Quick answer
Angels belong to living religions, and every one of those religions already has a way of keeping company with them that costs nothing. Catholics learn the short Angele Dei prayer as children and keep 2 October as the feast of the guardian angels. Orthodox Christians include a prayer to the guardian angel in their daily rule. The Jewish bedtime Shema asks for Michael on the right, Gabriel on the left, Uriel ahead and Raphael behind. Muslims greet the two recording angels at the close of each prayer. Martin Luther’s morning and evening prayers end by asking that the holy angel be with me. Whether you understand angels as beings or as a way of naming protection, the practice is the same: a moment of thanks, one request, and a look back over the day. Nothing in those traditions asks you to build an altar from bought crystals or pay for an angel’s name. The full guide is Guardian Angels: Seven Traditions, the Felt Sense of Protection, Angel Numbers and Feathers, and Praying Without Being Sold To.
How the traditions actually keep company with angels
| Tradition | The practice | When |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | The Angele Dei prayer: angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here | Morning, bedtime, and on 2 October |
| Orthodox | A prayer to the guardian angel within morning and evening prayers | Daily; the angel is asked to guard body and soul |
| Jewish | The bedtime Shema names Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael around the sleeper | Every night before sleep |
| Muslim | Greeting the recording angels on each shoulder with the closing salam of prayer | At the end of each of the five daily prayers |
| Lutheran and other Protestant | Luther’s morning and evening prayer: let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me | Morning and evening |
| Anglican | Michaelmas, the feast of St Michael and All Angels | 29 September |
| Outside any tradition | A minute of thanks, one request for help, one look back over the day | Whenever it fits |
- Sit for a minute before bed with the lights low and your phone in another room.
- Name three things from the day you are thankful for, however small.
- Ask for one thing, in your own words, for yourself or for someone else.
- Look back over the day for one moment you handled well and one you would do differently.
- Close with the words your own tradition uses, or simply thank you.
What the old version got wrong: It told readers to build an altar with crystals, angel cards and candles, and to ask an angel its name and adopt whatever came to mind. The traditions that gave the world guardian angels name only a few and ask nothing to be bought. For a short spoken practice, see how to speak with angels in a few quiet steps.
Read the full guardian angel guide
Seven traditions, the felt sense of protection, angel numbers and feathers, and how to pray without being sold to.
The part about finding out your angel’s name is intriguing. It adds a personal touch to the idea of angelic guidance.
I don’t think making an alter is necessary, but I do believe in the power of prayer and keeping a journal to reflect on spiritual experiences.
I find it hard to believe in angels, but I appreciate the emphasis on maintaining an open mind and communicating with intuition.
This article provides valuable insights into connecting with angels, even for skeptics. The emphasis on maintaining an open mind is particularly noteworthy.
This article is truly enlightening. It’s important to understand the role of angels in our lives and how we can connect with them for guidance and support.
Some suggestions may seem unconventional, but they offer unique perspectives on fostering a bond with angels and exploring spirituality.
I’m not convinced about the existence of angels, but I appreciate the emphasis on developing intuition and journaling as tools for self-reflection.
The idea of bonding with angels as a way to feel their energy around us is interesting, especially for those who seek a spiritual connection.