My Spiritual Journey began many years ago (that is a subject for a future article) and over the years I have often been given trials and ordeals that would have taxed the heart and mind of many a man or woman.  Whether or not I graciously learned what I was supposed to learn through those trials and ordeals is a matter for debate, however, the fact that I did get through them all is a matter of certainty.

There are scores upon scores of books on the market today attesting to the fact that a large portion of the population of the earth has gone through similar trials to mine and, in fact, many have gone through much worse than even I can ever imagine. And yet, the one common factor among them all is the fact that they all made it through.  They all passed whatever tests were thrown at them … and they all became in some respects “better” for having done so.

Many lessons can be learned from passing the tests that “life, the universe and everything else” throws our way.  But the purpose of this article is not so much to discuss what the tests might be or what we learn from the outcomes, but instead to ask the question: “How in the world were we able to get through the trials?”

Believe me, I have asked that question upon many an occasion.  And during my earlier years I must confess that I could not answer the question. At best, all I could say was, “I guess God just got me through it all.”  But then I was always forced to ask myself another question, “How?”   “How the heck did God do it?  How did He get me through it?”  Which is kind of like asking:  “How does God work?”  Which is, of course, way beyond the capacity of any of our brains to figure out.  So what was I to do?

I had no recourse but to go into deep prayer and to ask God Himself.  It has always been my belief that if I ever had a problem, if I was sincere in regard to my Spiritual growth, I could ask God anything and He would answer me clearly.

In my deep prayer I received many thoughts and answers in regard to my questions as to how it is that God is able to do what He does to get me through all the tests and trials of life.  How does He communicate with me just before I am about to accidentally step off the side of a cliff?  How does He tell me I should or shouldn’t do this or that because my own decisions might get me into deep trouble? 

Of course, one of the main ways God uses to communicate with us is through
other people.  Friends and relatives, bosses and co-workers, teachers and truck drivers, anyone and everyone we come into contact with is a possible channel for God to use in getting His message to us.  Especially in times of immediate danger or personal threat of imminent danger I believe God will use anything He can to save us from what could irreparably harm us or even take our lives.

As I look back on my own life I remember clear instances where a friend said something at just the right time that made me think twice about doing something really “stupid” at the time.  I remember talking to Priests and Pastors and to those who had attained a higher degree of Spiritual understanding than I had at the time, and they were able to sway me from making decisions that would have had long-term consequences affecting me for the remainder of my life.

ANAM CARA:  I am a strong believer in the Celtic, “Anam Cara,” belief that every person has a “soul friend” that will be his or her “best friend” throughout all of life. We may not meet up with this Anam Cara until we are adults, or we may grow up with them as children and into our maturity.  But meet them we will, and true friends they shall be, and much of our counseling along the way will come from them. 

How will you know this Anam Cara from any other acquaintance you may meet? 
Simple: by their total loyalty to you.   Even your closest of friends will talk about you behind your back and often give you advice that will lead you into things you should not be led into – usually because they want you to join them there.  But an Anam Cara will be loyal to you unto death.  They will never speak about you behind your back and every word of every conversation will be directed totally by Love and affection for you and for your welfare.  When you find your Anam Cara cherish them with every fiber of your being. 

And a word of caution:  Your Anam Cara may or may not be your spouse or even a person of the opposite sex.  Remember that gender has nothing to do with Spirit and Truth.  One of the most overused and erroneous statements being blubbered about today is:  “I just know he or she is my soul mate!”  “He drives a really cool car and likes rap music and just look at those abs!  I just know he is my soul mate!”  Or … “We both like all the same things!  You could have floored me when she told me that she liked country music too!  We must be soul mates!”

I don’t care how many likes or dislikes two people have in common, those superficial things have nothing to do with being or not being so-called “soul mates.”  The Anam Cara relationship is discovered on a much deeper level … somewhere down where what has been called “Agape Love” resides.  It is an other-dimensional (Heavenly) form of Love that our conscious minds do not have the ability to comprehend.  When this relationship is truly present not only will it be readily apparent but also both parties will know it beyond the shadow of a doubt. 

Which brings me to the main point of my article.  Although it is wonderful when human beings do come through for us with such great counsel in times of need, we should not depend solely upon human beings for our Spiritual welfare and/or rescue.  There are “others” we should be aware of that serve us in that capacity, and their loyalty and ability to aid us regardless of the situation is without question.

I am referring to the countless number of Angelic Beings who work tirelessly behind the scenes to guide and protect us in our daily lives throughout all our incarnations.  The term “Angelic Beings” can bring to mind several images depending upon one’s personal faith, philosophy or general outlook on the universe.  And while it is possible for these great Beings to appear in any form they wish and to any way of thinking, I can only speak from my own experience as a Christian.

What I call “faddist” belief in Angels peaked perhaps back in the late 80’s or early 90’s, but it’s interesting to note that even though the popular hype has fallen to the wayside and all of the New Agey folks have gone on to different fads and whims, there is an undercurrent of a solid foundational faith in Angelic intervention in our contemporary culture.

