Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Angels



My friend Gary wrote about his niece's relationship to angels this week, a lovely post, perfect for this time of year.

I believe in angels, do you? I'm not sure they're always white robed and have wings, though, even if that's how they're mostly depicted. According to the cosmology of Reya, those white winged dudes are a race of bird people who live in the lower atmosphere. Occasionally we catch a glimpse of them, flitting around the clouds. The bird people are beneficent, to be sure, but somewhat different than the angels I know.

In Jewish mysticism it's believed that angels come in and out of being to fulfill specific tasks. Sometimes their lifespans last hundreds of years, sometimes they're only needed for a few seconds. Their size varies greatly, too. They can be as small as a butterfly but are also said to sometimes grow to one-third the size of the earth. Whoa. That would be one hulkin' angel, wouldn't it?

I love every one of the paintings of Jacob fighting the angel. In some of them, it almost looks like Jacob and the angel are dancing. In others it's clear that a struggle is going on. I've had experiences like that, battling against the best of myself (for reasons I can't imagine). My sense of the angel's role in these circumstances is one of extreme patience, just holding me so I can't hurt myself until my tirade or tantrum has passed.

Any time I think about angels, the image of Bruno Ganz in Wings of Desire comes to mind, wearing a black trench coat, his hair slicked back, listening compassionately to the troubled thoughts of we humans. It's a beautiful film, well worth seeing again, or if you haven't seen it, maybe you should put it at the top of your Netflix list.

Images of angels appear everywhere at Christmas, but I think the angels themselves are always around, always available in case we need them. In fact, I'm not sure what we would do without them.

Thanks, angelic presences, for hanging around, for taking such good care of us. I deeply appreciate your goodness! Thank you.

17 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Yes, I believe in angels, too, and I think they are more an essential part of our lives than we give them credit for.

Your opening photo is spectacular and pairs so nicely with your post.

Reya Mellicker said...

Thanks Willow! It's the Lincoln statue reflected in a puddle at Lincoln Park.

tam said...

Lovely post Reya. I have too much to say on this topic for a comment field, but loved reading about the cosmology of Reya.

r. said...

Everywhere!! :-)

xo, r

Hammer said...

I'm dubious on angels, or at least how they're commonly defined. I'm not the least bit dubious on Wings of Desire though - a stunning film that still holds up extremely well after all these years.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

I not only believe in angels I've been blessed with having met a few in my wanders -- I believe that angels come in many, many forms and as robert said they are everywhere!

sweet cosmology of reya....

tut-tut said...

Angels are everywhere. Nice post, and great photos. Bruno Ganz is always interesting, I think, in whatever he is in. Did you ever see The Last Days of Chez Nous?

Steve Reed said...

I have never seen "Wings of Desire." Adding it to Netflix now!

hele said...

When I was till a teenager I found a book in our library filled with records that someone kept of her dreams.

The one were of angels so fierce and beautiful and scary that one could hardly look at them. I wish I could describe them better but for me reading that dream opened up a whole new way of thinking about angels.

Lori ann said...

I'm off to netflix also, thanks for the recommendation!
xx

Gary said...

My feeling is that angels are all around and take many forms or guises according to the circumstance. I truly believe one showed up out of nowhere wearing a Tigger sweatshirt to help me push my stalled car out of traffic and when I arrived at a gas station with her beside me she vanished. Not into thin air but was just gone before I realized it.

I like the cosmology of Reya, more please.

Oh, and Wings of Desire will be seen before 2009!

Barbara Martin said...

Beautiful photos on my favourite topic. I believe in angels and have had the odd bit of communication with them. They will help with whatever you ask of them. Every person has two, one to protect you and the other to provide ideas or solutions to problems.

Every person can communicate with them: just ask that you would like to talk to them. If you cannot hear in the beginning you have to be very quiet, keep flitting thoughts away and wait. They speak very softly with kindness, with the message concise and only a few words. They will speak louder if you tell them you cannot hear.

Lynne said...

What an absolutely stunning top photo! Gorgeous!

I'm not sure I've ever met an angel. I wish I could say I had. I do love watching movies about them tho.

Reya Mellicker said...

Yes Barbara - Angels radiate kindness. That is such a powerful quality.

One cool postscript - just as I was writing this post yesterday, my friend Val was gifting me a guardian angel on Facebook! Oh ye of little faith, open your hearts!! (giggling)

Moonroot said...

Your notions of angels make far more sense to me than the classic winged/robed model. Bird people - that makes sense too. Thank you. Perhaps I do believe in angels after all.
And thanks for the link to Gary's post about his niece; fascinating stuff.

lettuce said...

one of my most favourite films ever


Reya, I know you don't generally read fiction, but would you make an exception for Skellig - its very brief and very wonderful

d smith kaich jones said...

I am here via Blogs of Note, and find we both have Truth Cycles on our blogroll, and I am commenting here at your angels post because I have been thinking of/working on an art project about angels lately. I cannot believe I haven't found your blog before this - truly terrific shadow plays & images & reflections & a different way of seeing. I will be back; I am glad to have found you!

:) Debi