Angels are gentle yet powerful divine beings. They are aligned with a higher spiritual intelligence that has unlimited ways to resolve any problem we may face. They are also somewhat rebellious! This can appeal to our sacred rebel nature that recognises when a system isn't working and needs to change in order to become more fair, loving, and healthy. Or when we want to challenge a particular belief that we—or society—have held, such as challenging the idea that you cannot earn an income through doing work that you love, or that you have to suffer and struggle in order to be worthy of love.

One of my favourite stories of Archangel Gabriel (with whom you'll connect in the healing practices I share below) notes this rebellious streak. It is said that the Creator was so despairing of humans behaving badly that Gabriel was instructed to throw hot rocks at them, giving them a fierce wake-up call. Gabriel, in his compassion, worried about the negative impact of those rocks, so he threw them so slowly that they cooled before they hit the earth, and did not cause harm. I also like this story because it shows that although the angels always follow higher will, they understand humans and they truly want to help us heal our hearts and become our best selves (whilst having compassion when we forget our higher nature and end up doing our worst!).

Angels are easily found in cultures and religious traditions around the world, from ancient to modern traditions, from East to West. You could be a Christian, or a Hindu, a Muslim, or a New Age practitioner, or devotee of Wicca, or none of the above, and believe in angels. Billions of humans, from radically diverse backgrounds, can feel united through their common belief in angels. Isn't this beautiful?

At times when conflict seems to be on the rise and we have a greater need for spiritual light to help us find our way through uncertain times, angels can support so many hearts, because so many hearts are open to them. The problem many face in receiving spiritual blessings, grace, help, and healing is that they are not open to it. The readiness with which so many people accept the presence of angels makes working with angelic energy one of the easiest and most effective methods of light work.

The term "lightwork" covers a wide range of spiritual healing practices based on the intention to channel divine light. Divine light is always loving, healing, and wise. It holds higher spiritual intelligence. That intelligence helps us recognise solutions, rather than fixating on problems, and can shift our physical, emotional, and mental state so that we live our lives in a more constructive and joyful way. Divine light helps us clear the confusion and clutter, and come back to the home-truths of who we are—precious humans born to live a unique life and express our true essence.

Because angels are beings of divine light, calling upon them through lightwork practices such as the exercises below improves our lives and the lives for all beings. You may wonder how that is possible, but increasing light on our Earth helps all beings. The sun may feel like it is shining just for you, on that perfect summer day, yet it is shining and benefitting all beings who can detect its rays of light. It is safe for you to invoke divine light through the angelic lightwork processes below. These are universal exercises channelled for human benefit.

Angelic Lightwork Practice for Personal Spiritual Protection and Angelic Lightwork Distance Healing Process for Individuals and Communities

About the Exercise:
You might wonder why we need spiritual protection. A wonderful Hindu saint, Ramakrishna, put it succinctly in this way: you may know that a tiger is a divine being, but I wouldn't recommend try to hug him on that account!

Spiritual protection helps us recognise that every being—even those who may not have the best intentions towards us—has their own legitimate life purpose to live. With spiritual protection we can "live and let live" because we know we are safe. We don't need to attempt to control others and we increase not only our sense of inner security, but also peace in our hearts, our lives, our relationships, and our planet. Did you ever think that protecting your energy field would have quite so much bang for your proverbial buck?

In the exercise below, we call upon divine light through the four major archangels recognised in many of the world's religious and spiritual traditions. All we need to do this is to call upon the angelic names with a pure heart.

You may worry that your heart is not so pure, especially if you just had a huge argument with someone, for example. So perhaps you can take comfort from a beautiful Buddhist teaching (that can also found in mystical Islam, too). That teaching is beneath our hurts and confusion, which arise as part of human existence, the true nature of a human is pure goodness, and the inner truth of the heart is always divine love.

The exercise below is in two parts. You can do part one, and then add part two if you wish. The first part is for preparing and protecting your energy field, and gaining divine energy for self healing and spiritual protection. The second part is for expanding that healing to benefit other individuals or even other communities. Other communities could be your family, or a group that you work with, or a particular group of humans that you feel compassion for and want to help. It could even be shared with our entire planet, including animals and Mother Nature, so that your healing intention embraces our planet and all her creatures.

Preparation:
Have you turned off mobile devices? Have you set up your sacred space? That may be as simple as playing some calming music and lighting a candle or some incense.

Sacred space can be supported by outer actions, such as building an altar, but it is an inner state that we can summon and generate around us with our intention and awareness. You don't need to worry if you do not have many spiritual tools available. A small leaf, or crystal, or an oracle card placed before you as you sit comfortably, might be enough for you to feel a connection to the sacred in that moment.

Have this article nearby for instructions. If you wish to record this process for your own personal use only, you can do so. Remember to leave plenty of space in between speaking, and to speak slowly. Otherwise you can read each step and practice it, working through the process.

The Process:
Sit or stand comfortably, as you prefer.

Place both hands over your heart and take your time to notice your breath. As the breath flows in, and out, you can allow your awareness to settle, like a white feather, drifting gently downwards through the air until it lands softly upon smooth, ancient rock. This is your awareness resting at the spiritual bedrock of your being.

When you are ready, say, "I call upon Archangel Uriel, Guardian of the Element of Earth. I open to receive your gifts of stability, strength, and prosperity."

