A short while ago, a friend of mine called on Raphael for healing. Elaine had been suffering from chronic back pain for several years and was tired of living on painkillers. One evening the pain was so bad that she prayed to Raphael and experienced an almost instantaneous release from pain. Although Elaine still suffers at times, the quality of her life has improved enormously since she began communicating with the angelic kingdom. She asked me, "Why hasn't anyone written a book on how to communicate with Raphael?"

One of my former students had a dream of setting up a catering business. Duncan was an excellent cook, but memories of an earlier business failure held him back from pursuing his dream. He worked long hours in a job he hated, and daydreamed about the business he would own "one day." Finally, he called on Gabriel, because of this archangel's interest in hopes and aspirations. He developed an action plan and started a business that ultimately became successful. Duncan credits Gabriel for finally turning his life around. "He helped me focus on what I really wanted," he told me. "Why doesn't someone write a book about Gabriel?"

I promptly forgot his question, but the conversation came back to me a few years later when I first thought of writing a series of books on archangels. Over the years, several people have asked me similar questions. When Elaine asked her question about Raphael, I was finally able to reply that my book on the subject would be available soon.

I can't remember when I was first introduced to the angelic kingdom. I remember a Sunday school teacher telling me that Gabriel and Raphael were the most reassuring archangels. Not surprisingly, I immediately wondered why the other archangels were not reassuring.

A few years later, I learned that Raphael looked after the east, and Gabriel the west. Consequently, if you stand facing east, Raphael will be in front of you, while Gabriel will be behind you. You will also have Michael on your right hand side (south), and Uriel on your left (north). Consequently, you are protected on all four sides.

My mother told me that Raphael was always jovial because he looked after the Sun, and that gave him a sunny disposition. Gabriel looks after the Moon, so is therefore more serious, and has many important tasks, including selecting souls to be born in human form. While the baby is in the womb, Gabriel teaches the fetus what he or she needs to know on Earth. Just before the baby is born, Gabriel removes all memory of this, and presses her finger on the child's lips to reinforce this, creating the cleft below the nose.

In the Judaic tradition, Gabriel is the Angel of Judgment. She's still waiting to blow her trumpet on judgment day, but in the Christian tradition she's considered the Angel of Mercy.

You can ask the archangels for help whenever necessary. Obviously, you shouldn't bother them with trivial matters or problems that you can resolve on your own. Usually, you will want to communicate with a specific archangel. If your problem concerns purification, clairvoyance, or changes in your life, you should ask Gabriel for help. Raphael is the archangel to contact if your problem relates to physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing.