A while back, I posted an article here called Getting to Know Your Spirit Guides, which brushed the edges of subjects known as Angels. With the feedback and my own theories of study, I decided to share what I had and to attempt looking deeper. While most people believe Angels are a Christian term, the creation ‘of’ is not. It seems that every culture prior or during, had their own versions.
So, taking a look at those now,(or some) we can do something of a genealogical trace concerning “Angels’.
Brief overview: While Christian views concerning Angels and what they might be or might look like, varies, according to other religions, they weren’t always celestial beings of vast light serving God with purity (or what we have come to believe as pure). And while we have such stories concerning the Fallen which places them at the helm of God’s punishment for ‘loving humans’, beliefs prior to that had them doing nothing but…
Other Cultures:
The Hindu had their own version called Apsaras. The Apsaras didn’t have a thing to do with divine miracles or being the messengers of an out-of-reach God, but instead were all about sexual bliss. And mind you, in those days sex was a sacred thing, not the shameful sin it became in later times. The Apsaras granted such (sexual and orgasmic bliss upon those who were deemed ‘blessed’.
Amazingly, the Hindu angels main talent and gift was lovemaking. And they were considered the ‘perfect’ lovemakers at that. They did not tire out, lose energy or release bodily fluids of any kind. They could not get pregnant, could not give birth, nurse, nor had the pesky once- a- month–menstruation. Even after all this,though, they were shown, at times, as mothers. However their children just appeared on their laps at or around the age of five. These beings were considered perfect, and were known as ‘Dispensers of Joy.’
Vikings had their form of Angels called Valkyries. In short, since this will be too long of an article if I cover each one in depth, but Valkeries would watch over the battlefields waiting for brave warriors to die. When they did, they would fly down and carry them off to the Halls of Valhalla where Odin awaited. Earlier images suggest that the Valkeries were Amazonian like Priestesses who guarded the Gates of Death. They symbolized devouring those who died in order to give them renewed life. (Your basic destroyer/rebirth Goddess tale)
The Greek version of Angel was called Horae. The Horae were sacred Nymphs of the Goddess Aphrodite. They were famous for the Dances of Hours. They were also known to be the midwives of the Gods and the inspiration for the human version of sacred Horae (sacred priestesses also known as harlots)
The Persian version of Angel were called Houris or Houri or Peris. Again, these were sexual angels–heavenly Nymphs, which were also the same as the Babylonian’s Harine, Semite–Harlot. The Persian version, Houris, were known as dancing Ladies of the Hour. They were the keepers of time in Heaven and tended those there called star-souls.
In ancient times, the Shakti were known as many things but one of which was an Angel or spirit-wife, in which each person had. Once the person died, though, the Shakti came down from the heavens, took the man or woman into their arms, wrapping them up in their rapturous embrace at the exact moment of death.
So with all this information being said, and given the habits of biblical writers who seemed to pen the opposite or interpret certain subjects as a lesson to steer believers away from a popular idea or practice….then perhaps there was a reason behind the Fallen Angel myth, after all.
I will admit, it was a hard one for me to figure out, until now. However, since the story goes that these Angels fell in love and had children with humans…then maybe it was to conteract the popular belief that Angels (in every ancient culture before) were allowed to have sexual relationships and or were the very essence of????? So for any mortal man or woman who believed this or desired to be with their ‘angel’ they would begin to fear the idea, and the wrath of this new God.
It is just a thought…for every story has a purpose and reason…
Here’s hoping you draw your own theories and conclusions and share.
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Resources:
The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets
by Barbara G. Walker
Wikipedia
Pictures:
Moonlight Bathing Valkyries: Gods and Heroes series by George Grie
Shakti image
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