Most people think of angels as ethereal beings, dressed in white, diaphanous gowns, with gossamer wings and shiny halos. Nothing could be further from the truth. Angels are very real, but they have no physical substance. They are pure intelligence, and their energy is the energy of the cosmos. In Kabbalah, which is the mystical doctrine of Judaism, angels are said to be emanations from the Godhead, who created them to carry out his divine plan. They are known as the Malachim, the Creator's messengers, and the ones in charge of the delicate balance of the universe. For that reason they are equated with the universal laws, which they rule and sustain. Everything that exists is the result of the interplay of several physical laws, all of which are angels. From the tiniest grain of sand to the awesome power of the human mind, we can perceive the subtle work of angels. They are everywhere and control every material thing, and their intelligence and power transcend human imagination.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have all endeavored to identify the angels, and several of the medieval sages even placed them in celestial hierarchies known as Choirs and Angelic Orders. The most accepted Christian authority is Pseudo-Dyonisius, who lived in the Sixth Century. He grouped the angels in three Orders of three Choirs each. The three choirs of the First Order, and the highest in the angel hierarchy, are the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. The three Choirs of the Second Order are the Dominions, the Virtues, and the Powers. And the three Choirs of the Third order are the Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels. The Kabbalah gives Hebrew names to the Choirs and groups them differently, but it agrees basically in the description of the angels. The Kabbalah, however, lists a tenth Choir, known as the Ishim, or the souls of saints. The reason why there is a tenth Choir in the Kabbalah is that each Choir is associated with one of the ten spheres of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, which is a representation of the entire created universe.

There are myriad angels in each Choir, numbering billions of these celestial beings. But there are also the Sarim, which are the Angelic Princes, who rule each of the Choirs. These are the best known angels, the ones with whom we are most familiar. Here we will only refer to the highest of these, the ten Sarim or Princes of the Tree of Life,each of whom is said to rule a different human endeavor. These exalted angels are Metraton, Raziel, Cassiel, Zadkiel, Kamael, Raphael, Anael, Michael, Gabriel, and Sandalphon. We must also consider Uriel, who is the Sar who rules the earth element.

Of these ten angels, the ones who are invoked most frequently for help in our human affairs are the angels of the four elements: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. Michael rules the fire element and the south; Gabriel rules the water element and the west; Raphael rules the air element and the east; and Uriel rules the earth element and the north. Also very popular in angel magic are Sadkiel, who rules abundance and prosperity; Anael, who rules love; Kamael, who rules war and strife; and Cassiel, who rules inheritances, businesses, and real state matters. Michael is invoked to attain power and success; Raphael for health issues, books, and studies; Uriel for money matters; and Gabriel for family matters and travels.

It is always important to remember that angels have only the powers conferred upon them by the Creator. One cannot invoke Michael in love matters because that is not what he rules, nor Gabriel in health problems because he has no power in those situations. Furthermore, it is easier to contact an angel on the days and hours that he rules. The colors and the attributes of each angel must be used during the invocation to empower the petition. Following is a list of the days, the hours, and the attributes of these angels:

To invoke any of these angels to get their help in problems connected with the things they rule, gather some of the attributes of the chosen angel and place them on a small table facing east with a small glass of wine and a small bread roll. Do this on the day and at one of the four hours ruled by the angel. Burn some of his incense and light two candles of the color associated with him. Purify the area by sprinkling salt water around its perimeter, and trace a circle in the air from east to east to protect the ritual. To do this place your thumb between the index and middle fingers of the right hand; this gesture is known as a ficca and is used to seal a circle. Point the ficca towards the east and turn around slowly, tracing an imaginary circle that ends back in the east. Now you are ready to contact the angel. Open your arms wide while facing the east and say a simple invocation like the one that follows:

"I invoke you in this your day and hour, most glorious and exalted Prince of the Heavenly Court (mention the chosen angel's name) to come to my aid in the situation I am facing (mention the situation). I ask this in the name of our most beloved Creator, our Lord and King of the universe, having full confidence in his love and his compassion. Please accept and bless my humble offerings and help me in the solution of this problem. May the eternal light be with you always. Amen."

Now you may proceed to eat the bread roll and drink the wine. Vanish the circle by repeating the motion with the ficca from east to east. Gather the angel attributes and keep them safe, as they are a point of contact with the angel.

Repeat the ritual seven times, always conducting it on the angel's day and one of his hours. It is important to remember that all angel invocations must be conducted when the moon is waxing, that is, between New Moon and Full Moon.

Angel invocations are very powerful and effective when done with total faith and reverence. You can learn more about angel rituals and invocations in my new book, The Kabbalah & the Magic of Angels. Godspeed, and may angels guide you always in the path of light.