by Jo O'Neil
Chapter Ten
The Archangels Part One
I left the life review room with A.M. My official badge lay comfortingly in my pocket as I walked in heaven alongside my Angelic Knight with my long magenta cloak trailing regally behind me.
I was awestruck at the sight which welcomed me as I walked the hallways of heaven. Delicate little fairies dressed in tiny, glittering, white tutus fluttered their shimmering, transparent wings as they lit God’s house with their magical wands. I wanted to stay and watch their hypnotic movement, but A.M. insisted he present my final briefing at his retreat in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
A.M. explained only the most experienced angels were permitted to orb between time zones to prevent unnecessary search and rescue missions being deployed to locate the lost-in-time novice. For this very reason, he needed my consent to orb us both in his sphere.
Immediately I had the intent to orb with A.M., my view altered in a haze of royal purple-blue light from one of jovial fairies, to a scene which although earthly, looked like it belonged in heaven; seated high up on a snow touched mountain, A.M. and I surveyed Banff.
To one side sat the civilised, idyllic town with chalet style buildings lining the tidy, wide, tree strewn streets. The opposite side represented the wilderness with alpine trees sprouting unceremoniously; their reflection, even at our attitude, was plainly visible in the great lake. Despite the contrasts, both shared the same factor of being dwarfed by the towering mountainous terrain.
It was the happiest I had seen A.M. who visibly breathed in the clean, cool air just before he announced, ‘Welcome to my special place.’ Proudly he gestured with his hand to give me a panoramic view.
‘Thank you.’ I copied A.M.’s deep breathing exercise before needlessly expressing, for the surrounding beauty spoke for itself, ‘It’s stunningly beautiful, A.M.’
He smiled, ‘God has blessed us Archangels with sanctuaries we can call our own in recognition for the service we grant humanity; albeit we use the gifts God has graciously bestowed upon us. Our angelic qualities are heightened at our havens, which are among the great wonders of the world.
‘A.M., why is it so still up here on the mountain top? I would have expected to be cold or windswept, but I’m neither.’
‘An angel can hover in the eye of a storm and hold course. Humans too can learn disciplined behaviour, which is common among Buddhist Monks. A teaching of theirs is to dry themselves and the wet sheets which encase them using nothing more than the power of their minds, while they stand barefoot in deep snow.’
‘WOW! That’s impressive.’
‘I have brought you here, Serena, as God suggested you may need acclimatising after being in heaven to the harsh air quality here on earth. In Banff, among this precipitous topography, the air is pure by earthly standards. Where you are headed the quality is dense.’
I thought of the fume filled streets of London and coughed as if my lungs resented the idea I was considering leaving an environment untainted by pollution for one which, in comparison, was so toxic it choked itself.
‘As always, God knows best,’ A.M. answered in response to my bark. ‘Before I take you to London though, I need to share some invaluable information with you to help you victoriously with your task.’ A.M.’s causal demeanour was a steep contrast to God’s warning that if I failed Hope Harper, I failed humankind.
With no appropriate words coming to mind, I remained silent and listened to A.M.’s instruction.
‘You may need to call upon one or more of us Archangels to help you, successfully, complete your task, so you would do well to remember the information I am about to give you.’
‘Actually my memory isn’t that reliable, A.M. Shall I just pop down to the shops and buy a writing pad and pen so I can make notes? Oh, wait a moment; I don’t have any money on me.’
Far from being defeated, I was searching my brain for feasible solutions when a scroll of paper, complete with clip board to lean on, suddenly materialised in my left hand, and a fountain pen resembling the one I prefer to use appeared in my dominate right hand. For the first time in a very long while I was stunned into silence.
A.M. laughed before commenting, ‘God will always give you what you need, Serena, at exactly the precise time you need it if you show complete faith, for He cannot affect your free will.’
Regaining the ability to speak, I joked, ‘I require an army of angels to defeat Lucifer.’
‘You already have God’s angels at your disposal. Please take note on who to call upon given the circumstance.’
I posed myself to take notes. Having never been a personal assistant, I hoped I was up to the task, as my version of short hand had thus far been by no means decipherable. I was just thinking a Dictaphone would have been more useful, when A.M. began my lesson. As he uttered his first words, a hologram image of Archangel Raphael appeared directly in front of me.
‘Archangel Raphael, who accompanied us to the Karmic Lords Temple, is the Angel of Healing. Whether a human or an animal is hurt, if free will is given for the healing to take place, Archangel Raphael can use his emerald green aura to produce miraculous results. It is his ability to heal which has earned Archangel Raphael the honorary title of, Overseers of Physicians. His retreat, Fatima in Portugal, has had many sightings of Divine occurrences due to the healing energy Archangel Raphael imparts on the area.
‘It is wise to call upon Archangel Raphael when travelling, for not only can he ward off illness and injury which can impair the journey, he can ensure safe and speedy passage by bringing love to the situation.
‘In addition, Archangel Raphael is responsible for uniting lost dogs with their distraught owners; although God prefers the word guardians to owners, as no one owns His beloved canines. Archangel Raphael will also bring comfort to the distressed guardian and dog, though in the main the animal trusts in God so is unconcerned by the separation, and Archangel Raphael will encourage the canine and the canine’s custodian to follow his or her guidance so he can reunite hound and human swiftly.’
A.M. waited for me to stop scribbling before he began to tell me Archangel Gabriel’s talents. As A.M. spoke Archangel Gabriel’s name, the transparent image of Archangel Raphael, that had periodically rotated giving me full view of the therapeutic Archangel, softly faded away to be replaced by Archangel Gabriel’s hologram representation.
‘Archangel Gabriel, who you met at your life review, is the Angel of Communication, and as such he is the patron saint of writers and teachers. He can be called upon in any circumstance to aid communication whether verbal or in a letter.’ A.M. paused momentarily. ‘Far below us on the street a disagreement has began over a parking space.’
‘Where?’ I squinted in a vain attempt to see more clearly.
‘It is not important or appropriate to see. My purpose in mentioning it is to make the point; if one or both of the parties had asked Archangel Gabriel for assistance with communication, the nastiness both drivers have now entered into would have been avoided. I will go to them and do my best to resolve the dispute. Alas, without being asked, I can do very little.’
I expected A.M. to orb down to where the argument was taking place. When he didn’t I asked, ‘Did you want me to come with you?’
‘No, thank you, Serena, that is not necessary.’
‘I’ll wait here for you then.’
‘That is not necessary either, for I have already gone.’
The befuddled look on my face was plainly obvious.
It may have been tempting for a mortal to prolong my agony, but as a loving Archangel A.M. smiled and said, ‘Angels are multi-dimensional, which means we have the ability to be in more than one place at the same time.
‘Of course,’ I said as I remembered wondering why Archangel Azrael had been late to my life review for that very reason.
‘When the drivers set off on their journey this morning, if they had called upon Archangel Raphael to assist them with their
journey as well as thanking the Parking Angels for all of the spaces they required this day, the argument would not have erupted. They too could have called upon me for my protection. Now tempers are high, they can still call upon Archangel Gabriel to help them communicate, Archangel Raphael to heal their stress, and the Parking Angels so they both have a space. I too can help by administrating fairness and ensuring a just outcome. Instead they argue on.’ Without any sign of frustration or disappointment A.M. added, ‘The sooner mankind understands angels are here to give them heaven on earth, then there truly can be peace in this domain.’
Without hesitation A.M. continued my education.
‘Archangel Gabriel’s blessed place is at Mount Shasta in California, a place of immense natural beauty protected by Archangel Gabriel’s golden aura. Volcanic movement has not been seen at Mount Shasta for over two hundred years’, thanks to the hard work of Archangel Gabriel to keep the lines of communication free. Still, if ever the majority of mankind abandoned God’s love based teachings and turn instead to demonic rituals, volcano’s, including Mount Shasta, will erupt to cleanse the earth.’
Once again A.M. stopped to give me time to complete my notes on Archangel Gabriel.
When I had plotted my last full stop I looked up at A.M. With full realisation of the destruction a mass volcanic eruption would bring I prayed, ‘God willing, the day will never come when demonic practices out number kind deeds.’
‘God feels the same, Serena, but with His renowned love and mercy, He has given man free will to choose.’
With my pen poised, A.M. appreciated I was ready to take some more notes.
