The seventh chakra offers three “allies” that we have named as Allies, Ancestors and Angels. We continue here our meditation from yesterday on the angels and what we have learned about them from our interaction with Denys the Areopagite, Thomas Aquinas, and Hildegard of Bingen.
- Angels have a special relationship to human consciousness.
- We human beings help link the earthly world with cosmic intelligences.
- Angels may have played a special role in the birth of languages.
- They inspire prophets and awaken human imagination and intuition, and thus befriend the artist in a special way.
- Angels are amazed at us, and our actions through the angels can affect the entire cosmos.
- Their primary role is praise.
- They have a variety of functions in their relationship with human beings, including inspiring, message-bearing, protecting, and guiding.
- They are present at holy worship.
- Both good and bad angels act in the arena of our conscience and decision making.
- They do not have material bodies but can temporarily assume the appearance of human or other bodies for the sake of communicating with and helping human beings.
- They accompany people from this life to the next.
Certain questions arise for the future given the reality of an evolutionary universe. At a time like ours it is not enough to call on the traditional teachings of religion and angelology. A new cosmology as well as a new Earth crisis demand more creative work on the part of those who inherit religious traditions. So we conclude our discussion not with a statement of inherited wisdom, but with questions that come to us from the future about humanity’s relation to the angels.
- How can we understand the consciousness of planets, stars, and galaxies?
- In the light of contemporary cosmology, can the traditional understanding of celestial intelligences help us interpret the self-organizing powers of planets, stars, and galaxies?
- Do angels have a role to play in the self-organizing dynamics of the microscopic world?
- In an evolutionary and expanding universe, are new species of angels coming into being as new forms, structures, and fields arise?
- What role do angels play in guiding the evolutionary process?
- Do angels evolve?
- Do the fallen angels bring about evil in other conscious organisms residing in other parts of the universe?
- How can we befriend the good angels?
- Can the experience of and belief in angels, shared by all spiritual traditions, promote deep ecumenism?
- Can angels guide us through the social and ecological evils that surround us and threaten generations yet unborn?
- Can angels help us to revivify our forms of worship so that true praise might inspire prophetic vision and right action?
- Can our awakening to angels increase the capacity for communion?
- How can angels assist in resacralaizing the work of artists?
- How can we, with the angels, resacralize the world?
Adapted from Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake, The Physics of Angels, pp. 186f.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “Angels” Photo by John K. Thorne; Public Domain on Flickr.
Note: Near the midpoint of Matthew’s recorded teaching today, a technical glitch blacked out the video stream. The audio stream, however, was unaffected. We thank you for your patience and understanding!
Queries for Contemplation
What insights about angels most strikes you in the first half of this mediation? What questions about the future of angelology posed in the second half of this mediation most cause you to pause and wonder?
Recommended Reading
The Physics of Angels: Exploring the Realm Where Science & Spirit Meet
By Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake
When was the last time a scientist and a theologian discussed angels together? What are angels? Many people believe in angels, but few can define these enigmatic spirits. Now visionary theologian Matthew Fox and acclaimed biologist Rupert Sheldrake—pioneers in modern religious thinking and scientific theory—launch a groundbreaking exploration into the ancient concept of the angel and restore dignity, meaning, and joy to our time-honored belief in these heavenly beings.
16 thoughts on “Angels, the 7th Chakra, and Questions for the Future ”
Matthew, Our Queries for Contemplation today are: “What insights about angels most strikes you in the first half of this mediation?” In the first half of this meditation, the characteristics sited for angels that struck me most were as follows:
They inspire prophets and awaken human imagination and intuition, and thus befriend the artist in a special way–I feel I am a prophet and artist and so I relate to this comment.
Angels are amazed at us, and our actions through the angels can affect the entire cosmos–this reminds me of a passage in THE COMING OF THE COSMIC CHRIST which readds: “Angels flap their wings in envy at those times, The Cosmic Christ is ecstatic and excited when babies are born–each one a new expression of the Cosmic Christ.”
They have a variety of functions in their relationship with human beings, including inspiring, message-bearing, protecting, and guiding–I have felt inspired, protected, guided, and I definitely have a message.
