DIVINE ENTITY ENCOUNTERS
Divine Entities are generally thought to be messengers from a higher power who are dedicated to sharing unconditional love. They have been referred to as guardian angels, spirit guides, a celestial being, or a spiritual being. Throughout history, religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism have embraced angelic beings, who are said to serve God’s will and communicate God’s word. However, there are many reported experiences of divine entity encounters (DEEs) from people who did not necessarily believe in God or consider themselves religious in any way.
Angelic encounters are sometimes reported by people nearing death (nearing death awareness, or NDA) or who had a near-death experience (NDE), so the DEE, NDA and NDE categories of experience may overlap.
According to Oxford Dictionary, the word angel is a merging of the Old English word engel and the Old French angele, both of which are Romanization of the ancient Greek word angelos (messenger, envoy, agent).
Phenomenology
People have reported any of the following experiences as a result of a divine entity or angel encounter:
- Feel embraced by love, peacefulness, comfort, or protection.
- Perceive (either with the eyes or other senses) an entity of white or bright light.
- Perceive that the entity has a kind expression, loving eyes, and smile. In some cases the entity may appear in human form, but with something odd or different about them; perhaps with startling brilliant blue eyes.
- If in a circumstance of physical trauma or emergency, pain stops.
- Physical objects that appear without explanation (a cross, angel symbols) may be perceived as a message for the receiver.
- Healing of physical or emotional issues takes place.
- Shift to a new spiritual and/or universal view of the human.
- Feel more patient, compassionate, and understanding with others as a result of their experience.
BOOKS
Note: In the popular genre on the topic of angels, Doreen Virtue has authored eleven of the top- twenty books on Amazon.com’s Religion & Spirituality>Spirituality>Angels category. Many of her books feature angel messages that are communicated through mediums, and so there is an overlap with the experience of working with a medium or a communicator with the spirit realm, which is part of the discussion on consciousness on this website. Likewise, Sonia Choquette has authored many books on the subject of spirit guides and encourages people to learn how to communicate directly with their guides. These are their most popular books:
- Choquette, Sonia (2007). Ask Your Guides: Connecting to Your Divine Support System. Hay House.
- Virtue, Doreen (2003). Messages from the Angels. Hay House.
There is very little specific, scientifically based research on this topic; however, there are several published popular anthologies of experiences of angelic encounters. Among the most popular are:
- Anderson, J.W. (2004). In the arms of angels: True stories of heavenly guardians. Loyola Press.
- Anderson, J.W. (1993). Where Angels Walk: True Stories of Angel Visitors. Ballantine Books.
- Anderson. J.W. (2008). Angels and Wonders. Loyola Press.
- Bell, J.S. (2012). Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters: Real-Life Stories of Supernatural Events. Bethany House Publishers.
- Graham, B. (2011). Angels. Thomas Nelson.
- Kaseorg, V. (2012). God drives a tow truck: An anthology of true encounters. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- Moore, K. (1996). Tara's angels: One family's extraordinary journey of courage and healing. H. J. Kramer.
- Newcomb, J. (2010). I can see angels: True tales of real life angelic encounters. Hay House.
- Thayer, S. and L. Nathanson (1996). Interview with an Angel. Edin Books.
The following are published research papers related to this topic:
- Bauman, E. (2003). “Dreaming in crisis: Angels and the allegorical imagination in post-war America.” University of Pittsburgh. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 276 p.
- Lange, R., & Houran, J. (1996). “Role of contextual mediation in direct versus reconstructed angelic encounters.” Perceptual and Motor Skills, 83(3), 1259-1270.
LEADING AUTHORS
Joan Wester Anderson
Joan Wester Anderson began her writing career in 1973 with a series of family humor articles for local newspapers and Catholic publications, and was a monthly columnist for two national magazines during the 1980s. She has published more than one thousand articles and short stories in a variety of publications, including Woman’s Day, Modern Bride, Virtue, Reader’s Digest, and the New York Times Syndicate. Her 15 books include Where Angels Walk: True Stories of Angel Visitors which was on the New York Times best-seller list for over a year, has sold almost two million copies and has been translated into fourteen languages. Anderson’s book, In the Arms of Angels covers angelic activity primarily during the past decade, including stories of hope from the 9/11 and Columbine School tragedies. Anderson has appeared on major national television and was featured in such documentaries as “Angels–Beyond the Light” (NBC), “Angel Stories” and “Stories of Miracles” (The Learning Channel), and on many videos. She was a story consultant for the television series, “It’s a Miracle,” lectures in cities across the country, and has been interviewed on hundreds of radio talk shows.