‘Archangel Jophiel is the Angel of Beauty, so was well suited to help God’s tailor with your cloak. She is as proficient at beautifying and organising thoughts as she is at enhancing the environment with the aid of her fuschia coloured aura. Her main strength, however, lies in bringing healing to negative and chaotic situations, but she is just as happy to help with what some human souls class as trivial concerns, such as personal appearance and gifts. Her retreat is south of the Great Wall of China, near Lanchow.’
When A.M. finished I asked, ‘Do you mean to say Archangel Jophiel doubles as one’s angelic personal shopper?’
As I asked the question, Archangel Jophiel’s beautiful holographic face broke into a dazzling smile as she gently nodded her head in agreement with A.M. who answered, ‘In a sense, yes, she does. Personal appearance can make all the difference to some souls’ confidence. Remember how vulnerable you felt in God’s chambers when you were dressed in the hospitals finest tunic? God sensed your discomfort, which is why your appearance changed. God wants nothing more than for His children to be truly happy, and it is for this very reason He employs an angel for every eventuality.’
‘Without meaning to sound disrespectful, if God “employs an angel for every eventuality,” do I really need to take notes? Could I just call upon, for example, the angel who will help me to have a good hair day as opposed to a bad hair day; would that evoke the correct angel to help me?’
‘It would. In your example, Archangel Jophiel would be only too pleased to help you organise your hair. As it is with all matters, it is always far more productive to be fully informed. Therefore, to answer your original question, God wishes for you to take note of the different attributes He has blessed us Archangels with.’
I nodded with pen held to indicate A.M. could continue.
‘Archangel Chamuel is the angel who sees everything in his pale green aura, so if something or someone is lost, just ask Archangel Chamuel to locate the item or person for you.’
‘A.M., you said Archangel Raphael finds lost dogs,’ I stated with confusion in my voice.
‘That is correct, Serena.’
‘Why is that so when Archangel Chamuel has the responsibility to find everything else?’
‘When a beloved four-legged-angel is separated from its human, Archangel Raphael’s healing abilities are necessary to bring love to a fraught situation.’
I felt a warm glow radiate from my heart as I gushed, ‘God really does think of everything.’
‘God is all knowing and all seeing, Serena. He cares implicitly for all His children, and He is saddened when they insist they would rather do things the hard way instead of accepting His love.
‘A case in point; a lady is currently frantically searching for her spectacles in one of the boutiques in Banff. Instead of allowing the misplaced item to concern her, she would be wise to thank Archangel Chamuel for his guidance. Archangel Chamuel would find her spectacles in a wing beat if she would only ask him to. Archangel Chamuel retreats at St Louis, Missouri.’
It was my turn to pause as I thought about the many times I had mislaid my car keys, and the countless hours I had spent hunting them. Next time an item of mine went astray, I vowed to call upon Archangel Chamuel, whose exceedingly tall frame which translucently hovered before me, would easily spy the lost object saving me time and anguish.
Realising A.M. was waiting patiently for me, and my distracted mind was adding precious minutes to the time it took me to return home, I finished scribbling my notes and asked A.M. to continue.
‘Archangel Azrael, as you know, is the beautiful Angel of Death. His white aura consoles the bereaved as well as the newly departed by releasing them from fear, and instead, with God’s grace he fills them with love. His retreat is the black mountains on the border of England and Wales.’
‘Archangel Azrael is most suited to the role of the Angel of Death. He was very kind to me. I just hope he’s still in the post when it’s my time to return to heaven,’ I affectionately stated to A.M. as Archangel Azrael’s ghostly form waved at me.
‘I think it is very likely Archangel Azrael will remain the Angel of Death for all eternity,’ A.M. kindly responded. ‘Now, you spent some time with Archangel Raziel and Archangel Raguel, but let me recap.
‘Archangel Raziel takes refuge among large volumes of books, which has earned him the nickname God lovingly adorned him with: The Librarian.’
As if to highlight this point, Archangel Raziel’s image, which had replaced Archangel Azrael’s, pulled from his robes a sizeable, leather-bound book.
‘His crystallised study was significantly overflowing with books,’ I recalled.
‘Archangel Raziel’s specialty is to impart esoteric wisdom, especially if he can apply this knowledge with healing intent. In fact, his passion is to clear painful memories, particularly if the fear entwined in these traumas prevents a soul from accomplishing their life purpose.
