Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xii

I How to Recognize the Light in Yourself and in Others: Mystical Vision and Knowledge 1

1 Introduction: Ideas are Our Familiars: Seeing What We Already Know 2

2 Seeing Auras: A Day (Un)like Any Other: Seeing Auras at the Post Office 7

3 Recognizing Claircognizance and Clairsentience: The Flash and the Sparkle, and the Light of the Heart 13

4 Experiencing the Dark Night and the Mystical Reawakening: The Mountains, the Eagle, and the Golden Light 20

5 Seeing Dreams as Vehicles of Communication and Divine Guidance: The Islands in the Sky and the Jewels Beneath Our Feet 25

6 Meditating with the Muse: How to Meditate 30

II How to Connect with the Angelic World 37

7 Knowing that You are Always Accompanied: Angels of Accompaniment 38

8 Seeing Angels: More Beautiful than You can Imagine 41

9 Receiving Angelic Guidance and Indication: The Golden One 47

10 Opening Up Your World: Angels at the Academic Fair 50

11 Teaching and Inspiration: The Bishop's Wife and Bell, Book, and Candle 53

12 Expanding into Beauty: Why Museums are Sacred Spaces 58

13 Sharing Light and Exchanging Energies: Angels on the Skybridge 62

14 Cleansing and Purification: Angels of Demanifestation 66

15 Sheltering and Protection: The Angelic Umbrella 70

16 Accompaniment in Times of Crisis: The Hurricane and the Angelic Fireworks Display 73

17 Shielding: Angelic Protection from Dark Energies 78

18 Silent Night: An Angelic Lullaby 84

19 Expressing Gratitude: I'm All Yours, the New Normal 87

III How to Integrate the Angelic and Mystical Realms in Your Life 89

20 Receiving the Gifts of Grace: The Archangel Haniel and the Arts of Allowance and Self-Overcoming 90

21 Healing Old Patterns: The Archangel Raphael and the Angel of Inner Peace and Harmony 97

22 Drawing on Intuitive Guidance to Make Strong Choices: The Line Down the Page 101

23 Listening to, and Acting on, Angelic Guidance: The Colored Pencils 106

24 Accepting What We Cannot Know: Ghost Writers 109

25 Seeing the Links between Humor, Metaphor, and Mysticism: "Don't Call it a Fruitcake" 112

26 Using Humor to Transform Situations: The Bouncing Beach Ball 116

27 Recognizing the Facts of the Matter versus the Stories We Tell Ourselves: Showing Up at Our Own Parties 120

28 Enhancing Personal Power and Protection: The Warrior Weapon 128

29 Balancing Power and Delicacy: The Archangel Michael and St. Therese: He's the Cake, and She's the Frosting 133

IV How to Connect with the Mystical Dimensions of the Natural World 137

30 Joining the Archangel Ariel's Retinue: White Tipped Wings: Lifting the Light 138

31 Melting the Distinctions Between the Sacred and the Profane: "We Look Like the Sky": What Blue Means to a Blue Jay 142

32 Recognizing the Divinity of the Natural World: The Light Bodies of Birds 145

33 Appreciating the Harmony Between the Parts and the Whole: The Palm Elemental and the Heart of the Hand 148

34 Living in an Illuminated Landscape: The Light on the Water 152

35 Returning to the Mountain 156

V How to Recognize the Mystical Dimensions of the End of Life and How to Help People Leave with Grace 159

36 Receiving a Message from the Afterlife: "I'm Calling to Invite You to a Party in Heaven" 160

37 Seeing the End of Life as Part of the Total Creation: The Archangel Azrael 164

38 Seeing Angels at the End of Life 168

39 Accepting Extraordinary Events at Life's End: The Waterfall and the Waterwheel 175

40 Attending People at the End of Life and Helping Them to Leave with Grace: A Material Medium 180

41 Seeing a Human Soul: The Light Separating from the Body 184

VI How to Live like a Light Carrier 187

42 Joining the Community of Light Carriers: The Hollow Straw 188

43 Contributing to the Bank of Light 193

44 "When You Look in the Mirror, You're Looking at Me": How to Recognize the Angel Within 197

45 Unfurling Our Wings: The Closing Ceremony 200

References 203