Angels & Demons
Life has felt somewhat stressful of late and I feel like I have been battling some personal demons as well as calling on angels for some divine assistance. This has stopped that creative flow that is normally spilling over within me and in turn stopped me blogging. But it has called to mind an article I wrote a few years ago and I thought it would be nice to share it with you until I return to blogging again shortly....
ANGELS & DEMONS
How do you define an angel? Most people would say that they are winged messengers sent directly from God, but have these divine beings always been angels, almost like a separate race, or are they in fact spiritually evolved humans that once lived among us? Furthermore, can we become angels ourselves? It is said that there is a distinct structure in the angelic realms – a hierarchy of different ranks all placed to do a certain task. Although we generally think of angels as gentle beings, many can be quite “kick-ass” and help us to be strong and fight if necessary, but most often they are there to gently aid and heal us. We all need different kinds of help at different times and in different situations, surely then it makes sense that angels are varied in their abilities?
What about demons? Are they the spirits of people who have passed but still bear some sort of grudge or bitterness and therefore lash out? Are they fallen angels who now do the Devils bidding? Or are they something else entirely – a negative entity from another dimension perhaps, something that has never been human and feeds off peoples fear and anger? There is yet another theory that such things are in fact inner demons and more psychological than paranormal. Could demons actually be the manifestations of a troubled mind?
It all comes down to faith and belief, but I find it interesting how most people have a clear idea of what they believe an angel to be, but not so much a demon. I wonder if perhaps we actually take away some of a demons power if we do not really believe in its existence?
Many cultures and religions have various talismans believed to ward off evil spirits/demons, but Christianity seems more reliant on divine guidance – God watching over you and keeping you safe. Despite all this, if you offer an open invitation who knows who or what will accept it and walk through the door you have just opened! Often people are searching for guidance during times of stress such as illness or grief, but this vulnerability of emotion can make them easy targets for negative entities who feed on such feelings. The safest way to find spiritual guidance is not, for example, through an Ouija Board, but by simply asking for help, like saying a simple prayer perhaps. It is even thought that an angel will give you evidence of their presence, a calling card if you like, often in the form of a white feather.
It is widely believed that everyone has their own personal Guardian Angel, watching over them and guiding them through the stormy waters of life, but just how much assistance and influence do such guides have, and do we also have a negative force trying to guide us along an opposing path, like some sort of personal demon? For me this conjures up cartoon images of a person with a tiny angel sat on one shoulder and a tiny devil sat on the other, each exerting a pull in two completely different directions. I wonder how close to the truth this really is - certainly we all have a positive and a negative influence in our minds, but is this otherworldly/spiritual or psychological and simply part of our complex human make-up? I believe this to be an important point, because the concept of either spiritual or demonic influence almost takes away our ability to think for ourselves, suggesting that we are not responsible for our own actions, and that is a scary thought indeed.
Wherever we believe guidance to come from, we must ultimately make our own decisions in life using our own inner moral compass (free will) and therefore be responsible for our own actions. This is what enables us to grow as both Human and Spiritual beings.
