Читать книгу Angels, Fairies, Demons, and the Elementals - John Van Auken - Страница 13

As crowded and busy as earth is, the heavens are many times more crowded and busy. How many angels are there? Well the apostle John wrote: “I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.” (Revelation 5:11, NIV) The study of angels and the doctrine on angels are called Angelology, and were once widely accepted as a serious part of Theology. The term angel appears in the Bible 194 to 196 times, depending on which version you’re searching. And in some cases, angels are implied and understood by the scholars to be angels even though the term is not used. For example, in Genesis 18:1-2, the Lord appears to Abraham in the form of three “men,” which Abraham immediately knew were physical expressions of angels from heaven, and he treated them as such. But for all outward appearances, they looked like men. This is when Abraham debates with the three angels over how many righteous people need to be among the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah to keep the angels from destroying the cities, finally getting them to agree to ten righteous people.

As to the appearance of angels, even the Scriptures warn us that sometimes we “entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2, KJV)

Let’s begin our study with Edgar Cayce’s comments on angels.

(Q) Is the guardian angel a healing force for physical betterment?

(A) The guardian angel—that is the companion of each soul as it enters into a material experience—is ever an influence for the keeping of that attunement between the creative energies or forces of the soul-entity and health, life, light and immortality. Thus, to be sure, it is a portion of that influence for healing forces.

And as may be experienced in the activities of individuals, it may become so accentuated as to be the greater influence in their experience. Thus it is as has been given of old; that to some there is the gift of healing, to some the gift of speech, interpreting of tongues, to ministering. Yet all are of the same Spirit. For these are ever that which is the assurance, in that as has been given—God hath not willed that any soul should perish but hath with every temptation, with every condition prepared an association, an activity, a manner, a way for the regeneration of those influences or forces that may cause the overcoming of fear or any of those things that would separate a soul from the Creative Forces.

Hence, as has been indicated for this body here, the making of the physical adjustments is necessary; but it is just as necessary for the activities of the associations through which the energies of the bodily forces may be attuned to the spiritual and mental self—through the closer association and walk with creative energies within self.

For all must coordinate. Just as in the Godhead—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—so within self: Body, Mind, Soul. Mind is the Builder; Mind is the Way—as the Christ-Consciousness. As it is directed then through the influences of the bodily functions it becomes aware of its oneness, and thus is the guardian force made to be at-one with the whole of the purposes and desires, and the will of the individual.

Do these things then, as we find, as indicated, and we will bring to the physical forces a better cooperation and coordination; and thus through the mental application of the at-onement with the Creative Forces, better reactions in every manner.

(Q) Is it through the guardian angel that God speaks to the individual?

(A) Ever through that influence or force as He has given, “Ye abide in me and I in thee, as the Father abides in me, so may we make our abode with thee.”

Then as the guardian influence or angel is ever before the face of the Father, through same may that influence ever speak—but only by the command of or attunement to that which is thy ideal.

What then is thy ideal? In whom have ye believed, as well as in what have ye believed? Is that in which thou hast believed able to keep ever before thee that thou committest unto Him?

Yes—through thy angel, through thy self that is the angel—does the self speak with thy Ideal!

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Notice this last line, because it reinforces the teaching that we are of Divine origin and, despite our present physical condition, we remain connected to our Creator through an unseen portion of our being that is angelic: “through thy self that is the angel.”

Notice also that Cayce ties the angelic portion of our being to our ideal. Again and again Cayce’s readings ask us, “What is your ideal?” and “In what and in whom do you believe?” Is it our ideal to be among the children of God or simply the children of men? Do we have room in our hearts and minds for heavenly things? Or is it earthly things that matter most to us? You would not be reading this book if earthly things were all that interested you, so let’s assume that you are interested in heavenly things and that these have a place in your ideal life and consciousness.

Cayce reveals that our angel is always in communion with God: “The face of self’s own angel is ever before the Throne. Commune oft with Him.” (1917-1) Jesus affirms this in Matthew’s gospel: “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones [the children gathered around him]; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10, KJV)

When Edgar Cayce was in the deep trance state through which he obtained readings, his subconscious, or soul mind, could attune to the very highest sources in the spiritual dimensions. In the well-known A Search for God study group readings, the 262 series of reading numbers, there were occasions when the archangel Michael would actually speak through Cayce and give powerful messages. Cayce’s discourses called Michael the archangel of change:

Michael is the lord of the way—and in the ways of understanding, of conception, of bringing about those things that make for the changes in the attitudes in physical, mental, or material relationships . . . [Michael] is the guide through such spiritual relations . . .

