The concept of guardian angels is a common one. People tend to attribute lucky events both minor and great to the presence of a guardian angel — everything from spotting a dollar bill on the sidewalk to narrowly escaping injury in a serious car accident. Are guardian angels truly responsible for the moments of good fortune and synchronicity that we experience? What are these protective, helpful beings, where do they come from, and what is their purpose here on earth?
Many believe guardian angels are messengers from God who have come to Earth to deliver divine assistance. Both the Bible and the Koran contain numerous references to angels who are tasked with watching over the lives of human beings — but guardian angels are not unique to Christianity or Islam. In fact, they cross cultures, religions and time itself, dating back to ancient days in the Far East. The Hebrew and Greek words for “angel” originally meant, simply, “messenger” — underscoring the concept of a spiritual being sent from another plane to relay an important idea.
Modern belief in angels is even less restricted by religion or geography. Many people now believe angels can appear in countless forms — other people, animals, a sudden intuition, or even a non-corporeal voice, touch or scent. Many people use the terms “guardian angel” and “spirit guide” interchangeably, while others believe these are two distinct entities with separate purposes here on earth. Some believe guardian angels are assigned to follow and protect specific human beings for their whole lives. Others believe angels are everywhere — all around us, in all shapes and forms, and usually without wings or other obvious clues to their identity — ready to step in and lend a hand whenever and wherever necessary.
As with all of life’s greatest mysteries, there are no clear or simple answers to questions regarding angels or their origins. Those who have been “touched by an angel,” however, would swear they exist. And the role they play in our lives seems clear enough: watching over us in order to protect us from the myriad dangers that surround us every day.
If you have received assistance from a guardian angel, you may not have realized you were experiencing divine intervention. The following are some signs that a guardian angel stepped into your life with the purpose of protecting you from harm — perhaps harm you didn’t even realize existed.
• You have been involved in a serious accident but escaped without a scratch — and there is no logical explanation for why you weren’t hurt.
• You have been in the midst of some type of disaster, such as a hurricane or lightning storm, that should have frightened you — yet you felt perfectly calm and unafraid, as if some unknown being were holding and comforting you, and communicating to you that all would be well.
• You intended to follow a certain plan — take a trip on a bus or a train, for example — but something told you not to. Later, you discovered that by changing your plans at the last minute, you unwittingly avoided some type of trouble, or even tragedy.
• You have sensed an instinctive warning when encountering a strange person or animal — something telling you to walk the other way to avoid danger.
• Alternatively, you have experienced an intuitive sense that a certain stranger or animal possessed great kindness and wisdom, and could help you in some way.
• At the moment that someone you loved passed away, you smelled a wonderfully sweet scent that seemed to come from nowhere and brought you a feeling of comfort and joy.
• When you were feeling worried or sad about a certain situation in your life, a sudden sense of peace, joy and contentment came over you. Though you had no idea where this feeling came from, you knew at a deep, intuitive level that everything would be fine.
• During a time of stress or grief in your life, a certain animal meant a great deal to you — perhaps a pet who gave you special comfort, or a bird who visited your windowsill every morning, bringing you a sense of hope amidst the pain.
• You have had a vivid dream in which a loving, angelic being gave you an important message.
• You have received aid, whether financial, emotional or some other type, from a person whom you didn’t know well and from whom you didn’t expect help of any kind. These are sometimes referred to as “earth angels” — other human beings here on earth who do the work of an angel without expecting thanks or any type of compensation.
Some might claim the above are simply examples of a highly attuned intuitive sense or of good people doing their duty as citizens of the world. And that may be true; there is no way to know for certain whether assistance we receive just when we need it most is coincidental, human or divine. Again, however, those individuals who have direct experience with a guardian angel have not just miraculous stories to tell, but also the assurance of their own experience. Angels walk among us here on earth, and their angelic protection can be essential to our wellbeing.
