muslims believe that he dictated the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammed, and he’s borne the news of holy births, from Jesus to the prophet John. Iles tells us that in Moroccan folklore, he delivered livestock, wheat and a plough to Adam and Eve when they were booted from the Garden of Eden. Kind, joyful, and full of hope, he’s known for being particularly generous when it comes to miracles, and is said to perform more of them than any other angel.
He wears multiple hats as the Angel of Revelation, Dreams and Communications, as well as the Angel of Death (ack!). But don’t let that last part scare you; on the bright side, Jewish angel studies say that it’s quite an honor to have him as an escort to the other side.
Call on Gabriel for help with kids (or if you’re trying to conceive), for assistance in any communications matter, and even to help you see the future.
Per Iles, Gabriel’s especially close to people under astrological water signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces), anyone in the business of message delivery (for example, postal workers), as well as astrologers and those who work with dreams.
Archangel Uriel:
Archangel Uriel is the angel of justice, wisdom and truth. Virtue writes that he gave humankind the Cabala and helped the prophet Ezra understand predictions about the Messiah. In the apocryphal book of Enoch, he told Noah the Great Flood was on the way and declared the fallen angels would be judged; today, he’ll assist with any matters of justice or fairness in your own life.
Some, like Rev. Sheri at Angelmessenger.net, have dubbed him the “psychologist angel,” as he’ll help you to sort out matters of the mind. He’s an angel of repentance, and will help you to release any issues from the past that negatively affect your life today. If the “repentance” part puts you off, don’t worry; he’s not into guilt-tripping. Rather, he helps you see the truth of a situation in a way that leaves you feeling empowered and confident.
Uriel’s especially close to those who deal in matters of justice both earthly and divine, from court judges to prophets and all peacemakers. If you do volunteer work or do any sort of community service, he’s your man – as Hopler writes, he loves to see us use our wisdom in a way that serves others. Also check him out if you’re an earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn).
So, there you have it. Anytime you call for help, no matter how big or small the need may be, your angels will be up and at ‘em. If you’d like some one-on-one time with your angels, start simply. Think a thought, pray a prayer. Concentrate. They’ll be there.
Have YOU been touched (er, helped) by an angel? Would you like to communicate more with the angels?
About Whitney DeGroat
My name is Whitney, and I’m delighted to be one of the new writers here at Holistic Ebony. I am 28 years old, live in Ohio and am currently working in retail, but my passion lies in holistic health – especially food/nutrition, spirituality and self-image. I’m excited (and a little nervous) to be able to explore and share my passion for these topics with you on this wonderful site!