You can feel, imagine, intend, visualize, or pretend to feel a grounded, stable sense of downward energy flow. It exists within you, and all around you. Your awareness travels downwards and inwards, from your head to your heart, and then to your belly, and then to your feet. Imagine you can sense the steadiness of earth energy beneath you, anchoring you and supporting you.

This energy rises up from beneath you, and gently envelops you in an energy "cloak" of healing golden light. Relax and breathe with it, sensing it hold you. This feels good and you can relax with it.

When you are ready, say, "I call upon Archangel Gabriel, Guardian of the Element of Water. I open to receive your gifts of cleansing, comfort, and creativity."

You can feel, imagine, intend, visualize, or pretend to sense a vast, still lake. It is has a mirrorlike surface. You may see passing clouds and the blue sky reflected in the lake's pristine surface.

Sense the clarity and peace. It exists within you, and all around you. Let your awareness settle deep in your belly now as you relax. You can imagine that your awareness rests on a vast lake of silver mirrorlike energy in your belly.

This energy radiates outwards and upwards from your belly, and gently envelops you in an energy "cloak" of healing silver light. It layers naturally over the top of the gold light. Relax and breathe with it, allowing it to support you. This feels good and you can relax with it.

When you are ready, say, "I call upon Archangel Michael, Guardian of the Element of Fire. I open to receive your gifts of light, protection, and motivation."

You can feel, imagine, intend, visualize, or pretend to sense a warm glowing fire. This is spiritual fire. It is light and warmth that cannot cause harm. The spiritual fire is vibrant and nourishing of life, helping seeds to ripen and mature into fulness. Your awareness can be captivated by the dancing flames, lured within to the light, where it can rest.

Sense the radiance and vitality of this spiritual fire. It exists within you, and all around you. Let your awareness settle deep in the center of your being as you relax into the psychic warmth.

This energy radiates outwards from your center, and gently envelops you in an energy "cloak" of healing gold light, layering naturally over the top of the gold and silver layers beneath it. Relax and breathe with it, sensing how it protects you. This feels good and you can relax with it.

When you are ready say, "I call upon Archangel Raphael, Guardian of the Element of Air. I open to receive your gifts of movement, freedom, and healing."

You can feel, imagine, intend, visualize, or pretend to sense a pleasant breeze flowing through your space and slowly breathing more life into your being. Take a slow deep inhalation. Sense the life energies of the breath. Exhale as you imagine, intend, feel, or sense that the spiritual energy of Raphael purifies the air and awakens invisible yet potent divine grace with each inhalation, releasing old energies on each exhalation.

Sense the vastness and generosity of this sacred atmosphere, protecting you and giving you life. It exists within you, and all around you. Let your awareness rest effortlessly in the air all around you for a moment or two.

This energy gently envelops you in an energy "cloak" of healing gold light, layering naturally over the other three layers. Relax and breathe with these layers of healing and protection. Sense them support and hold and protect and vitalize you. This feels good and you can relax with it.

You can now say whatever words you wish to express to the angels. Are there issues that you need help with? Are there things for which you are grateful? Express these matters as you wish now.

When you have shared your feelings with the angels, you can complete your personal process with the following prayer said aloud:

"Angels, thank you for watching over me. I ask for your ongoing presence and assistance in my life for my highest good in all ways. Please bless and protect me and my life journey so that I may fulfill my higher purpose and awaken my soul to divine love. For the spiritual benefit of all beings, so be it."

You can complete your process now by placing your hands in prayer and then bowing your head. Then ground yourself with some gentle movements and rehydrate.

Or, if you wish to move on to part two and offer healing for others, simply continue on.

Angelic Lightwork Distance Healing Process for Individuals and Communities
After having completed the above process, you are ready to share healing for others if you so choose.

Place your hands on your heart and say, "I now choose to offer healing on behalf of … " and express the names of individuals and/or communities that you are intending to offer healing.

Please note that you if you have not gained permission to send healing, and even if you have done so, you must offer healing with a pure heart. To ensure this, please now say, "If for any reason, this healing is not accepted, or honoring of freewill and the highest good, then please redirect to where it can do the most good."

You will now let go of your mental attachment as to who or how the healing shall be received and focus on a symbol for the healing. You may wish to imagine a sacred vessel—like a golden bowl or crystal vase—hovering effortlessly between your hands. That sacred vessel is the receiving dish for the healing.

You can now focus on your heart and imagine, feel, intend, visualize, and/or pretend that the beautiful energies of the angels are flowing abundantly into that sacred vessel, providing all that is needed. Do not give your own energies away. Instead, allow for angelic energy to flow through you, and like a fountain, that which overflows pours into the sacred vessel.

To enhance the flow of energy, you can chant or whisper or sing the name of the angel with whom you resonate with the most. You may like to choose one name, or chant all four archangels' names in any order you wish (Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel). You can focus on the energy that you are feeling gently flowing into the sacred vessel.

You can intuitively sense how much energy is needed and when to complete that process. When it is time to complete the process, gently close your palms together in prayer at your heart. In doing so, you have released the sacred vessel and healing energies to where it can do the most good.

You can seal the practice with this prayer: "For the spiritual benefit of all beings, may angelic presence awaken in all willing hearts. So be it."

Ground and prepare yourself for returning to daily life with some gentle movements and drinking some clean filtered water to rehydrate you after your energy work.

What Next?
Every practice of lightwork helps bring benefit to humanity and our beautiful earth. I thank you for your pure heart and your loving desire to be of service. May you be supported in your spiritual work and gracefully awaken to the divine beauty of your true nature. So be it!