According to the Bible there are at least two forms of other-dimensional Beings that would fall into the category of Angelic.  They are: Archangels and Guardian Angels.  The spirits of those who have gone before us (i.e. friends and family) are not in the same category as Angelic Beings, and although they can be active in “watching over us” from their current locale on the other side, they simply do not do what Angels do.

It is my belief that Angelic protection is an ongoing thing and we just cannot know the number of times our Guardian Angel has been responsible for bailing us out of situations we got ourselves into.

I know a few people today who have had Angel interventions in their lives – some quite dramatic and highly memorable.  But I also believe that the most important of all the Angelic contacts have to be the ones that we are never aware of.  These are the “gifts that keep on giving,” and how many of them are contacts that have literally saved our lives?

From what I have experienced here is a thumbnail sketch of the role each of the above Angelic Beings plays: 

ARCHANGEL: This is the highest form of Angel who can do just about anything Angels are claimed to have done.  There are only four of these “administrative” Archangels who are the head Angels over all others.  These are Michael - who’s primary function is protection; Gabriel - who is in charge of communication and Psychic abilities;  Raphael – the Angel in charge of healing;  Uriel – who is apparently very adept at emotional problems and any situation that might require a Divine solution. 

Some contemporary “New Thought” teachers teach that there are several more Archangels … and they may be correct.  But it is the consensus of most that the above four are the main four, and although they can also work many other wonderful works, their principle functions are the ones I listed. 

I will not get into Cherubim and Seraphim and Thrones and Principalities and etc. … the list of other-dimensional Beings can be quite boggling and, let’s face it, most of the peripheral Entities are speculation about which no one really has a final say.  Suffice it to say that those Beings I cover in this article are the ones that most New Thought teachers and Psychics agree upon as being the main ones … plus they are the ones I have had personal experience with and therefore am able to write about with some degree of authority. 

As most of my readers are fully aware I am not one to believe in “just anything.”  I require a certain amount of scientific proof as well as credible Metaphysical research and personal experience.  I am a bit of a skeptic at heart, and this is a good thing due to the fact that the market is flooded with nonsensical, fluff and buff material, the sole purpose of which is to make an author very, very wealthy from book sales … which blossom into CD sales, DVD sales, Oracle Card sales, personal appearances, lecture series, seminars, sold-out conventions, etc. etc. etc.

It’s not that I am against all of the above because I am not.  If a person discovers something that is truly credible and that will benefit great numbers of human beings and lead them toward Higher Awareness I say, “Sell all the books and cards and seminars you can!  More power to you!”  Because the “Power Beyond All Power” will, in all probability, be solidly behind such an endeavor.

The key word is “credible.”  Pick up any New Age/New Thought magazine or newspaper and you will discover many credible and truly Enlightened authors among the pages, but mixed in with them – usually in the advertisements – you will find dozens (even hundreds) of not so credible men and women alike who have invented some “method” of something or other that is supposed to “raise everyone to a higher vibration,” or “get everyone in touch with their Inner Being, or “navigate everyone’s life passages,” or whatever.  And though many are sincere and some are truly on the right track, others are complete frauds.  The really difficult task is in “how the heck do you tell the difference so you don’t waste a whole lot of money on fluff and buff nonsense?”

One thing you can rely on, if you find it printed here in the Bliss-Parsons Journal of Metaphysics you can be sure that it is not only a credible endeavor, but that it has in all probability been personally experienced by one or more of the staff members at the Institute. (At the end of this article you will find a partial list of several authors, Psychics and Metaphysicians the Bliss-Parsons Institute has studied and has found suitable for support and recommendation.)

Our second Angelic Being is a bit more illusive than the first, but is much dearer to us because we are in contact with it from the moment we are born until it is time for us to “Cross Over.”

GUARDIAN ANGEL:  This is a phenomenon that is found within the recognized sacred scriptures of nearly every “religion” on earth. Your Guardian Angel is your companion for life – and not just this life but also all the lives you live during your entire run of reincarnation – if you are an adherent of reincarnation.  I suppose this would be the true Anam Cara in the fact that it is the personification of Love and Loyalty in regard to our care and protection in the physical state.

The Catholic Church is big on Guardian Angels so I am quite aware of this one in my own life and I am comfortable with the fact that my GA is present with me wherever I am, whatever I am doing.  That’s a scary thought at first, but you get used to it.  And I not only feel the presence of my GA, I can sense the scope of his/her protective watch over me.  I speak with him/her often and I ask that he/she help me with specific tasks and problems.  Guardian Angels never fail.  It’s only when you don’t ask that you have problems. 

I’m not exactly sure of the depth and the breadth of Guardian Angel duties, but their principle function seems to be to aid us in times of trouble.  Beyond that I am convinced that they do many things we are not aware of.  In some respects, GA’s are like loving parents or big brothers who watch over us all the time but we take them for granted because they are so close to us.  We miss all of the special things they do for us and we are often not even aware of how much they have meant to us until we mature with age and experience.  Suffice it to say we all have one, and we should not be afraid to call upon him/her whenever we need to. Regardless of how small or large we feel a problem is, the GA takes every problem seriously and delights in being there for us.