Both good and bad angels act in the arena of our conscience and decision making–Its like those old cartoons that had a devil on one shoulder, and an angel on the other, both telling one what to do in their ears–the importance of choice, and I believe in free will and free choice, rather than determinism. On that point I am an existentialist.
They do not have material bodies but can temporarily assume the appearance of human or other bodies for the sake of communicating with and helping human beings–the scholastic stories of debates over how many angels could dance on the head of a pin, was in reality, a debate over whether angels were material or not–if they were immaterial innumerable angels could dance on the head of a pin.
They accompany people from this life to the next–I’m currently helping three people make their transitions–one is my father, and the other two are dear friends.
“What questions about the future of angelology posed in the second half of this mediation most cause you to pause and wonder?”
In an evolutionary and expanding universe, are new species of angels coming into being as new forms, structures, and fields arise?
What role do angels play in guiding the evolutionary process?
Do angels evolve?
Do the fallen angels bring about evil in other conscious organisms residing in other parts of the universe?
Can the experience of and belief in angels, shared by all spiritual traditions, promote deep ecumenism?
Can angels guide us through the social and ecological evils that surround us and threaten generations yet unborn? Well, that’s all for me…
Peace and all good be with you as you accompany your father and your friends from this life to the next. “…And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” That has always been such a beautiful line from Hamlet, and I hope that they accompany you as well.
What I found interesting, as I pondered over the words within today’s DM, was that the questions themselves… provided the answers as to how we humans can experience for ourselves… the spiritual reality of being in a relationship of communion with the Angels. This relationship unfolds, evolves and emerges through a union of consciousness… experienced as inspiration, an awakening of our imagination and our intuition. This is how Angels befriend us humans in a special way. In learning to spiritually discern, trust in, and follow through on the inspirations we consciously receive… our imaginations and our intuition are awakened… to the messages of the Angels, that offer comfort, consolation, and guiding wise counsel… as a way of not only protecting and preserving that which is our souls highest and greatest good… but which also helps us to access and bring this sacred image of self forth into manifestation. This is how the Angels accompany us humans, throughout the lives of our souls journey, unfolding, evolving, emerging… assisting us in accessing our conscious memories gained from one lifetime to the next. This is how we human beings of this earthly world are linked with the One cosmic intelligence… through relationship with the Angels.
The role, meaning and purpose of this relationship of conscious communion and union with Angels, and the way we humans can engage with this spiritual reality… is to guide our collective souls evolutionary process. This is how we humans can befriend the good Angels of Light, whose role is to increase our souls capacity for communion and union… that offers to assist each one of us all… to truly awaken to consciously seeing the sacredness and the beauty and goodness of this essence and presence of the Divine nature… that is already inherently there within our souls… within our humanness… and within the all and the everything of creation… each one individually carrying the potential of working harmoniously together… for the greater good of the whole… each one’s individual and diverse soul expression, contributing to the unfolding, evolving, emergence, of the One Cosmic Christ… which is the conscious reflection, expression and manifestation of the way, the truth and the life of unconditional love, compassion and mercy… the just is, the what is… of who we were, are and ever shall be.
First, I want to express great appreciation for these daily meditations.
Then, I’d like to focus on one of the questions: How can angels assist in resacralizing the work of artists?
My personal experience is that the angels are available and waiting to be asked for help. It also seems that much art is a transmission from the angels, or at least a combined effort between the artist and the angel.
The main obstacle seems to be religious trauma. One can either go directly into religious trauma to heal it, or can try to find work-arounds, such as using words that don’t trigger the trauma. Instead of the word angel, for instance, one could use words such as the higher self, the innermost part of being, field of potentiality, the deeper truth of our nature, the flame of inner ecstasy, the essence of mind, etc.
Art works with metaphors. Metaphors can be a way to get a point across without argument, to open the mind to a new idea without arousing fear and defenses. That is helpful for both the artist and the art receiver. The angel can communicate with a metaphor to the artist who then works in materializing that wisdom through music, paint, dance, poetry and other mediums.
The word medium itself can be a metaphor as it represents both the material world into which the metaphor is translated, and a person who can communicate between the two sides of the veil.
