Across many cultures and spiritual traditions, you’ll find the concept of some sort of divine guidance or protection.
This entity is often referred to as a guardian angel. Whether it’s called an angel, intuition, or a spirit guide is not important, but it does matter that you understand what the role is and how to avoid misusing it.
It’s essential that you don’t fall into the trap of treating your guardian angel as a sort of maid that follows you around cleaning up your messes. It’s much more complex and beneficial than that.
Understanding the Role of a Guardian Angel
Lorna Byrne, from Ireland, is an an author who documents her ability to see and talk with angels of all types since she was very little.
According to her, guardian angels have a God-given ability to teach, guide, and comfort us. They offer so much more than just being a personal problem-solver. They love us deeply, never judge us, and always try to help us, but they are not just there to pick up the pieces when we don’t heed the direction we’re given.
We Have Free Will – Guardian Angels Won’t Override It
It’s very important to keep in mind that we always have free will. The choices that we make as we go through life are ours to make or not.
Our guardian angel will advise us with messages, but will never directly intervene if we ignore them and go ahead with our chosen action.
My Experience with a Guardian Angel
Keeping in mind that many people have unique spiritual experiences, you won’t be surprised to learn that my knowledge of having a guardian angel is different than Lorna Byrne.
Byrne’s experiences take on the more tangible aspects of seeing and talking with angels that seems to be largely influenced by her immersion in the Irish Catholic traditions.
I grew up in a traditional Protestant culture that didn’t emphasis the existence of personal angels, so my experience was more of the awareness of never being alone, always being prompted by an unseen entity.
I never had a particular label for it, and I certainly didn’t always pay attention to it. But I was always aware that it existed and wasn’t far from me.
Our Background Influences Our Spiritual Experiences
Yes, I strongly believe that the container into which we’re born has a lot to do with how our spiritual experiences manifest. It’s why the nitpicking over labels and definitions matters so little.
Many decades later, I’m even more aware of this entity than I was as a young child. And even more so as I enter the senior stage of life.
One of the main questions I hear about guardian angels is how to receive messages from them.
How Do We Get Messages from Guardian Angels?
Because we have the free will I spoke of earlier, angels have to act in a subtle way. An angel will never yell at you, bully you, physically restrain you, or interfere in any way if you decide to do something.
Angels give us messages in many gentle ways that often revolve around our personal circumstances.
It may be something such as:
- a recurring or nagging thought.
- words that jump out at you when you’re reading.
- sudden insights.
- dreams that offer information or solutions.
- unexpected messages or contact with someone.
Keep an open mind and be alert for anything that resonates with you on a positive note. Even if it’s a difficult task, it should feel like it’s “the right thing to do.”
You Play an Active Role
Receiving messages and guidance from your guardian angel is not one-sided. It flows much more smoothly if you acknowledge the presence of your angel and ask them to guide you. Be open to what you might receive.
I have also found that expressing gratitude and appreciation toward the angel helps to open a higher level of communication.
And, don’t forget that cooperating with your guardian angel isn’t usually something that needs to be rushed. It’s always prudent to take the time to reflect and meditate on any messages you believe you’re receiving.
Ultimately, we are responsible for the choices we make and the steps we take. The angel cannot walk our journey for us.
In addition to receiving messages and insights, angels also offer comfort.
What Else Do Guardian Angels Do?
One of the most profound things that I’ve experienced from my guardian angel is the generous amount of comfort it provides during times of suffering, on both physical and emotional levels.
As we all do, I’ve had some traumatic events in my life that were quite difficult at the time.
For example, at one point, I thought I was going to die from the effects of a severe digestive condition.
At that time, I felt the strong presence of an angel that sheltered me under a large wing. I felt a sense of distance and peace that allowed me to be the observer, even as I suffered.
I don’t believe this was to stop me from dying, but rather to make the suffering bearable. I don’t know if it facilitated any healing, but it made the situation bearable.
I did experience a certain amount of healing, but I still deal with many digestive problems each day.
Nothing Prevents the Physical Body from Dying
We must not ignore the fact that we inhabit a physical body that’s prone to decay and breakdown, especially as we age. It is not the part of us that lives on, and it can cause intense suffering.
Angels don’t stop that from happening, but they can provide comfort during those times and help us to make the transition.
It’s a mistake to assign work to them that isn’t part of their role.
Conclusion
So get to know your guardian angel, and ask for the guidance and comfort it wants to provide. But don’t ask for it to prevent the natural flow of life and death, or to clean up messes you make with your free will.
I took my relationship with my guardian angel to a whole new level on the day I told it I didn’t want to lead anymore; I wanted to follow instead.
But trust me, I’m still not doing everything perfect. For some of us, it takes much practice to learn the art of deep listening on a spiritual level. I’m not even sure it’s totally achievable while we inhabit our human form.