‘Archangel Raziel oversees the angels who guard the Akashic records. This makes him privy to the vows a soul made in a past life. If said vows are troublesome, Archangel Raziel has the authority to sever the binding contracts if the soul consents, and if permitted by Karmic Law.’
‘Was it Archangel Raziel’s influence which persuaded the Karmic Lords to permit my reprieve where Hope Harper is concerned?’
‘Archangel Raphael commenced your healing when he connected with you in the life review room. Then Archangel Raziel added his therapeutic rainbow aura when he mentored you. However, your distaste for Hope Harper was too strong even for the combined healing strength of these two power Archangels. As a result, the Almighty had no choice but to involve the Lords of Karma.’
I looked suitably ashamed for the extra work my emotions had caused. A.M., forever above such judgmental feelings, didn’t dwell in my guilt.
‘My beautiful and wise friend will also help a soul live in the present moment where all worthwhile opportunities can be found, and he can walk along the path of chance with the soul if he is invited.’
As my notes became increasingly untidy, I was awestruck at the volume of work which fell upon Archangel Raziel’s wings.
‘No wonder Archangel Raziel is the epitome of Warlocks,’ I respectfully conveyed to A.M. ‘With all the responsibilities he juggles, he truly is a Wizard.’
‘No, Sere
na,’ A.M. said tenderly, ‘Raziel is one of God’s Archangels.’
‘Of course.’ I shifted uncomfortably in case I had offended A.M. with my unintentional implication that he and the other Archangels were slackers in comparison to Archangel Raziel.
‘Archangels do not take umbrage, Serena,’ the same tender tone informed me. ‘And nor do we judge or recognise guilt. The vibration we float on is too high and therefore loving to allow ourselves to plummet into the dense experiences of fear, which is responsible for lesser emotions such as shame, self-reproach, and condemnation.’
As the blush spread from my cheeks to my neck, I said before A.M. had the chance to say, ‘There is no need for embarrassment; I know. Between all his other duties, Archangel Raziel passed on this wisdom to me.’
‘Archangel Raziel is perspicacious in his guidance,’ A.M. praised his fellow angel.
‘As you know, Archangel Raguel counsels and mediates. But what you are not aware of is that his duties extend beyond mankind, for God entrusted Archangel Raguel with managing the relationships between angels and humans where organisation, fairness, harmony, and justice is concerned. Like many angels, Archangel Raguel is a bringer of peace. With this Divine peace, Archangel Raguel can use his aqua aura to heal misunderstandings and inspire forgiveness.
‘God gifted Archangel Raguel the ability to attract likeminded souls to one another, making him both a friendship and romance matchmaker, as well as an invaluable business consultant.’ A.M. had barely finished when he said with an air of urgency, ‘We must go, Serena.’
Painstakingly focused on my note taking, I completely missed the importance in A.M.’s voice and consequently I responded somewhat casually, ‘I’m nearly done.’
‘Serena, your notes will have to wait.’
Looking directly at A.M., I started to explain that if I didn’t organise my penmanship immediately I wouldn’t have any chance of decoding it later, when I saw the slightest sign of concern in A.M.’s facial features.
‘Whatever is the matter?’ I stayed transfixed on A.M.’s face as I waited for my answer.
‘The Devil is thwarting God’s plan to protect Hope with your amulet. This cannot be allowed to continue as God’s will over Hope’s safety, will be done. I think it would be wise for you to see how the Devil works, Serena. So if you will consent to come with me, we can orb transatlantically immediately.’
‘Err …’
With my mind in a whirl I dropped my gaze to my messy notepad. To my delight my notes had self tidied into neat, clearly headed, and artistically arranged cards, bearing the relevant facts I had jotted only. Grinning with satisfaction, I looked back at A.M.’s still troubled expression.
Promptly adopting the same look as my Angelic Mentor, the realisation of the seriousness of the situation dawned on me; Satan wanted my sapphire, and quite frankly after the performance I had gone through to temporarily agree to grant Hope as the custodian, I wasn’t readily going to allow anyone to upset God’s carefully implemented plan. So grasping my cue cards in my hand I reached out for A.M. and gave my blessing to orb back to London.