Just a note here:  It is believed that Guardian Angels have names, and some people profess to know the name of their personal Guardian Angel.  I’m not so sure about that.  I don’t know the name of mine and I don’t believe it’s necessary to do so.  I do believe that Spirit Guides have names and that we can know what they are, as I do know the name of my own.


SPIRIT GUIDE:  This is the one that is nearest and dearest to my heart for two reasons. First because it is one’s Spirit Guide who is the most readily available of all the supernatural entities, and second because I have a constant and continuing personal relationship/experience with my own Guides.

For so many years if you mentioned the words “Spirit Guide” in public, those around you thought you were either completely wacko, or you were possessed by a demon from hell.  In fact, there are those among certain more fundamentalist denominations who would still subscribe to the latter description for you.  Fortunately, however, with the large increase in credible experiences dealing with Spirit Guides, that view is changing for the better.

Regardless of any outdated personal opinion regarding such things, the fact is that Spirit Guides do exist, and they are a valuable and inseparable part of everyone’s daily life. 

However, be careful here. One of my favorite sayings at the Bliss-Parsons Institute (and one I use frequently) is:  “Just because you don’t believe it, doesn’t mean it ain’t so!” Conversely, “Just because you do believe it, doesn’t mean it is so!”  These are statements everyone ought to take to heart before making blanket judgments on – especially – things of Spirit and/or things of another dimensional existence. 

I have no doubt that there must be some pretty nasty Spirits out there in the ether whose major occupation is the befuddlement and torment of the human species. But, I also have no doubt that Spirit Guides are not among them. That is just nonsense because interaction with these Astral entities is always of a Loving and beneficial nature.  (This could be the reason why those who feel Spirit Guides are demonic never get to meet them!  If you were a Being of incredible Goodness and Light would you wish to commune in any way with a human being who believes you to be the spawn of Satan?)

I am finding it increasingly gratifying that even among the various so-called “organized religions” more and more adherents are leaving behind the old prejudices and discovering that, far from being evil in any way, Spirit Guides and Angelic Beings are gifts from God.  They are just one more resource for us to use to insure our survival on this planet, as well as, to speed the lessons we are to learn while we are here.

Those of you who are in constant communication with your Spirit Guides are more than familiar with the valuable roles they play in your lives – especially the more “developed” Psychics among you.  For some reason those with pronounced Psychic abilities are more “in tune” with Guides than those who have not placed effort into developing their Psychic abilities. 

I crafted that last paragraph very carefully to point out the fact I firmly believe that underneath all of the layers of learned, cultural garbage that gets crammed into our brains from birth to maturity, everyone is Psychic.  My own Psychic awareness was activated by a near death experience I had as a child when I battled a severe case of pneumonia and almost lost the battle. (I will relate my story in a future article.) That terrible ordeal heightened my own ability to communicate with my Spirit Guides, awakened all of the “clairs” within me (clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairaudience, claircognitive) and fashioned me into what has been termed a “profoundly Psychic” person.  Since that time I have been able to experience at various times Spirit Communication, Out Of Body Experiences, Astral Travel, Spirit Drawing, Automatic Writing and Remote Viewing.  My case is not all that unusual, as research shows that it is quite common for those who have Near Dearth Experiences to receive an immediate and permanent surge in Psychic abilities.

But everyone and anyone can rediscover their own Psychic abilities by taking the time to learn how to do so.  There are courses available that show you how to do just that.  (Again, at the end of this article are listed several authors, Psychics and Metaphysicians who have been studied by the Bliss-Parsons Institute and have been found “credible” by the Institute’s standards.  Many of these offer courses in Psychic awareness and development, Angelology, etc.  Plus, be sure to check out our B-P I Store for streamlined courses in developing Psychic awareness.)

Over the next many months the Bliss-Parsons Institute will, no doubt, be discussing at greater length and in greater detail the roles each of the above Astral Beings play in all of our lives – whether we believe in them or not.  This article is meant only as a primary introduction to Angels, Spirit Guides and Anam Cara.  Each Being is deserving of volumes of research and information.  But for now we hope that this small taste of these Great Friends will encourage you – if you are not already actively in touch with them - to have the courage to discover them in your own life and learn to work with them on a daily basis.


LIST OF CREDIBLE AUTHORS, PSYCHICS AND METAPHYSICIANS:

This is by no means a complete list of all the credible sources out there, but it is one that will get a person started if one has a desire to research the topics in this article further.  If there are some who are not found on this list, that does not mean they are “not credible.”  The ones on the list are my own personal favorites, and are among those that are most frequently recommended by the Bliss-Parsons Institute.  They are listed in alphabetical order:

Echo Bodine – www.echobodine.com
Laurie Campbell – www.lauriecampbell.net
Allison DuBois – www.allisondubois.com
John Edward – www.johnedward.net
DH Parsons – www.bliss-parsons.com
James Van Praagh – www.vanpraagh.com
Sharon Troth – www.bliss-parsons.com
Terry Lynn Taylor – www.angelscanfly.com
Doreen Virtue – www.angeltherapy.com
Lisa Williams – lisawilliamsmedium.squarespace.com