Yesterday I mentioned on Facebook that it was Gabrielmas. I couldn't expand on it because of my injured finger. So let's talk a bit about Gabriel today and Angels in general. Gabriel is a winged messenger. He is a psychopomp. His chaplet color is blue, as in the throat chakra. Maybe that's why I like him so much; He shares the description with Mercury.
As I like to point out at every turn, there is nothing original in Christianity. This also includes the concept of Angels. The idea of winged human-like beings who are go-betweens for humanity and deity, goes back many thousands of years before the current era. There are statues, reliefs and carvings from ancient Sumeria depicting said winged beings. Here is a link to The Legends of the Garden of Eden and The Angels Alfred Hamori
Those of Royal Blood, the Anunnaki, are Sumeriean deities who seem to fit the category as well. The wiki entry I linked is paltry, but it's fine for a quick overview and has links to the Sumerian creaton story, Enuma Elish.
There is no quality work of the Annunaki on the internet, or at least I haven't found it yet. Honestly, much of what I've found is in the vein of "ancient aliens?" and "illuminati/zionist" stuff. Argh. Anyone have something not related to conspiracy theories? Some liken them to the Grigori, the Watchers or Guardians. I have seen them called the Serpent Race.
What is accessible is the Book of Enoch, a Jewish text which is at least a few hundred years older than the current era, placed somewhere are 300 BCE as is the Book of Giants found as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. To summarize: There are heavenly beings, they teach all manner of magic and craft to humans, mate with the women and defile animals and generally piss of the creator who smotes em good with the now famous flood. I don't want to get into a whole big thing about Enochian Magic and John Dee, so I'll leave you to that and google if that's where your interest are. (Any OTO folks out there wish to comment on Crowley's use and propogation of this system?)
So why the fuck do some Pagans, when casting a circle, call watchTOWERS. That's like me yelling at the lighthouse when I need to sail my ship. Seriously, why aren't you calling the WATCHER? I'd call the person manning the lighthouse, not the building itself. Pardon, Pagan Pet Peeve there.
In some magical systems, archangels are invoked at the quarters. Gabriel is invoked in the West. Fitting for a psychopomp messenger, I think.
Then there's the bedtime and wake up Prayer, the Kriat Shma: To my right Michael and to my left Gabriel, in front of me Uriel and behind me Raphael, and over my head God's Shekhinah ["the presence of God"]." I find it funny that it's used in the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram. It just tickles me that way. I've always heard that recited like a nursery rhyme, so to have it be a big ritual strikes me as odd. Anyway.
The book lust... There's a book which just came out called Ancient Angels: Conceptualizing Angeloi in the Roman Empire. WANT!!!!!!! The tiny description: "This text brings together the evidence for popular beliefs about angels in Roman religion, demonstrating the widespread nature of speculation about, and veneration of, angels in the Roman Empire. " Hubby works at a university which has a big library and an ancient studies school. I get to read some kick ass books that would otherwise cost a ton to buy. But this one isn't available yet. Ah well. It's not like I don't have 10 other books on my reading list and 3 I'm currently into.
That's it for tonight. Please feel free to share your Angel stories and theories, but please, no fluffy bunny chatter on my blog. I'm trying to keep it clean. Fluffy bunnies lead to dust bunnies! lol
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