Thank your for the clarity of your statement here, Carmen: “Metaphors can be a way to get a point across without argument, to open the mind to a new idea without arousing fear and defenses.” This is, I believe, the power of stories, especially those told with humor. Humor, laughter, allows ideas to sneak inside you because when one is laughing, one’s defenses are down. Many of Robin Williams’ movies communicate deep spiritual truths that seep into audience consciousness without being didactic. As a playwright, I often use wrap spiritual and socio-political ideas in humor so that they can get inside listeners consciousness, as through a back door. As I read Matthew’s meditations on angels, it makes me think of one of the first plays I wrote: “All the Glory.” You can link to an excerpt here. https://www.mickishelton.com/short-plays
Thank you for this today. I connect with the spirit world, calling them in to work with and through me. Especially when I am with my clients- I am a psychotherapist. After listening to you today I find myself wondering, when I “call” in the spirit world, am I also asking the angels for guidance too?
Thank you for all you bring to the world. I appreciate meditating with you each morning. ❤️
All very good questions Matthew in your DM and your book about Angels, spirit guides, and consciousness about our eternal evolving souls in our spiritual earthly dimension and in our sacred interrelationships, not only with one another, but with other spirit beings and Saints in the spiritual multi-dimensions and in our co-Evolving multiverse Creation~Cosmos… As ‘lightworkers’ we have faith/trust that we’re co-Evolving together and Eternally with-in our Loving Oneness of our Divine Creator ~ Beloved Cosmic Christ Consciousness….
🔥❤️🙏
correction: “… with other spirit beings, saints, and Angels…”
Some, especially avowed atheists, will call this all foolishness, and I suppose we must admit they could be right? Yet others of us have had inexplicable experiences that can’t be so easily dismissed. We believe that “seeing beyond” is possible, but that the mind needs the “heart” in order to do so. And this is where science and faith intersect to create that space revelation and epiphany occur. }:- a.m.
I am interested in learning more about angels and the after life
My Rick just passed away this week
Maryanne
Maryanne, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. May you find some consolation in these meditations…
Why do these movements on the earth have to be explained by angels? Couldn’t the presence be — as I call it — the movements of the Spirit?
Thanks so much for your reflection on Angels as allies.
How can I learn and develop a connection with Angels?
How to call them for guidance?
Just ask! (And say please.) They are always around and ready. I smiled at Lorna Byrne’s comment (during her interview with Matthew at Grace Cathedral posted a week or so ago) about “the unemployed Angels” waiting to be asked for help. I’ve said that for a long time. It was nice to be validated!
Really appreciated and enjoyed, the link offered in today’s DM, to the interview with Victor Fuhrman and Mathew Fox, regarding his new book “Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality.” I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and hopefully grow, develop and mature… through these types of engagements with all that Mathew is teaching… through these DM’s, his books, and his on-line interviews and sometimes free podcasts through the Shift Network. Even though I am financially unable to pursue his other on-line courses… this is more than enough for me. Thank you for your generosity of making these teachings readily available in so many ways, to so many people.
Regarding this statement: “Both good and bad angels act in the arena of our conscience and decision making.”
I struggle with the idea of “bad angels” or “fallen angels.” I also have trouble with the existence of “demons” and “Satan.” I can’t believe in a God-created universe that includes them. Nonetheless, I am open to learning more of what contemplative Christianity has to say about these ideas (or entities). The best I can conceive of at this moment is this: that “demons” and “Satan” are our ego (not an external entity) behaving in ways that don’t serve us or God’s Creation–our self-centered ego gone wrong.
My life partner, who is Buddhist and a student of Claudio Naranjo, believes that “fallen angels” are angels (light sources perhaps) who in trying to do the right thing are mistaken, not evil. Take for example, an angel of mine–we’ll call her Cynthia–who stops a car from rear-ending me. What if the driver would have been someone it would have been better for me to meet–a high teacher, for example, someone who would have become an important spiritual teacher? Could that be what we mean by “fallen” or “bad” angels? Just an angel who took the wrong approach? A “mistaken” angel? I just can’t imagine that there are truly angels who are inherently bad. Help me out, please.