Sonia Choquette, PhD
Sonia Choquette is a world-renowned intuitive and spiritual teacher who specializes in helping people recognize and learn to use their sixth sense. A teacher committed to strengthening intuition in one’s daily life, she is the bestselling author of seven books and numerous audio editions. Her books are used in seventeen universities. She was educated at the University of Denver and at the Sorbonne in Paris, and holds a PhD in metaphysics.
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr.
Billy Graham is an American Christian evangelist, ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, who rose to celebrity status in 1949 with the national media. His sermons were broadcast on radio and television, some still being re-broadcast today. Graham is notable for having been a spiritual adviser to several United States Presidents; he was particularly close to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon. During the civil rights movement, he began to support integrated seating for his revivals and crusades; in 1957 he invited Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to preach jointly at a huge revival in New York. Graham operates a variety of media and publishing outlets and has repeatedly been on Gallup's list of most admired men and women. He has appeared on the list 55 times since 1955 (including 49 consecutive years), more than any other individual in the world.
Doreen Virtue, PhD
Doreen Virtue holds BA, MA, and PhD degrees in counseling psychology, and is a lifelong clairvoyant who works with the angelic realm. She's the author of Archangels & Ascended Masters and Healing with the Angels, among many other works. She has appeared on Oprah, The View, Good Morning America, CNN, and other programs; presents workshops around the world; and also has a weekly call-in talk show.
Rhea White, PhD (Hon) (1931 – 2007)
Rhea White was one of parapsychology research’s most outstanding contributors, most notably as the editor of the prestigious Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research [JASPR]. She was a charter member and president of the Parapsychological Association and received the organization’s Outstanding Contribution to Research Award in 1992. In 2006 she was awarded an honorary PhD by the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University) in Palo Alto, CA. Her Exceptional Human Experiences Network website is at click here
ORGANIZATIONS
1. Spiritual Research Foundation
3. There are several Internet collections of personally submitted encounters:
CASE STUDIES
1. Bruce Van Natta at Sweet Bread Ministries
As the front axle of the massive logging truck fell onto the mechanic, crushing him against the concrete floor, angels appeared out of nowhere to miraculously save his life. He watched from above as God's messengers stayed on either side of his mangled body as the emergency medical team worked.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk3iQ1akg5Y
Van Natta, B. (2008) Saved by angels: To share how God talks to everyday people. Destiny Image.
2. The YouTube Channel “Miracles to Go” lists several personal stories of angelic encounters at:
Two examples:
- Sarah was sitting alone waiting for a bus late at night in an unsafe part of Denver. After realizing the danger she was in, she started praying for protection. A young man with long red hair and brilliant blue eyes who was holding incense walked up and sat with her on the bench. When the bus came, she looked back and he was gone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJDGE7gsAFU
- Rob, an artist, heard “a voice” and was directed to create a series of angel paintings. One of the paintings was hung over the bed of his diabetic father. Rob credits the painting with saving his father’s life after a diabetic seizure.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MolT3LHPHAw
3. “The Miracle on Highway 6.” A head-on vehicle crash left both cars on fire, upside down, and the occupants unable to escape. Originally broadcast with Christian Broadcast Network 700 Club.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idUJ8BBN0_o&feature=related
4. The son of a pastor, Colton Burpo was 3 years old when he went to heaven during an operation on his ruptured appendix, and at age 11, told what he saw and heard. Originally broadcast with Christian Broadcast Network 700 Club. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdUGoFTfP7w&feature=related
Burpo, T. & Vincent, L. (2010). Heaven is for real: A little boy's astounding story of his trip to heaven and back. Thomas Nelson.