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When studied as a whole, the Cayce readings indicate that each of us is a soul that is learning to become companionable to God and to the other created beings (the two great commandments: love God; love others). On the earthly side of the soul is a temporary outer persona we call the personality, often referred to by Cayce as “the body-mind.” This is what you and I consider to be our real self. On the other side of our soul self is a divine portion of our being that is an angel. It is heavenly, has never left its original place with God, and was made in the image of God. This is the “holy immortal” portion of us, as described in Zoroastrian lore. We have a bodily self, a soul self, and an angelic self. These three have three levels of consciousness: conscious mind, subconscious mind (which Cayce describes to be much larger than we currently understand), and superconscious mind.

For an example of how these three portions of our being interface, let’s consider the biblical story of the patriarch Jacob, his twin brother, Esau, and the angel as a metaphor for these three parts of ourselves. In personality, Esau was a hunter and warrior, hairy and strong, wild and free, who loved the fields and woods. Jacob, on the other hand, was more internal and reflective in nature. He was gentle, enjoyed learning and good conversation, liked the company of women and the surroundings of the tribal camp, and had developed a skill with domesticated animals, particularly husbandry of breeding healthy goats and sheep. Esau symbolizes our outer self as he sought to experience physical life with as much gusto as possible, whereas Jacob symbolizes our soul self, as he sought to experience the inner, ethereal things, more of the mind and heart than of the body. One night, in a profound experience, Jacob met an angel. He caught firm hold of the angel and would not let the angel go until the angel blessed him. After the blessing, Jacob asked the angel’s name, but the angel was surprised by such a question and gave no answer. Could it be that the angel was none other than Jacob’s divine self, his angelic self, and that’s why he was surprised that Jacob did not already know his name? After this experience, Jacob said that he had seen God “face to face.” How could he make such a statement unless the angel was also before the throne of God? We may consider this story to be an example of how our personality, soul, and angel self interact with one another.

The early Christian theologian and philosopher Augustine wrote, “Every visible thing in this world is put under the charge of an angel.” The Genesis Rabba (a Jewish commentary on the biblical Genesis) states, “There’s not a stalk on earth that has not its angel in heaven.” According to Psalm 91:9-12 (Revised Standard Version [RSV]): “Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent; for he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” And as Jesus experienced in Matthew 4:11 (RSV) when he had completed the three challenges by Satan, and was weary, thirsty, and hungry: “Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.” And in Matthew 26:53 (RSV), when he ordered Peter to put his sword away: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” God has charged his angels to watch over us, and we can call on this help.

There was a time when only our angelic selves existed. The angelic part of our being was alive and active long before Earth, long before physical bodies. Life existed in the spirit, or we might say, in pure energy without matter. Perhaps, if we think of ourselves as minds without form, this may help awaken us to our angelic portion. The One Mind created within itself many individual minds and gave them free will. Life went along in this manner for many, many eons before some of these angelic beings took form in bodies. What was it like back then? What were the angels doing? Cayce and Kabbalah, along with many earth legends and fables, give us some of the amazing pre-Earth history. Let’s explore some of the chronicles of the angels.

In the Old Testament, Yahweh is called “the Lord of hosts;” hosts being the legions of angels. Psalm 82:1 (American KJV) states that “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.” Here the angels compose the congregation and are gods within the one God. Notice that the term Congregation of God implies that all in the congregation are godlike, made in the image of God.

When speaking of angelic beings, the Bible uses the terms “messenger of God” (melakh Elohim), “messenger of the Lord” (melakh Adonai), “Sons of God” (b’nai Elohim), and the “Holy Ones” (ha-qodeshim). Other terms are used in later texts, such as “the upper ones” (ha’oleevoneem).

Metatron is considered the highest of the angels in Kabbalistic mysticism. Metatron is briefly mentioned in the Talmud and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. In 3 Enoch, or the Book of Heavenly Palaces (Sefer Hekhalot), there is a link between Enoch (son of Jared who was great-grandfather of Noah) and his transformation into the angel Metatron. Surprisingly, there is the same connection in the Edgar Cayce readings! As strange as the name is, this is the highest angel in almost all listings of angels.

Michael, who serves as a warrior and an advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13), is considered to be the guardian angel of the Israelites; and Gabriel is the guardian angel of the Ishmaelites (modern-day Arabs). This began with the two sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. Gabriel is mentioned in the book of Daniel (8:15-17) and briefly in the Talmud, as well as in many Merkabah mystical texts. And Daniel’s visions name the archangel Michael—which is the first time in the Bible that an angel’s name is spoken.